The six men stood there, entirely still, frozen into that very moment when Hoseok had emerged inside the establishment, with Park Jimin following closely beside him.

And Jeongguk's eyes, they gradually widened, mouth parting at the sight of his best friend whom he hadn't even spoken to in days. It wasn't like he really blamed the boy for it, either. He knew much too well what a broken heart could make one feel like—knew the helplessness and the ache that came with it. How easy it was to sink into a mind-space of solitude, wishing to be swallowed up into a world unreachable from reality.

It was because he knew it too well that he couldn't blame him. And all he felt in that moment was the sheer relief expanding inside his chest, just seeing that his friend was up and out of his apartment, finally emerged from his shell of despair.

But after that wash of relief, came his confusion. The question that popped into his head, at first, wondered what Jimin was even doing here in Abyss, of all places.

"J-Jimin.." The name left his lips in a worried call. The blond boy who stood a good distance from him then gazed at him and weakly smiled.

"Hey, Gguk.." Jimin spoke calmly, his hands slipping into the pockets of his padded jacket, an eased glint in his determined eyes. "Sorry I was in my own world for so long, but... I think I'll be okay now.. Somehow."

Jeongguk's teeth dug into his trembling lip before he hopped off of the stool he was seated over and ran the short distance toward his best friend. The minute he reached him, Jeongguk nearly attacked him with a hug, and the boy stumbled backward from the impact.

"It's o-okay!" Jeongguk whined out in a sniffle. "I'm just glad you're here now. Did Hoseokie-hyung drive you?"

"Yes he did," Jimin gave a quiet giggle, his small arms wrapping over his best friend to return the embrace. He patted at Jeongguk's hair, nuzzled into his hold before pulling away with a hesitant glaze in his eyes. "I promise we can catch up for hours and hours later, but.." He paused for a moment before clearing his throat. "There's actually something I need to do right now, before it gets too late.."

Jeongguk stared back at him with glimmering big eyes, a look that made Jimin hold back from cooing at him reassuringly.

"Will you wait for me, Gguk?"

Another long string of seconds rolled by, and Jeongguk could see the lit flame inside his best friend's eyes. A look he also knew too well.

"Of course..." He finally whispered. "Take your time, Jimin.."

※ ※

The dimmed lighting in the room flickered alongside the candles hoisted upon the wall sconces, its small flames dancing in the still air while light sounds of scribbling emitted from the long wooden desk.

Yoongi gave a quiet exhale, his brows lowering in focus as he persisted in noting down words across the page, the ink bleeding from the tip of his pen. There was a sudden knock on the door that broke his focus for a mere moment, and he lifted his head to look past the sea of shelves filled to the brim with stacked books.

"Come in!" He called out, then propped his chin to the palm of his hand while he continued his writing. The curt creaking sound of the door pushed a small breeze of air that flickered the candle lights once again, and Yoongi heard the clicking of the door shutting, followed by unintrusive footsteps.

And then he looked up at the person who had walked into the room.

The grip on his pen loosened, nearly dropping it and splattering its heavy ink across the page. And the man's eyes enlarged, heart freezing at the plain sight of the boy he cared for most in this world.

"God, you should see the look on your face right now.." Jimin huffed, a slightly amused tone to his voice. "What am I—a ghost?"

Yoongi gulped down his saliva and gently placed his pen down. "Of course not, I just-... Didn't expect to see you here.."

"Yeah.." Jimin hummed, looking around the large book study-room. "I can't imagine you would've. You always did try to keep me ignorant to your life as a gang captain.."

The older let his hands settle to the desk, eyes fixated on the sight of Jimin, still. A sight he couldn't look away from, because if he did he was afraid the boy would disappear into thin air. And honestly it was so good seeing him like this again, being able to see his face directly, hear his voice. It even took him a moment to convince himself that he wasn't just imagining the boy in front of him.

"Like I always told you.. It's much too dangerous for a normal boy like you."

Jimin's eyes narrowed at the response. "Right, well Jeongguk's a normal boy, and yet Taehyung never hid anything from him. At least not concerning his life with the gang."

"Jeongguk was also kidnapped, Jimin, what—.." Yoongi paused, inhaling an exasperated breath before slowly forcing himself to relax. Once he found some form of stability in his thoughts, he spoke again. "Look, you know I'm really happy to see you, but I do have to ask... Why did you show up here all of a sudden..? Let alone at the gang's base?"

