Ava put the bread in her mouth and grabbed her bag before rushing out. She was running tardy for her office and today she had an important meeting with a CEO, who she had been dying to crack a deal with.
"Ava! Calm down! At least eat something before you go! I am sure you won't eat the whole day because of your crazy workload!" Ji-Kyung, her best friend said running behind her, trying to stop her.
"The meeting is more important for me than anything right now and it's your fault, why did you have to make me stay up the whole night to binge-watch a drama!" she blamed her best friend and rushed outside closing the door, ignoring her yells in the background.
She pressed the lift button but ceased as somebody's hand overlapped her hand. She looked aside and blinked her eyes.
"Sorry!" he said removing his hand immediately. She cleared her throat and looked away. It was awkward.
It was Taehyung, a member of a famous boy band, BTS. He was her neighbour. She had shifted to this new apartment with her best friend a few months back but they never met in real because of their crazy work schedules.
She pulled out the bread from her mouth and groaned internally, she felt embarrassed.
The lift opened and they both entered simultaneously causing her shoulders to touch his arm. She closed her eyes in irritation.
Why was everything turning so awkward? He apologized again and didn't even look at her the whole time. She liked it that way, it didn't make her nervous.
She exhaled deeply as he got out of the lift. She looked at the time and rushed to her car before going to her office.
-
"It was a pleasure to have this meeting with you, Ms. Ava!" Aiden, the CEO smiled. He seemed nice, she smiled back and shook her shaking hand with him.
"The pleasure is mine, sir! I am grateful you took out your time for us!" she said and he shook his head.
"I am not a big entity, Ms.Ava, please don't embarrass me like that!" he said feeling nervous by her choice of words."Umm, do you have any plans for lunch?" he asked.
"Umm, certainly not!" she replied. She wasn't going to have her lunch, she was planning on skipping it and doing her work.
"That's wonderful, please join me!" he asked with hopeful eyes. Apparently, Ava had caught his eyes with her intellect and ethical manners.
"That's fine with me!" she replied. It felt wrong to say no to him at the moment.
-----
Ava opened the door of her apartment and cracked her bones before going inside.
"Oh! You came quite early today!" Ji-Kyung, her best friend said looking at the clock.
"Were you both planning on making out before I came?" she asked looking at Jimin who was scrolling on his phone, he was Ji-kyung's boyfriend.
They both belonged to different work interests but because of Ji-kyung's elder sister who was a known idol, Ji-kyung met Jimin and then they eventually started going on dates.
"Oh! I didn't see you!" Jimin said looking at her.
"I am planning on sleeping dead meat tonight, also my room hardly transfers any noise. In case that helps!" Ava teased Ji-Kyung before going inside her room leaving an awkward silence between the couple.
-----
It had been more than a week since she met with Taehyung and Ava had quite forgotten about it because of her work.
Ava sat on the couch in the living room and opened the TV. She was feeling mentally tired and wanted something to relax, it was Sunday afternoon. Ji-Kyung had still not come out of her room.
She leaned back on the couch as the movie started. She groaned when she heard the bell ring. She walked towards the door before opening it.
"Oh! It's you!" she let out after she saw Jimin."Well, I will be staying at home and I am totally not interested in watching you both, romancing under the same roof as mine, and I clearly don't have plans on going out! Better take her out!" Ava said blatantly, crossing her arms, and giving him a sarcastic smile.
Jimin and Ava shared a nonformal relationship. He gave brotherly vibes to her so she naturally behaved casually to him.
Her smile dropped when she saw Taehyung beside him, staring at her bewildered. She hadn't noticed him earlier.
Why did she always embarrass herself in front of him?
"I am here to introduce Ji-Kyung to Taehyung! He wanted to meet her!" Jimin clarified rolling his eyes awkwardly.
She cleared her throat and dropped her hands down and moved aside, letting them come inside.
Taehyung gave her a strange look as if he was unable to understand her attitude. She looked away and closed the door.
"Are you sure you are not going anywhere?" Jimin asked her as he pointed at her clothes.
Well, she liked staying well-dressed, it boosted her self-esteem whenever she saw herself passing through a mirror. She wanted to be presentable everywhere, even at home. It wasn't for anyone, she did it for herself.
"I like staying like this!" she replied and went inside Ji-Kyung's room to get her out. "Your boyfriend has come!" she said. Ji-Kyung nodded applying her perfume, Ava went out.
Just when Ava was about to go to her room, to give them some space, Jimin stopped her.
"Hey? Where are you going? Come sit with us!" Jimin smiled, he didn't want her to feel left out. She sighed, she didn't want to sit since Taehyung was there, and she felt awkward. "Now come already!" Jimin said annoyed.
She quietly sat across them. She just looked at her sandals as they all talked. She was an introvert, she had social anxiety, and right now she was feeling it the most.
"Ava! You go around restaurants on a daily basis, how about you take us all to a nice one for a brunch today? I will be giving the treat today since I got a promotion in my office!" Ji-Kyung stated.
Ava had to visit cafes and restaurants because of her business meetings, so she was quite aware of what dish was best from which restaurant.
