✓ sorry, i love you || hwang hyunjin

[20] choi aera, her soul sister

"Memories from last year."

That's what the photos app on my phone said. It had a picture of me and Jeongin as a cover, so I clicked on it, not expecting what— or who— would be in it.

Choi Aera.

I felt a tear on my cheek when I saw me, Innie, and her building a snowman. We used to be best buddies, but now we're not. You wish for me to tell you why?

She left me to be a star in the sky.

~ flashback ~

"Aera!" Jeongin exclaimed, and I looked across the street. He was pointing at a white sports car with Aera behind the steering wheel. She looked really happy; I assumed it was because she met up with her secret boyfriend.

Innie and I had known about this guy for a while now, but Aera never told us anything about him, other than the fact that he was a few years older than her. She started hanging out with the two of us less, but we didn't mind because Aera seemed to be happier than she had been in years.

I waved at my best friend with a grin on my face and she waved back, rolling down her windows. "Hey, Bee, Innie," she called across the street.

"Hey, Ra," I yelled back happily. "How was your date?"

As usual, Aera avoided my gaze and blushed. She opened her mouth to say something, but a scream interrupted her.

There was a truck on the other side of the road which was going at the speed of light, directly at the where Aera's car was. "AERA!" Jeongin screamed at her through the sudden chaos. "GET OUT OF THERE!"

I was too stunned to speak, only watching the scene unfold in front of me vividly while Jeongin was screaming at Aera to get the fuck out of the goddamn car.

I could tell she was panicking; her eyes were wide in fear and her hands were trembling as she tried to unbuckle her seatbelt to get out of there.

She was too late.

The truck rammed into her car headfirst, and I could have heard her high-pitched scream from a mile away. I couldn't tear my eyes away from the horrific sight; Aera's bloody arm was dangling off the side of her broken car, almost completely underneath the truck.

"No, no, no, no, no, no, no," Jeongin whispered to himself, his legs shaking. "This can't be happening. She's alive, right?" He looked to me, his eyes filled with desperate fear. "She must be alive, right, Bee?"

I choked on the sob building up in my throat. "I— I don't know," I stuttered. Deep inside, I knew the answer. She was gone.

~ present ~

I stared at the picture of the three of us, tears silently pouring down my face. Aera had been my soul sister; I would have saved her in a heartbeat.

But instead, I was standing there helplessly as she died.

Suddenly, an incoming call appeared on my screen. Chan. I hit accept, seeing one last person before the screen switched.

Choi Aera.

~~~

A/N: Hello, everyone! I am back after my exams, and I am proud to report I did fairly well this year! I'll be writing more often now, so look out for updates 👀 
Love, Aisha