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Tap.
Tap. Tap. Tap
TAP. TAP. TAP. TAP. TAP-
A surge of frustration washed over Clarity as she tossed her pen on the table, her back sinking into the armchair with a sigh. With furrowed brows, she glanced at the towers of document piled on the surface. Indeed, they were all materials she had to go through in preparation for Bangtan Corporation's plan to accomplish five feats in one move — also known as Operation Code V.
However, Clarity was also working on something else. With messy scribbles of pen markings visible on paper, she was piecing together the important parts of the banquet in To Be His Possession, which she was preparing to bring up to Seokjin and the other members during their upcoming meeting.
As she noted down all the important events, Clarity started to feel like something was off. According to original plot, they were supposed to be close to the latest chapter. By this point, Kim Seokjin and Yinn Naron had already confirmed their relationship and decided to attend the banquet together, for Seokjin was planning to officially introduce her as his partner.
However, this progression was long down the drain.
Right now, the closest word to describe the relationship between Seokjin and Yinn was strangers, maybe indirect acquaintances at most. Aside from bumping into each other every now and then in the hallway, the two "protagonists" haven't had any direct interactions.
Does that mean that Yinn Naron would have no role at the banquet at all?
"What are you doing?" A pair of muscular arms softly wrapped themselves around her neck, dangling with nonchalance. Taehyung, bending over from behind, lazily rested his chin on her shoulder.
Clarity tilted her head to meet his gaze. "Just thinking about stuff," she mumbled softly.
Like a child, Taehyung had been hanging around her room while the Clarity did her secretary work. He rolled around the bed, played with her now shoulder-length hair, and snuck kisses on her cheeks every now and then to get her attention. Was she expecting this childish side of him? The man who was known to be cold and intimidating? Not on her life.
Was she enjoying it, however?
Hell yeah.
A feeling of both admiration and affection rising within her, Clarity could only smile as she appreciated the work of art before her eyes. Every time she saw eye-candy Kim Taehyung, the girl couldn't help but feel as if she was dreaming. The captivating gaze that delivered itself through his lush eyelashes, his defined t-zone, his unintentional pouting—Kim Taehyung was the real deal.
Clarity thought her sufferings were all worth it.
Amidst her satisfying thoughts, she subconsciously bit down on her lips. It was a simple action, but that was all it took to initiate a change in Taehyung's expression.
At that moment, the air in the room shifted into something different. A storm, perhaps?
Taehyung's lips moved towards her as he spoke.
"Are you done with your work?"
"Huh?" She blinked twice.
"Your work. Are you done?"
"Well, I'm pretty close. But why—"
He cut her off by pushing his lips onto hers.
Oh. This was why.
Eyes blinking with surprise, Clarity was momentarily dazed before relaxing her body to kiss him back. It was a deep, prolonged kiss, and she could feel the smile on Taehyung's face as well as her own.
It was at that moment.
Her heart missed a step, face heating up immediately as the man's tongue made contact with her lower lip, closing the distance between them as slid into her mouth.
Where did he learn all of this from?
Mind slipping away, Clarity managed to squeeze out a few drops of rationality as her hand hurriedly moved to tap Taehyung back before both of them succumbed to their desires. It wasn't because she didn't want to continue. Not at all. But as much as she had wanted to explore these things with him, something had forced her back into reality.
Taehyung's phone, having been buzzing in his pocket for the past few minutes, was screaming for attention.
"..."
Finally noticing the sound, Taehyung reluctantly pulled away, slightly breathless as he shoved his phone to his ear.
"What?" His voice was audibly irritated, and Clarity let out a chuckle.
"What's with the attitude? Woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning?" Jimin's charming voice sang on the other side of the call. "Hobi, Namjoon and I have decided to make some desserts. Oh, Miss Naron is here too. We can't find the brown sugar. You know where everything's placed in the house. Is the sugar in the first or second storage closet?"
"..."
"Oh, wait. Never mind, we just found it. Who the hell puts sugar in the fridge? Anyways, since I'm a nice person, I'm inviting you to join in making this wonderful ca—"
"Not interested." Taehyung's response was curt and blunt as he was about to hang up. With Clarity successfully flipping his on-switch, the man's rationality was long out the window as the only thing he could only focus was the girl before his eyes.
Noticing his wild and unsettling gaze, Clarity unknowingly gulped.
The short phone call had cleared her mind a bit, and eyeing Taehyung before her, Clarity had a feeling that if she allowed the hungry-looking man continue, she'd soon be facing a whole different consequence. Laughing nervously, she quickly grabbed the phone from his hands and spoke into the mic.
