Author's POV:
You looked yourself in the mirror. A soft sigh escaped your lips.
"Is it really okay to wear this when I'm going with that douche?" You asked yourself, staring at your curves. The dress hugged your curves perfectly. Not only did the burgundy satin compliment your honey skin but it also made your body look more— detailed.
You really liked how you looked but you were wondering if it was fine to wear that with him. He was a gangster, how could you even trust him?
Well, after sleeping on the bed beside his— like a dead person for an entire night and spending so much of time with him, you still weren't sure if you could trust him.
Suddenly, you heard the door of the room open. It was him— a hundred percent sure.
But you heard nothing other than the footsteps stopping. Looking down awkwardly for a few moments, you turned around to see him standing there, quietly. Your azure blue eyes stared into his black eyes from a distance. His lips parted slightly as he just stared at you, probably trying to say something.
You felt a little— strange. His stare at you was strange. His parted lips were strange. The way his lips quivered was strange. And the strangest thing was the emotion in his eyes. Not icy or cold, not mischievous or evil. But rather— something else. Something you couldn't explain but it made your stomach churn.
You hated this moment, with all your guts. This quiet chill moment while both of your eyes are holding each other from a distance, no hate or disgust. No challenge or stubbornness. Just a neutral, quiet yet awkward moment.
You hated this.
You looked away, rolling your eyes at the sight of him. You didn't purely want to do this but you did. You had to. He had to see that eye roll and feel something, guilt to be exact.
"You're ready?" He asked, looking at his watch. He looked a little absent-minded. Like he was processing something but not as if you cared about how he looked. Maybe you noticed, but no— not care. Not the point.
"Yes." You said, dryly. He nodded and said, "It's 7 pm right now. We'll leave 15 minutes later."
"Okay." Your voice sounded bratty. Very bratty. He just stared at you for a moment with an arched brow before looking down, sighing.
He was probably used to your bratty behaviour now. You sort of felt bad. You didn't want to make that impression about yourself to someone else but whatever— he deserved it. That's the only thing you could convince yourself. If anything, he deserved the worst side of you. He was a literal mafia, a gangster, someone who kidnapped you. More likely— your best friend. But you ruined that plan or it would've been your best friend, Tzuyu who would be in this mess, not a very unpleasant yet a VERY unpleasant mess.
—Midtown, New York City
You stood there, staring at the place. Taehyung just looked at you asking, "Any problem?"
"If there's any problem then it's you but no." You said. He just let out a snort, he couldn't hold it.
"Don't make it obvious that you're forced here, sweetheart." He said, smirking slightly.
"What's that to you?" You asked, glaring at him.
"It's nothing to me, it's all for you."
Before you could start another argument, he walked forward making you follow him with a glare. He could feel your glare at his back but shrugged it off. As if your glare even moved a single body hair of his.
You saw how so many people were dancing here and there, old men, middle-aged men. Foreigners everywhere. Many looked like they were New York natives but others looked Japanese, Chinese, Thai and maybe a few occasional Koreans too. You were a little perplexed. It looked like a global party that they had arranged.
It wasn't a very elegant and royal sort of party but not a very hip-hop bar type. It was classy, not that decent seeing how you saw a few girls twerking but okay— it was okay.
But not safe. The men at some corners gave you that dirty smirk and grin that you hated so much. They made you nauseous. Gosh, why did you have to come here?
You took a few steps closer to Taehyung. Yeah, he was your kidnapper but at least you knew his name, unlike those oldies who were grinning at you from that 20-meter distance.
Taehyung noticed you uncomfortably walking from the corner of his eyes and continued walking forward. You saw how tight his jaw was, sharp and straight. Edgy.
But okay— not the point.
You looked away and shifted closer to him when a drunken man almost fell on you. Your arms brushed with him as he stopped. You stopped along with him. He turned around and looked at you under the dim blue light in the place and said, "Look. This place is not for gentlemen. And you don't need to maintain any formality with anyone here. Just say whatever you want like you always do. And don't run away from me. Or you'll be kidnapped by someone else this time."
A shiver ran down your spine hearing that. No, not again.
"Why did you bring me to this place?" You asked.
"Make sure to look sad and tortured when they come to click our pictures. That's all you have to do at this party." He said.
"Why do you make me do such ridiculous stuff?" You asked. Your brain wasn't working. What was the total point of his acts?
He held your hand as you tried to take it back but he stopped you saying, "Stop. You need to know that if not anywhere else, in this place, I'm the only person you can trust."
