<<continued>>

Taehyung and I wandered through the market as dusk painted the sky in strokes of gold and coral. Laughter echoed around us-children running, couples bargaining, the occasional puff of steam rising from food carts.

We had rice cakes on sticks, cotton candy that disappeared too fast, and spent an embarrassing amount of time at a claw machine he was clearly bad at. But somehow, even losing felt like an achievement when it made him laugh like that.

He was competitive at the ring toss though-sharp, focused. When I failed three times in a row, he didn't tease me. Just slipped one of his rings into my palm with a quiet nod. No words. Just that soft look of his that said, try again, I'm here.

Later, I found him standing by a food stall, holding a cup of chocolate-covered strawberries-the very snack he said contained hundred calories. And yet, here he was, devouring his fourth cup like a man possessed.

"Taehyung, can you give me money? I spent all of mine" I asked, hand outstretched toward him.

Without a word, he handed me his wallet. Just like that. I asked for a few won and he handed me his whole wallet. No questions-just a quiet gesture of trust. And for some reason, that simple act made my stomach flutter.

I wandered toward a quaint little stall tucked beneath a row of glowing paper lanterns. It sold couple keychains, each one different-some cute, some quirky, some traditional. My eyes flicked across the tiny trinkets until I saw them: a pair of crocheted black and white cat heads.

I picked them up gently, tracing the soft yarn with my fingers and smiling. I'd be the white one, obviously. And Taehyung? He was the black one-mysterious, elegant, effortlessly cool.

Just as I was about to pay, a small tug on my hanbok made me glance down. A chubby-faced little boy stood there, eyes wide and hopeful.

"Noona," he said, "Can I have that keychain? Please?"

My grip on the chain tightened instinctively. My brows shot up. He was cute, sure-but this was for us. For me and Taehyung.

Before I could answer, his mother hurried over, clearly flustered. "I'm so sorry" she said, taking hold of her son's shoulders.

"It's okay," I chuckled softly, crouching down to meet the boy's gaze. "Let's see if there's another pair, hmm?"

I turned to the vendor. "There must be another one of these, right?"

The lady shook her head. "Sorry, that was the last one."

The boy turned back to me, eyes shimmering. "Please, noona. I really, really want it" he begged, stamping his feet in the cutest little tantrum.

My heart cracked just a little. I really wanted this pair for me and Taehyung but how could I say no to that pout?

Then, suddenly-

"Kiddo, how about hyung buys you ten keychains instead?" Taehyung's deep voice cut in as he knelt beside the boy, a gentle smile on his lips.

"Ten keychains?!" The boy gasped in awe. "And I can choose whatever I want?"

Taehyung nodded, ruffling his hair. "Yep. Any ten you like. Just let noona keep this one, yeah? She really likes it."

I glanced at the boy again, nodding with a pleading smile.

"Okie!" he cheered, bouncing on the spot before turning to the other keychains with wide-eyed excitement.

"Good boy," Taehyung chuckled, standing up and brushing the dust off his knees. Then he turned to me, casual as ever. "Pay for that, I'll be back" he said, before heading back to the little guy to help him pick.

I stared at his retreating back, warmth blooming in my chest. That... was Taehyung. Soft-hearted and quietly heroic in all the ways that made me fall for him over and over again.

I reached into his wallet to pay for the keychains, my fingers brushed against something behind the bills-a photograph. Curiosity tugged at me, and as I handed the money to the shopkeeper, I pulled the picture out gently.

My breath hitched.

It was me.

A small passport-sized photo. The one I took months ago for my ID update-the one I didn't even like that much. My hair was tucked back messily, my expression neutral and barefaced. Nothing fancy, nothing special.

Yet... here it was. Tucked safely inside his wallet.

My heart stuttered in my chest, everything else blurring around me. Why did he have it? How long had it been there? He never said anything. Never showed it.

Did he look at it often? When I wasn't around? Did he carry it like something precious?

I felt the world slow, like time had folded itself into this tiny square of a photo. My fingers trembled slightly as I held it, a warmth flooding my chest that I couldn't quite name. It felt like being seen. Like being chosen-even in my simplest form.