"Why, did I interrupt your big busy captain activities?" The boy continued to look around the spacious study, eyes scanning through the thousands of books that must've been housed over the library shelves.

Yoongi merely gazed back at him, took a small moment to really look at him. He wondered if Jimin had been eating okay, if he was getting enough sleep. Despite them not having spoken for days upon days, Yoongi could only think of him with every passing second.

"Why did you hide such a big secret from me..?" Jimin suddenly asked the question that has lingered at his tongue, and stung deep into the older's heart. One that made him frown a little, although he couldn't lie and say he wasn't expecting some form of the question to come up at some point.

And so Yoongi gave another clear of his throat and clicked on the opposite tip of his pen. "I didn't mean to hide it.." He nearly whispered. "Or at least I wasn't trying to, really. You mean so much to both Misun and I, so... We wanted to tell you in a way that wouldn't hurt you, and we just couldn't figure out how..." He clutched his hands into fists. "In the end we waited too long... and it only ended up hurting you more."

He pushed his chair back and stood abruptly, his eyes finding Jimin's naturally, as they've grown talented in doing.

Then came his lowered whisper, hands lightly trembling at his side. "I'm really sorry, Jimin..."

The blond gazed back at him with an illegible expression across his face, and the room fell silent to their lack of chatter. Yoongi's hands were down on the table while he stood beside the desk, nails pushing into the wooden surface while he waited through the excruciating silence.

"So were you having sex with her behind my back, or what?"

Yoongi gave a puffed breath of disbelief. "What are you talking about—"

"What do you mean what am I talking about?" Jimin cut in. "Must I really remind you that sex is a requisite of having a baby? Or do you need a fresh reminder of basic human biology?"

"That's not what I meant.." Yoongi grumbled in slight frustration, then leaned back from the desk and walked around to sit down over it in front of the boy. "There's no way I would ever cheat on you, Jimin. So it's certainly not fun being accused of those things." He crossed his arms in front of him. "Misun and I used to hook up every now and then before I even met you.. So it just so happened that the last time we did it led up to this situation."

Jimin remained quiet, a faint frown settling over his brows while the older then continued.

"Misun was so scared of anyone finding out she was pregnant, let alone who the father was. I, myself, didn't even know until last month.. so you can see why I was so stumped on how to bring it up to you.." The man's gaze lowered.

More silence. Yet Yoongi refused to give up on explaining himself.

"This whole thing was a mess from the start... Obviously it's inevitable for there to be people from different gangs having sex with each other. And since Bangtan and Namida are strong allies, most of us know each other and it's not unusual for there to be hookups between us," he began. "As such, it was normal for some of the guys to be fucking the same girl from Namida, and vice versa. Misun was one of the Namida girls who got around often with Bangtan guys, and no one thought much of it. Except, of course, when news came around that she was pregnant and.. boy, was the paternity test yet another mess.. Word around the gang was that Taehyung must've been the father 'cause he was the closest Bangtan guy to Misun, always hanging around her and bickering over their school clubs."

Jimin stood by one of the wooden shelves, his plump lips resting in a thin line while he listened. "But he's not the father. You are."

Yoongi slipped his hands behind him, propping them against the desk. "I know. And I figure it's because there was some end of summer event at one of the clubs our gang frequents. Misun and I went together, got a little drunk and took a cab home... You can probably guess what happened next, and then... A week later school started. And I met you. But we never got intimate after that, I swear it."

The blond's gaze was fixated over the array of books next to him, his finger slowly tracing the edges while the words settled into his head. Following the boy's lack of words, Yoongi then continued.

"She found out about her pregnancy around 3 months in, and from there it took her a while to come to terms with finally telling me."

Jimin's eyes narrowed. "She's gotta be around 7 months now, so.. It took her 3 months to tell you that you're going to be a father?"

"Yeah, well.. That's precisely why I'm not quite used to it all myself.."

The two gazed at each other meticulously, and even if only slightly, Jimin could see a trail of sincere fear inside the older's eyes. Fear, of how he would react, perhaps. Fear of losing him.

"Still.. You told me you loved me. Even got me to forget my daydreams on the guy I set my heart on back then.. And this is how it all turns out."

"I'm sorry—"

"Did you ever even really love me..?"

