make it right.

iii.

5 Days Later:

After scrolling enough on his phone, Taehyung stared at the wall ahead as he zoned out, Abruptly he recalled an event from the previous night. His brows furrowed as he was put into thought again.

Taehyung remembered being woken up by the shrill wailing of a child. As it didn't seem to stop, he got out of bed and walked towards the children's bedroom. A maid standing outside hastily informed that it was little Minra who had a nightmare and woken up crying. The babysitter ajhumma inside was putting her back to sleep. She looked apologetic and Taehyung was quick to assure her that she was just a kid, it was alright.

He turned around at the sound of soft footsteps on the padded floor, Jisoo was slowly making her way towards the maid. He assumed she was there for the kid. But she merely asked the maid, "Who is it?". On getting her answer, she sighed (almost in annoyance? Taehyung doubted) and left for her room.

Taehyung noticed in her face something completely unexpected. Where he assumed would be concern for her child, Jisoo's eyes shone with contempt and annoyance. She appeared like any stranger would be seen reacting to a random wailing kid. It confused him all the more.

Of course, everyone had their short temper or annoyance, but would it not have some constraint when it came to one's own children? He couldn't help but question for the umpteenth time why something was always amiss with this woman when it came to her kids. And why he always seemed so nosy about her.

The Next Evening:

Taehyung was startled by a sharp ringing tone of a voice continuously speaking heatedly, presumably on the phone. It created such a boom in the mansion that he couldn't help but go and see for himself. Jisoo unlike her voice of tone stood still, where her voice argued passionately with a supplier over a botched delivery. From what he could comprehend, the latter refused to take responsibility, exasperating the female.

Jisoo had to pause and collect herself with timed breaths and yet it did not seem to help. The man on the other side spoke again and a  wave of unbearable fury rose inside her. Without even comprehending it, her hand raised and smashed the vase onto the wall. A jagged-edged piece rebound, pierced her arm before smashing onto the ground. Jisoo stood there without a single flinch as she eyed a single stream of crimson flow down the cut.

It looked like a glossy river of ruby, as it slowly ran down her smooth skin, painting all it touched a maroon, enthralling her...till she felt a pair of arms grip and shake her.

"Kim Jisoo?!"

She looked up into Taehyung's cocoa eyes. He was baffled, concerned and bewildered all at once. On seeing her respond to him with a nod he plainly remarked, "You're bleeding."

She nodded again, faster this time. "Yea-, yeah. It's okay I'll—"

"Where's the first-aid box?",  came a steady question and she mutely pointed to a drawer.

He then signaled her to sit down, and proceeded to wipe the blood away, clean the wound and put on a bandage. All the time, Jisoo stared at him, trying to comprehend why she couldn't look away, what this fascination in her veins about him exactly was.

All the while something burned slowly inside her. The thought of how this man could get her to behave so meek and obedient. Look at her now, couldn't she tend to herself? It was only a measly cut, why was she being fussed over? All the confusion in her mind was directed as anger toward Taehyung. Jisoo merely mumbled a flustered thanks to him (she hated even slight favours) and left the room.

The man was left standing, flabbergasted. Such a display of rage was definitely, and definitely not normal. And there was only one person he could ask about this.

With the excuse of placing his cup of water in the sink, Taehyung came cross the househelp, Miwoo and slowly initiated a conversation about her previous days and homeplace. Miwoo revealed that she had been working there for several years, since Jisoo was a teenager.

Casually slipping in conversation, Taehyung further asked, "Why did she get so angry anyway? I understand passion for business, but.."

The woman butt in confidently, "Ah, what is there about business? There's a high, there's a low. It's that madam developed unhealthy anger issues. We even consulted a doctor. She said, Jisoo-madam was never able to express her anger properly at that vile imbecile. It stayed pent up. So her anger doesn't dissipate easily."

The man's ears perked up. "Imbecile who?"

Miwoo noticed her fault and immediately regained composure. "Imbecile? What? I just meant any random person. A-as in the imbecile on the phone; It's nothing, nothing." Taehyung left her to her work with an understanding nod.

He sensed that there was a bigger picture she hid from him, and there was an eccentric curiosity in him to know whatever that was.

But who would quench that?

published: 30/04/23

 832 words

~sid.