Flashback
The Beach
Kim Taehyung aimlessly strolled over the dark beach after the dinner feast with his hands in his trouser pockets. The alpha halted on the seaside to gaze at the glimmering moonlight reflection over the dark waves. He proceeded to walk forward, softly kicking the sand beneath his sandals. He calmly walked along the unlit shore until he was in a remote area surrounded by trees and beach rocks. The alpha glanced back at the castle to observe the dim light poles and back to the sea until his eyes adjusted to the movements over the surface.
"Oh?" Taehyung paused with his narrowed gaze on the silhouette of a woman in the sea near the rocky shore. He smiled and walked forward until he found Sora paddling over the subtle waves of the dark ocean. Her upper body... appeared naked. The water was at her chest level. Taehyung halted to watch her from the shore, slightly confused by her decision to swim alone in the vast sea.
"What's a beautiful lady doing in the dark sea alone? Aren't you scared of sharks? Or perhaps... the creeps around the area? A gorgeous woman like you shouldn't leave your clothes unattended on the sand. There are a lot of perverts out here~" Taehyung loudly spoke, just enough for her to hear him as he slowly approached the shallow end. Sora suddenly stopped splashing in the water, quickly turning her body away from Taehyung. She shyly sank under the surface to cover her chest. Taehyung chuckled at her adorable behavior.
"You could've waited for me. It's dangerous to swim in the dark sea alone~!" Taehyung teased as he took off his shirt and tossed it on the sand with Sora's clothes. The supreme alpha remained muted as she hid her body under the surface until the water level rose to her chin.
"Can I join you~?" He grinned, unzipping his trousers and pulled it down to his ankles, exposing his sturdy body to the nature around him. Taehyung carefully stepped into the sea in his boxer as his lover stood still, facing away from him. The alpha smiled, gently bouncing forward under the water to reach her.
"Stop being shy~!" Taehyung chuckled, leaping forward to grab her shoulder. Sora tried to swim away from him but failed as he firmly seized her upper arm. The alpha effortlessly drew his lover backward to hold her vulnerable body against his chest.
"You're such a tease. Do you like it like this? Hmm~? Just us... in the dark~?" Taehyung whispered, sensually speaking against her soaked hair with his lips pressed against her ear. Sora didn't respond and tried to push his hand off her body, so he chuckled and groped her breasts, causing her to jerk against his body. Taehyung lowered his face to suck on the crook of her neck while pinching her sensitive tips.
The alpha lowered his free hand to draw her waist against his crotch under the water, carefully tracing his fingers downward to reach between her legs. She slightly jerked again at his dirty touch, attempting to thrust her body forward- but he wouldn't release her body and resumed touching her inappropriately while kissing the crook of her neck. She softly gasped as he inserted his fingers inside her private part to heat up her body.
Kim Taehyung lustfully nibbled her shoulders until her body tensed up against his. Taehyung smiled at her strange muteness and accelerated his finger's movement until he felt her body vibrating in pleasure. He was determined to make her moan his name, so he pressed his soaked tongue against her shoulder wing to stroke her sensitive skin.
"O-Oppa!" An unfamiliar voice finally shrieked.
Taehyung immediately halted at her voice with a blank mind. The sea grew hushed as he held her naked body against his hard crotch. Slowly, the woman... rotated her body to face him with her watery eyes, causing Taehyung's heart to thump hard against his chest. A jolt of fright violently shocked his dazed mind to the core... until he felt his body... turning cold. Chul Hwa-young stood before him... with her frightened gaze on his drunken face. She was on the verge of tears.
"W-What- What are you doing here?!" Taehyung stuttered as his heart hammered in dread. The alpha unconsciously stepped away from the woman. Hwa-young whimpered while covering her chest and lowered her head to cry in pain, unable to express her feelings after being raided by Kim Taehyung's touch.
"Why did you touch me- Ah?!" Hwa-young sniffled, shrieking in a broken voice. Taehyung angrily seized her wrist to yank her with all his might.
"Why didn't you say anything when I was on the shore?!" He seethed with his raging pupils on her frightened face.
Hwa-young fearfully tugged her arm back and tried to paddle away to escape the alpha. But he angrily grabbed her shoulder to restrain her. She yelped out of fright, so he immediately covered her lips to stop her from attracting attention from the beach. Hwa-young's body quivered under the water in fear as the powerful alpha arrested her helpless body against his masculine torso.
"Oppa!- I was- in shock when you appeared- because- my clothes weren't with me- I thought you'd leave-" Hwa-young fearfully explained. The darkness inside Taehyung abruptly plagued his body as he dangerously fumed over her. Squelch. Hwa-young sucked in her breath in terror as Taehyung wrapped his shaky fingers around her throat, narrowing his deadly eyes on her frightened face.
