Love & Lost

1997

What is love? That question had haunted Lisa for years. If love is what she saw every day, then why did she catch her mother meeting with another man? If love is what she saw every day, then why did her parents argue constantly? If love is what she saw every day, then why did her mother leave them for someone else? If love is supposed to be between a man and a woman, then why did her parents' marriage fall apart?

So, what is love?

Growing up, Lisa hated her mother for leaving them, vowing that she would never repeat the same mistake. But... genetics don't lie. It wasn't long before she started to notice the traits of her parents creeping into her own behavior. It was only a matter of time before she became a reflection of the very people she had sworn never to resemble. Lisa didn't have a picture-perfect childhood, nor did she have a youth to look back on with fondness.

Until she met him. That night, when she was on her way to Rosielette's house, ready to meet up with their boyfriends at the club. Lisa had been in plenty of relationships, but none of them ever lasted more than a month. She was probably the most beautiful girl in town, yet no one ever managed to melt her stone-cold heart.

But he was different. He didn't approach her like the other guys did. He didn't throw out any cheesy lines or try to impress her with a fake act. He was kind, genuine, and friendly, though he was already taken, which was a disappointment at first. But they became so close—like best friends. She never imagined having such a deep bond with the opposite sex, and it made him even more important to her.

And let's not pretend—he was undeniably hot. Like, really, really hot. He could play the guitar, he could sing, and he could wear a simple white tee and still look like he belonged on billboards or magazine covers.

Yeah, whatever. Who's denying it? She had a tiny crush on her guy best friend, but of course, nothing more than that.

This time, she promised herself she'd learn how to be loyal—to him. He was the exception, because she didn't want to lose him. She didn't want to lose a good friend.

So, when Lisa heard the news about Rosie and Bambam dating, it hit her like a ton of bricks. Those two were as close as siblings—how could they risk their friendship for a relationship that probably wouldn't even last? She thought it was foolish, and she ended up ignoring both of them for weeks.

But what really made Lisa furious was that their relationship sparked an idea in her head—an idea that she and Taehyung could date. The very thought was preposterous! She couldn't let her mind be poisoned by their situation.

However, in the end, it wasn't Bambam or Rosie's fault. It was her heart. It kept fluttering for the wrong person.

So when Taehyung casually mentioned wanting to marry Irene, it knocked the air out of her lungs in a way she couldn't explain. And she hated it. She hated him for making her feel like this.

Then, to make matters worse, he had the nerve to set her up with someone she didn't even feel anything for.

Then all of a sudden circumstances had switched and now, he loved her? No, absolutely not.

Maybe she slapped him a little too hard that day when he confessed it to her, but then—without even thinking—she pulled him in for a kiss. It was so cheesy, so romantic, and even now, it still made her cringe just thinking about it.

Lisa crunched her nose, grimacing at her wandering thoughts.

Taehyung chuckled, "what are you thinking, love?" He turned his body to the side to face the brunette. Lisa smiled at this and did the same to also face him.

Now, they were face to face, a soft white blanket draped over their bodies. Lisa gazed at his smiling face and reached up to gently cup his cheek.

"I'm just wondering how I ended up with someone as ugly as you." She grinned mischievously, teasing the one man who had taught her everything about love. She had learned that the word wasn't as important as she once thought; what truly mattered was the meaning behind it—the feelings, the emotions, and what you did with them. Love wasn't some grand, magical thing like in fairy tales; sometimes it was simple, just a pure emotion for a certain person. What mattered was how you expressed it, in any way you could.

Taehyung burst out laughing, not buying a word of what she said.

"Love, you're a terrible liar." Lisa looked at him, particularly at his adorable boxy smile.

"Yeah? Well, I'm also not thinking about how lucky I am to have you," she teased, brushing her thumb gently across his cheek. With a look of pure adoration on her face, Taehyung wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her close into his embrace.

"You're such a smooth talker," he hummed against her shoulder, making her giggle. She lifted her head and laughed, her arms wrapping around his neck to cuddle him tighter.

"I know," she said with a smile, poking Taehyung's nose playfully before brushing a strand of his dark brown hair out of his face.

He eagerly wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her body gently on top of his. Once again, he buried his face in her shoulder and called her name softly, "Love?"

"Hm?" She hummed in response, comfortably resting her head on his side. Their breaths synced together, and the warmth of their bodies pressed against each other felt like a soothing antidote—a small touch of heaven.

Taehyung shifted her slightly, cupping her face in his hands. He planted a quick kiss on her lips before speaking the words that had been on his mind. "Let's get married." His mouth twitched with a barely contained smile, which, of course, earned him a few playful smacks from Lisa.

"Yah! Are you kidding me?! Stop that. Why are you always in such a hurry?" she complained, though the smile on her face betrayed her. Taehyung couldn't hold back any longer and let out a laugh, pulling her back into his embrace as the sheets rustled beneath them. Lisa tried to pull away, but she was laughing too, caught up in the warmth of the moment.

"Because life is fleeting, and..." He dragged the words out, pausing to simply stare at her with a look that made her heart skip a beat. Then he pulled her closer, pressing her against his chest, his nose gently tickling her ear.

"... I want you all for myself." His lips softly grazed her slender neck, sending a shiver down her spine.

Lisa summoned enough courage to meet his gaze, her hand gently caressing his cheek.

"I am yours." Her voice was soft, but the sincerity in it made his hazel eyes twinkle with knowing. He knew what he was doing, how he was making her feel this way.

Then, his smile shifted—becoming playful, almost devious.

"Besides, our baby is on the way after what we did last night," he teased, letting out a proud smirk.

Lisa's eyes widened in shock. In an instant, she shoved him away, her voice sharp as she yelled, "You perv!"

Taehyung burst out laughing, victorious in teasing her once again.

| Time is a fast pace.
Treasure anyone dear to you. |
1998

When there is love, there is also envy, hate—the most dangerous emotions of all.

They cloud the mind, making everything seem distorted. Jealousy and hatred take control, consuming everything until nothing is left but darkness.

It happened so quickly. The rush of emotions was like a speeding train, and by the time Jungkook realized what he had done, it was too late. He swerved the wheel, desperately trying to avoid the white wedding car, but he couldn't. The crash was inevitable. A truck collided with the car, and everything around him went hazy, blurry.

What had he done?