A LOVE BEYOND EXISTENCE
Chapter 3: Fragments of the Past
The world outside was dark and quiet, but inside Y/N’s mind, the echoes of her nightmare still lingered. Even with her father by her side the entire night, the creeping fear refused to leave her. The moment her eyes closed, she could still feel it—cold hands grabbing, suffocating shadows pressing in.
When she finally woke up, the sun was already sinking, painting the sky in shades of deep purple and burnt orange.
And then—she felt it.
A gentle hand brushing through her hair.
Her eyes slowly opened, adjusting to the soft morning light filtering through the curtains. Her gaze landed on the figure sitting beside her bed.
Her father.
He was still there.
Her breath caught.
Unlike all the other mornings when he was already gone, lost in the world of business, today… he had stayed.
Her heart clenched.
"Morning, sweetheart," his voice was soft, careful, as if afraid he might shatter her fragile world.
Y/N swallowed, sitting up slightly. “You didn’t leave…”
Her father sighed, his fingers tightening slightly over hers. “I couldn’t.”
She studied him. The slight crease between his brows, the worry still lingering in his eyes. He looked… exhausted.
"Was he awake all night?"
Guilt crawled up her throat.
“I’m okay,” she murmured, though she wasn’t sure if she was trying to convince him or herself.
A sad smile tugged at his lips. “Y/N, you don’t always have to say that.”
Silence settled between them. Heavy, but not suffocating.
Then, hesitantly, he reached out, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear.
“You were such a naughty kid,” he mused, his voice laced with nostalgia. “Always running around, climbing everything you could find, dragging us into your little adventures…”
Y/N’s lips parted slightly, surprised.
“I was?”
Her father chuckled. “You don’t remember?”
She shook her head.
He sighed. “You were fearless, Y/N. You laughed so much. You would talk about your dreams, your stories, your silly little plans—like building a treehouse on the roof.”
A small, breathy chuckle escaped her. “That… sounds stupid.”
He smiled. “It wasn’t. It was you.”
Y/N swallowed the lump in her throat.
Then, his expression darkened. “And then… that night happened.”
Her fingers curled around the blanket.
He exhaled deeply. “You stopped talking. Stopped smiling. Stopped looking us in the eyes. You built walls so high… we couldn’t reach you.”
Y/N’s chest ached. She never meant to shut them out. She just… didn’t know how to let them in.
Her father squeezed her hand gently. “I wish I could take it all away, sweetheart. I wish I could protect you from everything that hurt you.”
She lowered her gaze. “It’s not your fault.”
His jaw clenched. “I should have been there. I should have kept you safe.”
Y/N didn’t know what to say.
She never blamed her parents for what happened. But even so, the scars it left… they never faded.
Her father sighed, then reached for her cheek, tilting her face slightly. “You’re still my little girl, Y/N. No matter how much time passes, you will always be my precious daughter.”
A warmth spread in her chest, foreign yet familiar.
For the first time in a long time… she didn’t feel invisible.
[At College]
The day felt like any other—monotonous and exhausting. Y/N walked through the hallways, her usual routine of avoiding unnecessary interactions still intact. But during lunch, something unusual caught her attention.
She sat alone at her usual corner table in the cafeteria, scrolling through her phone, when hushed whispers reached her ears.
"Did you hear? About that girl?"
"Yeah… apparently, she used to be different before… you know."
"It’s kinda sad, right? She never talks to anyone. I heard even her parents are barely around."
Y/N’s grip on her phone tightened. She didn’t need to turn around to know they were talking about her.
She took a deep breath, pushing away the lump forming in her throat. This wasn’t new. She was used to whispers, to rumors, to pitying glances. But that didn’t mean it hurt any less.
She finished her meal quickly and left the cafeteria without a word.
[The Old Library]
The moment she stepped inside the library, the chaos of the world outside melted away. The scent of old books wrapped around her like a comforting embrace.
She exhaled slowly, finding solace in the quiet.
Settling into a corner, she picked up a book, tracing the worn-out edges. Reading had always been her escape—a place where she didn’t feel alone.
But then—
A presence.
She sensed it before she saw him.
Kim Taehyung.
He stood near the shelves, flipping through a book lazily, his dark hair falling over his eyes. The moment she looked at him, something in her stomach twisted.
Haven’t I seen him before?
Her mind flashed back to the previous night—to the figure standing in the shadows, the intense eyes that had watched her.
It was him.
She clenched the book in her hands, trying to shake the thought away. Maybe I’m imagining things…
Minutes passed.
Then, he walked over, taking the seat across from her.
Y/N’s grip tightened on her book.
“Hey.”
Silence.
He tilted his head, studying her. “Bad day?”
She remained quiet, pretending to focus on her book.
A small chuckle escaped him. “You don’t talk much, do you?”
More silence.
Y/N didn’t respond. She merely looked at him before returning her gaze to her book.
He didn’t seem bothered by it, though. Instead, he leaned back, resting his chin on his hand as if content just being there.
Taehyung sighed, stepping closer but keeping a respectful distance. "You don’t talk much, do you?"
Still, silence.
He hummed, flipping open his own book, seemingly unfazed by her lack of response. "That’s okay. Sometimes, silence speaks louder than words."
Y/N frowned slightly. Why did he talk as if he knew her? As if he understood her?
Before she could dwell on it, the soft voice of an elderly woman interrupted them.
"Child, have some snacks. You spend too much time buried in books without eating."
Mrs. Lee, the librarian, placed a small plate of snacks beside Y/N with a kind smile.
Y/N looked up, offering a small nod of gratitude. But then, curiosity got the better of her.
"Mrs. Lee," she whispered, hesitating before continuing, "what about him?"
Mrs. Lee blinked, confused. "Him? Who?"
Y/N turned to glance at Taehyung—
Only to find an empty chair.
Her breath hitched. She looked around the library, her heart racing slightly. He was there just moments ago. Wasn’t he?
Mrs. Lee gave her a puzzled look before chuckling lightly. "Maybe you need some rest, dear. You study too much."
And with that, the librarian walked away, leaving Y/N staring at the vacant spot where Taehyung had been.
Had she imagined it?
No. That was impossible. He was there.She was sure of it.
Before she could make sense of her thoughts, she spotted movement near the bookshelves.
Taehyung.
He was there again, calmly pulling out a book. But when he returned, she noticed something strange.
It was the same book he had been holding before.
Y/N narrowed her eyes. "Huh…?"
What was going on?
Y/N’s fingers trembled slightly.
She exhaled, shaking her head. Maybe I’m just tired…
Deciding not to dwell on it, she flipped open her book, letting herself get lost in the words. The weight of exhaustion eventually pulled her under, and before she knew it—
She had fallen asleep right there in the library.
[Meanwhile, at Home]
That night, her parents returned earlier than usual. Her father, now more aware of her state, wanted to make sure she was okay.
But when they reached her room, their hearts sank.
The door was still locked.
Y/N wasn’t home.
Panic surged through them.
“Where could she be?” her mother whispered, worry evident in her voice.
Her father clenched his jaw, pulling out his phone. “I’ll call her.”
The phone rang.
And rang.
No answer.
His grip tightened around the device, dread creeping into his chest.
“Where is she?”
To Be Continued…