-
Okay, she took her words back, it wasn't this awkward before but now she had to sit beside Taehyung because the couple wanted to sit together in the restaurant.
It was a private booth so Jimin wasn't scared of their relationship getting leaked by any fellow customer.
She started using her phone to ignore the awkward silence between her and Taehyung. The couple just talked to themselves and stared at each other as if no one existed around.
Soon the food arrived and they started eating, conversing about general topics.
She asked for a wine from the waiter and accidentally the waiter spilled the wine on her lap. She stood up wiping her dress.
"I am sorry, Mam! I didn't mean to do that!" the waiter apologized.
"It's fine, I know you accidentally did that! It's okay!" she said politely, taking the tissue and wiping her jeans.
"What happened, Mam? Did he do something?" the manager asked walking to her. She was a frequent customer at this restaurant so the manager knew her well.
"No, it's fine, I dropped it on myself accidentally!" she lied with a smile. She didn't want the waiter to get scolded. "I will just use the washroom!" she said and walked past him even before he could say anything further.
Taehyung stared at her, she was kind. He had developed an opinion of her being a rude person but now it changed.
-----
"No, don't involve me in all of this!" Ava said for the nth time. She walked towards the kitchen to make some ramen for herself.
"Please it will be so much fun besides you have been working day and night for months now, I guess you should take a nice break!" Ji-Kyung said following her.
"I don't want to third-wheel you both!" Ava said turning the stove on.
Basically, Jimin had planned a road trip with Ji-Kyung but she didn't want to go alone with him and hence was convincing Ava to accompany them.
"You won't! Trust me! In fact, Taehyung is coming along as well!" Ji-Kyung lied to convince her. Ava ceased but then added the seasoning to her ramen.
"Why would I care about him going there or not? I don't want to go, period." Ava stated.
"You are going and that's it! Stop playing so hard to get, now! I was asking nicely because I wanted to convince you with your own will but seems like you don't get things nicely!" Ji-Kyung busted out exasperated.
-----
"Isn't it a couple's trip? Why would I tag along? No way!" Taehyung shook his head as Jimin tried to convince him to accompany him on the trip.
"Please, don't say that! Ji-Kyung won't go on that trip with me alone, so please come with us!" Jimin said.
"I would feel awkward besides I have other plans!" Taehyung lied.
"Then postpone them, look, Ava will be there too so you won't get bored, believe me!" Jimin lied.
He wasn't sure if Ava was coming or not.
"How would I enjoy her company? She doesn't even speak much!" Taehyung said.
"She is not a social butterfly! She doesn't like to initiate conversation herself! It took me weeks to befriend her and get her comfortable with me!" Jimin smiled.
"You mean comfortable enough to insult you at her doorstep?" Taehyung asked. Jimin cleared his throat.
"Well, she is like my younger sister so I don't mind it!" Jimin shrugged his shoulders. "Now, I am done begging you! You are coming, period!" he said and grabbed his car key and went out before Taehyung could argue further.
He sighed and rubbed his temples.
------
"Jimin put on some music, we should feel like we are on a trip!" Ji-Kyung cheered.
Jimin grabbed his phone to put on some song. Taehyung looked out of the window. Ava was driving because no one wanted to and the couple wanted to sit together so they sat back, leaving Taehyung sitting beside Ava's seat.
Jimin smiled as he put on a song, Ava ceased as she heard the music. She blinked her eyes multiple times to remove those flashbacks coming in front of her. She increased the speed of the car in nervousness. Taehyung's body was pushed back because of the speed, he looked at her horrified.
"Slow down the car, you can't manage this speed on this road!" he said grabbing his seat belt.
"Change the song!" she said in a low tone. Jimin frowned and paused the song. Ava stopped the car, and stared at the steering wheel, tears forming in her eyes. She opened the car door and went out.
She grabbed the bridge slab, looking down at the river as the wind flew her hair back.
She looked at the sky and closed her eyes. Everybody came out of the car and walked to her.
"What happened?" Ji-Kyung asked caressing her back.
"Nothing, I think I am feeling nauseatic, I don't want to drive!" she replied and walked to the car and sat in the back, closing her eyes.
"Why is she so weird?" Taehyung mumbled and sat on the passenger seat.
-
"Why are you still not ready?" Ji-Kyung said disappointed as she came inside Ava's resort room.
"I don't want to go to that club! You know I have crowd fear and loud noises make me sick!" Ava said working on her laptop. Ji-Kyung closed it making her sigh.
"Come on, don't be boring now!" she said annoyed.
"I came here because of you but I am not going anywhere, period!" Ava said firmly and opened her laptop again. Ji-Kyung sighed and went away.
She walked down to see Taehyung watching TV, he wasn't ready either.
"Now, why are you not ready?" Ji-Kyung asked, he shrugged his shoulder.
"I don't want to go! I am still tired!" he said leaning on the couch.
"Leave him and Ava, they both are mood spoilers!" Jimin said annoyed and took Ji-Kyung away.
.
Ava closed her laptop and sighed, cracking her knuckles. She went down to see Taehyung scrolling on his phone.
She didn't say anything and went inside the kitchen, but nothing was there. She even forgot to buy some ramen on their way to the resort.
