*tries not to cry* so.. here's the finale at last ('':

Please take your time with this one, and after this one because there are so many things I want to thank you guys for ♡

[Note: = a person that appears cold on the outside, but is actually a softie (ish)]

Now, enjoy the very last chapter of Stigma ♡

♣ ♣ ♣

There comes a time in life when you have to make certain choices, sometimes even sacrifices. These choices will ultimately shape us, and it's up to one self to decide if we'll let it break us, or use it to become a better, stronger version of ourselves. "One regrets the chances they don't take" is a saying I've heard countless times, and sometimes not taking them leaves us wondering "what if.." for the rest of our lives. In the worst case, we end up living with regret if we can't let go.

I gave up a part of my pride when I gave Taehyung a second chance. Even from the beginning, it was a risk to get emotionally involved and attached to him -- I knew it, but I let fate take the lead. To say that we've had our ups and downs feel like an understatement, but I prefer not to get too dramatic about what we went through. We both got hurt. We healed. We matured. We kept fighting for us. And in the end, there hasn't been a single day of me regretting falling in love with him.

In the end, we all have our flaws, but some has scars; bearing a stigma of their own. It can be shame, regret, trauma, or some other dreaded mix of pure negativity. It can make anyone behave out of the ordinary, and it leaves the affected person drowning in a sea of self loathing, eventually making them lose their way.

There is always more to someone than meets the eye, it's said. There is always a reason behind everyone's choices, behaviour, and actions. And often, they're just in need of someone to be there for them; to help them overcome the toxic side of themselves. It's also important to understand that it's okay to forgive yourself and to move on, whether it be a mistake, missed opportunity, an accident or actions that you're not proud of. That's what life is about; self growth. Everyone experiences pain, sadness, guilt, happiness and relief. Life is a rollercoaster of good and bad times; without the bad we wouldn't appreciate the good.

"The principal's speech about choosing our future path is lowkey giving me anxiety," Areum whispers next to me, causing me to avert my attention to her.

"Are you crying?" I whisper back to her, grinning. She looks at me, sniffles and dries some of the tears.

"Tears of joy," she mutters. "As if I'm going to miss this pace."

I chuckle quietly, wrapping my hand around hers and giving it a gentle squeeze. When our eyes meet again, I flash her an encouraging smile. "I'll miss it too," I murmur, feeling the tears building up in my throat. My words causes her lips to purse and head to face the principal again.

"May the future shine bright for each and every one of you. Make yourselves proud. Chase your dreams. We hope your time here has prepared you for at least a few of the challenges that awaits you in life, no matter what path you choose to follow. Thank you and good luck!" the principal finally announces, ending his speech with giving us a big heart by putting his arms over his head. I can't help but smile widely as we all stand up to give him a round of applause, feeling a tear slip down my cheek.

I'm actually going to miss this place. Perhaps not all the people and the mountains of homework, but as a place where I found my best friends. Now we're all off to shape our future selves and going our own paths. I'm really going to miss our daily lunch hangouts and weekend get-togethers.

"Are you coming?" Areum says, softly nudging me with her elbow. I notice the students slowly dispersing through the exits of the auditorium, but I was caught up in my thoughts instead of moving with them.

"Sorry, I spaced out," I chuckle as we drag ourselves outside.

"My mom wouldn't stop crying this morning," she tells me as we search for our parents in the packed frontyard of the school. "I'm afraid she'll break down again when she sees my physical degree."

"My parents forced me to look through my baby photos yesterday while they were crying.. of laughter," I mutter, acting offended before I chuckle and smile. "Being total tsunderes, I know they'll cry for the rest of the day, though."

"I'll miss your parents so much when they leave.." she says sadly when we suddenly see them waving at us with bright smiles. We wave back and walk towards them, fighting against the tears. It hadn't fully dawned upon me that it was time for them to return to Sweden in a couple of weeks. Despite the numerous times they've made fun of me in front of my friends and Tae, I'm going to miss their chaoticness.

"Ah you girls look so pretty in your gowns!" mom exclaims once we approach them, noticing that Areum's family were right next to mine, too. We're instantly showered with hugs and flower bouquets, then pushed to stand next to each other while they get into photographing positions.

"Smile to the camera!" they all cheer together. We both laugh and smile wide, doing several poses for them as they go off on the shutters. When they're happy with the pictures, we all happily chat with each other for a while, Areum and I suffering a bit listening to our parents reminiscing our childhoods while they're gradually choking up. Though, after a while her family left to go and look for Hoseok's family to congratulate him and do a second photo session.

Just when they left and I hug my parents for the nth time, I notice Taehyung and his family approaching us. Wow, my stomach still gets filled with butterflies every time I see him. He smiles brightly once he notices me looking at him, making my heart clench in affection. Once they arrive, I'm instantly engulfed in his mom's arms meanwhile my parents give Taehyung big hugs.

"Congratulations, Blue! We're so proud of you," she beams as she lets me go.

"Thank you so much! Taeyun and Tannie couldn't make it?" I ask sadly, then going in for a hug with Tae's dad.

"Unfortunately not, but you and Tae can come by tomorrow if you'd like," she suggests.

I nod enthusiastically. "We'll definitely do that," I say with a smile. Tae then moves to stand next to me, his fingers lacing between mine as our gazes lock, finally leaning forward and softly pressing his lips against my forehead.

It's been four months since he started going to therapy sessions, and I couldn't be more proud over how far he's come. He decided to mend his relationship with his dad, which began when he apologized for all the times he's gone off on him. He's generally much more open about his feelings now, and he definitely looks more at ease nowadays.

