One Year Later
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One year had passed since Kim was shot.
Yohan was a mess—completely miserable. He had become a shadow of himself.
In the Woo Mansion...
Jiang sat in silence, still wearing her mourning clothes. A ghost had more life than she did now. The once-beautiful, elegant Jiang was hopeless and broken. Ever since the incident, Taeyang had been taken in as part of the Woo family.
They loved him like a son, even though he could never replace Kim.
"Mom, please stop this... You have to be strong. For us... for me... and for him," Tae said softly, sitting beside her.
That was the final thread. The last bit of strength she had left snapped.
She broke down, sobbing.
"Tae... I've lost my son twice now. I don't even know if he's alive..." she wept.
"Kim's not dead," Tae whispered, hugging her tightly, trying to hold back the tears stinging his eyes. "He'll come back. To us... to me."
But he couldn't hold back anymore. He ran up to their room and collapsed on the bed, crying into the pillow.
"You promised to be careful... Why did you leave me?" he cried. "I hate myself for letting you make that choice. But I just... I can't hate you... I love you too much."
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Two weeks later...
Hyung, dressed in casual clothes, took Taeyang out for a drive—just to clear their heads.
As the car moved down the road, Tae drifted into a memory.
---
Flashback
"Ahaha!" Tae giggled as Kim tickled him mercilessly. "You naughty boy, I'll get you back!"
Kim grinned, pinning Tae against a tree.
"I'll eat you right here in this park, and no one will say a thing," he teased.
"You pervert," Tae laughed, pecking Kim quickly on the lips.
"You're teasing me, Tae," Kim said, grabbing him gently by the hips.
"W-what are you doing? We're in public!" Tae whispered, blushing furiously.
But Kim was shameless. His hand slid down to Tae's backside.
"Mmn... stop it," Tae said. Being that close to Kim was dangerous—he was always so touchy, and it drove him crazy.
---
Flashback ends
"Tae?"
Hyung's voice snapped him out of it.
"Huh?" Tae blinked.
"What were you thinking about?" Hyung asked, one brow raised.
"Nothing," Tae lied quickly.
"Don't believe you," Hyung muttered, throwing a glance down at Tae's lap—where a bag had been hastily placed. "Relax. I'm not crushing on you. I was just checking if you're losing your mind."
"How am I losing my mind?" Tae asked, frowning.
"Well, you giggled, then moaned, then your—you know—got bigger. So yeah. Insane," Hyung said with a smirk.
The car came to a stop.
"We're here. Go wait by the entrance. I'll park the car," Hyung said, stepping out and opening Tae's door.
Tae practically jumped out of the car, glad to escape the embarrassing conversation. He headed toward the line at the venue.
But then—he saw someone.
No way. Could that be...?
He glanced back, but there was no one. Just people moving about normally.
Phew.
"Hyung was right. I'm starting to lose it..." he muttered to himself.
"Shall we?" Hyung suddenly said from behind.
"Ahh! You scared me!" Tae gasped.
They walked inside together. But Tae couldn't shake the feeling in his chest.
Why do I keep seeing Kim everywhere?
His heart pounded.
His head spun.
And then—he collapsed.
Just before hitting the ground, someone caught him.
The touch... it was so familiar. But before he could see who it was—
Darkness.
---
Some minutes later...
Tae slowly opened his eyes.
There was a man nearby, back turned to him.
He looked familiar. So familiar.
"Where... where am I?" Tae croaked.
"Thank God you're awake," the man said.
That voice... No. It can't be.
"Kim?" Tae whispered.
The man turned around.
Tae froze.
---
Kim's POV
"Hey," I said gently.
"Kim!" he cried, tears falling freely down his cheeks.
"Hey... I don't know you," I said, startled by his reaction, "but... I don't know why it hurts so much to see you cry. Please stop."
I hugged him before I could even think about it.
"Where were you for a year?" he sobbed. "Why did you leave me?"
"I... I don't know if you know me, but I've been in the hospital. For a year," I said.
And then—he kissed me.
It was a kiss I somehow knew. Deeply. Like it lived in my bones.
I kissed him back.
It felt like home. Like we were one.
I wanted to call his name—but it got stuck in my throat.
I couldn't remember...
"T... T... No... no. Yo... I can't remember," I said, frustrated.
"You can't remember?" he said, breaking the kiss. His eyes were red. "It's me—Taeyang. Or Yohan... your Tae. Baby, don't you remember me?"
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