"Don't... you... dare... utter... a word... to... Sora..." He gritted, lowering his killer eyes on her. Hwa-young's lips trembled out of control upon his deadly warning. She frantically nodded in agreement... with her hands clasped over Taehyung's suffocating grip around her throat. The sea grew hushed again. Taehyung... heavily panted... roughly shoving her into the deep end and turned to storm toward the shore.
"Ah!- Oppa! I can't swim- Oppa!-" Hwa-young screamed as she fearfully splashed in the sea. Taehyung didn't look back, walked onto the beach, and pulled his shirt over his soaked torso. Hwa-young desperately screamed for his attention, but Taehyung ignored her call, hastily pulling on his trousers in a hurry. Silence. He halted, quickly turning to scan the dark sea. Hwa-young disappeared from sight.
"This isn't funny!" Taehyung roared, glaring furiously at the soft ripple in the deep end. The alpha furrowed his eyebrows... and after a minute of absolute silence... There was still no sign of struggle or life.
"Fuck!?" Taehyung cursed, frantically splashing into the sea after he realized... Chul Hwa-young had drowned. He scrambled towards the bubbling water at the deep end until the water rose to his chin.
The alpha reached for her floating arm to lock his fingers around her wrist and tugged her forward. The second rank grunted while tiptoeing on the deep end in difficulty. He quickly raised her pale face above the sea surface and swam to the shallow end with Hwa-young's unconscious body. Kim Taehyung's heart thumped in fear as he lowered her weak body onto the wet sand. The alpha quickly averted his gaze away as soon as he realized... she was entirely... unclothed beneath him.
Taehyung hastily grabbed her clothes to place them over her chest and crotch- quickly leaning down to slap her face. Still... Hwa-young remained cold on the beach. Her pale lips slowly... turning purple.
The alpha cursed under his breath, quickly placing his hands over her bare chest to compress downward. Thump. Thump. Thump. He shoved her ribs to force out the water from her lungs. Yet... she remained cold. Taehyung pinched her nose and leaned down to press his lips against hers, blowing the air into her lungs until he felt her chest inflating beneath his hand. He immediately compressed her chest again and leaned down to give her another breath- SPLAT. Hwa-young choked, spitting the water out of her lips in distress.
"Oppa~ Sungho~ Oppa~!-" Hwa-young painfully coughed as she sprawled on the soaked sand, groaning in pain as the seawater spilled from her lips.
Taehyung drew Hwa-young upward and pounded on her back as she cried in distress with her hands clasped over her throbbing chest and throat from gobbling the salty water. Taehyung laboriously hyperventilated as he knelt beside Hwa-young, struggling to calm his racing heart. He could've killed Chul Sungho's sister. She unconsciously cried and turned to hug his body for support, so Taehyung gulped and patted her back until Hwa-young's unsteady breath grew stable. She lifted her tearful eyes to stare at Taehyung.
"Get yourself treated," Taehyung muttered, coldly shoving her off his body and hurriedly strode away, leaving her alone at the beach. Hwa-young rubbed her sensitive skin and lowered her head to cry in anguish. She whimpered and slowly got up to pull on her dress as she held back her tears. Weakly, she limped over the beach with an aching chest as warm tears trickled down her cheeks.
Kim Taehyung drew out his soaked phone to tap on the screen. It was still functioning thanks to the waterproof feature. He shakily clicked on Sora's contact to check her whereabouts until he found her in the property's garden. Taehyung abruptly turns in her direction, frowning at the speed of her movement. She was... sprinting across the garden. He lifted his face to search the garden after shoving his phone back into his pocket and jogged towards the intersection- THUMP.
A heavy force suddenly swept him off his feet.
The alpha stumbled to the ground at the blunt force, so he quickly sat up but was forcefully stapled down by the person- He froze beneath her in terror as she seethed over him with her raging darkness.
Jang Sora's stern expression immediately neutralized... upon their unexpected encounter. Her face turned pale and... she was suddenly... stiff over him. Taehyung gulped at her shaken condition and tried to speak when he heard the low rumbles of heavy footsteps speeding toward them.
And so... he remained paralyzed on the ground as the herd of heavily armed guards appeared with their gun barrels directed at him.
End of flashback
Present
Sora's POV
Hwa-young sniffled in her seat as she dabbed her tears in her mother's arms. The woman gently patted her daughter's shoulder as she weakly leaned on her for support. Mr. Chul sat with a dark gaze on Taehyung, who was sitting beside me in the living room. Mr. Kim deeply exhaled and lowered his head to press his hands against his face after Taehyung admitted to harassing Hwa-young by accident.