Yoongi blinked back at him incredulously. "Of course I did, Jimin. I still do, even now." He took a step forward, closer toward the other male while he repeated his words. "I still do.."

There was a quiet sniffle, and Jimin's eyes were glazed over while he looked up at the man with a glare.

"I-It's not fair.. You should've never told me you loved me back then.." He reached to wipe at his dampened cheeks. "And I never should've b-believed you."

"Jimin.." The older spoke in a warning voice. "Don't be ridiculous. It's because of you that I even know what the hell love even is. Because I've felt it. With you."

"Then what the fuck is your plan now, huh!?" Jimin suddenly shouted, startling the still air in the atmosphere. Yoongi blinked back at him with widened eyes. "You have a child on the way—you're going to be a father! A father, Yoongi! Do you even know what that means?"

The man gaped at him, then made cautious movements to approach him. Until, finally, he reached his side, and embraced the blond's smaller frame against his body.

"I know.." He spoke gently, securing his arms around the boy tightly while Jimin nuzzled into his shoulder. The tears he shed stained the fabric of the other male's shirt, and to him it all felt so permanent. Yoongi rubbed his back in a soothing motion to calm his trembles, allowed the younger to dump the emotions he must've fought with the past few days. "But you're the one I'm in love with, Jimin-ah.."

Feeble fingers grasped onto the hem of Yoongi's shirt, and the blond slowly pried his face back with another shaky sniffle. Yoongi responded quickly, cupped Jimin's cheeks into both hands and gently wiped his tears away.

"I really want to work this shit out with you.." He mumbled, and just like that the two's eyes met, while Jimin fell entirely silent to the older's words.

When Yoongi had first made his feelings clear to him, it felt as though everything changed. Of course, at the time Jimin had been hesitant to respond to it, as he knew very well of the man that had captured his heart and kept it in his grasp.

But Jimin also knew the feeling inside his chest.

It wasn't as though he felt nothing toward Min Yoongi, so he decided to give it a try. Decided to try loving a different man, because the man he had wanted was already happy without him. And Jimin thought that was fine.

As long as Hoseok was happy, everything could be endured. That's how he felt.

So he gave it a shot. Put his heart into someone else, and truthfully, he was happy. His feelings developed, and Yoongi taught him that it was possible for him to be loved. For his feelings to be returned.

The man's finger wiped beside his cheek again, gaze darting toward those pink plump lips he adored over most things in life, and Jimin found himself squeezing tighter on his clenched grip.

His eyes fell closed, and their lips connected. Gently.

It was all so seamless, how Yoongi's head lowered a bit, pressed their lips into a kiss that both of them fell wholeheartedly to. Their embrace became tighter, the silent room filled with the gentle sound of their lips smacking. They were both painfully aware of their own heartbeats.

Yoongi's hand reached up, grasping at the shelf beside Jimin's head, cornering him against the row of books. The dulled, warm lighting set up a cozy mood for the two, allowed them to pour the vent up feelings in their chests toward one another.

And time seemed to stop. For a moment they were aware of the space they had created between them. A core memory—one that they both knew they'll come back to time and time again when they next longed for each other so bad that it became unbearable.

But before they knew it time and space had dragged them both back to reality, and they were left breathless, inhaling curt breaths into their lungs.

Jimin slowly reached a hand and placed it over Yoongi's chest, swore that he could feel the loud heartbeat against his palm. And Yoongi, he opened his mouth to say something. To express once again how much he couldn't let the boy go, how he would do anything to make him comfortable, to trust and love him again.

Yet before he got around to saying these things, Jimin was the one who spoke first.

"T-Thank you for all the love you gave to me.." The boy spoke in a fragile whisper. "I'm grateful to you.. for so many things, hyung."

Yoongi blinked down at him, a turmoil in his chest.

"I hope you find happiness with her.." Jimin finished, an array of fresh tears now pooling in his eyes. "I genuinely do. And I hope your baby gets everything they deserve from their amazing father." A pause. "Now, you-... have a meeting to get to, so-.. I'll take my leave, then."

"Jimin—"

The boy slipped through the narrow space between the shelves and Yoongi's body, quickly turning toward the door he had come in from. He reached his hands up to cover his face, let his body shake as he wailed out a silent cry that no one but him could have heard; rubbed away the tears that followed their kiss.

Their goodbye kiss.