"What do you want to eat?" Taehyung asked entering the kitchen. She looked at him bewildered. "I am ordering, so it would make sense if I order for both of us instead of us ordering individually!" he explained.
"Whatever it is that you want! Make it 2!" she calmly said and walked to the living room, sitting on the couch.
He stared at her before ordering for both of them. He was going to his room when he saw what she was watching, it was a Park-Seo-Joon's drama. He stood there, watching it.
"You know you can sit on the couch if you want?" Ava asked looking at him standing there. He was so engrossed in the show that he sat beside her ignoring her words.
"He is handsome right?" Taehyung asked unknowingly.
"Maybe!" she replied and he looked at her displeased by her reply.
"What do you mean by 'maybe'?" he asked.
"I don't find any other man attractive because I only find my love interest attractive!" she replied nonchalantly. Taehyung got intrigued.
"You love someone?" he asked.
"Yes I do!" she replied, nervously, it was an uncomfortable topic for her to discuss with someone she had hardly met 2 times.
"How much?" he asked casually. He was bored anyway and it seemed to be an interesting topic.
"You really want to know?" she asked unsure and he hurriedly nodded his head.
"I want to know how it feels to be in love!" he stated. She looked away sighing deeply.
"For him, I am just a name but for me, he is the book that I want to keep reading every time, and I know I would never get bored of it! I love him to the extent that I can sacrifice my love for his love. I could live my life without him, with his memories and smile seeing him happy without me!" she broke down and looked at the ceiling trying to blink away her tears. "There is no limit to my love for him! I feel like even a series of books will be less for the words of admiration and love I have for him! Maybe in my next life, I will be able to finish off my words! I have loved him one-sidedly for years and I think I can do it for my whole life without even getting tired of it!" she said weakly wiping her tears. "But what hurts is that he will never know that there was a girl who loved him all her life! He will be happy and I will be happy to see him happy! It's fine right?" she asked unsure and nodded herself. "Yes, it would be, my happiness relies on him!" she said hiccupping. "I love him to the extent that I don't want my next breath if by any chance I can't see him anymore!" she said looking at him.
Taehyung stared at her, who was she in so much love with? Did she love that person this much?
"Do you love him that much? He must be so lucky!" Taehyung said shocked, and she sadly chuckled.
"Yes he is, but I am not lucky enough to get the same love from him!" she looked at the TV and wiped her tears. He sat quiet, unsure of how to comfort her.
They heard a bell, their order had arrived.
He served it on the table and they sat together. All this time Taehyung stared at her, her words caught his heart.
-----
"Jimin click my pictures!" Ji-Kyung said to Jimin.
"Don't you want to click pictures?" Taehyung asked Ava.
She took out her phone before giving it to him, she moved back and smiled. He clicked some pictures of her.
"I think that's enough!" Ava said.
"Just some more!" he replied and clicked her pictures from many angles.
"Done!" he said and she walked to him, and saw the pictures he had clicked earlier. While she was looking at her pictures, Taehyung was looking at her.
"They are nice! Thank you!" Ava said taking back her phone.
"You are looking pretty!" he said and before she could say anything he went to Jimin.
-----
"It's so calming!" Taehyung remarked walking on the road at night.
"Indeed!" she replied.
"About yesterday!" he cleared his throat. "Why haven't you proposed to that guy yet?" he asked. He was very curious. She sighed, chuckling sadly.
"Is there any chance he would accept me? We are not compatible, he is an elite while I am just an ordinary person. I think it would be fair if I just stare at him from afar!" she replied.
"You love him so much! Please don't leave any room for regrets later! And I highly doubt that he will reject you! You are nice, pretty, and talented!" he tried to encourage her.
"Do you seriously believe that he would?" she asked.
"I am sure he would!" he smiled.
"I want destiny to show its magic though!" she said and he sighed.
"By the way, who is that 'he'?" he asked.
She started at him and walked past him, ignoring his question, he frowned but then chased her and talked about general things to remove the awkwardness between them.
------
Ava moved in her sleep uncomfortably, as she saw a nightmare. Her body was sweating now, and her face grimaced. She grabbed the bed sheet in fear.
Her mouth hung low as she woke up, breathing heavily. She quickly sat up and hugged herself. She looked around the room and sighed finding herself alone.
"It's fine, nobody is here!" she told herself. She tied her hair and walked downstairs to get a glass of water.
She saw Taehyung playing games while Jimin was sleeping on the couch. She walked to the kitchen and found him coming towards her.
"Are you fine?" he asked looking at her bewildered face. He grabbed a bottle of water before drinking it.
"Had a nightmare!" she replied drinking her water.
"Monsters chasing you?" he chuckled.
"Similar to that!" she replied and walked past him only to stumble forward, he grabbed her.
"Be careful!" he said.
She pushed him and walked away, her heart was thumping and she could feel it all over her body.
She got a message on her phone, she looked at it and it was from Aiden.
'Hey, are you not in Seoul?'
'No, I am out of station! Is it something important?'
'Oh! I was just wondering if we could hang out but I got to know you are not in Seoul through your Instagram post!'
'Are you stalking me?'
