ALPHA | BTS FANFICTION

Alpha - Glass Heart - Chapter 29

Sora's POV

Taehyung sat beneath me with a startled yet confused look as we remained defenseless within the ring of loaded gun barrels. A powerful gust of wind blew hard over us until I felt my body vibrating from the chills of the night. I couldn't speak but stared at him, contemplating my next move. Do I fight for him? Or do I believe my own eyes? What will I do? I am lost and bewildered, but mostly... I am scared... of wrecking our love over the unexpected clash with a powerful household.

"Sora-"

"I said release her, or I'll fire!" Hoseok demanded, aggressively handling his gun when Taehyung tried to touch me. Taehyung immediately lowered his hand onto the pavement, yielding to Jung Hoseok's threat and glanced at my watery eyes with a startled look. I shakily lifted my hands upward, cupping his damp cheeks with a torn expression, and gently tugged his head against my shoulder to hold him.

"Put your guns down," I ordered, gulping the hot lump in my throat as a flush of tear streams trickled down my face.

"Sora! He-"

"I SAID PUT THE GUN DOWN! HE'S DEFENSELESS!" I snapped, angrily turning to glare at Hoseok. The guards stood their ground as they surrounded us with their weapons directed at Taehyung.  

"Lower the weapons," Hoseok shakily commanded his men after maintaining intense eye contact with me. I gulped in relief while scanning the garden to ensure the deadly barrels weren't on Taehyung anymore. I'll be his shield for now. Until I figure out the truth. Taehyung abruptly pushed his heavy body off the pavement with his arm around my waist to lift our bodies off the ground. I quickly rotated my body to draw Taehyung behind my back as Hoseok and his guards bitterly stared at my decision to protect Kim Taehyung.

"What's with this fuss?!" Taehyung snapped, trying to push past me, but I firmly held him back. They might fire.

"M-Moh? The audacity to ask the question after you're caught red-handed trying to murder Min Yoongi?!" Hoseok snapped. Taehyung frowned at the alpha's allegation. He glanced down at my damp face for an explanation.

"What are you talking about? There's an attack?" Taehyung asked, lifting his clueless eyes back to Hoseok. I stared at Taehyung's startled reaction with a slight frown. Why is he...? Unaware...?

"Seriously?! You're purposely acting clueless in your drenched clothes?! Sora! Did you catch him or not?!" Hoseok shifted his stern eyes to me. I opened my lips to speak in fright as I struggled to defend Taehyung's involvement.

"I-"

"She tackled me onto the ground! So what?! And why are you accusing me of attacking Min Yoongi?!" Taehyung argued, hastily pushing me aside to face Jung Hoseok in irritation and carefully drew me behind his back to form a barrier between me and Hoseok's men. I gripped his forearm in fear when he marched towards Hoseok with his deadly darkness. The two alphas darkly glared at one another... tensing their body muscles with every breath they took.

What's happening?! I was chasing the man- and I tackled him! And the culprit turned out to be Kim Taehyung! I witnessed his presence with my own eyes! And even fought with him?! What did I miss?!- Sora! Why would Kim Taehyung attack Min Yoongi? In the Jung's territory? That's a suicide mission!

A moment later.

"Don't touch me! I can walk!" Taehyung grunted, shoving the guards off his shoulder as they attempted to escort him. I walked by Taehyung's side with my eyebrows furrowed intensely to recall our bizarre encounter.

"Lock him up in his room," Hoseok ordered the guards as we arrived before the crowded mansion door. The other alphas and lower ranks were eyeing Taehyung suspiciously on the sides. Thump! Thump! Thump! We halted before the opened door when someone... came storming out of the mansion. Eomma appeared with her rageful glower on Kim Taehyung. I stared at her disgruntled scowl with a restless feeling- SLAP.

My eyes widened in shock, wildly turning to the side to find... Taehyung... standing stiffly with his face turned to the side after receiving the blunt blow to his face. Eomma slapped Kim Taehyung before... everyone's eyes. The crowd gasped in shock as eomma fumed heavily. Taehyung pressed his tongue against his inner mouth, evidently humiliated by her outburst, and lifted his killer stare to eomma with a poker face.

"How dare you hurt the Min's heir?! Do you wish to trigger a war between the households?!" Eomma seethed, angrily glaring at Taehyung with spite. He didn't speak but stared at my mother's agitated reaction in silence. Jungkook appeared, pushing through the crowd with a dreadful look.

"Are you okay?" Jungkook mouthed me. I nodded to assure him.

"War? Why would I wish to initiate war when you're working... so hard to obtain the Min's alliance? So you'd be powerful enough to cast me out? Isn't that your plan, mother-in-law? To banish me with your latest alliance consideration? Why would I risk upsetting a woman like you...? When I know... I'll only lose Jang Sora if I defied you?! You wanted me to stay hushed, so I did! I did everything you wanted- just- so you wouldn't take your daughter away from me!" Taehyung roared in my mother's face until bulging veins formed over his thick throat. My jaw dropped. The crowd gasped in shock after witnessing the argument. What?! Eomma considered the alliance with the Mins to discard the Kims?! Wae?! I wildly turned to look at my mother's troubled expression as she kept her piercing glare on Taehyung.

"We should speak in private," Mr. Jeon stormed out to draw my mother away from Taehyung. The society can't witness our internal conflict!

"I will immediately expel you from the household if you're guilty! Did you think I'd let my daughter suffer with you?!" Eomma snapped as Mr. Jeon dragged her back inside the mansion.

Taehyung gritted his jaw at eomma's statement, angrily storming inside the mansion with his fists clenched. He suddenly turned to look at me as I stayed back, dumbfounded by the wave of information. I shook my head to eject the wild thoughts from my mind and hurried after my lover. Taehyung firmly took my hand... and we headed up the stairs together. The Jung's men followed us to our room after we separated from the other alphas. Jungkook, Jimin, and Sungho restlessly watched us from the staircase, so I smiled and nodded at them.

"Fuck- Leave us alone-"

"Sir, please cooperate," The guard stubbornly pushed the door when Taehyung tried to close it on them.

"Let them in. We can't afford to oppose the Jung since we're in their territory," I calmly patted Taehyung's hand.

The agitated alpha clenched his jaw while glaring at the guard while standing firm in his place to block the men. I tensed my body uneasily as Taehyung remained headstrong, glaring at the guards without blinking as they sternly stood by our door frame. To my surprise, Taehyung stepped back. Two guards entered our room to stand by the terrace with their arms behind their backs. They didn't utter a word. Taehyung sighed in frustration and slumped on the armchair to rub his face.

"I'll shower," I informed, turning to enter the bathroom. I quickly rinsed the pool water from my body, frantically combing through my brain for the mismatching pieces... I missed during the chase.

What happened? Why is Taehyung denying the accusation? Did eomma really plan on expelling his household? Why? The Kim is our most trusted ally! Why would she wish to drive Taehyung away?! I stepped out of the bathroom in a new dress to find Taeyung sitting on the armchair with his head tilted over the headrest and eyes closed.

"Sir. The household requested your presence," A guard spoke up. Taehyung opened his eyes and stood up with a blank face.

"You should stay-"

"No. I'll go with you," I stubbornly shook my head, gently taking his hand to reassure him. Taehyung sadly eyed me, so I tugged him forward as the guard held the door open for us.

Taehyung exhaled heavily, turning to stroll through the corridor with me until we reached a spacious meeting room... enclosed with massive arch windows and fluttery curtains. Within the confidential space... was an extended wooden table surrounded by golden armchairs. The room is packed with the elders of the top households. The young alphas were standing by the walls since there weren't enough seats to accommodate everyone.

Jungkook restlessly watched Taehyung as Jimin spoke with his parents. Sungho was leaning against the wall with his arms crossed. Mira and Minho looked half-drunk as they stood beside Namjoon and So-young. Only the elders were seated, and at the far end of the table... was the Mins. Taehyung slowly approached the end of the table... opposite the Mins.

There were no chairs available... so he stood alone before the households with his hands clasped and chin held high. There was no remorse on his face. Mrs. Kim eyed Taehyung anxiously as his father glared at him from his seat. I stood by the door with the guard as Seokjin stared unblinking out the window with his arms crossed. He didn't seem to care about the commotion. After all, his household is forbidden from meddling with the council's affairs. He's still on probation.

"You were caught-"

"It wasn't me. I was in the wrong place at the wrong time," Taehyung denied before the Mins could finish their sentence.

"Sora caught you," Hoseok dimly narrowed his eyes.

"Yes. But the person she caught isn't the culprit," Taehyung shrugged. The Mins stiffened their bodies in irritation at Taehyung's unbothered response.

"But you're soaked! And you've got a swollen eye! Care to explain?!" Hoseok slammed his fist on the wooden desk. Taehyung briefly glanced at me. He gulped and glanced back at the cold stares he was receiving from the elders.

"It's not pool water," I muttered. Eomma frowned.

"What?" Mr. Min scoffed.

"Taehyung... he's... drenched in seawater," I pointed out. Taehyung turned to look at me in surprise. I smelt the salt on him... the instant we ran into each other. He didn't reek of pool chemicals but the salty ocean water.