※ ※

"So that concludes our plans for the upcoming month," Namjoon clasped his hands behind his back assertively as he stood at the edge of a long table full of seated captains and high ranking soldiers, the lower ranked guys scattered behind them across the spacious room. "Thank you all for coming to this meeting, despite the short notice."

"You're the best, hyung!" A young soldier shouted from the back, and a chain of laughter traveled toward where the leader stood.

Namjoon cracked a grin, and upon his dismissal erupted claps that officially concluded the gang meeting. Just like that, the group of mostly men began to scatter, and the only ones who remained were three of his most treasured gang captains.

"You didn't bring up that thing you mentioned to me earlier.." Seokjin spoke from his seat, watching as Namjoon himself lowered upon his throne-like gang leader chair.

Taehyung and Yerin both simultaneously turned their heads to see their leader's expression become hesitant.

"Ah, that... Yes, well... I'm still not too sure about it. I'll mention it when I know exactly what I want in regards to all that."

"What is he talking about?" Yerin narrowed her eyes, and Namjoon simply scratched at the back of his neck.

There was a short pause of silence, the sound of the soldiers outside the room exiting through the staircase gradually became faint. "Hm, well.. Have you two heard of the Coin Group?"

"Coin?" Taehyung uttered beneath his breath. "Are they not the relatively new gang that started up about three years ago?"

"Yes, correct." Namjoon propped an elbow to the table. "They sent out a notice to us. Apparently they'd like to start doing business with Bangtan. Maybe not anything as big as formally offering to be our allies, but starting small—like engage with sales regarding drugs. Something along the sort."

"Hm.." Yerin hummed, perking up from her seat beside Taehyung. "That's cute. Sounds like they want to strengthen their gang status by learning from a bigger gang."

Taehyung scoffed a short laugh. "Yeah, real cute. But we're not a charity gang. How's any of that going to benefit us?"

Namjoon's thinking face persisted. "Well, we would have more men selling and distributing our shit, across more intricate areas. I would say something like that is invaluable, no?"

"And I would say we have enough great men as is." Taehyung leaned back against his chair, watched how Namjoon's gaze remained fixated on him almost as though he wanted something from him. "Mm, lemme guess.. You're just dying to ask V for his thoughts on this."

The gang leader mustered up a laugh while he mirrored the younger's posture. "Can you blame me? He's my right hand man when it comes to tactics. And, of course, that's because I taught him so well. I take full credit for that, by the way."

Yerin giggled across from him, then turned toward Seokjin who was seated beside Namjoon. "And you, oppa? What do you think we should do?"

Seokjin hummed, then gave a shrug of his shoulders. "The more allies we have, the more power we get over other gangs in Seoul; and drug missions are an easy way to examine how the Coin gang operates. It's not a bad thing to try."

The girl nodded her head, thinking on it a bit before she slammed a hand down on the table. "I agree!"

Taehyung sat with his arms crossed, listening to the three continue their argument after that, and when the chatter felt short, he leaned forward in his seat.

"Speaking of.. Hasn't Acre fallen a bit too silent since our whole encounter with them?" His inked eyes peered through his long bangs. "Has there not been any updates after what V reported?"

Namjoon slowly shook his head, then gave a roll of his eyes. "Those fuckers probably learned their place. They're outnumbered and outsmarted. There's nothing for them to do anymore. It was checkmate the minute V broke both Jeongguk and Hiro out from their base. All on his own."

"Seriously.." Seokjin frowned. "They probably all agreed to pick on some other gang. If not Bangtan, then... maybe the Palette gang?"

"Well they are the next prominent group after Bangtan, so I wouldn't put it past them.." Yerin scoffed. "Buuut~ I like them! They should technically be our rival and yet they all keep to themselves. Plus they're led by a badass woman. A woman! Hell, I may just go join them instead."

"Traitor.." Taehyung mumbled in a teasing voice, only to get smacked right on the forehead. "Holy shit, ow?"

Namjoon chuckled fondly, a gentle gaze in his eyes while he watched the two. "I love our after-meeting talks.." He then spoke in a quiet voice, its softness causing the two to look at him. "Reminds me of the old days, when Bangtan was just the three of us. Me, my little bro and my little sis."

Yerin's brows rose. "Why are you getting all sappy now?"

A smirk formed on Taehyung's lips. "It's alright Rinnie, he's just becoming an old man. It's all part of the process."