'Can't say that, maybe I am doing my homework by doing so, cause you don't tell much about yourself!'
'I am not an interesting person so I don't have much to tell.'
'Are you sure? Cause I feel like you have a lot of things hidden inside of you! I am intrigued by you.'
'Then let that be hidden.'
She closed the app before putting it on airplane mode. She sat on the bed and rubbed her face, she wasn't feeling sleepy anymore.
-----
Ava was walking on the lawn, having her coffee, introspecting about her life.
"You are a morning person, I suppose!" Taehyung said from behind.
"Did you not sleep last night?" she asked looking at his dark circles.
"I couldn't because of you!" he said drinking his juice.
"What did I do?" she asked, confused.
"That push was harsh!" he stated with a tight lip smile.
"I am sorry, I don't like people touching me, be it men or women!" she said looking down.
"Partners express their love through physical touch!" he chuckled.
"We are not partners!"
"Then let's be!" he said and she stopped walking. She looked at him, waiting for him to laugh and prove it to be a joke. "When I see you, I can feel this misery in your soul that I am itching to peel off. I just don't want to see despair in your eyes, I want hope in them, hope for love, life, and happiness. I don't know why but I find myself getting intrigued by your mysterious personality. I want you to unravel your true self in front of me!" he said calmly.
He could feel this restlessness whenever he saw her, as if his heart was itching to make her realize how worthy she was.
"Ava!" someone spoke from behind. She looked back to find Aiden standing there, with a sweet smile.
"You?" she asked. He walked closer to her, his dark brown curly hair was shining under the sun, he looked stunning.
"I came here for you!" he said, she could smell his manly cologne.
"Who is he?" Taehyung asked looking at Ava.
"Uh, he is my new business partner!" Ava replied.
Was Aiden the one she loved so hopelessly? Was Taehyung coming between them?
"Business partner? That's hurtful, I thought we were more than that!" Aiden chuckled.
"What do you mean by more than that?" Taehyung asked.
"Maybe friends? Even a boyfriend would have been fine from my side!" Aiden chuckled, joking but Taehyung felt uncomfortable with that.
--
"I visited this place when I was 9!" Aiden said as they all entered a Buddhist temple.
"So are you spiritual?" Ava asked. Taehyung was behind her all the time, while Jimin and Ji-Kyung were staring at the place in amazement.
"Not certainly but you believe in god a lot so I have become now!" Aiden smiled and for a bit, Ava felt her anxiety kicking in. Taehyung felt a sudden wave of jealousy.
Why was this man flirting with her so much?
"Uh! We should meet the monk!" Ava said.
She stood in front of the Buddha statue, alone. She just stared at it, she had so many questions and complaints, but no words came out. Maybe she didn't have to say anything, god hears everything, that one says in the heart.
"You look lost, dear!" the monk said from behind, she looked back.
"Yeah, I have lost hope!" she said.
"Not hope, dear, you have lost yourself!" the monk said and walked closer to her. "You need to search for yourself before you search for love!" he continued and looked at the statue of Buddha. "God hears and sees everything, every unsaid line, every hidden emotion. You might not tell me but do tell the god!" he said.
"I feel like my prayers have turned deaf to god!" she said.
"Your desire to improve has changed, god is fair to everyone!" he answered.
Taehyung was hearing everything from behind, but nobody noticed him there.
-----
Ava closed the door of her car before walking to the lift.
The trip was fine, but she had a lot of workloads now, and it tiring her, mentally and physically.
She got out of the lift to see Taehyung coming out of his house. He stopped as he saw her.
"Looking tired?" he asked.
"I had a lot of pending work to do today!" she answered and walked past him.
"Coffee?" he asked, she turned around.
"But you don't like it!" she replied.
"I will have it with you if you join me!" he smiled, moving back. She nodded and followed him to his apartment.
She looked around his apartment, she couldn't believe she was there. The army would kill to be at her place.
She sat on the counter table as he started making coffee.
"Is there something between you and Aiden?" he asked staring at the coffee, his heart was beating fast anticipating the possible answers.
"Other than being business partners, no!" she replied and only now he took a breath.
"I wonder why you would still want to love that secret guy you don't tell me the name of when guys around you are basically chasing you!" Taehyung asked nervously.
"Chasing me? I don't see it! Or maybe I am too blinded by his charms to notice those guys!" she replied. Taehyung put the cup on the counter, loudly.
"And why is that? Who is that fucking 'He'? I am eerily frustrated now!" Taehyung said exasperated. She just stared at him, quietly. She stood up and was about to go but he grabbed her wrist, pinning her to the wall. "I want to know if I have a chance with you or not over that mysterious guy!" he said looking into her eyes.
Those blank eyes managed to attract him.
"You really want to know who?" she asked firmly.
"Am I not clear?" he asked.
"It's you!" she said as tears welled in her eyes.
She might have never said that if hadn't forced her to. She had been an army for years. And maybe she shouldn't have fallen in love with him, she should have just loved him as an idol.
Taehyung stared at her, bewildered. And in the next second his lips were on hers, as he kissed her. He stopped when he realized that she was motionless. He pulled away, she pushed him and went out of his apartment breathing heavily.
