19 | The Truth
Taehee and Taehyung walked into a small café together. After spending the entire day together and catching up, they decided to cease the day with a nice cup of tea and coffee. Once they got their drinks,
"Taehyung. Turn yourself in"
"And why should I? Do you really think I murdered Ilhyun?", Taehyung asks, his eyes becoming sad but fiery. Taehee sets down her cup, looking at her older brother right in the eyes.
"You said you wanted revenge on them and Haejin and you practically confessed everything to me, how am I not suppose to think that you murdered them?", Eunha sighs in frustration.
"So you don't believe in your own flesh and blood, but you believe in some rat that's the son of the person who killed mom?", he grits his teeth, clenching onto his mug's handle.
"Taehyung, I'm trying to help you. If you keep on lying to the world, then you'll be just as bad as Haejin. I want to help you"
"Are you trying to help me, or that Wonwoo, Taehee? Are you really putting a boy in front of your own brother?"
"I was so alone after you ran away that once Wonwoo started to like me, he felt so important to me. You ran away from mom and I. If you were there then mom wouldn't have died!", she yells, anger and sadness boiling inside of her.
"You thought I ran away?", Taehyung asks, heart broken. Eunha curls her hand into a fist, trying to prevent tears from falling down and slowly nods.
"I went over to YMC and asked for a private interview with Haejin every day and after almost two weeks I got it. But when I got interviewed, she said that she would only air certain parts to make it even more heart breaking, don't you understand how upset I was when I was trying to fix things? But you know what she did once I found out— she sent me to jail for one evening because I was threatening her."
"Haejin brought us hate to our family for no reason. She made dad seem like a monster even though he was already dead which led mom to kill herself! How would you feel that once you got home, you found out that your mom and sister died that night? The amount of guilt I felt right after that? If you were in my shoes, would you not want revenge too?", he gulps, looking at her dead in the eye. Taehee lowers her head, clutching onto the hem of her sweater tightly. She understands how he'd feel, how guilty she would've been if she was in his shoes.
But would she go to the extent of murder?
I made him into a murderer...only if I tried to find him sooner.
☼☽
"Eunha, where are you going?", Wonwoo asks, reaching for her wrist.
She stops in her tracks, not looking at him.
"I'm sorry that I've been lying to you about my name, Wonwoo", she responds, her shoulders sagging.
Wonwoo bites his lower lip, retracting his hand away from her wrist. "Eunha, wait—"
"I-I need to go", she states, putting on her shoes quickly and sprints out the door, not closing it behind her. Wonwoo clenches his fists, feeling his heart twist and turn.
Let her name be Eunha, I don't want to hurt her even more.
"You wanted to meet with me, Mingyu?", she asks, taking the seat in front of him. Mingyu nods, putting down his cup of water and sighs heavily.
"It's really important and I know you started off the New Year on a bad foot, but you should know the truth about Wonwoo-hyung", he says slowly.
She purses her lips together, biting her lower lip.
"I know that he's Haejin's son, Mingyu. I found that out at the New Years party"
"But you should know the truth, the truth why Wonwoo didn't like you from the start.
It's time you knew what hyung's motives were, Taehee"
☼☽
"Eunha"
"I'm not Eunha"
Wonwoo looks at her, confused. "What do you mean? You...You're Lim Eunha—"
"Cut it out. I know you knew that I was Kim Taehee to begin with. I know what you want to do with me, you sick, cruel monster", she spits, gritting her teeth. He looks at her, completely baffled at her statement. He opens his mouth but then closes it again, no words being able to form.
"I kept my real name hidden for your sake. But it turns out you knew the whole time and just wanted to hurt me, make me feel like a complete idiot when you got your revenge," she curls up her hands into fists, "but you know what? We'll see whose would hurt more."
"...How did you find out, Eunha?", he stutters. She scoffs, laughing bitterly and shakes her head.
"Eunha...I'm not Eunha, there never was an Eunha. I'm Taehee, Kim Taehee. And you—", she tries to hide her tears, "are going to regret ever getting revenge on me for something I never did. For something my father never did. Jeon Wonwoo, let's see who get's more burned. And I'll make sure that I won't get my life ruined by another Jeon, by someone who's related to the person who ruined my life", she brushes past him, bumping his shoulder. He stands there in a daze, completely confused, bewildered, baffled at what she just said.
But most of all, he's hurt by her words.
She's Kim Taehee...Eunha never existed.
It's been almost two weeks and 'Taehee' hasn't talked to him at all and it drives him insane. Wonwoo sighs weakly, picking up his phone and jacket, deciding that he needs fresh air for once instead of suffocating in guilt. He walks over to the restaurant Jimin works at, texting Mingyu to meet him there as well. Wonwoo sits at a table near the window, taking a sip of his water as the two other boys take their seats in front of him.
"Spill", Jimin says immediately.
"I hate myself so much", Wonwoo says lifelessly, staring at nothing. Mingyu shakes his head at his best friend, not used to this 'new Wonwoo'.
"Bro, it wasn't even your fault. Okay well, it kinda was your fault because you did want to get revenge on her"
Wonwoo rolls his eyes at his best friend, scoffing at him and buries his face in his arms. "Why does everything hurt so much? Nothing feels right without her talking", he mumbles.
"Who are we talking about?", Jimin whispers to Mingyu.
"Taehee"
Jimin's eyes widen at hearing a familiar name that he hasn't heard for years. "T-Taehee? I'm sorry but it just sounds like...like my friend's deceased younger sister--"
"She is. Eunha is Taehee, Taehyung's younger sister", Mingyu finishes his thoughts.