"Taehyung changed his mind! We'll be there soon!" she spoke with unnatural joyfulness, ignoring the blank look on Taehyung's face.
"Clarity? Why are you..." Jimin's voice sounded baffled as there was a small pause on the line. "So that's what it was."
It was as if she could see Jimin's emerging smirk as his voice smoothened over the phone.
"Anyway, see you soon!" Squeaking a farewell, Clarity quickly ended the call before facing Taehyung with her best heart-fluttering smile, only to widen her eyes at the apologetic look on his face.
The man was looking at her with an expression so sorrowful Clarity thought that his pet fish had died, or something.
"I'm sorry." His voice was soft but cheerless. "I lost control over myself for a moment. I must have overwhelmed you."
Ever since they confirmed their relationship, Taehyung felt different. It was like he was enraptured under a spell.
All he could think of was Clarity.
He wanted to be with her all the time, to shower her with endless affection, and to protect her from all harm. With this mindset in mind, it pained him knowing that his behaviour had made her feel uncomfortable. Taehyung casted his gaze on the ground, the guilt slowly eat him alive.
Little did he know that "uncomfortable" was the last word Clarity would use to describe her current emotions.
Despite Taehyung's sincere apology, she was internally melting at the black-haired man standing before her, shoulders all slumped and a dejected expression on his face.
He's adorable.
"Tae, baby. Don't be." She didn't know whether to cry or laugh at his overly-considerate thoughtfulness. She took his hand into hers, embracing the coldness of his palm and warming it up in the process. "I wasn't overwhelmed at all. Of course, I was a bit taken back at first, but it was a good kind of taken back. You really have no reason to apologize. I've never been uncomfortable around you."
Well, that was a lie. Clarity was scared shitless from even a glance from the man when she first arrived in this world—but he didn't need to know that.
Her heart relaxed in relief as she observed his slightly softened expression. Then to completely reassure him, Clarity leaned forward, planting a shy kiss on his lips.
"Also, you're quite the kisser. Did you take lessons or something?"
Taehyung only stared at her, as if taking in her nonchalant words. Eventually, he released the tension in his shoulders, smiling in resignation.
"You're really driving me insane, Clarity."
"Good!" Grinning at his comment, Clarity got on her tippy toes and ruffled his hair. "Let's go downstairs. I'll drive you even crazier with my amazing cookie-making skills."
"I can help you," Taehyung offered, trailing after her while their hands were still linked together.
"Do you know how to bake?" Clarity arched an eyebrow.
"...I've watched Jin and Yoongi do it before. I can learn."
"Alright, alright."
"It's true."
She giggled as they walked through the halls. If there was a way to stop time, she'd wish to use it for this exact moment.
✿✿✿
However, time went on, and Clarity now found herself amidst a strange situation.
If she wanted to, Clarity would have no trouble antagonizing the female protagonist. She could just push everything on the "plot" and openly express her animosity towards the girl, since she was the one, after all, that caused the original Secretary's death. She could make Seokjin kick her out of the house, or even permanently ruin her life.
However, Clarity didn't want to do any of that. It was for a simple reason:
Nobody deserved to be shunned by others for conditions out of their control.
Frankly, she was sympathetic towards the brown haired girl. Perhaps it was because of Yinn's dreary past that was so similar to her own. Like Clarity, Yinn was also thrown into this situation against her will. Nobody would want to be born in an uncaring family, nor would they want to experience betrayal or develop traumas. However, these experiences were at times—inevitable.
The world had always did its own thing; neither Clarity, Yinn or anyone else could be held responsible for its set up.
Although Yinn had caused her death in the fanfiction world, she had not done anything to harm her here. This was why Clarity decided to treat her as just another human being, the same way as she would towards others.
However, that was about to change.
Stiffly postured in her chair, Clarity subconsciously gulped at the single cookie on her plate. Her eyes then shifted toward Yinn Naron, whose face was so pale she might as well have been bathing in negative degrees weather for the past hour. Clarity had nothing against Yinn or her cooking. However...
She eyed the pack of white powder beside the cookie.
"I-it's icing sugar!" The brown-haired girl had explained to her, quite frantically.
Anyone could tell that was—indeed—not icing sugar.
Clarity frowned at the poisonous meal before her. Her head was filled with complicated thoughts. Although she was not very close to Yinn, she didn't think they were on bad terms with each other, either. Clarity did not understand, and she needed to find out.
What could she have done that made the female protagonist want to kill her?
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lori ✿