"You were swimming at the beach? At this hour?!" Mrs. Kim snapped while staring at her son in disbelief.

"Oh! That's right! Taehyung did ask me to relay a message to Sora- but I forgot! He wanted to see her at the beach for a stroll," Jimin gasped, straightening his back in realization. The situation didn't make sense to me after we collided because... of my determination to pin him as the culprit with all the first-hand proof I acquired with my senses.

My eyes notified me that it was Taehyung I was staring at. My ears recognized his deep voice the instant he spoke. My touch verified it was his firm skin that I was touching. But my nose... it told me otherwise. He smelt like salty water. The slightest detail... I only recalled it after pondering it in the shower.

"Eomma?! Oppa!-" The door suddenly swung open. Someone came rushing in with a frightened look. Hwa-young. She stumbled inside the room. What is she doing here?

"Hwa-young???" Sungho gasped, rushing forward to assist her.

"Oppa!- He was with me! Taehyung oppa was at the beach with me! It couldn't have been him!" Hwa-young frantically explained. The room grew hushed, so I averted my attention to Taehyung with a questioning look. He stood with a pale expression as he watched Hwa-young defend his innocence.

"What? He was with you-"

"I went to the beach to wait for Sora... but Hwa-young... she struggled in the deep end... so I jumped in to save her. She gave me a black eye out of fright while I was helping her," Taehyung sighed. Hwa-young gripped Sungho's hand as she tearfully stared at Taehyung. He dully shifted his eyes to the elders again.

"Hwa-young! You can't swim! Why would you-"

"I only wanted to splash around in the shallow end... but the waves subtly drew me deeper," Hwa-young sniffled, apologetically staring at her concerned parents. Sungho frowned at his sister's unstable condition and gave her a comforting hug.

The guards eventually escorted Hwa-young back to her room after her brief appearance.

"Take off your shirt. I'll confiscate it for inspection," Hoseok sorely demanded. Taehyung effortlessly yanked his shirt over his head and tossed it onto the wooden table. The love marks on his body are still visible.

The elders called off the meeting... and we finally returned to our room. However, two guards were stationed outside our door. Taehyung quietly entered the bathroom to wash up as I slipped under the blanket and rolled on my side to sleep. It was an exhausting day... because I was knocked out on the mattress... the moment my head landed on the soft pillow.

Third Person POV

Kim Taehyung stepped out of the bathroom with a towel over his damn hair but halted once he noticed Jang Sora sleeping on her side with her arm tucked under her head. He quietly pulled on his clothes and sat by the foot of the bed, gently lifting her healing ankle to his lap. The alpha applied the soothing cream over her faded bruise, unconsciously releasing a deep sigh to relieve his swelling chest. He placed the tube on the nightstand, pulled the blanket over her body, and lowered his sore body onto the mattress. She was fast asleep. Taehyung turned to lie on his back with his downcast eyes trained on the ceiling, restlessly letting out a deep sigh every few minutes.

"C-Can you... see me? I'm- right... here," Sora mumbled in her sleep, turning her body over to hug his chest. Taehyung lifted his head to find Sora snuggling against the warmth of his body. He lowered his hand to rub her scalp, soothing the nightmare she was having.

Taehyung is aware of her nightmares... because she's been repeating the same phrases... over and over again. Almost every night. He sighed and turned on his side to hold her body close to his. Gently pressing his nose against her hair. Her comforting body scent... calming his strained muscles and heavy heart until his droopy eyelids... drop closed to grant him the pacifying darkness he desperately needed to shut out his overflowing thoughts.

A moment later.

Sora stood quietly inside the bathroom. She was washing her dirty bikinis with hand soap. The nightmare had woken her up again, and she didn't feel like sleeping anymore, not with the constant issues between the households. She blankly rubbed the last panty between her palm when the door creaked open, and Taehyung appeared with his puffy eyes half-opened. Sora briefly glanced at him in the reflection as he leaned against the doorframe, barely awake. Hair striking messily in different directions. His bruised eye... were less swollen.

"Aren't you sleeping?" He hoarsely muttered, sleepily squinting at her as she stood before the sink. 

"The staff can't handle our discharged stained clothes," She shrugged, gently rubbing the foam over the white stains of his dried semen.

"Are you mad at me?" Taehyung asked, guiltily watching from the door.

Sora's POV

"You should sleep," I muttered. I'm not mad at Taehyung. Just... a bit... tired. I need alone time to sort out the tangled mess in my head. Taehyung slowly walked forward to back hugged me as I rinsed the panties under the warm water to wash off the soap. I didn't feel like being touched by him, but I didn't want to upset him. So I stayed muted.

"I can't sleep without you," He muttered, groggily pressing his nose against my shoulder.

"You slept fine without me over the past years after I left Korea," I whispered. Taehyung slightly tightened his arms around my waist. 

"I always dreamt of you... night after night... you keep appearing in my dreams," He shook his head as I squeezed the excess water from the soaked panty.

"I'm not your dream. I'm your nightmare," I replied. Taehyung sighed deeply and shook his head. I might appear in his dream every night, but I'm certain... It wasn't the good memories between us. Why else was Taehyung so cold to me after I returned? He hated seeing me in his dreams. I saw him too. In my sleep. He was the nightmare I dread.

"You're not a dream or a nightmare to me because right at this moment, you are my reality. The past, the present, and the future... it's you," He shook his head. I placed the bikini away and washed my hands in the sink, finally turning around to stare at his tearful eyes. Taehyung pursed his lips as I examined his bruised eye. There was this... unexplainable guilt in his eyes. I didn't know what it was or what he did, but I saw it. He looked sorry, and it made me feel uneasy.

"You're not losing me, and I'm not losing you," I smiled, weakly brushing his tears with my thumb. Taehyung leaned forward to embrace my body under his strong arms, so I hugged his back with my chin tilted over his shoulder. He gently rocked me from side to side as we stood in the quiet bathroom.

________________________

Taehyung calmly sat against the bedhead with his legs crossed under me as I sat between his thighs with my back pressed against his pulsing chest. We remained in our room the morning after waking up from all the madness because it was raining heavily over the island. He gently held my hands as we watched the curtains flutter over the stormy sea view. The rainstorm is very refreshing. The subtle wind gust... filling our room with the cool sea breeze. We left the terrace doors open and sat on the bed to admire the gloomy view.

"Your hair is tangled," Taehyung muttered, gently combing my hair between his fingers to fix the knots as I hugged my knees with my face turned towards the wide door.

"I'll wash it at home," I shrugged. He quietly played with my hair, so I sighed and leaned against his pulsating chest to rest my head against his shoulder as he hugged me from behind. Taehyung gently interlaced our fingers over my stomach as I sat in my nightgown. I tilted my head upward to admire his sleepy face. He smiled and lowered his face to give me a soft peck.

"You're pretty clever," He smiled.

"Clever?" I giggled.

"I thought you'd get upset and accuse me of the murder again," He chuckled.

"Hey... I had my doubts. But it didn't make sense... because you smelt like the sea," I shrugged. I noticed it right away after we tumbled into each other- but my brain refused to acknowledge the hint because I was too overwhelmed.

"The culprit is still on the island," He sighed. Right. How did the man escape without a trace? I swear he was running on the other side of the bush.

"Why were you on the beach?" I asked, curiously looking up at him as he played with my fingers.

"I figured you'd want to go for a swim since you couldn't have fun with the others during the day. Jimin was leaving for his room, so I asked him to relay the message and left before you," Taehyung sighed.

"And Hwa-young was there?" I asked.

"Yeah. I found Hwa-young splashing in the ocean... so I rushed to save her and left after she regained consciousness. You ran straight into me in the garden afterward," He shrugged. I sighed and glanced at the sea view again. How's the coincidence so... perfect?

"I saw your text on my way to the pool, but Yoongi was hurt, so I got distracted," I shrugged. Taehyung sent me his live location on the beach to track him- but I was too alarmed by Yoongi's condition. 

"Let's head out," Taehyung lifted me off his lap.

"Out? But it's raining???" I asked.

"Put on the white one-piece. I'll take you for a swim," Taehyung smiled as I sat on the mattress in confusion to watch him crawl off the bed.

"Are you serious?" I asked, staring up at Taehyung with my mouth open.

"You don't want to?-"

"Ani! Let's go! Hah~!" I shook my head, scrambling off my bed in excitement to slip off my nightgown, and brought out the untouched one-piece to pull it on my body in a hurry.

"It's cloudy, so the sun won't burn your skin, but it'll be a little bit cold," Taehyung smiled as he pulled off his clothes to put on his beach pants. He grabbed a towel and we left the room together.

"Ah! It's cold!" I gasped while strolling barefoot on the pebbled path as the rain showered over us once we left through the front door.

"Can you handle it?" Taehyung asked, worriedly holding the towel over my head as we strode towards the beach. It's early in the morning... so the drunk alphas are probably still asleep.

"I like it!" I smiled, pushing the towel off my head to expose myself to the frosty raindrops. Taehyung chuckled as I happily skipped onto the soaked sand with my face tilted toward the dark sky. The raindrops drenched my body as I twirled over the sand with my arms wide open.

