ELVEN | K.TH

53

And I feel Taehyung smiling darkly behind me as I bow my head multiple times. My cheeks are flushed in embarrassment.

"I'm so sorry, sir. He's just— He hasn't been out in a really long time, so his social skills are not the best. I promise I'll set him straight. I'm sorry again."

The man throws a glance at the cloaked elf behind me before huffing and turning away.

And when he goes, I raise my stiffened body back up.

My expectations of a perfect, romantic time at the festival was already long gone. My interests in trying to seduce this childish idiot— far gone.

And it only gets farther, when I hear a hushed, coy laugh brush against the curve of my ear.

"Why so angry, love?"

"All I did was talk. He's the one that took the truth personally."

I whip around. His hood hangs over his eyes, but I can see his lips stretched in a smile. That stupid, stupid smile again.

"Do you find this funny?"

Now I realize.

He only likes getting a rise out of me. That was like his entire damn purpose. I was never going to affect him in any single romantic way— he'd just make fun of me through the whole process.

"Because it's not." I hiss, scrunching my lips together. "It really isn't. I asked you to just behave, didn't I? That means not picking fights— that means don't hurt anyone!"

His voice softens.

"I didn't hurt anyone."

"But you were about to, weren't you?" I say angrily. "I saw you. Don't lie. You had that look in your eyes, the same one you had right before you hurt Arlen. Right before you went for Jimin."

My eyes harden. "If I didn't stop you, that poor man would've been dead. Humans are a thousand times more fragile than elves. I know you know this."

His mouth curls.

"I don't care."

"Me neither." I growl back.

"I don't care anymore. I had so many things I wanted to do with you today, but now I don't want to. I don't want to be anywhere near you."

I can't believe I'm saying this to Taehyung's face.

But this isn't him.

This isn't my sweet, precious elf.

And as I slowly realize more and more things, the stress of it all just piles on top of me. It squeezes at my mind, like the tightest rope.

I can't change him. 

I'll never be able to leave the tiniest scratch on his steel surface. I'll never be able to break through anything. Never be able to save Taehyung, from this part of him.

Even now, he looks like he doesn't even give a single piece of shit on what I have to say.

Even now.