Sungho restlessly sighed every few minutes with his sore eyes on Taehyung. I glanced at my lover... as he hid his face under his messy hair. Jungkook sucked in his inner cheek with a frustrated grimace. No one uttered a word. We were all taken aback by the incident.
How am I feeling? I felt numb. Of course, I was troubled by his actions, but then again... He claimed it was an unintentional act. He never meant to touch her inappropriately without her consent.
Hwa-young is the victim... and she's been suffering from the incident... all by herself.
Because Taehyung threatened her to stay hushed.
Her silence... ultimately destroyed her mentality. All I could do at the moment... was to remain silent on the matter... and wait for them to resolve the problem.
Taehyung must handle his actions alone.
The elders dismissed the gathering, and we separated into our rooms. I was the first to rise from the couch and left the living room without speaking to anyone.
A moment later.
Knock. Knock. I shifted my gaze from the mirror to stare at the door as the person tried to enter my room... but the door was locked. I knew who it was. Taehyung. My chest swelled with an uncomfortable tightness... so I sighed and strolled toward the door in my nightgown to unlock the handle. Taehyung tensely stood by the door frame with his hands clenched around my soothing cream. His eyes... anxiously searching mine.
"Your cream-"
"Thank you," I nodded, grabbing the tube from him and tried to close the door, but he quickly grabbed the handle to hold it open.
"Sora-"
"I can do it myself," I assured without looking at him.
"Just- let me put it on for you. Hmm???" He insisted. I sighed and lifted my weary face to observe his desperation. Taehyung clenched his jaw, impatiently waiting for my approval.
"Taehyung. I really need... space. Please... just... let me do it myself," I gulped, struggling to speak with him in a calm voice. Taehyung's eyes darkened at my words. He shakily exhaled with his dim eyes trained on mine and finally nodded. He turned and left without putting up a fight, so I closed the door and headed to bed. Thud. I tossed the tube away without applying the cream and turned off the light to lie on the mattress.
Thump. Thump. Thump. I calmly listened to the pulse of my steady heartbeat in my pillow. I'm aching all over. Not just my body... but... my chest too. The pain... it's very dull yet... irritating. I couldn't shake out the unbearable contractions, so I tossed and turned on my bed until unconscious tears filled my eyes. Sniffling, I buried my face into my pillowcase to dry the warm tears. Why am I heartbroken? He claim it was an accident, but I'm still disturbed. I shouldn't be the one crying here. I feel guilty... Hwa-young is the person suffering from the issue... and yet I dare to use her trauma as a personal matter? The tears wouldn't cease throughout the night, no matter how desperately I attempted to console the misery. I ended up crying myself to sleep.
Maybe. It's all a nightmare. I'll definitely feel better tomorrow.
A lie. It was a lie I told myself to gaslight my aching emotions. I did not feel better, and I dreaded seeing Taehyung. I don't know what was happening to me, but the last person I wanted to see was Taehyung. I left to attend the university early the next day to avoid him. Do-hwan was skeptical of my decision to leave the mansion due to the rashes on my skin. But the man must've noticed my sullen mood because he agreed to take me to school without objecting my request.
My day went about... without any disturbance. No one seemed to care about me. And I was just another person in the background. I sat in the lounge by the corner of the room with a headset secured over my ears. Quietly scribbling on my notebook. My phone buzzed repeatedly. Sighing, I shifted my eyes to the screen to find a few texts from Taehyung.
Taehyung: I'll pick you up after school.
Taehyung: Can we speak?
Taehyung: Sora, answer me.
Notification: 18 Missed Calls.
I turned off my phone and tossed it in my bag- just as the alphas poured inside the lounge. Everyone turned to eye me weirdly, and I knew... instantly. There was another rumor about me. I quickly shifted my gaze to my book with an uneasy feeling until Minah rushed over with a drained expression. She tapped my shoulder as she anxiously sat beside me, so I slipped my headphones off my ears and turned to face her with my eyebrows raised.
"Are you okay...?" Minah asked, nervously inspecting my face.
"Why wouldn't I be...?" I asked.
"Sora- I really... didn't know it was Taehyung at the beach with Hwa-young that night. I'm really sorry if you're upset-"
"What?" I interrupted, uneasily straightening my back. Minah pursed her lips to observe my startled reaction.
"Everyone is talking about it. Kim Taehyung... cheating on you. We know," Minah sighed, sadly taking my hand to comfort me. I glanced at the alphas as they eyed me from their seats. The painful contraction suddenly tore my chest apart again. The news already broke out? I thought- I could avoid it by dismissing the matter, but everyone is aware now?