"The waves are pretty calm despite the storm," Taehyung smiled at the gentle waves over the shore. I splashed into the shallow water until it rose to my knees. Taehyung dropped the towel on the sand and turned to gaze at the foggy sea before us. It's drizzling lightly over the island.

"AH?! Oppa!" I shrieked, shielding my face when Taehyung kicked the wet sand onto my swimsuit. I pouted at the mess and splashed deeper into the sea to wash the sand off my piece at waist height. Taehyung waddled into the water with me, so I frantically splashed the water at his face to keep him away. He chuckled and shielded his eyes with his forearm, blindly reaching out for me with his free hand.

"Stop it! It's salty!" Taehyung complained. I refused to stop and splashed harder until he was soaked, so Taehyung dropped his hand and leaped forward to tackle me into the water. Splash!

"AH!" I screeched, trying to waddle away but failed as Taehyung seized my waist and drew me backward.

"You naughty woman!" He scolded, pinched my nose, and suddenly submerged my body underwater. I gasped in shock, frantically emerging out of the water, completely soaked with a horrified look as Taehyung laughed at my startled face.

"Oppa! You're so mean~!" I shrieked, lightly smacking his bare shoulder in distress after he playfully dipped me under the surface. Taehyung released my nose and rubbed away the water from my eyelids as he held my body in the water. He slowly paddled backward to sit on the shallow end. The water rose to his buff chest as I sat facing him on his lap with my knees pressed against the sand beneath the surface.

"Are you cold? You look pale!" Taehyung laughed.

"No- n-no! I'm n-not cold!" I denied, shaking my head, but my teeth wouldn't stop chattering. Taehyung laughed hysterically at my trembling lips and leaned forward to engulf me under his body warmth. He pressed his lips against mine, so I hugged his head and kissed him back as my lips vibrated against his.

"You're shaking like a lost puppy," He weakly smiled against my lips as the rain showered over us. I pulled away to smile at his fond gaze as the gentle waves washed against our bodies.

"But you're keeping me warm," I grinned, pressing my body against his to hug him. Taehyung kissed my forehead as we sat on the shallow shore. I softly splashed with my hands while staring at the gloomy castle on the island. He's right. We were the only ones awake at this hour. It's about 7:00 AM... but the sky is still dark because of the storm.

"Sit up for me," Taehyung gently nudged my body away from his chest to stop me from hugging him. I straightened my back on his lap with a questioning look as the water softly caressed his bare chest. Taehyung leaned forward to press his face against my cleavage, gently fondling my breast over the swimwear between his palms.

"Ah! Pervert!" I shrieked, pushing his face away to stop him from harassing my boobs.

"Did your boobs get bigger? It's so bouncy!" He funnily groped my breasts and gave them a light squeeze. My cheeks flushed red at his mischievous smile.

"Oppa! We're out in the opening-"

"It's fine. Everyone is staying inside to hide from the rain. It's just us here," Taehyung smirked, gently tugging my left puff strap off my shoulder to pop out my right breast. I shyly gasped as he lowered his lips to suck on my nipple as I sat over his lap, so I hugged his head with a heated face to gaze at the empty beach as we sat in the water. Taehyung gently massaged my other breast as he sucked onto me until I slightly twitched over his lap.

"It's weird to breastfeed you like this," I giggled. Taehyung chuckled and lifted his face to kiss me as he massaged my exposed right breast with his thumb. I pursed my lips as he nibbled my neck, so I hugged his shoulder and pressed my breast against his naked chest while rubbing my crotch over his hump under the water.

"Hey!- Can I join you guys?!" Jimin called out of nowhere. My eyes widened in horror when I lifted my face to find Jimin sprinting across the beach with Jungkook and Sungho. Taehyung immediately pulled my swimsuit strap back onto my shoulder as I perched over my lover's lap with a flustered look.

"No! Go away! Stop disturbing us!" Taehyung whined as Jimin excitedly splashed into the sea.

"We saw you guys from the window of rooms!" Sungho chuckled as he followed Jungkook into the sea. They hollered loudly and turned to swim towards the deep end with their faces tilted upward to welcome the cold shower.

"I told you they can see us," I grumbled, shyly whispering in Taehyung's ear.

"They definitely didn't see anything," Taehyung assured as he hugged my hips under the water. Jungkook did a backstroke over the water.

"So-young! What are you standing there for!?" Jimin called as she stood on the seaside with a grimace. Jimin scrambled out of the water to grab her hand and guided her into the ocean.

"It's cold~!" She complained. Jungkook wildly splashed water at So-young as she stood in her navy blue two-piece. She shrieked and covered her face to shield the water.

"Yah! Stop it!" Jimin turned to glare at Jungkook, who swam away with an evil look.

"No-! Stay away! Don't bother us!" Taehyung warned Jungkook as he paddled towards us. I screeched and turned my face away just as Jungkook violently splashed the water. Sungho burst out laughing while stroking on his back over the mild waves.

"Oh no..." I muttered in dread once I noticed a flock of alphas and the lower ranks storming onto the beach in their swimwear. And before we knew it... The beach was crowded with wet people.

They splashed and screamed over the ocean surface as others kicked the bouncy balls over the damp sand. People rushed around in excitement. Taehyung grimaced at the packed space as he paddled through the congested water filled with soaked bodies with me between his arms to keep everyone away from us. I smiled at Minah as she playfully splashed at me.

"Let's leave," Taehyung muttered, stepping out of the water with me in his arms. He settled me onto the damp sand and picked up the towel to throw it over my body as I shivered from the cold.

"-No! Yah-"

"Stop complaining! Let's have fun-"

"I don't want to ruin my hair- Minho!" Mira shrieked funnily as her boyfriend towed her arm to drag her across the sand. She refused to follow him toward the water, so Minho bent down to sweep her off the ground.

"AHAHHAHA!" Minho evilly laughed- SPLASH. He tossed Mira into the shallow end, causing her entire body to submerge underwater.

"SHIN MINHO! YOU JERK!" Mira screamed, frantically sitting up with a soaked face. Minho poked out his tongue and paddled away from her. Mira shrieked and chased after him in the water. She grabbed his shoulder and shoved his head under the surface to drown him. I softly giggled at her cuteness until Taehyung tugged my hand and pulled me away.

We left before the others after they ruined our brief moment of peace and strolled through the rain with the towel over my body as Taehyung walked shirtless beside me. He sexily brushed back his wet hair after we stepped inside the mansion to find Hwa-young standing by the doorway with a gloomy expression. Taehyung halted as soon as he noticed her. She weakly smiled at us and turned to leave, so I pulled Taehyung's arm and took him back to our room.

"I want to make babies!" I exclaimed, slamming the door shut. Taehyung turned to look at me in surprise.

"Wae? Suddenly-"

"Why did you touch my body like that?! I'm in heat!" I whined, pushing Taehyung onto the chaise lounge. He chuckled and slipped off his pants to expose his hard hump. I crawled on top of him before the seaview and leaned down to kiss his lips. Taehyung smiled at my impatient behavior and reached down to tug the panty line aside to insert himself inside me. I stiffened my back in satisfaction after he carefully penetrated me. The man lifted his hands to pull off my straps... fully exposing my aroused bosoms and we... made love... before the rainstorm in my wet swimsuit.

A moment later

Apparently. Yoongi's gash wasn't severe... but the cut was deep enough to require a few stitches over his right abs. The Mins appeared somewhat skeptical of Taehyung's involvement... but they didn't possess valid evidence against the Kim's heir.

"Did he walk right yesterday? Especially his right shin," Yoongi asked as he sat on the lounge with his parents. Hoseok glanced at Taehyung and back at his friend.

"Yeah. Kim Taehyung wasn't limping when we found him," Hoseok nodded. Yoongi dimmed his eyes at Taehyung as he blankly stood beside me.

"The mother fucker... had a leg cramp while crawling out of the pool," Yoongi nodded at me.

"So Taehyung isn't the culprit," Mrs. Kim weakly patted her son's shoulder in relief.

"Didn't you see anything on your way back to the mansion?" Hoseok bitterly asked Taehyung.

"No. I was following the live location of Sora's whereabouts and collided with her," Taehyung shrugged. Eomma intensely glared at Taehyung and glanced away in irritation. Why does she despise Taehyung so much? She didn't actually consider discarding the Kims for the Mins... right? A chief guard strolled into the private lounge with Do-hwan to notify us of their investigation.

"The culprit might've fled through the hedge wall. We discovered broken twigs and a clear path through one of the barriers," The guard informed, handing Hoseok the printed photographs. Sure enough, there was a hole in one of the bush walls. It's as if someone scrambled through it.

"There are blood stains at the site. We've collected the sample for investigation," Do-hwan firmly nodded.

"Did the yachts or boats leave the harbor last night?" Yoongi asked.

"We immediately lockdown the island to prevent vessels from leaving the island. We believe the culprit is still on the island," The chief guard sighed.

"We need to find the culprit before he hurts another person," Mrs. Min anxiously patted Yoongi's shoulder. Yoongi refused to stay bedridden and left with the alphas for the outdoor lunch feast prepared by the Jung in the orchard. It stopped raining, but the sky was still gloomy. Taehyung took my hand as he walked me down the carpet over the ground to approach a long picnic table... decorated with scented candles, silver utensils, and flowers.

