“Shattered Reflections: The Consequences”

Jungkook jolted awake with a start, gasping for breath. His heart was pounding, his chest tight. Sweat clung to his skin as the remnants of his dream clung to him like a heavy fog. He could still feel it—the way everything had gone wrong. The sound of Haeun’s panicked breaths, the look of fear in her eyes, the feel of his own helplessness as he stood there, unable to do anything to stop it.

The dream had been so real. Almost as if he were back in that moment, unable to move, to do anything as the one person he cared about was hurt because of his own mistake.

Jungkook had been there for her, he’d promised. He’d told her it was okay to go to the party, to have a little fun. But he hadn’t protected her. He hadn’t been the friend he swore he would be. His mind couldn’t stop replaying the night over and over—the way she had been so trusting, so willing to come with him despite her better judgment. And he had failed her.

You should’ve never gone to that party, he thought to himself, his mind filled with self-loathing. If I hadn’t been so stupid, so desperate to prove myself... maybe she would’ve been safer.

The memory was haunting.

He had been so caught up in the need to show everyone he wasn’t weak, so focused on trying to escape his “puppy” image, that he’d pushed Haeun into a situation she wasn’t ready for. He hadn’t seen the signs—the way she’d become more withdrawn as the night went on. He hadn’t even noticed her slipping away until it was too late.

In his dream, it was as if time had slowed down, every moment replaying over and over. The way he’d found her outside, trembling, her clothes torn and her face bruised. She had been so vulnerable, and he hadn’t been there for her when she needed him most. And what killed him more was the fact that he had invited her into that chaos, dragged her into the nightmare, all because he couldn’t let go of his own insecurities.

Every time he closed his eyes, it was like the memory came rushing back. He saw her bruised, her clothes torn, trembling on the ground. He heard her voice—soft, pleading, as if she was still asking him, Why didn’t you stop it?

His hands gripped the sheets tightly as he tried to calm his breathing, but it was impossible. The guilt gnawed at him, a constant reminder that he failed her. I should’ve stopped it, he thought, his mind replaying that night over and over.

She had moved on, but he couldn’t. The dream had become a nightmare he couldn’t escape from, a constant cycle that haunted him every time he tried to close his eyes. It felt like a weight pressing on his chest, suffocating him, dragging him deeper into the guilt that consumed him.

He could see Haeun smiling, telling him everything was fine. But he could still see the sadness lurking behind her smile. He could still feel the weight of her trust in him—the trust that he had failed.

Jungkook clenched his fists, feeling the panic rising again. Why can’t I let it go? The shame and guilt twisted inside him, and he wanted to scream, to punch something, to just make the pain stop.

For the first time, Jungkook wasn’t sure who he was anymore. He wasn’t the person he thought he was—the guy who stood strong and kept his emotions locked away. All he could see was the helpless boy who failed someone he cared about. The person who let his own anger and insecurities cloud his judgment, and it cost someone else everything.

He could feel the panic rising in his chest, his breath quickening as the memories flooded in. I just want to move on from this nightmare, he thought desperately, clutching at his pillow. I just want to forget, but it keeps coming back.

But no matter how hard he tried, the nightmare never stopped. It was as if it had been branded into his soul. And the guilt? It was still there, deep inside, just waiting to tear him apart.

He closed his eyes again, wishing for peace, wishing for it to all go away, but he knew deep down it wouldn’t. No matter what he did, no matter how many times Haeun told him it wasn’t his fault, he would never forgive himself.

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***