Having never experienced love, Hwang Yeojin seeks the advice of a new, older friend who had the knowledge but not the will to love again.
Said friend always warned her that love wasn't as peaches and cream as the authors of the books she read had...
Jungkook was at home chastising himself which had become a ritual. He hated himself deeply for what he did to Yeojin, and his self-hatred only grew when he found out about her father.
He felt like absolute shit. He just wanted to make the pain of losing him hurt a little less and ended up hurting her even more. He didn't deserve to live and he definitely didn't deserve her.
He wanted to run to her place and pull her into his arms. He wanted to apologize repeatedly, kiss her lips, and tell her he didn't mean a word he said but he couldn't.
While being beaten down by guilt, Jungkook updated his will a few days before. The least he could do for the girl he broke was leave her everything. She deserved everything and more — and even though his money and assets couldn't mend her broken heart, he wanted to give it to her.
Not only that, but he got a harp designed for her that she wouldn't get until he passed, as it would take a while for it to get made. He promised he'd get her one and he intended on fulfilling that promise. He started designing it when he first read her journal.
He spent more on that harp than he did on his house. It was being made with real gold, encrusted with real diamonds, and the floral pattern would be hand engraved into the instrument by an artist that had retired — but Yeojin loved him so Jungkook paid a nice penny to convince him to come out of retirement one last time.
He went out to get his mail, taking his time as he hadn't seen the sunlight in a few days. On his way back in, something caught his eye.
That damned locket.
Jungkook rushed over to the locket that Yeojin planned on keeping the photos of them and their future children in. It was on top of a pink envelope stained with tears.
He opened the locket to see their photos were still there and he started to cry as he saw her face. He'd been avoiding pictures of her because it hurt too much to see the girl he'd selfishly broke.
He picked up the envelope and tore it open. The words that were written on it, scribbled out, then written again caused his heart to shatter into a million pieces.
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Jungkook sped off to Yeojin's house with his subconscious admonishing him for not cosseting her like she so righteously deserved.
His eyes began to water as he clutched onto the beloved book-shaped necklace that she left on his doorstep alongside a goodbye letter.
Oh, how he wished she was only saying goodbye because she was leaving town or even the country — not because she was leaving the world for good.
It was his fault and he knew it. If he hadn't treated her like she didn't mean anything to him, she wouldn't have fallen into a forlorn chasm of despondence.
He was killing her without even realizing it. He thought he was doing the right thing. He thought he was making it better for her to accept but he took away the last piece of sanity she had left.
Jungkook went to wipe away his tears once he began to taste the salty liquid on his lips — and within those few seconds, two bright lights shone directly in front of him.
He could see the driver of the other car on their phone — so distracted they'd driven to the wrong side of the road.
Before Jungkook could come to his senses, the car collided roughly with his own, causing it to spiral drastically into the ocean.
He lost consciousness for a few minutes and woke up to his car filling with water.
Jungkook grabbed the handle of the door, trying to pry it open but to no avail.
The car was already full and no matter how close to the roof he got, he couldn't escape it.
He could feel the water begin to fill his lungs and he gave up. He held onto the necklace tightly, refusing to let it go. It was all he had left of Yeojin.
He apologized to Yeojin for hurting her one last time before his eyes fluttered closed and he fell into an eternal slumber. His hand unclenched and the delicate little pendant floated leisurely out of his hold.
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Yeojin was at home preparing the bath when she got a call.
Jungkook was in the hospital and she needed to get there to say her last goodbye before he was taken off of life support.
At first, she thought it was his illness — then she arrived at the hospital and saw him soaking wet and the bruises on his body.
The doctors said he was in a rush somewhere, and that's when she knew, she killed him.
She had to be given a sedative because she was so distraught. She'd never screamed like that in her life. Not even when her father died.
Her wails echoed through the empty halls, making his mother cry even harder to hear that. She knew Yeojin was blaming herself, but it was not her fault.
When she woke up, Jungkook's mother tried to talk to her. Yeojin was too ashamed to talk to her at first, but his mother assured her that she held nothing against her.
It wasn't her fault.
"They found this in his car," His mother said while wiping her tears. "He wanted you to have it — so please just take it."
Yeojin took the necklace from her hold and opened it. Their photos were still in good shape. A little damaged from the water, but she could still see his angelic face and that was all that mattered.
She broke into tears once again as guilt flushed through her.