"Let's go."

His voice broke through my thoughts like a stone skipping across water. I blinked, snapping back to reality. The picture was still in my hand when he stepped closer. I quickly slipped the photo back into its place, and returned his wallet.

"Just tucking the change" I said.

A soft drizzle began to fall, dotting the wooden stall roof above us.

I looked up as the rain picked up speed, tapping against the lanterns and soaking the air with petrichor.

"We should wait until the rain stops," he said, stepping beside me under the small shade of the stall. His voice was calm, lazy almost, as if the downpour was just another slow melody playing in the background.

He slid his hands into the deep pockets of his hanbok, the fabric rustling softly. "Don't want to catch a cold, do we?" he added with a teasing lilt, his eyes flicking toward me with quiet amusement.

I tilted my head up slightly, watching the rain beat gently against the paper lanterns, dripping down their corners like soft tears. The scent of wet earth curled around us, thick and nostalgic, soaking the air in a way that made everything feel suddenly slower, quieter, more intimate.

I looked at him-Taehyung, standing there like he belonged to a different time, like he was carved into this very moment. A smirk tugged at the corner of my lips before I even realized it. Without a word, I pressed the pair of keychains into his hand.

Then, without hesitation, I bolted forward-into the rain.

The drizzle greeted me like a long-lost friend, cool drops sliding down my cheeks, tracing soft paths along my skin. My sleeves soaked in seconds, the delicate fabric clinging to me, but I didn't care. Behind me, I could feel his gaze-startled, curious, maybe a little amused. He hadn't expected it. Taehyung never expected my chaos.

I turned my head just once, flashing him a wild, breathless grin, arms spread like wings. The world around me blurred-the swaying lanterns glowing like distant stars, the rain a soft curtain between us and everything else. I spun on my heel, once, then again, the cold nipping at my skin, but inside me... something bloomed warm and golden.

Taehyung stood still at the stall's edge, dry and watching. His hambok still crisp, his expression unreadable-except for the flicker in his eyes, something quiet and soft, almost reverent. The keychains swung lightly from his hand, catching the faintest light like they held the moment itself.

I didn't expect him to follow. He wasn't a rain person, afterall.

But maybe I had jumped in because of the passport photo tucked away in his wallet. Or because he let me have the keychains without blinking. Or the way he froze mid-sentence when he saw me walking toward him in a hambok.

Or when he called me gorgeous in that half-muttering voice of his. Or maybe... it was simply the romance of it all, the quiet kind of romance he was offering lately, without meaning to, or maybe meaning it more than I realized.

Something in my chest glowed, even as the sky turned to gray. I was under my own sun, dancing through rain-weather that matched my heart too perfectly.

I twirled again, letting go of everything.

And then suddenly, the drops stopped kissing my palms, even though the rain kept pouring. Confused, I tilted my head up and saw pink.

A soft pink umbrella hovered above me, and I turned slowly.

Taehyung stood behind it, tilting it just enough to show his face, already damp from the rain. His hair clung slightly to his forehead, his hambok speckled with water. He was getting drenched.

My brows lifted, caught off-guard. Why was he getting rained on when it makes him sick?

"I thought we didn't want to catch a cold"

He only smirked-that familiar, disarming curl of his lips-as if my chaos no longer surprised him.

I stepped closer and held the umbrella too, lifting it higher, trying to shield him from my madness. He didn't move away.

"Why are you getting rained on?" I asked, voice low, guilty and pink-cheeked. "You hate the rain."

He looked down then, locking eyes with me.

"Not right now" he said, as if the answer had always been that simple.

____________________________

By the time we returned to the hotel, the sky was dipped in a hazy amber, the last stretch of sunset folding gently into twilight. The path beneath our feet was scattered with fallen cherry blossoms, and we walked slowly, sharing the same umbrella like some secret bubble of warmth in the crisp evening air. His arm brushed mine once, then again, and neither of us moved away.

Everyone else had returned long before us. From the gate, we spotted them gathered near a glowing bonfire in the courtyard, laughter mingling with the smell of sizzling meat and sweet smoke.