Despite the two picking on him, the gang leader's smile persisted, and he suddenly stood from his chair, reached across the table and grabbed the two by the ear, pulling on it mercilessly.

"Nooo, not the ear punishment!" Yerin squeaked, grabbing the man's wrist in hopes he'd release his hold.

"Call me old one more time. I fucking dare you.." Namjoon spoke in a threatening voice, though his smile remained on his face. Seokjin watched the squabbling siblings, who, despite not being related by blood they all had the strongest bond he'd ever seen on three people.

But that was as expected. They all grew up and survived, together.

A warm smile pushed onto the eldest's lips, and he slowly rose from his seat. "I'll see you in a bit then, Joonie." He spoke up, interrupting the three's bickering while they all turned to look at him. "Abyss is opening soon so I'll make sure everything's all set up before heading out."

"Mm, okay.." Namjoon responded in a nod, released his hold on the two young ones beneath him, and turned to walk toward the other male. "I'll see you at home, then?"

"Yes, sir," Seokjin laughed softly, then fell silent once the approaching leader stepped much closer than he had expected.

Namjoon reached up to cup the man's cheek, then leaned forward to press a gentle smooch right over Seokjin's lips. "Gang meeting's over, so.. It's 'babe' to you now."

Seokjin gazed back at him with big eyes, a flush over his cheeks while he gave a slow nod. He opened his mouth to say something, but stopped when he heard quiet mumbling behind them.

"Gross, right..?" He heard Yerin gossip-whisper, followed by Taehyung's hushed voice.

"So gross, man... So gross.."

"Shut up!" Seokjin yelled, giving a scolding look to the two that remained seated over the table. He stomped forward to grab his bag and swing it over his shoulder before he aggressively marched back toward Namjoon, kissed his cheek, and retreated to exit the room entirely with a loud slam of the door.

Taehyung and Yerin erupted into loud laughter, and Namjoon bit back his amused grin while he returned to sit back in his chair. He watched them babble on about Seokjin's dramatic exit, and then gradually his face became rather serious. Though he couldn't help that, as his response was naturally to ponder over the string of thoughts that had come to him so abruptly.

It took the two younger ones a while to notice the silence from their leader, and when they did they both blinked back at him, slightly perplexed features over their faces.

"Hey now.." Yerin was the first to address it. "What are you thinking about?"

Namjoon glanced up at them, then shook his head sideways. "Nothing. Well, it's-.." He paused, lowered his gaze, and then looked at Taehyung. "Actually, I just remembered something I meant to tell you, kid."

Taehyung blinked back at him. "Me?"

"Yes.. It's about something V did, when he had his recent outburst with Jeon Jeongguk."

The younger perked up in his seat, now fully attentive upon hearing his boyfriend's name. "What..? What did he do to him?"

"Well, it's not about what he did to him directly, but rather..." Namjoon trailed off, pondering over how he should explain it, until ultimately he decided on just blatantly saying it. "It seems he took home with him a woman from Club Micro, and slept with her that night."

Taehyung's jaw lowered, his gaze lingering on the older in disbelief.

Namjoon continued. "I know that he technically, well.. never really agreed to be in a relationship with Jeongguk. At least him personally, so.. Mentally I suppose he didn't really cheat on him. But physically your body did have sex with some woman, while you're in a relationship with someone else."

The man's brow twitched, fingers clasping together over the wooden surface as he let this new information sink into him.

The gang leader then rose from his seat and adjusted his sleeve cuffs. "I don't suppose Jeongguk knows about it, but I thought at the very least you should. So I wanted to tell you." He grabbed a folder from the table and held it beside him while he turned toward the door. "I'm going to go help Seokjin out. You two get home safe, alright?"

Yerin watched the older as he slipped past the door and gently shut it. And just like that, it was only the two of them.

She turned to look at Taehyung, who was still staring down at the table, seemingly deep in thought; and after a moment she reached to place her hand over his arm.

"This is sounding a little too familiar, isn't it..?" She gave a scoffed laugh. And when Taehyung didn't utter a response, she added to her statement. "Looks like V hasn't changed much."

Taehyung finally lifted his head, his gaze fixating on Yerin's hand over him. "Yeah.. But-.. well, I... I don't want Jeongguk to go through the same thing you did."