Ava entered her room and fell on the floor, she hugged herself and started crying hysterically.
..................
Aria was Ava's cousin who was an army. She had got 2 tickets to BTS concert for herself and her boyfriend but at the last minute her boyfriend got sick and couldn't attend it, so she took her dearest cousin, Ava with her, who was unknown of the group.
"They look handsome don't they?" Aria asked smiling. Ava nodded.
She saw Taehyung singing while smiling to all his fans, in his moving cart. He reached near them, unlike other fans Ava stood still, unsure of what to do. She had crowd fear, on the top she was nervous.
Taehyung smiled at her and threw his scarf at her.
"Smile!" he cheered as he proceeded ahead.
She was suffering mentally and started watching their stuff. Though it didn't heal her but it made her happy. She forgot her miseries whenever she saw their pictures but she had a special affection for Taehyung, for some unknown reason.
And soon liking turned into love. She didn't belong to a wealthy family but she started working hard at a young age to establish her own company, in Korea, just so she could be close to him.
She never stalked him because it was against her morals and never even approached him even when she bought an apartment in his building because of her anxiety issues. She didn't want to look like a creep.
She was his secret admirer, she wanted it that way. She knew she didn't deserve him.
.................
Taehyung remembered her, more accurately, her eyes that were blank and hopeless.
It took him some days but he recognized her. He could never forget those eyes, cause unlike his other fans who had sparkles in his eyes for him, she had nothing.
-----
Ava was packing her bag, after yesterday's embarrassing incident she didn't want to live in this apartment. She cringed at her own self.
How could she be so delusional and stupid? She did that all just for someone who didn't even know about her existence.
She sighed massaging her temples. She was a fool, she was hating herself now.
"Where are you heading to?"
She stopped and turned around to see Taehyung standing at the door. He looked around her room to find boxes, that had her things in them. As if she was moving out.
She entered her closet, ignoring his question. She gasped as he pinned her to the wall. They were so close.
"Why do you always push me and ignore my questions?" he asked firmly.
He was mad, she made him feel bad every time. How could she take him to clouds by her confession and later drop him on the road, by pushing him away?
"Because I don't want you!" she said blatantly.
"But you love me!" he said.
"I never said I didn't, but I don't want you, so move away!" she pushed him.
"You can't do this!" he said.
"I don't care!" she said firmly and turned around to pack her clothes.
"You will have to care!" he said pinning her to the wall again. "You can't leave me on a cliffhanger!" he said glaring at her.
"I am not leaving you anywhere! We are nothing!" she said.
"You can't leave me after igniting love inside me for you! That's harsh, why would you do that?" he said as tears of frustration welled in his eyes.
"Move away before I start shouting for help!" she said in a low tone.
"Shout as much as you want! I am not moving even a bit!" he said determined.
Just when she was about to shout, Taehyung kissed her lips, shutting her off. She wiggled for some seconds until she melted in his kiss. He hugged her, tilting his head, he kissed her passionately.
------
"Did you like the place?" Taehyung asked Ava before hugging her from behind.
They dated for some months before Taehyung proposed to her for marriage. They were on their honeymoon now.
"I love it!" she replied turning around.
"Then I should have the chance to love you too!" he said and kissed her neck. She shifted in uneasiness.
"Taehyung, I am tired!" she made an excuse. He huffed.
"Come on now don't spoil my mood! You said the same thing on our first night too!" he said annoyed.
She looked down as he stripped her naked before pushing her on the bed.
She gasped and grabbed his arm as he slid his dick into her hole.
------
"Why are you wearing this red lipstick?" Taehyung asked as Ava came out of the closet, all groomed up for her office.
"Why? Don't I look good?" she asked looking at the mirror.
"No, it's just that you look way better without makeup!" Taehyung smiled.
"Okay, I will remove it!" she said and took out a cotton pad and poured makeup removing water before wiping her lipstick.
"And you shouldn't open your hair as well! The pollution makes hair frizzy!" Taehyung said tying her hair in a bun. "Hmm, you look good now!" he said, she nodded unwillingly and went out. "It's not that difficult to manipulate her!" Taehyung chuckled.
He didn't want her to look stunning in front of anyone other than himself. He wanted her all by himself.
-
"Good morning mam, are you fine?" Ava's secretary asked.
"Yes, I am!" she smiled politely.
"Sorry, I thought you weren't, you don't usually come like that!" she said noticing her face and hair.
Ava looked down and sighed before going to her cabin. It just tarnished her self-esteem.
-----
"Bye!" Taehyung smiled bidding his friends goodbye. He closed the door before turning around. He glared at Ava, who frowned at him. "You did it deliberately didn't you?"
"What did I do?" she asked confused. She flinched as he strode towards her, he grabbed her arms tightly.
"Why did you wear a white dress in front of my friends when you know you look good in it!" Taehyung said jerking her body. "What were you trying to do? Attract them?" he said loudly. "Only I can see you like this, no other men are allowed to do that!"
Earlier one of his friends had complimented Ava saying that she looked more prettier in real life.
"Leave my arm!" she said intimidated by him. She gasped as he slapped her. She looked at him with tears, the pain wasn't physical, it was emotional. Taehyung sighed.