The young alphas were assigned to settle at the same table. I sat across from Jungkook and Jimin with Taehyung beside me. Sungho sat beside Jimin with his sister. Namjoon sat beside Mira and Minho in our row, and Seokjin sat next to Minah and a few other fifth-rank alphas. Yoongi and Hoseok showed up to sit at the end of the picnic table as the staff served us the iconic white grape wine.

The liquor might appear light with its addictive sweetness... but... it could fatally numb our systems if overly overconsumed. 

The Jung ordered the guards to place an entire wine barrel on display, and the staff would refill the liquor from it for the guests. I nervously glanced at Seokjin as he quietly ate his food. He's been quiet since we arrived on the island. Sighing, I glanced at Taehyung as he chatted with Sungho over the table. Hwa-young immediately glanced down at her plate once I caught her staring at Taehyung.

"One of us could be the culprit~!" Minho wiggled his eyebrows. Yoongi grimaced as he ate from his plate.

"Where were you last night then?!" Jimin asked Minho.

"I was trying that bloodsucking thing inspired by the iconic couple with Mira in our room-"

"Stop talking about it!" Mira whined, nudging her boyfriend's shoulder. Minho chuckled and lifted the glass to sip from it.

"And why were you alone at the pool?" Jungkook asked Yoongi.

"I had an argument with Hoseok. Thought I should get some fresh air but ended up with a blade lodged in my flesh instead," Yoongi sarcastically shrugged. A staff member leaned over to pour the drink into my glass. I thanked her and lifted the glass to my lips- Snatch! Taehyung abruptly switched his half-empty cup with mine.

"Wae...?" I asked Taehyung unsurely as he made me drink from his cup.

"The culprit is still on the loose. We need to be cautious. I already drank from my cup... and it's safe, so have it," Taehyung lowered his voice to speak in my ear. I pursed my lips and drank from his glass as Taehyung sipped from my glass to test the wine. He's doing it to prevent me from getting poisoned.

"How tall is he? Was he buff? Can you remember anything?" Minah curiously asked with her elbow on the table.

"He's tall and well-built, but he wore a mask..." Yoongi shrugged.

"That's not helpful... all the male alphas here are tall and well-built," Namjoon chuckled, nodding at the men at the table.

"What if it's not one of us? Why would any of us be foolish enough to murder a second-rank alpha on the Jung's territory?" Jimin dawdled while picking a grape to push in his mouth.

"Right? It's a very uncalculated attack," So-young agreed.

"Oh! I have tea! Last night... I saw... a couple... doing the dirty on the beach!" Minah giggled, drunkenly waving her fingers before her face.

"Moh? The dirty?!" Mira asked, eagerly staring at Minah from across the table.

"Yeah! I was vomiting near the beach- and I saw... the woman skinny dipping in the sea! And a man- approached her... and they probably hit it off! He also got naked!" Minah chuckled, funnily shaking her head. Clatter. Hwa-young accidentally dropped her fork, causing everyone to glance at her pale face.

"Fuck-" Taehyung started choking on his food. I quickly patted his back as he cleared his throat with a napkin pressed against his lips.

"Why were you peeking...!" So-young giggled shyly.

"I wasn't peeking, but it was too obvious! I vomited and lifted my head after a moment- to find the man hovering over the woman's body on the beach~!" Minah grinned widely.

"Ooooooh~! Sex on the beach, huh?! Which one of you did it?!" Minho cheered loudly. Mira quickly covered his lips to prevent the elders from overhearing our inappropriate conversation.

"Are you okay? Are you sick again?" Sungho asked, turning to examine Hwa-young's bright red face as she chewed her food with difficulty. He lifted his hand to feel her forehead.

"I'm fine," Hwa-young nodded, nervously glancing at me and back to her plate.

"Hyung! You'll get drunk again!" Jungkook snapped at Taehyung, so I turned to find him draining my glass empty. Taehyung gulped intensely and lowered the empty glass with a flustered face.

"Seokjin! Is it you?! Why are you so quiet?" Minah giggled, nudging Seokjin, who was sitting beside her.

"I definitely wasn't at the beach," Seokjin denied, lifting his gaze to meet mine. I cleared my throat and glanced away awkwardly.

"Right... Then who is it?" Minah drunkenly narrowed her eyes on the alphas suspiciously.

"Oh! Taehyung, you invited Sora to the beach, right?!-" Jimin gasped.

"No! She was chasing the culprit~!" Hoseok shook his head. Jimin pouted and lowered his head to eat from the plate.

"Oh? Weren't you at the beach, Hwa-young? Didn't you see anything? You should share the details with us if you saw them!" So-young grinned at Hwa-young, whose face flushed even redder.

"I didn't see anything," She shook her head. I paused with the fork against my lips and glanced at Taehyung, who was strangely stiff in his seat. I glanced back at Hwa-young's nervous giggle and back at him with a slight frown. Clearing my throat, I placed the fork down without eating the food.

"Please refill my glass!" I beckoned the waitress. She smiled and stepped forward to fill my empty cup, so I thanked her and lifted the glass to my lips, only to have Taehyung seize it from my grip.

"Wait-"

"Let go!" I whined, pushing his hand off me, and tried to drink when Taehyung suddenly snatched the glass out of my grip, spilling half of the liquor onto my dress. I gasped and dabbed the liquid in disbelief.

Taehyung quickly placed the cup away, so I glared at him and got up from the table to use the bathroom. I'm fucking tipsy! And why am I suddenly irritated?! Sora- Don't make assumptions! I hastily washed the stain on my dress before the sink and finally strolled out of the restroom... to find Taehyung waiting for me by the door.

"I'm sorry-"

"Don't touch me!" I snapped, angrily yanking my arm out of his grip. A staff froze at my outburst as he passed by with dirty plates. Taehyung clenched his jaw and dragged me away until we were out of earshot.

"What's the matter?!" Taehyung frowned at my drunken face. I swallowed the lump in my throat.

"What happened exactly?!" I questioned, glaring at him in irritation. I didn't think much of the situation after he told me he 'simply' rescued Hwa-young at the beach.

"What-"

"Tell me why you and Hwa-young keep exchanging strange glances?! Did you think I didn't notice?!" I asked, fuming at him in rage. He was tense the entire time! And they've been exchanging flustered looks!

"She drowned- and I helped her-"

"Naked? Minah said you undressed-"

"Minah was drunk last night! She's saying nonsense! If I stripped naked- then why were my clothes soaked?!" Taehyung snapped. I gritted my teeth, keeping my burning eyes fixed on Taehyung with a conflicted mind.

"Whatever!-"

"Sora!- Jebal! Don't be like this!" Taehyung whined, grabbing me by my waist to tug me backward as I tried to stomp away. I whimpered and turned to shove him aside, but he refused to release my body and pulled me into a crushing hug.

"I'm trying my best not to make up assumptions-"

"I promise nothing happened! Alright?! You're my only priority!" Taehyung snapped, firmly holding my shoulders with his desperate frown trained on my tearful pupils. I bit my trembling lips to recollect my cluttered mind... finally nodding in defeat. He sighed and pulled me into a crushing hug. What's wrong with me...? Why am I so... restless? Is it liquor?

"I don't like it. I don't like it when you-" I cried but was cut short when Taehyung pressed his lips against mine to shush my distressful whimper.

"I love you. Hmm...?" Taehyung sighed after pulling away to rub my stained cheeks as he searched my torn gaze. I nodded and tightly hugged his waist, so he patted my back to comfort my restless soul. Taehyung eventually sat me on an empty picnic table to fix my hair and dabbed swollen eyelids, patiently waiting for me to calm my flooding emotions.

A moment later.

"Are you alright?" Jungkook asked, eyeing my red eyes once I settled onto the bench with Taehyung.

"Yeah. I puked," I nodded, weakly smiling. Taehyung placed his arm over my waist to hold me against him, so I hugged his waist to rest my head on his shoulder for support.

"The island is beautiful. Maybe we should host our wedding here?" Taehyung asked, weakly smiling at me.

"The dock is too small. There will be traffic on the sea," I smiled. Taehyung chuckled and kissed my forehead, causing Jungkook to fire us a disgusted look, disapproving of our public display of affection.

A moment later.

The alphas cheered and tossed their glasses until we emptied an entire wine barrel. The chatters grew louder and louder after every sip they took. It was a wholesome feast to have the higher ranks enjoy a meal together without the intent to murder each other. Hoseok instructed his people to bring another barrel for us to celebrate since it was the last day of the trip. We'll be leaving in the afternoon after the feast.

"Yah! You should gift us a barrel of wine each~!" Minho drunkenly stood up with his hands on his hips.

"Sure~! I'll gift each household a barrel!" Hoseok chuckled while waving his hands in the air, funnily wobbling into Yoongi, who seethed in pain and shoved his friend away. Minah happily clapped, constantly leaning against Seokjin, who kept nudging her away from him with a sour grimace. Minho slumped back into his seat.

