Sunny Days After Rain | KOOKV

Downpour of Memories and Dreams

The night was dark, illuminated only by occasional flashes of lightning. Rain poured heavily on the ground, a steady drumming sound.

Drenched from the rain, Taehyung waited for Jungkook's explanation. Their eyes met. "I... came," Jungkook stammered.

Confusion clouded Taehyung's eyes. "Huh?" he muttered.

Taking a deep breath, Jungkook began, "The day after graduation, I came to see you..." His voice trailed off as Taehyung shook his head in denial. He didn't want to hear it, didn't want to remember. Stepping back slowly, Taehyung put distance between himself and Jungkook.

Jungkook took a hesitant step forward, but Taehyung shook his head, disbelief etched on his face. Still, Jungkook continued...

"I waited for you, but your house was locked. I stayed until evening. The next day, my grandma forced me to leave for my studies in the States." Jungkook searched Taehyung's eyes, hoping for understanding.

Tears welled up in Taehyung's eyes, blurring his vision. "Okay," he said, his voice thick with emotion. "Then why are you here now?"

"I... I wanted to see you," Jungkook stammered. "I know I hurt you, and I'm, uh, sorry."

"No," Taehyung shook his head, the movement firm despite his trembling body.

"Taehyung..."

Taehyung choked out a bitter laugh, tears stinging his eyes. "Sorry? Your apology means nothing. It can't change what happened. It can't heal the pain. It can't make things right between us."

"We're too different, Jungkook," Taehyung said, his voice shaking. "Some wounds don't heal. The pain runs deeper than you think. We can't just forget everything and move on. We can't be... what we used to be." With that, he turned and walked away.

"Taehyung," Jungkook called out, desperation lacing his voice. "I know I'm a bastard who kept bothering you. I also know you don't ever want to see me again, but still... I don't have any excuses for my past mistakes. I was scared and ran away like a coward. But I hope... you'd give me another chance."

Taehyung shook his head. He hurried toward his house, the door screeching open as he slammed it shut behind him.

Jungkook stood there alone in the rain.

-

Taehyung's entire body trembled. His face burned red and hot. Despite feeling awful, he couldn't leave work. He splashed cold water on his face, but the tremors wouldn't stop. His head throbbed, and sweat beaded on his forehead.

At lunchtime, the manager found him again in the backroom. Concerned, Manager Cha Choo Hee asked, "Taehyung, are you alright? You look terrible. Your face is flushed."

Taehyung's voice trembled as he replied, "I-I'm fine."

"You should go to the hospital," the manager insisted. He touched Taehyung's forehead, which was scorching hot. "You have a fever, Taehyung."

Taehyung rose unsteadily from the floor, his voice shaky. "I'll take a pill," he mumbled. But a wave of dizziness washed over him, and the world spun. The last thing he remembered before passing out was a voice calling out his name.

-

Taehyung felt like he was floating in a sea of white. Everything was bright and blurry. When he opened his eyes, he found himself in a classroom. Across from him sat someone in a uniform, the person's face was blurry. The person was laughing, a sweet sound that inexplicably brought tears to Taehyung's eyes. He wanted to ask the name, but the sound of the door opening stole his attention. Taehyung turned to see three boys with their backs to him, filing out of the classroom. He was left alone, sitting on the cold floor, tears silently trailing down his cheeks.

-

Taehyung woke up, his body burned with heat, then a cool hand touched his forehead. The touch soothed him. A voice, laced with concern, called his name. "Taehyung, Taehyung..."

He opened his eyes to see his grandma, her face etched with worry. He tried to speak, but his throat was dry. Grandma placed a cup of water in his hand and whispered, "We're going to the hospital right now." Her eyes welled up with tears.

Taehyung's vision blurred as he drifted back to sleep.

He woke again to an IV dripping into his hand. He was in a hospital room. A throbbing pain shot up his right ankle. Glancing down, he saw a bandage wrapped around it.

"Tete?" a familiar voice called. Taehyung looked towards the door to see his grandma. Relief washed over him. She turned and called for a nurse.

After the nurse finished checking him, she left the room.

"Tete, are you in any pain? Are you hungry? I'm so sorry I couldn't cook anything for you. I'll go buy porridge for you." Grandma said, her voice thick with worry.

"I'm alright, Grandma. Don't worry about me. I'm not that hungry," Taehyung said, hoping to ease her concern.

"What? You've been sleeping for two whole days! I'll go get you some porridge right away. You don't know how scared I've been."

Taehyung was surprised to learn he'd been unconscious for two days. "Then when can I leave? I feel okay now."

The hospital room door swung open, and the doctor entered. After examining Taehyung, he addressed him and his grandma with a grave expression. "Mr. Kim," he said, "your right ankle ligament is damaged. This may make it difficult to walk properly in the future."

Taehyung's heart skipped a beat. His grandma, nearly losing her balance, cried out, "Doctor, please help my grandson! Is there any treatment?"

The doctor nodded. "There is an option: surgery followed by rehabilitation. However, it's a complex procedure. If not performed by a highly skilled surgeon, there's a risk of infection or nerve damage, which could lead to partial paralysis." He finished, his voice laced with sympathy. "The cost, unfortunately, would be significant."

Faced with this difficult decision, Taehyung opted against surgery. For the next eight years, he struggled to walk normally. The constant ache served as a painful reminder of that fateful day.