We didn't even get a moment to breathe before the teasing started-someone wolf-whistled, someone else made kissy faces. I rolled my eyes, cheeks warm, but Taehyung simply smirked, unfazed as always.

After a quick shower and a change of clothes, we came back down, the air now filled with the comforting chaos of nighttime chatter and slow music humming from a speaker.

The fire blazed strong, its orange glow spilling across everyone's faces like melted gold. Some sat with mugs of herbal tea, others with clinking glasses of soju and wine. A few were gathered near the grill, flipping skewers and laughing at inside jokes. The night felt soft around the edges, warm even in the cool air.

I sat beside Taehyung, pulled into the heat of the fire and the quiet magnetism of his presence. His clothes hung loosely over his broad frame, casual and undone-the cotton of his shirt slightly creased, sleeves rolled up, the collar dipping just enough to make my heart stutter.

His freshly washed skin glowed, kissed by firelight, droplets still clinging to the curve of his jaw. His hair, still damp, curled at the ends and his bangs brushed against his glasses-simple, thin-rimmed ones he wore because his eyes had begun aching without frames.

One leg draped over the other, he swirled the dark red wine in his glass lazily, nodding as if listening to the conversation, but his eyes were elsewhere-distant, distracted, like his thoughts were tucked away in a different room altogether.

I sneezed suddenly, jolting us both. My nose wrinkled and I rubbed it sheepishly, embarrassment creeping up my neck.

Taehyung blinked, then leaned to the side without a word and reached into the small basket of essentials on the table. He pulled out a pack of tissues and handed them over with a slight shake of his head.

"Told ya," he murmured, lips curling at the corners, his voice just loud enough for me to hear.

I muttered a soft thanks, taking the tissues and wiping my nose, ruffling my damp hair with the other hand. He watched me for a second longer than necessary, something unreadable flickering in his gaze before he looked away, sipping his wine with the smallest smile hidden behind the rim of his glass.

I caught the way his fingers flexed slightly on the glass stem, the way his eyes narrowed-not from annoyance, but from something far gentler. Concern, maybe. Or affection he wasn't ready to name.

"Let me get you some grilled beef" he said, already halfway rising from his chair.

"No-" I tried to protest, a reflex more than anything. But he was already walking toward the barbecue, his long strides effortless, hands slipping into his pockets with that familiar casual elegance.

He returned within minutes, a warm plate in hand. The grilled beef was perfectly charred, accompanied by pickled radish and a neatly folded lettuce wrap-like he'd actually paid attention to how I liked my meat.

He held it out to me without a word. I took it. Before he could sit back down, a figure approached from behind-his manager, leaning down to whisper something in his ear.

Taehyung gave a small nod of understanding and turned to me. "I'll be back" he said gently, voice low, the quiet between us warm like the fire.

I watched him go, his figure retreating toward the darker edge of the garden, where the flames didn't quite reach.

There, in the shade near the tall fence, stood a woman.

She was dressed simply-too simple to be overlooked. Her hair was pulled back, her posture still. She stood waiting, her arms folded, as though she'd been standing there for a while.

Taehyung slowed as he approached her. He shook hands with her before they went ahead towards a small sitting area across from me.

From where I sat, I couldn't hear their words, but the woman's expression was calm and unbothered. She glanced toward the fire once, and I instinctively looked away, pretending not to have noticed.

Why did I do that?
Why pretend not to notice? I'm his wife. I have every right to look. Every right to question.

I glanced over my shoulder. They sat across from each other now, and he handed her a menu. My heart, which had been floating all day, dipped low. The warmth from the fire no longer touched me. The beef in front of me-his gesture-felt cold now, tasteless.

We were supposed to share this...

And that thought alone ruined the bite in my mouth.

Five minutes passed. Then ten. I kept stealing glances, my mood souring with each one. He was still talking. Still smiling. Since when does he even talk this much? What could they possibly be discussing this long? And now... now who's going to bring me more grilled beef?

I looked back again.