"More wine, please~!" Mira called, lifting her glass above her head. The staff refilled their jars from the new wine barrel and rushed over to pour Mira a drink after the guards loaded it on the display. The alphas lifted their glass for a refill.

"Cheers!" Mira shrieked, lifting her glass as Taehyung and I shared our half-empty glass. A staff carefully filled my cup with the fresh white grape wine from the new barrel-

"ARK!?" Minho spat out the wine in disgust.

"Yuck!-" Mira covered her lips with a startled look. Jungkook's eyes widened at their startling reaction with the glass rim pressed against his lips. Sungho unsurely placed down his cup without... sipping the liquor.

"Holy shit-" Jimin suddenly gagged at the aftertaste of the sip he took.

"Jimin. Are you okay?!" So-young asked, patting his back in confusion. Seokjin screwed his face in disgust and spat the wine back into the glass as Namjoon frantically cleansed his mouth with fresh water. Minah suddenly vomited in distress, turning her face to puke on the grass, causing Seokjin to jerk away in a panic at her slimy discharge.

"Wae? Wae???" Hoseok asked as Yoongi screwed his face and tossed his glass onto the table. Taehyung and I exchanged glances. Slowly, we glanced down at the fresh wine in our glass with an unsettled feeling. Taehyung unsurely lifted the wine to sniff the liquor. I flinched in my seat when he hastily flung the cup away after getting a swift of the scent. I looked up at him for an explanation as Taehyung rubbed his traumatized nostrils.

"Hold fuck~!" Jungkook gagged after sniffing the liquor and shoved the glass away.

"What the fuck did you serve us!?" Minho snapped as he aggressively rubbed his tongue with a napkin to wipe off the nasty aftertaste. Hoseok remained baffled by the alpha's adverse reaction to his iconic white grape wine.

"S-STOP SERVING THE NEW BATCH!" Hoseok screamed to stop the staff from pouring it for the elders. Everyone halted and turned to stare at Hoseok as he struggled to stand straight with a flustered face.

"Wae? Wae???" I asked Taehyung's dark expression.

"It smells... like..." Taehyung lowered his head to rub his nose bridge. 

"Why did you bring an immature barrel?! Bring a new batch! Didn't you inspect the wine in advance?!" Hoseok scolded. The staff quickly withdrew the drinks from all the tables in fear.

"It tastes like a rotten rat!" Namjoon grimaced while fanning his tongue.

"Did a rat die in the barrel!? Yah! I will kill you!" Mira screamed. Minah was still puking in distress, so Seokjin quickly got up to pat her back until she burst out crying. Is it... that bad? I glanced at our empty glass on the grass after Taehyung hurled it away.

"Yah! Stop being so dramatic!" Seokjin snapped at Minah as she cried while barfing out her food. The staff hurriedly rushed towards the wine barrel and lifted it off the display.

"Fuck-" Taehyung cursed, suddenly lifting his face with a pale expression. Thud. He unexpectedly launched to his feet and stormed towards the staff with his fists clenched.

"Put down the barrel!" Taehyung demanded, blocking the three men from heaving it away.

"Sir-"

"I said put it down!" Taehyung bellowed. The entire orchard grew hushed as the men settled the barrel onto the ground with their terrified gaze fixed on the alpha.

"Yah? What are you doing-?!" Hoseok snapped, getting onto his feet again when Taehyung snatched an empty chair from the table. My eyes bulged open in horror. THUMP. THUMP. THUMP. Taehyung violently smashed the chair over the wooden barrel.

"Taehyung?! What are you doing-" I gasped, getting up from the table and rushed towards him as he violently beat the wooden barrel at the center of the orchard. SMASH!

I shielded my face in horror. Splatter! The barrel cracked open, sending a wet splatter on my dress as the excessive liquor exploded all over Taehyung, drenching him with a foul smell. I suddenly gagged at the reeking odor and covered my nostrils with a sick stomach. The elders screwed their faces in shock while covering their noses.

"HOLY SHIT!?" Jungkook bellowed, rising from his seat with his terrified eyes on the shattered wooden barrel. I lowered my forearm in fear to find... a large mass... rolling from the wrecked barrel as Taehyung stood over it with a face full of dark red wine. Ani. The liquid is too thick to be wine. Red? White grape wine is supposed to be... clear. Taehyung scoffed in shock as he stared at the lump... spilling out of the barrel with the chair gripped in his hands.

"ARGH?!" Mira shrieked, turning to puke in distress as Jimin's mouth dropped open. The elders gasped in shock. Hoseok collapsed onto the ground in terror as Namjoon's eyes widened. Minah suddenly fainted, so Seokjin immediately grabbed her arm. So-young clasped her hand over her mouth as Hwa-young hugged Sungho in fear. I... stood frozen... with my eyes... on a body.

The corpse of... a person. A human being. A man.

My eyes swelled with tears as I stared at the... body without blinking. The man was covered in red paste... except... the grape wine is white and not red... which indicates... he's covered in his own blood. Seokjin suddenly barfed out his digested meals after settling Minah's motionless body on the bench. Taehyung snatched a napkin from the elder's table and stepped onto the thick paste over the grass to wipe the man's face.

"Holy fuck-" Yoongi slowly stood up with his gawking stare on the familiar face. The alpha unconsciously clenched his wounded torso with an ashen face.

"J-Jiwoo!- Hyun Jiwoo?!" So-young gasped, covering her lips in devastation as we stared at the lower rank disturbing condition. His bulging white eyeballs... stained with blood.

The Hyun suddenly screeched in horror, rushing forward to inspect their dead son on the ground. His mother wailed in despair as she lifted her son's stiff body from the grass in grief. His limbs remained curled up and stiff... like a sculpture. I glanced at Taehyung in fear as he stood up in exhaustion... slowly backing away from the body... drenched... in the foul substance. The Hyun wailed in anguish as they cradled their son's lifeless body. Fearfully... I turned to stare at the petrified alphas with my lips ajar... unable to make sense of the situation.

"Which one of you... did this!?" Taehyung bellowed, angrily hurling the chair aside, causing the alphas to flinch in fright. Minho appeared as if he was about to faint as Mira sobbed in distress. Minah slowly sat up on the bench with a confused look after fainting. Seokjin dabbed his lips and lowered his head to rub his nose bridge in distress. Namjoon frantically gulped clean water in an attempt to purify his taste buds.

"G-Guards!" Hoseok stuttered, fearfully screaming for assistance as he struggled to get up from the ground. Taehyung darkly glared at the alphas with his raging darkness until Do-hwan appeared with the island's chief guard to investigate the scene.

"Wait!" Yoongi snapped, limping forward to stop the guard from touching the corpse.

"Sir?-"

"In- Inspect his upper bicep- I grazed the culprit's skin with his knife-'' Yoongi stuttered.

Do-hwan quickly seized Hyun Jiwoo's corpse from his mother to roll him over, causing her to scream in distress as she begged him to spare her son but was restrained by the guards. Do-hwan snatched the dirty napkin from the ground to wipe the paste from his skin. I sucked in my breath in shock... at the visible sight of the swollen cut on his upper right bicep.

"NO?!- MY BABY WOULD NEVER HURT ANYONE! JIWOO?! HONEY- WAKE UP! THIS CAN'T BE-" Mrs. Hyun screamed in despair as her husband collapsed onto the ground, shaken by the shocking proof. Yoongi stiffened in place after discovering the unexpected culprit.

"Hyun Jiwoo... is the culprit?" Jimin whispered.

"But who killed him? Who?!" Jungkook snapped. Taehyung scoffed in disbelief.

"We're leaving! Sora, let's go!" Taehyung snapped, circling the corpse to approach me. Taehyung grabbed my hand and dragged me away.

"We're not safe here," Sungho sighed while beckoning Hwa-young. The terrified alphas hurried after Taehyung with their fearful gaze on the bloody corpse. The elders immediately got up from their seats to evacuate the orchard in dread. What's happening?! Why is Hyung Jiwoo involved?! And who killed him!? Taehyung swung the door to our bedroom open and dragged me inside the bathroom.

"Let's wash up! We have to leave now!" Taehyung snapped. I nodded, quickly took off my clothes, and stepped in the shower to wash the blood off my body with Taehyung. He aggressively rubbed his skin with soap and rushed out to pack our things as I got dressed. I didn't have time to comb my wet hair as I raced back and forth to pack our things. Taehyung shoved my bikinis into his suitcase, so I grabbed our essentials and shoved them into his bag. He slammed my luggage close and turned to put on his shoes as I slipped on my sandals.

We quickly dragged our luggage out of our room as the wooden stairs thundered with footsteps. Every household appeared with their luggage... and we hurriedly fled the mansion. Hoseok frantically alerted the guards of the dock's traffic to evacuate everyone. The alphas rushed over the harbor without looking back at the island.

Do-hwan appeared by the yacht entrance to receive my suitcase, so Taehyung grabbed my hand and pulled me onto the yacht. Jimin and Jungkook came running with their luggage as the elders boarded after us. I nervously watched Yoongi and Hoseok climb their vessel beside ours. Sungho appeared with Hwa-young with his parents. They climbed the stairs and entered after Jungkook. Taehyung brushed back his messy hair, finally slumping onto the couch to press his hands against his face.