"I am sorry, I got carried away! You shouldn't have aggravated me!" he said and hugged her. He was feeling guilty now.
She didn't say anything, maybe because she was shocked and had never imagined this.
She loved him so much while he returned it like this? It was hurtful.
-
"Are you still mad at me?" Taehyung asked as Ava came out of the bathroom, wearing her night suit.
"I am not!" she said and laid on the bed.
She wasn't mad, she was disappointed, she never knew he had such anger issues. He hugged her from behind and kissed her neck.
"I am sorry! I will never do that again!" Taehyung turned her towards him.
"Please, I don't want to talk about it!" she said and grabbed the blanket.
It hurt her to remember everything, but she loved him too much, that the idea of leaving him right away, didn't come inside her head.
-----
"Ava!" Taehyung called out. She walked to him. He was watching the news. "Remember the female idol I collaborated with?" he asked and she nodded. "She was found dead in her apartment, this morning! The police speculate that it's a suicide!" he said.
When Ava got to know about Taehyung collaborating with a female idol, she felt uneasy. She had seen male celebrities cheating on their wives, with their co-stars but she still acted calm and supported him.
Cause emotions could not be controlled but your actions could be, and she severely believed it.
-----
Ava was working in her cabin when someone knocked on the door.
"Come in!" she said reading the file.
"Good morning, flower! It's been a long time!" someone said. She ceased as she heard the voice.
Her heart stopped, and a lump in her throat formed.
With so much courage she looked up and found her legs shaking in fear.
Hwan, the guy she loathed the most, was standing in front of her. She stood up and grabbed the edge of the table for support.
"How did you enter my cabin? Who let you get inside? Get lost before I call the security!" She said trying to act bold. Hwan chuckled.
"You still haven't changed a bit, by your attitude, always pushing me away! But I must admit you have grown more stunning now!" he said walking to her, making her walk back.
"Don't come close to me!" she said gulping as her back hit the wall.
Hwan stood close to her, making her breath heavy. He cupped her face, making her flinch in fear.
"I still have that effect on you? I have always loved this timid Ava, she just turns me on so quickly!" he said grabbing her shoulders. She wanted to scream but no words came out of her mouth, as if her voice drowned in a never-ending sea. "You disappeared, just like that, huh? And now you had the guts to marry someone when you have always belonged to me?" he said tightening his grip.
"Shut up with your nonsense!" she said in a low tone. She was still scared of him.
"Divorce your husband and come back to me!" he smiled caressing her hair, she pushed his hand and scoffed.
"What made you think that I would do that?" she asked.
"You killed that female idol, who collaborated with your husband in an MV, didn't you?" he smirked. She frowned.
"Shut up, why would I do that?" she asked.
"I have proof that you did!" he smiled.
"When I didn't do that, then what's the point of proof?"
"How are you going to prove that to her fans?" he said near her ears.
"Now are you going to frame me?" she asked and her eyes widened when she realized something. " You killed her?" she asked.
"I can do anything, mind me, Ava, anything to get you back to me!" he said glaring at her.
She pushed him, breathing heavily, his words disgusted her. She found her head spinning. As if she was thrown back to her terrible past again.
She opened the drawer and searched for her Anti-anxiety pills before Hwan grabbed her wrist, pinning her to the wall.
"Push me next time, and I will rip you apart!" he said choking her. She coughed, and when he thought, she would die, he threw her on the floor. She gasped for air, rubbing her chest. Hwan bent down and grabbed her hair tightly before pushing it back. "You have 1 week! If you can't be mine then I won't let anyone have you too!" he said before leaving her hair harshly.
He strode out, and she hugged herself, as the tightening in her chest just grew more with each passing second. She finally broke down.
.................
9-year-old Ava was doing her homework, when Hwan, her elder brother's best friend entered the house.
He ruffled her hair and she glared at him for ruining her hairstyle, he smiled.
"Where is Robyn?" he asked about his best friend.
"He has gone to church with grandma!" she replied chewing her pencil and reading the maths problem.
"Hmm, and where are your parents?" he asked sitting beside her.
"They are both at their respective offices!" she replied and smiled when she understood the problem. She groaned as Hwan took away her book and pencil."Give them back to me, mom will scold me if I don't show her my completed homework after she comes back home!" she said trying to take her book and pencil away.
"I am bored, how about we play something until your brother comes?" he asked and she shook her head.
"I don't want to play with you, you just annoy me and cheat in the game!" she said.
"I won't cheat, I promise!" he tried to convince her."And I will help you complete your homework too!" he said. She thought for a bit but again shook her head.
"No, I know you won't, you will tell me wrong answers and then I will get scolded later!" she said sitting down, crossing her arms.
Hwan was worse than her brother, he annoyed and troubled her a lot.
"If you play with me, then I will buy you a colouring kit!" he said, knowing damn well, how much she loved colours. She smiled and nodded hurriedly.
He used to buy her gifts, whenever she sulked because of his stupid pranks, so she believed it.
Hwan grabbed her wrist and looked around the house to find no one, the head maid was sleeping in the servant's quarter too.
