𝗦𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗯𝗼𝗱𝘆 𝗧𝗼 𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗲 - Taekook

30: epilogue♡

But Jeongguk did meet Taehyung one more time, 30 years later.

1997. Jeongguk stood on the outside of a park, his eyes wide as he stared ahead. His hands were by his sides, breathing heavily. He shouldn't have come, but he did because he got a handwritten letter asking him to.

Jeongguk walked into the park, fumbling with his hands, wearing a long black coat, the sky dark, about to rain. Jeongguk saw a group of people standing in the middle and walked up slowly, hesitant, his feet padding softly against the ground.

He hadn't thought of him for 30 years.

Jeongguk recognized a black haired woman by the side, wrinkles on her face yet still looking so young for her age. Veronica. Jeongguk took a deep breath before walking up to her. She seemed fine, just looking ahead.

"Veronica?" Jeongguk whispered. Veronica looked at him. "It-it's Jeongguk. Jeon Jeongguk."

"Oh, I know," Veronica said faintly. "Jeongguk. My gosh, how've you been?" She asked, strained voice, words barely coming out.

"I-I'm fine, but- but how are you?" Jeongguk asked quickly, taking her hands in his own. Veronica continued looking ahead. She had no response. Jeongguk looked where she was looking as well.

A black coffin stood on the ground, a bouquet of flowers in the middle of it. Jeongguk lost his breath for a second.

"He c-called me the night before, you know?" Veronica whispered, sounding weary. "I-it was so confusing, I hadn't heard from him for ten years since w-we got the divorce. He just called me and asked how I was doing. And then t-told me-" Veronica held onto his hand tightly, and Jeongguk just looked down. "Told me he still loves me." 

"I'm so sorry."

"That's not all," Veronica said in a whisper. "He-he said he wouldn't be able to do it himself, but h-he asked me to send you a letter he wrote for you 30 y-years ago," Veronica said, a tear rolling down her cheek. "Said- said he wrote it f-for you when you were still together and he-he still meant ev-every word. He wanted you to have it, Jeongguk."

Veronica gave Jeongguk a letter, her hand trembling. Jeongguk took the envelope from her, the edges tattered, and then looked at the coffin once more.

"When I went to visit him the next morning, Taehyung was gone," Veronica whispered. "Died naturally in his sleep."

Jeongguk closed his eyes briefly, stomach twisting, hands clutching the letter tightly. He saw the stone in front, what it had engraved.

Kim Taehyung, 1932 - 1997.

Jeongguk looked around for the next few hours. The men and women that came in, shed a few tears, left a few things and left. Veronica stayed beside him for the whole time. They didn't really talk but kept each other's company. A younger man and woman were sitting by the whole time too. The man was quiet. The woman was crying throughout.

The woman walked to Jeongguk sometime after people had left. She looked at him for a few seconds, looking at his necklace. Jeongguk looked at her with surprise. She let a smile through her tears. "You-you're Moonflower, right?"

Jeongguk hesitated for a second. It was Joan. She looked different now than how she had 30 years ago. She looked more like Veronica. She began chuckling. "My f-father told me about you." She said faintly, tears rising in her eyes once more. "He told me so much." She whispered.

Jeongguk walked to her and wrapped his arms around her. "I'm sorry." He whispered.

"I-I ruined it between you and my father, didn't I? Be-because I was born, you had t-to leave?" Joan asked, shaking ever so lightly from her tears.

"No, no of course not," Jeongguk said softly. "It wasn't you. It was everything around us. It was the world and society at the time. Things are so much better now than how it used to be." Jeongguk said.

He let her go after her hugging her for some time. "Joan?" A voice came. "I think we should go now."

Jeongguk looked. It was Victor. Jeongguk's breath hitched for a second because Victor looked exactly like Taehyung did when he was younger, but with darker hair. He had softer eyes, however.

"Y-yes, I'm coming. Just a second." Joan said and looked at Jeongguk. "He talked of you so dearly until he died. He still loved you so much. I want to thank you for making him happy. You must've been a wonder," Joan chuckled with a watery smile, before turning and leaving with her brother.

Jeongguk walked away a few moments later, walking alone down the road. He sat down at a bench by a river and remembered how Taehyung and he had sat there many many years ago.

Jeongguk opened the letter.

My dear moonflower,

Night and day my mind delights me with the tender thought of you. My most beautiful darling. I am unsure of why I write this. It is 3 hours past midnight, and I should be asleep, my love. Yet, I can't seem to stop thinking of you.

Why is it that you make me so happy, Jeongguk? Why is it that you take my pain away, that my anxieties vanish into thin air upon the gentle reverie of your smile? Your smile, I could write fifteen passages just on your smile and how it makes my heart thump unusually, but I will not do so today.

Jeongguk, I don't know what will happen onwards today. I don't know what will unfold in the next few years. All I know is I have never felt joy as I have when I have woken up to you by my side. The child is a wedge between us, yet I can't blame it. I can't blame Veronica. I can't blame you. I can only blame myself for so foolishly falling in love with you.

Love is a silly thing, isn't it?

I thought love was devotion and marriage. However now, it seems love is the giggle you let out when I make a comment about your front teeth. It seems love is the twinkle in your eyes when you see me. It seems love is the gentle wave in my heart that I feel whenever you smile.

You are love, my love.

You taught me what love is. You taught me how to be a better man. A better husband. Despite not taking any of it yourself. I owe you everything, Jeongguk.

I don't think I will ever let you read how ridiculous I sound here. I mean, it is almost morning now, and I had to scratch out 2 paragraphs I wrote about your eyes. Jeon Jeongguk, you make me act strangely.

I am happy I met you. Even if we cannot be together in the future, baby, I will be glad I met you till the day I die. I will be glad I had you for a few months till the day I die. I will be glad I stumbled into you in my house adorably messing with my record player till the day I die.

One last thing before the handsome man you know stops writing this letter and finally goes to sleep.

I will love you till the day I die, Jeongguk. I don't see it any other way.

To my Moonflower
From your Love, Kim taehyung

THE END