His parents most likely won't get back together because of their history, but that doesn't keep them from being at speaking terms. Their relationship is also slowly healing, which probably made it significantly easier for Taehyung to detach from their dark past. They're not the family Taehyung used to wish they could go back to, but they're a family nonetheless and he's grown to accept that.

Speaking of relationships, ours only bloomed more after what happened during Christmas. Areum was the last one to accept that we got back together again, but I completely understand her reasoning and let her take the time she needed to forgive Tae -- which she eventually did.

When spring arrived, Taehyung and I began discussing our future. My parents had just announced that they were returning to Sweden, which he reacted emotionally to, and obviously so did I. It wasn't easy to decide which path to take since it was either leaving my family, or leaving Tae. Though, after several days and nights worth of pondering, I realized how much of a home Korea had become to me; and I wasn't ready to leave it just yet. Not only Taehyung, but also Areum and our friends -- I didn't want to say goodbye to any of them.

I look up at him, feeling my smile growing instantly as he gaze back at me. We hear our parents taking at least fifteen pictures in those three seconds, laughing at how excited they look.

"You two looked so precious just now!" mom squeals happily. "Do more cute poses!"

"Mom!" I complain, embarrassed while Taehyung just laughs. He then proceeds to hug me from behind, causing all four of them to shout in approval as they snap even more pictures. Approximately twenty poses and probably three hundred pictures later, they finally let us off to go find our friends. With my hand in his, we bid a quick farewell to our parents before searching for Areum and the others at the designated meet-up spot.

Once there, we're greeted with happy smiles from each and every one of our friends.

"WE'RE OFFICIALLY JOBLESS!" Hoseok exclaims loudly upon our arrival, making both me and Tae burst out laughing.

"Speak for yourself, Blue's joining my mom at the bakery," Tae retorts.

"Does that mean free cakes all summer?" Baekhyun inclines with a suggestive grin.

"It means we're all going to camp at the bakery," Areum concludes. "I thought you deciding on not going back to Sweden meant not leaving the town, and yet you're leaving anyways."

I go in for a side hug with her. "Hey, it's not that far away. Plus, see it as motivation to finally get that drivers license so you and Hobi can visit us."

"Or all on board in Jimin's car," Jungkook smirks as he joins in on that side hug with Jimin coming soon after.

"Because you trashed yours," Jimin wheezes through laughter, instantly wiping that smug off of Jungkook's face. Kai and Chanyeol oooh's at Jimin's clapback.

"Guys, come on! We can't start this summer break with these bad vibes," Namjoon says.

"Y'all sound like real boomers, honestly," Jin complains. "A little distance won't kill our plans. We'll make it work. So, we're all moving in with Tae and Blue!"

"The fuck? You think all ten of you will fit in my mom's apartment?"

"OH OH OH I HAVE AN IDEA! How about we all invest money into a huge house and live together? That would be so fun!!" Areum gasps excitedly.

That would somehow be awesome and devastatingly chaotic at the same time.

"In that case, the basement is mine," Yoongi says.

"And Joonie is not allowed to step a foot into the kitchen," Jungkook comments, earning an empty glare from said man.

"Make that you as well," Jin snaps with a cocked eyebrow. "Everything you make looks radioactive."

"But it's edible?"

"Barely."

"How about we'll leave the cooking to Jin and Blue?" Chanyeol laughs.

"Looks like we'll be living in the kitchen, Jin," I say to him, voice pained.

"They'll survive with instant ramen."

"Why does it sound like you're actually contemplating my idea?" Areum asks with a smirk.

"I bet we'd kill each other within a month," Yoongi chuckles.

"Look at you being optimistic!" Hoseok cheers as he pats Yoongi's back.

"How's killing each other optimistic?"

"Because you'd tolerate us for a month!"

Kai wipes an imaginary tear from his eye. "Character development," he breathes proudly.

Yoongi just grins shyly, gently shoving a beaming Hoseok to the side.

"Okay, everyone get into formation!" Baekhyun then shouts, and we all comply. Areum and I squeeze together with Jimin and Yoongi next to me and Baekhyun by Areum's side, whereas the tallest gathers up in a row behind us. I feel Taehyung's arms snake around my waist as Jin adjusts the tripod and camera.

"Everyone ready?" he calls out before pressing the shutter and running up to position himself with us. As the timer counts down, I take a moment to appreciate how full my heart is. The ache in my cheeks due to smiling so hard doesn't even bother me because my love for this moment weighs up for all the negatives.

I have all these amazing friends, all with vast personalities and interests, but somehow we still managed to create an unbreakable bond despite once being two separate groups with no intentions of ever interacting with one another. But here we are today, and now I can't imagine them not being in my life -- especially Taehyung.

Someone I once despised became one of the most important people in my life, showing me how reliability and love can change someone for the better. Not only did Taehyung change, but so did I. I feel like I've matured so much and discovered sides to myself that I never knew I had, and it's all thanks to him, Areum and everyone else. Without them I'd probably never gotten out of my couchpotato-shell and experienced the chaotic rollercoaster of emotions and drama that these last nine months has given me.

There comes a time in your life when you have to decide what you want to make out of your future. And in my case, I choose to stay with them. I love my friends with all my heart, and finding my one true love in a best friend is something worth holding on to.

Here I am surrounded by the people I treasure the most, smiling more than I ever would have anywhere else because I was looking forward to a future with them. And I know in my heart that this is a choice I will never regret, because, like I said to Taehyung that night;

I'd do it all over again.