"HOLY FUCK~!" Jimin cursed as he climbed on the deck with a pale face.

"Who the fuck killed him!? And why?!" Jungkook frowned, slumping down on the couch beside Jimin.

"He's a pawn," Taehyung muttered, darkly tugging my waist against him.

"A pawn???" I asked him unsurely.

"Someone sent Hyun Jiwoo after Min Yoongi and then killed him to tie up the loose ends. It must be one of the top alphas," Sungho shook his head as he settled with us. Our yacht was the first to leave the island... so I turned to look at the ominous castle with a frightened look.

And in one of the windows... I noticed... a man... standing... drenched in blood. Hyun Jiwoo. I blinked once and he was gone. His ghost... will forever remain on the island, trapped in the wine barrel.

The society brought evil to the... pure land.

Wherever we go... we will pollute everything... and everyone with the infectious darkness.

______________________

Jung Hoseok submitted Taehyung's confiscated shirt for investigation after our return to the city... and the result was just as we anticipated. His shirt is soaked in seawater, never the pool's water. However, there were traces of pool chemicals in the wine barrel Jiwoo was stuffed in. The autopsy result came out a week after we returned to Seoul, reporting severe leg cramps on his right limb. It made sense because he couldn't walk after climbing out of the pool. Hyun Jiwoo had a cramp. But there was another wound on his body. A deep puncture in the back of his skull. Caused by a violent impact against sharp steel. He died the same night he stabbed Yoongi.

It didn't make sense at first... How Taehyung managed to appear at the exact same moment as Hyung Jiwoo. I was startled by his appearance, but it turns out... Taehyung was striding towards me from the opposite direction because of our shared live location. Taehyung was approaching me... and the culprit was racing along my side, eventually forcing his way through the bush wall to escape me.

How did the culprit end up in the wine barrel? We didn't know. Who killed him? No one knew the answer. The culprit passed before he faced the council's penalty. Maybe this is what you called instant karma? Or perhaps, this is just another well-planned ruse in the power game?

The Mins revoked the charge against Kim Taehyung after failing to compile enough evidence for Yoongi's attack. Taehyung seemed unbothered by the issue. He even refused to show up at the council to clarify his innocence. He claims it's a waste of his time to strain his energy on a crime he didn't commit. It made sense after the troubles he went through because of Yangcha. Consequently... the Mins were forced to close the case.

They found their culprit, and he's dead. Silenced by another player.

Yoongi thereafter informed me of his parents' decision to withdraw their alliance consideration with our households. Eomma was super disappointed after expecting to recruit the Mins. Obviously, the attack on Min's sole heir on the Jung's island had initiated mistrust between the households. What is it between her and Taehyung? I still didn't know.

Eomma always favored Taehyung, sometimes even more than her daughter. She'd grant him countless opportunities in the council and she would always encourage his household to participate in the power game. But since... Taehyung spoke to her... She's been using every excuse to keep him off the chessboard. Eomma is determined to expel Taehyung from our circle with her translucent desperation to merge with another household... but what is it that she fears about him? I was curious but figured... I should stay out of their dispute.

I like it this way anyways. Eomma has been nagging me less with Taehyung by my side, and he's been treating me well. I don't want to ruin our relationship again.

There were no... rumors or conflicts in the society after our return, aside from Yoongi's attack. The day was a little too peaceful. It made me feel restless.

The society thrives on madness and chaos. The more bloodshed... the stronger the alphas becomes in the council. The more unbalanced power... the more... the powerless households collapse and are filtered and eliminated by the upper ranks. Peace is a positive trait in the ordinary world... but in the alpha's world? It symbolizes stagnant progress.

The society does not function in a straight line. The households... must always... aim to accomplish more. Higher and higher... the line must rise to its peak to ensure the household's security.

Being stagnant is dangerous.

Flowing water is safer to drink than a puddle of stagnant water.

Why? A static water source is home to breeding bacteria and hazardous microorganisms. The longer it remains stagnant... The dirtier it gets... The more life-threatening for consumption.

And therefore, just like water... The society and alphas must always flow to evade the risk of being eliminated by a powerful household. 

"You've been skipping school for a while," Taehyung sighed, gently massaging my healed ankle over the mattress as I lay on my stomach.

"My skin is still irritated," I muttered. Taehyung lowered my leg and gently tugged my nightgown strap to examine the scattered rash on my shoulders and back.

"You should stay home until you heal," Taehyung nodded, placing the strap back over my shoulder.

He's right about my skin's vulnerability to the heat. Essentially... Taehyung was never afraid of other men seeing me in the revealing swimwear. But because he's aware of the severe side effects on my skin if I'm exposed to the sun for a prolonged period of time. It was always Taehyung... who rubbed ointments on my burnt skin since we were young. He'd chase me around the house with the soothing cream. My condition was so severe I'd fall ill sometimes from high fever and peeling skin. 

"Oppa. Do you believe in an alternative universe?" I asked, tossing my phone away, turning to look at him.

"An alternative universe?" Taehyung asked, laying down on his side to face me as I remained on my stomach with my head rested over my arm.

"Another universe just like ours. The same people. The same time period. The same situation... but a completely different world? You and I... we exist in the other world too. I exist there as Jang Sora and you as Kim Taehyung," I explained. Taehyung cutely pouted to think about my words.

"You've been indulging yourself with too many profane novels," He chuckled.

"Do you think... we're living a happy life there too?" I asked, curiously staring at his sleepy eyes.

"Happy or miserable... I'm sure Kim Taehyung is always right by Jang Sora's side in both worlds," Taehyung muttered, eyeing me from under his messy bangs. I tried not to smile at his words and scooted closer to hug his body.

"I hope so," I mumbled, pressing my face against his chest. I hope I live happily with him in the other world.

"Wherever you go... I'll always follow you. Even to the afterlife," He whispered while patting my hair softly.

"Why would you follow me to death?" I giggled.

"What will you do without me? Hmm? What will Jang Sora do without Kim Taehyung? You're too hopeless without me. Drop, roll, and cry before the divine entities? Throw a tantrum? Run away? Fling your mortal body over a balcony? Whine and wail until you're soaked in tears and snot... until your guardian angel submits to you? Until they surrender to your cuteness? No, they won't. Did you think everyone could put up with your attitudes? No. You need me. Your specialized caretaker to help you navigate your path until you successfully reach the afterlife," Taehyung teased and kissed me softly. I smiled and hugged his warm body against mine. I hope I am also relying on him in the other world... or else... I'll get myself into so... so much trouble.

Jang Sora, are you relying on Kim Taehyung in the other world?

______________________

Fast Forward

"Oh!" The man gasped, widening his eyes at me in shock as I stood by the cashier counter.

"Oh! You're alive!" I gasped.

"Are you alright?! I was worried about you after the incident!" He happily smiled at me. I accidentally encountered the waiter man from the port event... during my volunteer trip in Busan. He was caught up in the attack that evening... and I told him to call for help. We chatted briefly at the cafe he works at. And I left with Do-hwan after grabbing my drink.

"Send the man a gift. He saved my life that day," I muttered, handing Do-hwan the waiter's contact. Park Bogum.

"Am I your personal errand boy? I'm so busy with all the other work- and yet you're telling me to go shopping- to buy a handsome man a gift and- forced me out of my office to escort you to your lover because you can't stand being apart from him for longer than an hour?! Why can't you wait for him to return and give him your snack?! Why force me to drive across the city to deliver your biscuits~? I'll have to work overtime again!" Do-hwan funnily complained. I glanced at the man from the passenger seat with a straight face. He gulped, regretting his unfiltered eruption almost immediately. The man cleared his throat and redirected his gaze on the road after he received the deadly poker face. I dragged him out of his office to bring Taehyung my freshly made honey biscuits.

We finally arrived at the looming corporate tower. Do-hwan parked the car by the entrance and got out to open the door for me, but I refused to leave the car.

"Can't you just drop it off?! I don't want to get out~!" I whined.

"I have to carry out an errand for your mother and I can't bring you with me! Stay at the corporate tower!" Do-hwan snapped, bending into the car to grab my wrist. I grumbled and stepped out with my paper bags. My cheeks flushed red as I stared at the well-dressed staff and glanced down at my... nightgown.

"And why are you dressed like that!?" Do-hwan scoffed at my inappropriate outfit.

"I never intended to visit him directly- and I thought he works at a small office-"

"What do you mean by small office?! He works at the tower-"

"I thought he worked in a separate office! Not at the tower itself!" I whined. Do-hwan scoffed at my embarrassing nightgown and rubbed his forehead in disbelief.

"Well. I can't bring you back home now, or I'll be late for the appointment," Do-hwan rudely rolled his eyes. I asked Do-hwan not to alarm the staff at the tower because I only wanted to drop by Taehyung's office without causing a scene. But people were already staring at my ankle-length gown.

Do-hwan took me inside the lobby filled with bustling employees. I lowered my head as I walked beside him in my fluffy slippers. We entered a private elevator, so I turned to stare at the glass enclosure, examining the different building departments with my hands pressed against the transparent glass. We arrived at a private lounge... and it was weirdly empty.