He was chuckling.
She chuckled too.
Why are you smiling like that?
What's so funny?
I hate it. I hate this.

Come back to me.

I sighed-deep, long-wishing it could empty out this odd ache in my chest. All around me, people laughed and clinked glasses, leaning closer to their partners, wrapped in shared warmth and soft glances.

And mine?
Mine was busy talking to some woman under the guise of business.
Didn't he say this was a holiday?
Then why is he working?

Another sigh escaped. The fork in my hand scraped against the empty plate, sharp and restless.

He wasn't supposed to end the day like this. Not after making me feel like melting butter all afternoon. He wasn't supposed to make space for someone else tonight.
He was supposed to sit next to me, let the night end in the quiet comfort we built today.

I wasn't possessive. And he isn't cheating on me; it's just a meeting-I am very well aware of that. He probably doesn't even realize what I'm feeling. But still...

It's only fair, after the way he looked at me today. After the way he made me feel.

So why is he over there?

Come back to me.
Your wife.
Talk to me.
Laugh with me.

"Hey, Y/N. Why aren't you having any?" Jimin asked, nudging my shoulder gently. Fatima glanced over from beside him, concern lining her brows.

"Yeah, you barely touched your food" she said.

"Nah, I'm good." I offered them a small smile, hollow, my eyes flickering once again toward Taehyung.

Jimin followed my gaze. He sighed. "Oh, come on. He can feed himself."

I turned to him just as he shoved a lettuce wrap stuffed with beef into my mouth. "You have your dinner" he muttered like an older brother scolding a kid.

I chewed. Mechanically. Bitterly.
So... he would have his dinner-with her.

A few more minutes passed. People around us began to leave, saying goodnight, heading toward the warmth of their rooms. A few stayed behind, strumming guitars, singing drunken songs under the stars, and laughing like the night would never end.

I rolled my eyes, silently.
Taehyung and I could've been one of them.
Sitting together. Laughing. Sharing soft touches beneath the firelight.
But no.

He had to choose tonight to ruin it all. He had to choose her.
I know it's childish. I know it's irrational.
But I'm angry.
And I don't care how unfair it sounds-he has no right to play with my heart like this.

I glanced back again.

He was showing her something now-a small, shiny box. Blue velvet.
She gasped, her eyes widening in awe as he opened it.

A pendant.

A diamond one.
So clear and bright it glinted even from where I sat. She reached for it, holding the box delicately, like it was something precious.

And then the light caught it-The box. I knew that box. My heart dropped.

The same jewelry shop. The same one we visited when we went gift shopping for his parents. I remember him buying a pendant. I remember him showing it to me-asking if it looked good-and then casually saying, "Pack it up separately."

Separately.

For what?

For her?

That pendant...
I hadn't seen it again. Ever. I even forgot it existed until tonight. And stupidly-pathetically-I thought it was for me. A surprise, maybe. Something he was saving for later.

But no.

It was for her.

Who was she?
A friend?
A colleague?
Was it her birthday? Her promotion? An anniversary I didn't know about?

But that?
That pendant?

Something inside me cracked.

I looked away and huffed, the breath shaking. My eyes landed on the soju shots lined up on the table in front of me, little glass soldiers waiting for a war.

Fine.

I picked one up, tilted it back, and swallowed.

"There's no soda-" Manager Bang started.

But it was too late. The alcohol already hit my throat, burning like wildfire. I coughed.

"I thought you weren't a drinker..." Ms. Lee said, eyeing me with a mix of surprise and judgment.

"I thought that too" I muttered, oddly unfazed by the sharp taste.

I took another shot.
And another.
And another.

Jimin tried to stop me, but I waved him off, faking a smile.
Everything blurred-Voices, laughter, light.

Nothing made sense anymore.
Except the sight of them.
Still talking.
Still smiling.
Still sitting together under that shaded damn lamp.

And here I was-drinking bitterness, one shot at a time.

"Bitch" I muttered under my breath, not even sure if I meant her, the pendant, or my husband.

And then-
Darkness.

My head thudded hard against the table.
And just like that-
I was gone.

_______________________