He took her to her room before closing the door. He turned to her and she yelped as he pushed her to the bed.
He had always liked Ava, he had a huge crush on her ever since he saw her. He mostly stayed at her house, to see her and spend time with her, with an excuse of playing games with her brother.
"Why did you push me?" she asked glaring at him, and before she could sit, he hovered over her.
Hwan was a 16-year-old guy. He had been watching a lot of porn lately, and he wanted to try all of that with Ava.
He removed his shirt and she closed her eyes, in shame.
"Hey, don't remove your clothes in front of me, it's shameful!" she said. He chuckled at her innocence.
"It's not shameful, it's sexy!" he said. He removed her frock, despite her reluctance. "They haven't grown big, yet!" he said touching her nipples, she was feeling so uncomfortable, tears of fear welled in her eyes.
"Don't touch me, move away, I don't want to play with you!" she said and tried to push him away but he grabbed her thin wrists and pinned them above her head.
She wiggled, telling him to leave her, but he didn't hear anything. She screamed as he bit her tiny nipple. She was crying now.
"Shh! Relax, it's going to be so much fun, trust me!" he said removing her panty. She shook her head and hiccupped. She felt so scared. Nobody was home too. She looked away closing her eyes as he pulled down his pants, he rubbed his small cock, before putting it on her entrance.
"Ms. Sung!" Ava screamed her head maid's name, Hwan got mad and slapped her.
"One more sound, and I will burn your body!" he threatened her and she believed it.
She screamed and her body jolted when he thrusted in her. He smiled feeling immense pleasure. He started moving inside of her, and bent down to kiss her lips. She whimpered beneath him.
She had never imagined him doing that to her, she was used to his bullying but she had never expected him to touch her like that, he had never done that before.
She flinched when he bit her neck, creating a bite mark.
He found himself reaching his high, he pulled his cock out before shooting his seeds into her belly.
He left her wrists, but she stayed like that, she was in too much pain to even move.
"It felt so good!" he smiled laying beside her, as if he hadn't raped her. "Ava!" he said turning her face to him. "Don't tell anyone about what happened here, cause it won't affect me, but you are a girl and your parents will sell you to an old man, who would do this every day for hours, do you want that?" he manipulated her, she shook her head multiple times, in fear, he kissed her forehead. "Good, so never tell this to anyone, okay?" he asked and she closed her eyes before nodding.
-
Ava was just staring at her plate, at the dining table.
"Ava, you didn't complete your homework by yourself, right?" her mom asked. She looked at her, not knowing what to say.
She had passed out, and Hwan completed her homework himself and her mom noticed the change in the handwriting.
"Sorry!" she said.
"No, sorry! You should complete your homework by yourself, and since you didn't, you are not getting the dessert after the dinner!" her mom said. She nodded, she didn't care about it, her lower region was hurting so much, that all she wanted was to disappear in the thin air.
------
Ava smiled listening to the song of her favourite singer, Justin Bieber. She was 15 years old now. The only thing that made her smile now was listening to his songs.
"Hmm, he is a nice singer!" Hwan said from behind. She flinched and looked back.
He kept the colour pencils he had got for her, on her study table before walking towards her.
It was ironic, that her life had lost all its colours and here he was buying her colours as if that could compensate for the damage he had done to her.
He hadn't stopped raping her, he had manipulated her into thinking that her parents would either sell her to an old man or torture her forever if she told them about Hwan and unfortunately, she had started to believe him.
Her parents always favoured her brother over her and were strict with her because she was a girl.
Nobody was home today, and he knew about it, he put the same song on the Bluetooth speaker before turning towards her with a smile.
"How many times shall I tell you, to stop fangirling over this singer? You really need a lesson!" he said, making her more scared.
In the next moment, he was pounding inside of her while her screams of pain were outwitted by the loud music. He made her hate those songs that she once loved, by creating hateful memories with them.
She never heard those songs ever again, as it reminded her of what Hwan did to her.
Jimin had put on the same song that day, which triggered her trauma.
................
Ava was driving with her blurry vision. She left her hometown and shifted somewhere else as an excuse for a better education, to escape Hwan. She thought she would never meet him again.
She never told her parents about her rape, but since she was in depression, she told them that she wanted to seek medical assistance, but her parents said that she was just being lazy and making an excuse so that she doesn't get scolded for bad marks, and wanted to seek attention from them. She was hurt by their statement, they gaslighted themselves into thinking that their daughter was fine and not struggling mentally.
She occupied herself with lots of work and started building her own business at a young age as a medium of escape. She used to forget about her past whenever she was busy, so she found it helpful and her love for Taehyung gave her a reason to continue living.
Maybe that was the reason, she was so attached to him even when they hadn't even interacted properly.
Ava wiped her tears and stopped the car before coming out of it. She looked at the sky.
Why couldn't her life be at ease?
-----
Ava entered Hwan's apartment and looked around. He had texted her, his address earlier since she wanted to meet him.
"Oh, you came!" he said walking downstairs with a smirk.
He was obsessed with Ava.
"Yes, I realized that no one deserves a used thing, and I shall return to my owner!" she said as he cupped her face.