Apparently, Taehyung didn't want too many people around his office.

"Wae?" I asked as Do-hwan nodded for me to sit on the comfortable beige couch in the lounge.

"Taehyung is in the meeting at the moment. I need to pick up some files from the nearby law firm, so I'll pick you up afterward," Do-hwan explained and left. I gripped my hands unsurely as I glanced around the vacant lounge.

"He has a bar here..." I muttered, getting up to round the counter. Curiously reaching for a whisky bottle from the rack and poured the drink into a glass. I gasped softly when I found... an ice cube ball and plopped it into the cup. Smiling, I raised the glass to sip from it. Hmm! That's a refreshing drink! Maybe I should follow Taehyung to work every day? This is an extremely comfortable space! I rubbed my chest uneasily as the liquid burned my inside. I giggled and spun on the stool with the whisky... humming softly to myself while waiting for my fiancé.

A moment later.

Third Person POV

Kim Taehyung slightly bowed at the chairmen and turned to exit the room with his secretaries as they briefed him on his remaining schedule. The alpha nodded as he checked his watch and strolled through the building bridge to enter his office floor when he noticed a few staff bustling inside the lounge with frightened looks.

"We need to contact the guards! The first lady will be here soon to visit our master!-"

"How did she get in!? We'll get into so much trouble-"

"Miss?! Are you conscious!? Who are you-"

"The first lady is here! We have to-"

"What's the matter?" Taehyung asked, halting with his secretaries.

"Omo- Sir!" Another staff rushed out of the room but halted abruptly after almost running into him. Her face turned pale. The assistant looked up at Taehyung's intimidating straight face as he stood outside the lounge entrance. He glanced inside the room to find another assistant crouching over a person on the couch.

"Sir, the first lady is here!" The elevator opened again... and a guard appeared, escorting a woman inside the office as Taehyung stood before the timid staff. Taehyung turned to find... a beautiful woman in a pretty floral dress striding onto the floor with her silky loose hair. The secretary immediately lowered their heads as Taehyung watched her approach him.

"Oppa," Hwa-young smiled, shyly appearing before the alpha with a gift bag.

"Omo... you're so... gorgeous," The staff beside him covered her lips with her gawking eyes on the woman.

"What are you doing here?" Taehyung questioned. Hwa-young lifted the bag for Taehyung.

"I came here to visit my brother since it's his first day interning at the tower, so I figured it's only appropriate to pay you a quick visit," She smiled. Taehyung glanced at her gift bag and lifted his hand to accept it.

"Should we prepare-" The staff tried to speak but immediately halted.

"Crooook~! Pheeeeew~ Crrooooook-!" A strange noise echoed from the lounge. Everyone grew hushed as they listened to the loud snoring, awkwardly glancing at each other.

"Oh no!- Miss?! Please wake up!?" The other staff gasped, frantically shaking the person's shoulders.

"Let her sleep," Taehyung sighed, shifting his fond gaze to the person in the lounge. Hwa-young curiously turned her head to look inside the room, abruptly halting with her lips pursed once she recognized the familiar presence.

"N-Neh? But the first lady-"

"She is the first lady. The supreme alpha," Taehyung smiled at his employees, whose eyes widened in shock. Gasp! Every eye shifted toward the unconscious woman... as she sprawled over the couch with her lips ajar.

Jang Sora was asleep on the couch... with one leg hooked over the headrest and the other leg... dangling over the couch. She had one slipper on her right foot as she lay with her sock on her left foot. Her face was flushed from the liquor she consumed as she snored loudly in the private lounge. Her slimy drool... dripping from her... parted lips.

"Neh!?" One of the secretaries blurted, wildly turning to stare at Hwa-young's flustered face as she watched the supreme alpha vulnerable state.

"-I'm gonna kick his ass!-" Sora grumbled, violently jerking her feet on the couch, startling the staff with her violent contraction.

"Please escort the Chul's daughter back to her brother. Thank you for the gift," Taehyung smiled at Hwa-young, pushing the bag into the secretary's hand and dismissively strolled inside the lounge.

The staff immediately got up to her feet in fright as Taehyung grabbed Sora's leg from the headrest to straighten it. He carefully slipped off her slipper to place it on the floor and tucked her wild hair strands behind her ears. Kim Taehyung sealed Sora's lips and gently dabbed her saliva from her chin. The secretaries and assistants pursed their lips as they watched Kim Taehyung adjust a cushion under the supreme alpha's head.

"-Oh!? Oppa- Oh no- I had a drink-" Sora jerked awake, frantically sitting up in her gown with a dazed face.

"You should rest-"

"I brought snacks! Do-hwan said he'll come back to pick me up- but he's been gone for hours~!" Sora complained, pushing Taehyung's hands away when he tried to lay her back down. She stubbornly grabbed her snack bag to tear it open with her sleepy eyes. Taehyung quietly watched her lift the snack. She drunkenly smiled and nudged the sticky biscuit against his lips.

"You're still drunk?" He asked, opening his mouth to accept her honey biscuit.

Sora plopped another piece into her mouth, pushed the bag into his hand and slumped back down on the couch with her eyes closed. Turning to hug the cushion... as if it's her own bed. Taehyung's lips slightly parted at her exposed thighs from under the gown as he watched her chew in her sleep until she dozed back to sleep. He quickly covered her legs and pulled the missing right sock back onto her cold feet, weakly smiling at her adorable intoxicated state as he gently patted her buttcheek.

Hwa-young enviously stared at Kim Taehyung's delicate gestures as he helped the supreme alpha adjust her body. He slipped his arms under her frail body and lifted her off the couch, carefully rising to his feet with his fond gaze fixed on her rosy red cheeks. Hwa-young stepped aside to let him pass her. She felt invisible in his world. As a matter of fact, she felt like she didn't exist in anyone's world. Unlike Jang Sora... who seemed to be the center of everyone's world... She was nothing but an ordinary person.

"Sir? The snack-"

"Bring her biscuits," Taehyung answered without looking back. Hwa-young glanced at her expensive gift bag in the secretary's hand and back to the staff as they picked up the supreme alpha's used kimchi container she brought from home and a torn paper bag to chase after their young master. Hwa-young sighed with a heavy heart and turned to leave through the elevator with the guard.

She had no place in his world either.

Meanwhile

Kim Taehyung rested Jang Sora on the couch in his private office as the assistant unsurely placed the container of biscuits on the coffee table. He dismissively slipped off his jacket to cover her thin nightgown and adjusted the cushion under her messy hair.

"Should I transfer the biscuit to a plate?- "

"No. Leave it be. Bring mineral water," Taehyung shook his head. The staff bowed at him and left to fetch the water. Kim Taehyung sighed and got up to work at his desk as Sora snored softly on the couch with a puffy face from being intoxicated by the strong liquor.

"Did she cause trouble-"

"Why did you bring her here?" Taehyung asked the instant Do-hwan barged inside with a bewildered look.

"She insisted on tagging along with me, but I couldn't bring her to the law firm- so I figured it was best to leave her here with you," Do-hwan shrugged, walking up to the unconscious supreme alpha as she snuggled against the cushion.

"She drank the whisky at the lounge," Taehyung sighed.

"She's a hassle. Why did she wear this? She should've prioritized her reputation," Do-hwan muttered, bending down to pick up a biscuit from the container and plop it in his mouth.

"I told her to avoid wearing tight-fitted clothes that will irritate her rashes," Taehyung muttered while skimming through his files. Do-hwan sat on a single couch and crossed his legs while chewing the sweet biscuits.

"She's very annoying at home without you," Do-hwan muttered, dimming his eyes on the supreme alpha.

"Wae?" Taehyung asked, lifting his eyes in surprise.

"She bothers everyone when she's bored. Sora kept chasing imo- and insisted on helping with the house chores and got angry when the maid refused her help. The day before... She begged a gardener to let her water the flowers... and you guessed it... mud... everywhere and flowers? It all drowned. And every single afternoon... she'd rush to the gate to distract the guards while waiting for you by the entrance. She even brought board games to play with the guards on duties. Imo didn't want to be bugged, so she agreed to let her bake today. And... I was her next target. Dragged me out of my office with her freshly made batch so she could deliver it to her man," Do-hwan grumbled. Jang Sora was restless without Kim Taehyung, so she kept poking around in the property until she found a target to entertain.

"An entire... overstaffed household can't handle her? That's ridiculous. She's not that complicated," Taehyung chuckled.

"She doesn't bother anyone when she's with you. You're her favorite, and I'm taking her home... before she embarrasses you here," Do-hwan shrugged, rising to his feet to lift Sora off the couch.

"Urgh- Oh?!- Big Man! Where have you been!?" Sora suddenly jerked awake, unconsciously gripping Do-hwan's shoulder as he held her in his strong arms.

"I'll escort you home, my lady-"

"No! I don't want to leave! Put me down!" Sora whined, frantically fighting to slip off his arms.

"One less trouble at the mansion. Great," The man smiled, tossing his young lady back onto the couch, causing her to shriek in a panic. Taehyung's lips parted as the guard walked away happily and left the office without the supreme alpha. Sora grumbled as she reached for the mineral water and gulped thirstily with her head tilted upward... until she noticed Taehyung staring at her from his desk.