"Does Taehyung know? Taehee is alive and that's great!", Jimin smiles, fishing out his phone. His smiley quickly vanishes, looking at Wonwoo. "You want to get revenge on Taehee?"
"I did...but I don't think I want to or can. But now she hates me and I don't know how she found out", Wonwoo replies, looking down. Jimin smiles softly, patting the younger's hand.
"Good because she doesn't deserve it. But how did she find out?"
Mingyu stays quiet, taking a quick sip of his water. "You could do either one of two things—be a man and confess that you love Taehee or move on. I have a feeling that Taehee won't forgive you immediately because she's also seeking revenge", Mingyu says.
"On who? Me?", Wonwoo asks, looking up.
"Your mother. She wants to bring her down but now that I think about it, I don't think she can"
Of course she would, my mom ruined her life.
"Why don't you think she can?", Wonwoo asks. Mingyu scoffs and Jimin rolls his eyes, shaking his head.
"You really are that thick-skulled, huh? I'm screaming on the inside right now!", Jimin practically shouts, his eyes wide. Mingyu quiets his tiny hyung before speaking.
"It isn't our place to tell you, but Taehee's. I'll say one thing though—she really does care about you, a lot. She wants to get revenge yet she can't because she's worried about you even though she doesn't show it. Right now, she has a mask on because she's determined"
Wonwoo looks down, taking a long drink of his water and finishes it. He places the glass back on the table, clutching it tightly.
"So I'm standing in her way?", he asks bitterly, looking at the two of them. They both nod slowly, looking at each other. Wonwoo grits his teeth, clenching his jaw tightly. He takes out his phone quickly typing out a number before pressing it to his ear.
"Minyoung, please go on a date with me. I'll pick you up from YMC at 5:30, so be ready", he hangs up, shoving his phone back in his pocket. Jimin looks at him shocked and clearly mad, making an intimidating (yet cute) face.
"YOU ARE RUINING THE SHIP!!! WHY DID YOU DO THAT?!", Jimin yells again.
"I can live my life how it was again. I can finally get my revenge on Taehee without her being in the way and date the girl of my dreams. If she wants revenge, then I'll get my revenge too", he responds, looking out the window. Mingyu leans back in his chair, running his hand over his face and shakes his head.
"You wanting to finish your revenge isn't helping, Wonwoo. If you really care about Taehee, then don't do it and try to apologize to her. I get you want her to hate you so it's easier for her, but things could blow up in your face—"
"I hate Taehee, she gave me hope that she was Eunha and lied to my face. I started to develop feelings for her but suddenly she came out saying that she was Taehee. I don't love her but instead I hate her and I'm not trying to help her, I'm trying to help myself"
☼☽
Wonwoo walks into the YMC building, going into the elevator and hits the up button. He looks out of the glass, a dead looks in his eyes. Once he steps out, he runs into the last person on earth he wants to see.
"Wonwoo, what are you doing here?", his mother's voice asks.
"To pick up Minyoung, we're going on a date", he states, shoving his hands in his pockets. Haejin makes a face, knitting her eyebrows together.
"But you're engaged, you shouldn't be going on dates with someone who's not your wife. It'll ruin your image"
"Then apologize", Wonwoo gazes into his mother's eyes, glaring at her with daggers.
"For what?", she asks chicly.
"For what you reported 12 years ago, say that you're sorry for being wrong. Say sorry that you practically fabricated the whole thing and turned it into your own show. Say sorry for ruining a family's life"
"But it's just news. It has to be both impacting and factual. If it's all just facts, then no one would pay attention but with a little boost, it'll stick in people's brains. What's so bad about reporting news if it's my job to keep it in people's heads?", she asks, checking her nails. "Now if that's all then you should get going—"
"A reporter should only talk the truth and nothing but the truth but you. You completely lied to everyone", he grabs his mother's shoulders, shaking her slightly. "Because of you, I'm breaking on the inside. Because of me being related to you, I'm going on a date I don't even want to go on. Because you're my mother," his grip tightens, his lips shaking, "a person I love hates me because of you. She sees me as a monster and it hurts so much. I wish you just left me with someone else, I wish I could view you as a stranger", he spits. Wonwoo laughs bitterly, shaking his head as he releases her.
"Because of everything you said 12 years ago, the girl I love has nightmares every night and her life can never be normal again. And because of that, she can never love me back"
Haejin looks at him, her expression unreadable.
"Wonwoo, you ready to go?", Minyoung taps his shoulder, smiling happily. Wonwoo nods slowly, walking back into the elevator with Minyoung by his side, looking at his mother as the doors shut completely.
And because of your words, I believed you.
☼☽
Minyoung and Wonwoo walk the streets together, close to each other.
"Wonwoo, I heard that there's gonna be a street performance near here, you wanna go?", Minyoung asks. He nods, allowing her to take control. He hears music waft through the air as couples look upon different stores and jewelry. His heart breaks slightly at the sight, clenching his fists as he watched them.
Everything they're doing reminds him Taehee and him together.
Get over her, Wonwoo. You don't love her.
They stop walking, standing in front of the two singers who seem to sing the same song.
"Wonwoo! It's the song we danced to, what are the chances of that?", Minyoung tugs in his sleeve smiling. He feels his heart strings tug as he manages to nod, but his heart is hurting even more.
That's our song— it's Taehee's and mine. It's ours and only ours.
Even though he wants to hate Taehee, even though he wishes he doesn't love her.
He knows he's lying.
Jeon Wonwoo, you're in love.