Yerin patted at his sleeve. "I don't want that either.. Jeongguk deserves much better than that, and... To be honest I always supported you two because you're both important to me. But I always have this worry that it just won't end well.. Like it did for us."

"I know." Taehyung lowered his voice. "Why do you think I was so hesitant to be in a relationship with him in the first place? I'm fully prepared to try for Jeongguk, I really am. And so are the other alters, but... V." He clenched his hands into fists. "V's always the problem. The deciding factor."

Yerin retreated her hand back to the side and sighed softly. She was quiet for a moment, a tremble at her lips. And then finally, she managed to say the words she needed to express to him.

"You should tell him.." She started, in a quiet voice. Taehyung turned to look at her. "Tell Jeongguk that V slept with someone else. He should at least know.."

The man blinked in surprise. "I agree, but..." He hesitated. "Wouldn't that make it worse? I mean.. what he doesn't know doesn't hurt him, and... I don't want to see the look on his face when I do tell him. Sure it's different if, say.. I was the one that did it. But this is V we're talking about.."

Yerin pouted at the mere thought. "Hm.. I know, but... " she trailed off. "When V would go off and sleep with other people while we were together, it-.. It hurt much more to find out later than just being told directly. Even if it was a mistake and he regrets it, it's something that a lover of any of you alters should know."

Taehyung watched the far away look in her eyes, and a stinging feeling that wasn't quite his rushed into his veins. Because, yes, he could feel the other guys' emotions as though they were his own. In a way, they really were his own.

Yerin lowered her head, the hand on her lap shaking while she clutched it, and then she watched as large hands reached to engulf them into their hold.

"You're my best friend, you know.." She heard the man's deep voice trickle into her ear, his warm skin soothing the trembling of her palm. "I still think of you that way."

Yerin slowly turned her head, eyes wide while she looked into Taehyung's void pupils, that had grown darker around the edges. She swallowed her saliva, heart pumping inside her chest as she was quick to take notice of precisely which alter it was that had switched in.

"I fell in love with my best friend.." The man gave a dry chuckle. "How pathetic of me." He wrapped his fingers over Yerin's tiny hand, grasping it tightly. "And still.. I wish I didn't hurt you as much as I did, Yerin-ah."

The girl continued to gaze at him, a startled expression in her eyes. It was fair to say that she wasn't quite expecting to be having a conversation with V tonight, let alone over a topic such as this. A topic pertaining to their past, one that she had thrown away and let go of long ago.

And yet, the man was looking at her now. With those same eyes as back then. Dark, void of feeling, and yet contrastingly full of stories. Many emotions. A complicated mix of five souls.

And those eyes, they were nearing hers. Those lips, they were inching closer. A sight that had been so normal to her before. But this time, they couldn't connect.

"V.." she whispered, a hand placed over the man's chest to gently push him back. And the male, he knew it would happen. Though there was always that hope, that small glimmer of hope deep inside him where he thought for a moment he'd be able to return to the past a little. A past with Choi Yerin.

But Yerin, herself—she knew better than to give in to his wants. After all, she had put it all behind her now. Because, well..

She was much happier now.

She had Hoseok, and quite frankly Hoseok was perfect. Truly, wholeheartedly, she had found the man she wanted to invest her heart into for the rest of her life. They've even moved in together, and dare she say, she hoped he would pop the big question any day now.

And she could see their future in her dreams. A future of a happy marriage, and happy children. Somehow, someday, they could achieve it. She knew they could.

But then she thought of her dongsaengs. The precious boys she viewed as younger brothers. Jeon Jeongguk and Park Jimin. They meant more to her than she could manage to admit. Their happiness was much more valuable to her than her own.

That's how she felt.

Which was why, when she blinked and felt a wet drop slip down her cheek, none of it came to her as a surprise.

"There it is again.." Taehyung's husky voice boomed inside her head, and as she closed her eyes, gave lowered whimpers, she felt those warm fingers wipe her tears away. "I'm always making you cry, hm? Another reason you let me go.."

Yerin continued her quiet sobbing, not quite sure why she had broken down the way she did. It wasn't anything in particular about any memories from her past that had upset her, she knew that much.

But V being in her presence was always a reminder. A reminder of a relationship she had survived and grown up from. A reminder of how much she valued her current relationship.

Her current boyfriend. Who she only realized, just then, was the true reason behind the tears she shed.

✱