Chapter 27: Chasing a Memory

Namjoon stood in the middle of the crowded street, his heart heavy with disappointment. He had been so sure it was YN, but now, as the people moved past him in waves, she had disappeared into the sea of faces. His chest tightened painfully, and he could feel the sting of unshed tears burning his eyes. He turned to leave, his legs heavy as he dragged himself back toward the car.

Just as he was about to give up completely, something caught his eye again. His breath caught in his throat as he saw her this time, without a doubt. It was YN. Her long hair flowed in the soft breeze, and the way she moved, the familiar way her body shifted through the crowd, made his heart leap in his chest. She was real. This wasn’t a dream.

His heart pounded, the pain in his chest replaced with a sudden rush of adrenaline. His feet started moving before he could even think. He broke into a run, dodging people left and right, his eyes locked on her figure in the distance.

"YN!" Namjoon’s voice was raw, desperate, but the noise of the bustling streets swallowed his words. She didn’t hear him.

"YN!" He screamed her name again, louder this time, his voice cracking as he ran faster, pushing through the throngs of people. He didn’t care if anyone was staring at him. He didn’t care about anything except reaching her.

But YN kept walking, oblivious to his calls, lost in her own world as she moved further away from him. Namjoon’s chest heaved as he fought to keep up, his legs burning with the effort. He was losing her again. He couldn’t let that happen. Not again.

"YN!" His voice was hoarse now, but he kept screaming, the desperation in his tone growing with each passing second. He watched her turn a corner, disappearing momentarily from his view, and his heart dropped into his stomach. He pushed harder, forcing himself through the crowd, determined not to lose her.

He rounded the corner, his eyes frantically searching for her, and finally, he saw her just ahead, walking down a quieter street. Relief washed over him as he realised he was closing the distance between them. He was so close.

Namjoon’s eyes remained glued to her, and for the first time in what felt like forever, he allowed himself to feel hope. This was his chance. He could see her again, hold her, tell her everything he had been keeping inside for the past nine months. The thoughts of her, the sleepless nights, the endless pain he could finally make things right.

But as Namjoon got closer, something made him freeze in his tracks. A man was walking toward her from the other direction. Namjoon’s heart stuttered in his chest as he watched them approach each other. His breath caught when he saw the look on YN’s face recognition, familiarity. She smiled.

"No…" Namjoon whispered, his voice barely audible as the man stepped closer.

He watched, his heart twisting painfully, as the man reached YN. She greeted him warmly, her face lighting up as they exchanged a few words he couldn’t hear from where he stood. Namjoon felt like he was suffocating, the air growing thick around him as he saw YN take a step toward the man.

And then, before Namjoon could react, YN wrapped her arms around him in a hug.

Namjoon’s world came crashing down around him at that moment. He stopped running, his feet glued to the ground as he watched them. His chest tightened painfully, the sight of YN in someone else’s arms hitting him like a punch to the gut.

"Is this why you left?" Namjoon whispered to himself, his voice broken, barely more than a breath. His mind raced with possibilities, each one more painful than the last. Who was this man? Why was she with him? Was this the reason she had disappeared without a word?

He watched them stand there for what felt like an eternity, his heart shattering with every second that passed. YN had her back to him now, but Namjoon could see the man’s face. He looked happy, comfortable, like he belonged there with her.

Namjoon clenched his fists at his sides, a wave of anger and hurt crashing over him. He had come all this way, searched for her endlessly, and now... Now, he was watching her with someone else. The image of them together burned into his mind, making it impossible to breathe.

"YN…" he whispered again, this time louder, but still too far for her to hear. He swallowed hard, trying to push down the lump forming in his throat. He wanted to turn around and walk away, to erase the image from his mind, but he couldn’t move. His feet were rooted to the ground, and all he could do was stand there, watching helplessly.

The man said something, and YN laughed softly, the sound carrying in the breeze. It was a sound Namjoon knew well, a sound he had once cherished. His chest tightened even further, the jealousy and heartbreak swirling together in a painful knot.

"Why didn’t you tell me?" Namjoon whispered under his breath, his voice laced with sorrow. "Why didn’t you say anything?"

As if in slow motion, he watched the man place a hand on the small of YN’s back, guiding her toward the door of what looked like an apartment building. Namjoon’s heart clenched as they disappeared inside, leaving him standing there alone on the street.

For a moment, he thought about running after them, barging into the apartment and demanding answers. But his feet wouldn’t move. His body was frozen, his mind spinning with thoughts of what he had just seen. His heart screamed at him to do something, to fight for her, but he couldn’t. He didn’t know how.

A deep, aching pain settled in his chest as the reality of the situation sunk in. She was with someone else. She had moved on. And now, he was left standing there, broken and defeated.

Namjoon wiped at his eyes, realising only then that he had been crying. The tears had come without him even noticing, and now they blurred his vision as he stared at the building where YN had disappeared.

Taking a shaky breath, Namjoon slowly turned away. His heart was heavy, his mind clouded with confusion and hurt. He didn’t know what to think, what to feel. All he knew was that he had lost her again. And this time, it felt like it was for good.

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