His voice was deep, and intimidating. So cautious and stern, raspy yet loud. You gulped and looked away. You weren't mad but you weren't quite happy either. You were irritated at this place, at him, yourself, and those men staring at you.
He walked ahead, holding your hands. You noticed how his long legs were walking so fast, that your short ones could barely manage to catch up. It annoyed you even more. You hated him already and these sudden facts were making you hate him, even more, even worse.
Soon, he moved the curtains of the room in front of you both and got in. Inside, there was a huge table and sofas around. A few men were sitting there, some with girls.
You gulped, the smell of liquor hitting your nostrils. This was a very— not friendly place. You realized it already. This was a very cheap yet expensive place. Maybe some gangster hangout. Well, gangsters were known to be h*rny b*stards.
"Hey, Taehyung!" A blond-haired guy stood up and shook hands with Taehyung, his attention then falling on you as you just stared at him quietly, blinking awkwardly.
"Hey, Tom," Taehyung said. You noticed how the guy was tall and his figure was nice too— but he wasn't as tall or as big as Taehyung.
"Is she the one?" Tom asked, a smile on his face. Taehyung just blinked at him indicating a yes. He immediately chuckled and said, "Woah, she's prettier than I thought!"
"Hello! I'm Tomlinson Smith. Tom, in short." He said, forwarding his hands for a handshake.
You just stared at his hands as Taehyung glanced at you before shaking hands with him instead and said, "She's not social."
"Protective enough." Tom smirked and continued, "Well.. everyone here was expecting you both."
You noticed how he was talking in English. You knew English, and you understood it well. But you didn't expect Taehyung's English to be so flawless, so catchy and even deeper than his Korean.
You looked behind Tom to see a few other men. Unlike Tom, their gazes on you weren't that friendly. Some just looked at you like you were some lowly creature and some just smirked at you.
"Hey, Jack and... Joel." Taehyung said as they stood up and greeted him. So fake, they all sounded so fake.
Tom was standing beside Taehyung and said, "Sit there, Taehyung!"
"Thanks." Taehyung sat down, patting the area beside him and gesturing for you to sit.
"Not beside you." You said as Taehyung replied, "Don't be stubborn."
The others looked at you both intrigued. You both were using Korean so of course, they didn't know.
You were about to argue but this time, it wasn't his stare which shut you up. It was the men around you both. Rather than standing near those men who had girls in both of their arms, sitting beside this unarmed black-suited guy seemed better. So you sat, beside him, quietly.
He seemed relaxed as you were sitting there, looking down awkwardly. You noticed how the other guys and some middle-aged men. Creeps.
"Are they all mafias?" You asked. He shook his head saying, "Some of them are. The others are local gangsters and thugs... sort of lower than mafias."
"Oh." You said, looking at the liquor in their hands.
"Hey, can I serve one to you?" Tom asked you as you stared at him, unsurely.
"No. She doesn't drink." Taehyung said.
"You're answering everything for her?" Tom asked, confused but sighed saying, "Fine! Suit yourselves! At least you're better than Joel who has 4 girls leeching on him."
"I hear you, motherf*cker."
Cheap. That was all you could think. You didn't like this atmosphere. So different, so cheap. The drinks were top-tier wines and liquors but them? No, you hated them.
You saw how a few girls were devouring the man beside you with their eyes and spoke, "Can you just move towards them so they stop glaring at me?"
"No." His answer was short. You glared at him and said, "You're so annoying."
He sighed, his lips twitching slightly making you frown.
"Are you about to smile?" You asked. He raised a brow saying, "Why would I? Do you think you're worth my smile?"
"How dare you-" You sighed as he sipped his liquor.
"B*stard." You said.
"Was that a curse just now? I got curse vibes!" Joel spoke. Taehyung shook his head and said, "She said she loves me."
"Wow... in this bar? Are you both about to-"
"No." Taehyung said. His voice was so cold at times, that you wondered how scary he could be.
"I won't eat you, chill. You just need to use this voice when you're with other gangsters. You don't let them see your nice side." He said, smirking slightly.
"Did I ask?" You asked, brattily, again. He just took a sip of his liquor as you said, "Stop drinking."
"Why?" He arched an eyebrow.
"You might get drunk."
A smirk made its way to his lips as he asked,
"Are you worried about me or are you scared that I'll do something to you if I get drunk, sweetheart?"