Remnants of the Heart | Kim Taehyung

08: dit

ACT 1 — SCENE 8
SHE SAYS.

         IT'S A coincidence really, that Seojung happens to end up in the same bookstore as Hwayoung this afternoon. Seojung doesn't see the girl right away. It takes her several aisles, several books that she picks up from shelves only to put them back again, before she finally notices the familiar braid of jet black hair. It's in the science-fiction section when Seojung spots Hwayoung.

It's been a while since they've really spoken. They used to bond over their love for novels back when she and Jimin dated. Seojung remembered realizing Hwayoung wasn't what she had assumed her to be. She was so nice, nice enough that she actually wanted to be friends with Seojung. The things they talked about were so trivial; people at school, boys, what books sucked and what books shouldn't have sucked. Seojung admired Hwayoung, in a way. Something about the girl being older and being everything she apsired to be.

Never had Seojung imagined that things would come down to this: her looking at Hwayoung and only thinking of the things that caused more than one heartbreak. No matter how much Seojung wanted to, blaming it all on Hwayoung would be wrong. Wished that the girl was anything but kind, maybe then it'd be easy to look at her with disgust and distaste. Or maybe it's her, she's the one who's being too forgiving. She's letting both Hwayoung and Taehyung off the hook this easily, which she doesn't know is a good thing or a bad thing.

Hwayoung has a copy of Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451 in her hands when Seojung approaches her. She's too invested in reading the summary on the back of the book to notice Seojung's presence.

"A book about people burning books, what a classic. I'd recommend," Seojung comments. Hwayoung finally looks at her, a small smile slowly spreading across her pink lips. Her eyes had always been warm and inviting, it's no wonder that Taehyung fell for her.

"Sounds intriguing," Hwayoung says, but she puts the book back on the shelf. "but judging from recent circumstances, you're here to ask me about something, something that has to do with your brother and that friend of his."

Seojung gives her an embarrassed smile. "Do you mind?"

Hwayoung motions with her hands for her to ask away.

"How did Jimin find out? He never told me."

The girl sighs. "It was cliche, actually. I left my phone in one of the classrooms after the graduation ceremony and I told Jimin to get it for me. Taehyung texted me the exact same time Jimin found my phone, guess it looked kind of suspicious. I regret not changing my passcode after I told Jimin my old one. He read all of our texts, every single one of them."

Seojung nods, trying to process the information. Thinks about what kind of texts Taehyung used to send her. Everything about Hwayoung and Taehyung's relationship was scandalous but Seojung would be lying if she said that it wasn't the teensiest bit riveting. Must be exhilarating to have someone sending you I miss yous or I want to see yous every night. The secret they had going on, it was exciting––wrong but exciting. She doesn't know what Hwayoung (or Taehyung) had been thinking then. Did she really believe she could keep both boys without things falling apart?

"Do you love him?" Seojung asks.

"Of course I do. I can't not love Jimin. He's... He means a lot to me, and I really don't know why I let any of this happen."

A smile is prominent on the younger girl's face. Somehow knowing that Jimin's the first person that comes to mind when Hwayoung hears the word love is comforting. "I was talking about Taehyung."