After dinner, Taehyung was heading out, his keys jingling in his hand, when Ari seized the moment. The second her mom disappeared from view, she darted to block his path.
"Tae, can I ask you for a favor?" she asked, her voice sweet but determined.
Without missing a beat, he replied, "Nope, you can't," and looked away, smirking to himself.
Ari narrowed her eyes. "Oh, really?" she muttered, scanning the room for a weapon. Spotting a dry little branch in the flower pot near the door, she snapped it off and brandished it like a sword.
"You rascal!" she declared, whacking him lightly on the shoulder.
Taehyung yelped, dodging as best as he could. "Oh, you little idiot!" he exclaimed, grabbing her wrist to stop her next attack. But before he could say another word, she leaned in and bit his arm—lightly but effectively.
"Alright, alright, fine! Tell me what you want!" he finally relented, laughing through the pain.
Triumphantly, she dropped the twig and clasped her hands together. "Tae... can you ask Hybe to let me join as a crew dancer?"
Her words hit him like a freight train, and his eyes went wide. "What? No way!" he exclaimed, shaking his head furiously.
"Why not?" she pressed, folding her arms in defiance.
He scoffed. "Because you're only fit for handling kids, not working in a place full of guys constantly around!"
Ari groaned, exasperated. "you idiot! I'm asking for a chance to dance!"
"I said no," he shot back, his tone firm. "I don't like it."
Her lips parted, ready to argue, but he raised a hand to stop her. "No more discussion. It's my decision, and it's final. Now go back inside."
Ari stared at him, her hope crumbling with every word. Without waiting for her reply, Taehyung turned and walked out the door, leaving her standing there with a broken branch in her hand and an even more broken heart.
Ari plopped onto her bed, burying her face into her pillow as tears spilled uncontrollably. She clutched the blanket, muffling the sound of her sobs, but the ache in her chest refused to ease. It wasn't just disappointment—it was the sting of rejection from someone she trusted to understand her.
Her mom peeked in several times, each time her heart breaking a little more at the sight of her daughter crying her heart out. Finally, unable to bear it any longer, she grabbed her phone and called Taehyung.
"Tae, I know it's late," she said softly, trying not to wake Ari. "But... she won't stop crying. I don't know what to do anymore. I've tried everything."
Taehyung sighed on the other end of the line, guilt already gnawing at him. "Auntie, I... I'll come by in the morning. I'll handle it."
The next morning, Taehyung arrived, his steps unusually hesitant as he entered the house. Ari's mom gave him a small, worried smile, motioning towards Ari's room. He nodded and headed upstairs.
When he opened the door, his chest tightened at the sight before him. Ari was curled up on her bed, her face swollen and red from crying. She looked up at him briefly, then turned away, pulling the blanket over her head.
"Shortcake," he said softly, sitting on the edge of her bed. She didn't respond.
"Hey," he tried again, gently tugging the blanket down. "Are you really this upset?"
Her voice came out hoarse and broken. "You don't understand, Tae. This is all I've ever wanted. And you—you didn't even think about it. You just said no."
YOU ARE READING
The Hidden Oath | JHS
Fanfiction"You love him. Right?" His voice was quiet, almost too quiet, as if he already knew the answer. His gaze wasn't on her, though. He was staring out the window, the words hanging in the air between them. Ari's breath caught in her throat. She couldn't...