"Glad you realized that! I forgive you for your mistake because you impressed me by wearing my favourite colour on you!" he said caressing her waist. She was wearing a white dress.
"Is there anyone here other than us?" she asked caressing his chest.
"No! I gave all servants a holiday for today so that we could spend some time alone!" he wrapped his arm around her waist.
"Great, won't you show me your room?" she asked. He picked her in his arms and took her to his room. He laid her on the bed before hovering over her. He was about to kiss her when she put her hand over his lips. "You have always manhandled me, can I take the lead today, please?" she asked drawing circles on his chest. He chuckled and nodded.
"Sure, sunflower! Go ahead!"
Ava loved sunflowers and Hwan gave her that nickname, knowing damn well she hated everything he said or did. He didn't like her love towards sunflowers, he wanted it all for himself, so he started calling her by that so she started hating sunflowers just like those songs.
Ava was successful in hiding her love for Taehyung and BTS's songs so he never got to know about them and hence could never destroy that for her.
Hwan laid on the bed, and Ava straddled his waist. She opened the side drawer in search of cuffs. She picked them as she found them.
"I had got these for you but you can use them on me today!" Hwan smiled, she nodded and cuffed his wrists to the headboard.
She tore his shirt before trying his legs to the bed too. She stood up and picked up her bag before going towards him. She took out a big needle with a wire.
He frowned when she grabbed his lips, squeezing them, and she started sewing it. His eyes widened and he tried to scream but her grip on his lips was right, she was glaring at him.
He wiggled but nothing affected her. "These are the disgusting lips, that kissed me right? I don't want them to ever move now and speak nasty things to me!" she said. After sewing his lips she started cutting his fingers. "These are the dirty fingers, that touched me, making me feel disgusted!" she said as tears left her eyes. She cut all his 10 fingers, and he was dizzy now. She pulled out his pant and clenched her fists looking at his dick. She stabbed the knife on his dick and balls many times, in anger. "This is the dick that left me in so much pain for days, it just tarnished my self-esteem and chastity!" she cried out.
Hwan had died. She moved away staring at his blood on her hands. She rushed to the bathroom and vomited, feeling disgusting. She washed her hands multiple times.
She fell on the floor and hugged herself and cried loudly, she didn't regret killing him. She felt liberated, but the trauma he gave her would never leave her.
"I hate you! I hate you!" she kept mumbling these words looking at his dead body.
Didn't know how but she got the courage to kill him and escape his invisible ties.
After some minutes, she stood up before dragging his body to his garden, she poured the bottle of oil on his body that she got from his kitchen. She looked at the lighter before throwing it at him.
She watched as his body burnt, she went inside and cleaned the bloodmarks before going away.
-----
Taehyung was sitting on the couch, looking at the clock, frequently, waiting for Ava. She wasn't even picking up his calls.
Ava entered the apartment and Taehyung stood up, before walking towards her.
"Where were you? Do you even realize how much worried I was?" he asked glaring at her.
She took out some documents from her bag and gave it to him.
"I don't want to live with you anymore! These are divorce papers, sign them!" she said as firmly as she could.
She didn't want to involve him in her mess. She loved him so much and it hurt her so much to leave him but she was used to of pain.
"What rubbish is this? You are doing it just because of that slap? Have you gone insane?" he said tearing the papers.
She looked at the torn paper pieces that he threw away.
"Do you really want to stay with me?" she asked.
"Why are you suddenly bringing this up?" he asked angrily.
"Even when someone raped me for years? And my parents treated me like an object that didn't have feelings? When I am nothing but a disgusting shit?" she asked and he ceased.
He didn't know anything about that, he was shocked. He gently grabbed her arms.
"What are you saying?" he asked softly.
"I shouldn't have married you in the first place, you didn't deserve a girl like me! In fact no one deserves me!" she said crying.
After all these years, her frustration and anger were finally coming out and she didn't want to stop venting out.
"Ava! Stop it!" he said disappointed by her words. "Who was the guy?" he asked.
"It doesn't matter!" she said and pushed him. "I want a divorce."
-----
"You know, Ava divorced Taehyung!" a young girl told her friend.
"It's strange like how could she? He is so nice, every girl would kill to be at her place while she left him! She is ungrateful!" her friend said.
"My sister said that her company's shares dropped extensively after Taehyung dropped the news of their divorce! And I think she has gone bankrupt now!"
"Good for her! Don't know how she will live among this much hate!"
------
"Did you sleep well?" Taehyung smiled as Ava woke up, she nodded blankly.
Taehyung had spread rumours of their divorce, causing her company's shares to fall down, and she had to sell it to pay all her debts.
Taehyung never divorced her, he caged her in his house forever and made her pregnant with his child, manipulating her by saying that their child would hate her for separating it from its dad, and among this much hate, she wouldn't be able to live by herself so it would be better if she accepts his love and stay by his side.
"I can't wait until you come out!" he said caressing her baby bump.
Ava was an easy person to manipulate or maybe at some point, she wasn't upset with his deeds and hence never went against him.
She loved him more than required, that she didn't care even when he destroyed her hard-established company.
She wouldn't care if he even killed her, she would still love him.