"Oh! You're back!?" She gasped, placing the bottle down. The supreme alpha quickly got onto her feet and rushed over to his desk to look through his files. She lifted his pen. Opened his drawers. Grabbed his face to inspect his eyes and then turned to flip through the documents again.

"Are you sober yet?" Taehyung asked, composedly sitting in his leather seat. 

"Why did eomma assign you so much work?! You've been working overtime~! Is she doing this on purpose to keep you away from me-" Sora whined as she counted the stacks of documents with a disapproving scowl. Taehyung chuckled at her distracting behavior and got to his feet to drag her away... before she tore his desk apart.

"You're still drunk," Taehyung sighed, forcing her to sit on the couch. Sora stared up at him with her flustered cheeks.

"Or... are you staying late at work... to do suspicious things behind my back...?" Sora narrowed her eyes as she watched him sit beside her with his arm over the headrest.

"What suspicious things?" Taehyung smiled. Sora burped softly and scooted closer to her lover. He didn't budge and stared at her rosy red cheeks as she sniffed his face like a puppy.

"Take off your shirt," She poked his chest. Taehyung stared at her with a dumbfounded look.

"W-What-"

"I wanna check! If you have nothing to hide- then take it off~" She smiled, leaning her face forward.

"I can't do that-"

"Oh? Are you hiding your love bruises-"

"Sora!-" Taehyung gasped, grabbing her hand to hold her back, but she stubbornly pushed his hands away to unbutton his shirt. Slump! Taehyung collapsed back onto the couch as she crawled over him and pushed the fabric apart... until he was shirtless under her. The drunk supreme alpha narrowed her eyes on his exposed torso.

"This mark-"

"You gave it to me a few nights ago," Taehyung sighed as she pointed at his upper left chest. Sora scratched her head to recall their shared moments and sat up on him with a suspicious frown.

"Should I give you new ones?" She asked, quickly leaning down to kiss his body, but Taehyung cupped her flustered cheeks to stop her... just before she smooch his skin with her cutely puckered lips.

"Give it to me at home," He smiled.

"I must leave the marks for other women to see-"

"Sora, I don't walk around naked here. No one will see it because no one will dare get this close to me aside from you," He chuckled. Sora pouted as she processed his words with her numbed mind. Taehyung sat up to button up his shirt as she sat with her legs tucked under her body.

"Mine has faded," She muttered. Taehyung froze midway while buttoning his shirt. He lifted his gaze to her with an uncertain frown.

"What?" He asked.

"It's all faded," She repeated, shamelessly lifting her nightgown upward to her chest to expose her bare body under the gown. Taehyung's eyes widened at the sight of her panties and bra. He quickly scrambled forward to yank the silk down in disbelief, covering her body with a flustered face.

"Sora! We're at my office!" Taehyung snapped, staring at her dazed face in shock.

"Okay," She pouted, turning to slump on the couch grumpily. Taehyung sighed at her sulky mood and lowered his face with a weak smile.

"I'll make it up to you-"

"I'll just ask another man to do it-"

"Yah!" Taehyung snapped, impulsively smacking her butt. Whack! Sora stiffened in shock at the sore burn of his handprint on her bum. The alpha pursed his lips in a panic as she averted her irritated glare at him.

"You said this is your office, but you slapped my ass!?-"

"It was an accident! I didn't mean to-" Taehyung tried to excuse his thoughtless mistake. She sat up in frustration while rubbing her sore butt.

"Harass me again, and I'll tell my mother to fire you!" She threatened. Taehyung pursed his lips at her cuteness. The entire household couldn't handle her aside from him.

"You wouldn't dare fire your husband, right? How will I support my high-maintenance wife without a job? You'll beat me up for starving you~!" Taehyung chuckled as he picked up the biscuit container. He got up from the couch to stroll away as Sora intensely glared at him. She grumbled under her breath and laid back down again with her arms over her chest. And as Taehyung anticipated... she passed out again. He shook his head and turned to study his files, quietly munching on her sweet biscuits with a weak smile.

A moment later.

The staff awkwardly waited by the lounge's door as the supreme alpha crouched over the carpet to search for her missing slipper. A side was missing. Taehyung sighed bitterly after strolling out of his office to find the assistant's timid behavior and rounded the counter to withdraw the fluffy slipper from the liquor rack after she accidentally kicked it off her feet. Sora giggled as he helped her back into her slippers, and they walked hand in hand inside the elevator. The secretaries tried not to smile as Taehyung carried his lover's cute paper bag.

"Oppa~! I should finish my course quickly, so we can work together," Sora smiled while pressing her hands against the glass wall. He smiled, pecked her cheek, and patted her hands. The secretaries pursed their lips funnily while firing each other excited looks.

"You can share the gift with the others," Taehyung nodded at Hwa-young's bag in the secretary's hand and turned to stroll out the door with Sora. She happily strode by his side in her silk gown until they exited the building. Taehyung helped her into the passenger seat and started the engine after rounding the car.

"Sorry..." She muttered while staring at her hands in guilt.

"About?" Taehyung asked, steering out of the building.

"For embarrassing you. I should've dressed appropriately... and I shouldn't have drunk the liquor," Sora shrugged. Taehyung smiled.

"I told you to wear nightgowns to soothe your irritated skin. It's not a problem," Taehyung shrugged.

Sora's POV

"Who gave you the gifts?" I asked curiously. I saw a stack of gifts in his office.

"The employees. I'll ban gifts after I handle the first workload. Hwa-young dropped by earlier to bring a gift too... but I left it with the secretaries," He shrugged.

"You should've at least brought it home," I muttered.

"I've got my stomach full of your biscuits," Taehyung chuckled, nodding at the empty container. I smiled and leaned back on the car seat. We didn't head straight home. Taehyung took me to a nearby shopping area to get me a few silk nightgowns before returning home.

"Oh? Sungho!" I waved, stepping out of the car to find Sungho steering his car in after us. The alpha strode out of his car and slammed the door shut just as Taehyung circled the car with my shopping bags.

"What did you do to my sister?!" Sungho roared, angrily storming toward Taehyung. My smile dropped as the alpha passed me with his angered glare on Taehyung.

"Oppa! No!-" Hwa-young scrambled out of her car seat in tears. SMACK. My eyes widened in shock, wildly turning to find Taehyung stumbling into his car with his palm clasped over his face. Jungkook halted by the door in his sportswear while jogging around the property.

"The fuck-"

"Did you think you could hide it from me and Sora!?" Sungho snapped, angrily grabbing Taehyung's collar.

"Do you have a death wish?!- Urgh!" Taehyung tried to speak but was cut short when Sungho shoved him hard onto the ground. Hwa-young frantically grabbed her brother's arm to hold him back as he angrily fumed over Taehyung.

"Yah?! What's happening!?" Jungkook asked, jogging forward with a bewildered look.

"Oppa! We should leave- Please- They're the top ranks-"

"SO?! HE CAN'T HARASS YOU JUST BECAUSE HE'S POWERFUL!-" Sungho shouted, furiously glaring at Hwa-young's tearful eyes as Jungkook helped Taehyung to his feet.

"Harass..?" I asked, unsurely staring at Sungho for explanations.

"You inappropriately touched my sister on the beach!" Sungho snapped, stepping forward, but Jungkook held the alpha back by his chest. I pursed my lips and glanced at Hwa-young's frightened face. She was... sobbing by Sungho's side.

"Fuck..." Taehyung scoffed, getting back onto his feet with his spiteful glare on Sungho.

"Did you think my sister would stay hushed just because she's powerless?!" Sungho confronted Taehyung. Jungkook wildly turned back and forth in confusion as he stood between the alphas.

"What did you do???" Jungkook asked, turning to stare at Taehyung, who was leaning against his car with his head hung low. My chest churned intensely as he lifted his troubled eyes to look at me. The guilt. I saw it before. I saw it in his eyes on the island. It was the same guilt in his pupils. Sungho balled his hands into tight fists as Hwa-young sniffled beside him.

"Taehyung...?" I asked, uneasily searching him for answers. Taehyung shakily swallowed the lump in his throat. He couldn't speak and... remained muted by the car.

"Wait a minute... Minah's story... about the couple on the beach...?" Jungkook muttered, suddenly scoffing at his cousin with a horrified look. My heart completely sank at the sudden realization.

What the hell is he hiding from me? The night he was soaked... with a bruised eye... he appeared guilt-ridden. The way he kept exchanging silent glances with Hwa-young and the look of discomfort on her face whenever she saw him. It was all too obvious now. Something happened between them. She didn't just drown... and Taehyung has been hiding the entire truth from me. The elders suddenly rushed out of the front door after noticing the fight between the second ranks. I gripped my fist with a swelling chest as I glanced back and forth between Taehyung and Hwa-young.

He dodged a murder trial and an attempted murder without a scratch... but this accusation? Anyone could tell... he was shaken by his own guilt.

Crack.

I felt my heart... breaking over our love... for the first time.

___________________________

Hello everyone! How are you?! Lol, I have to rush to bed after this because I have school! I hope you enjoyed the chapter! Thank you~!!! <3