Stigma [Book 1]

Chapter 34 : Blame Game

Tzuyu stopped in her tracks, not yet fully comprehending what he had just said. She slowly turned around to face him. His eyes were trained on her.

"W-w-what d-did you say?" she whimpered at him.

He didn't respond. He just gave her a cold stare.

"What did you say?" she asked again.

He crossed his arms.

"I know damn well that you heard me," he said.

At instances like this, Tzuyu would normally feel frightened.

Guilty.

Weak.

But this was different.

She felt that he wasn't just attacking her. No.

She felt like he was attacking the little memories she had left of him.

She suddenly felt like she had to urge and need to defend that.

Just like how he always stood up for her in high school.

The way she should've stood up for him when she still had the chance.

Tzuyu suddenly felt herself fill up with rage. She approached Taehyung.

SMACK

She brought her right hand back and slapped Taehyung in the face.

He was stunned by her action. His cheek was now red from the impact of her palm. Tzuyu didn't care if he was hurt. However she noticed the expression she could read from his eyes.

They were wide with shock.

For a moment he looked more internally hurt. In disbelief that she would have actually done something like that.

For a moment, it wasn't Taehyung who was looking at her.

For a moment, she imagined Jae Won standing before her. His eyes were the same with Taehyungs.

The look Taehyung had given her was exactly the same one Jae Won gave her the last time she ever saw him.

She quickly shook the thought out of her head, anger rising within her again.

"I asked you.

What.

Did.

You.

Say?"

This time, he brought his face close to hers. They could feel each other breaths open their faces. The feeling normally gave Tzuyu butterflies. But this time around was different. She wanted to slap him again.

"I won't repeat myself when I say this. But you never loved Jae Won."

She was pissed now. Who the hell did he think he was to tell her that?

She brought her arm to slap him one more time. But this time, before it reached his face, he grabbed the arm that was ready to slap, stopping it inches before it hit his face. He stared into her eyes. Her eyes spelt fury. He knew that this was the perfect time to ask.

"You want me out of your life?" he asked her.

She didn't respond. As much as she hated him right now, she could never do that to him. She was just so angry.

Slowly, he let go of her hand. She dropped it to her side. The tension in the room was rising.

"Fine. I understand Tzu. I really do. But I need to know one thing."