"He didn't cheat. Taehyung was drunk," I shrugged, tensely glancing at my book. I need to contain myself.
"Hwa-young broke down in the lecture room earlier and fainted. Sungho had to rush her to the infirmary. What a pity. An accident or not... she must be in pain," Minah sighed. I gripped my pencil with my eyes fixed on the messy scribble.
"What did you see that night exactly...?" I asked. Minah shifted her apologetic gaze to me.
"Well- I actually... someone uploaded a video..." Minah nervously shrugged. I stared at her with a hollow feeling. Minah sent me the circulating video, so I left the lounge to hide in a vacant storage room. My heart raced in fear as I hovered my thumb over the video clip.
Play.
It was a blurry video since whoever was filming was hiding in the dark path near the garden. The person's unsteady breath could be heard as the witness attempted to zoom their phone camera on the dark figures on the far beach. Taehyung. I recognized his walking pattern instantly. He was standing on the seashore as Hwa-young remained in the water. Taehyung appeared to be speaking with her.
The video couldn't capture their voices since it was too far. I nervously chewed my thumb as I watched Taehyung slip off his clothes to stride in the water until he reached Hwa-young. He grabbed her body and tugged her against his torso. I shakily paused the video as my chest wretched with a troublesome feeling. I took a deep breath and resumed the video. It wasn't clear, but I could tell he was hugging her in the ocean. She didn't resist his touch as he tilted his head to press his face against her neck with his arms encircled around her body.
What bothers me... is the fact... his inappropriate activities went on for roughly... five minutes. How is it possible? If Hwa-young knew she was being harassed... Why didn't she address the situation the instant he touched her? Perhaps, she was frozen in fear?
And Taehyung. How did he not notice the difference between me and her? I tearfully watched him stand in the water as god knows what he did to her body under the surface.
I could almost recall his touch... The way he loves to tease me with his arousing strokes. The thoughts... made me dizzy. The video ended.
I gulped. Lowering... my phone to my lap as I sat behind the desk with my back pressed against the wall until unconscious tear streams... dripped from my lower lash lines. He said it was an accident and she claimed she was threatened... but neither of them... seemed to... resist one another during the moment.
Is it really an accident? Or was it his guilty pleasure? If she was truly frightened... Why... Didn't she stop him from entering the water as he was speaking to her? Why did she let him escalate their intimacy?
My heart. I can almost hear the rapid cracks expanding across my chest.
"You alright?" Hoseok suddenly appeared, standing over the table to watch me sit on the floor. I quickly rubbed away my tears, so he sighed and sat beside me with something in his hand.
"How did you find me?" I muttered, lowering my face to dab away my tears.
"I saw you entering a while ago," He sighed, handing me the gift bag.
"What's this?" I asked, unsurely accepting it.
"Seokjin asked me to hand it to you," Hoseok shrugged, extending his legs over the carpet. I sniffled in silence.
"The video... it's everywhere, isn't it?" I asked. He nodded. I pursed my lips and hugged my knees in tears. I'm not prepared for this kind of love problem.
"Sungho... appeared... pissed," Hoseok muttered.
"Hwa-young is his sister. He should be upset," I shrugged as I struggled to maintain a calm voice.
"Well. Hwa-young is undeniably an attractive woman. But the last man I expected to be involved with her is Kim Taehyung," He sighed. I gulped and glanced at the bag Seokjin sent to me.
"Why did he send it to me?" I asked to divert the topic. I don't want to think about it anymore.
"I don't know. I don't know what Seokjin sent you, but Seokjin... is probably worried about you. He was pretty... in love with you," Hoseok chuckled softly. I lifted my face to stare at Hoseok.
"We're not on good terms-"
"I know. But the heart... is a stubborn fucker. Right? I never thought Seokjin would involve himself with the fleeting romance... but he was... pretty... into you since the beginning," Hoseok smiled. I blinked.
"What are you talking about?" I whispered.
"Remember the party at my place? The lollipop game?" Hoseok asked, weakly smiling at me.
"You lied to me," I grimaced. Hoseok told me it was him in the closet with me. It was Taehyung.
"Yeah, I was an asshole. I liked you then. So I lied because I wanted you to earn a chance with you," Hoseok nodded.
"What about it?" I sighed, averting my eyes away.
"I found out about your closet affair... after Seokjin told me about it," Hoseok admitted.
"What? How did he-"
"Because he was the person in the closet with you. He was drunk that night and didn't want to participate in the lollipop game, so he crawled into my closet to hide. There's a secret door in my closet... and Seokjin knew the way out because we always played hide and seek there when we were younger. The man was too drunk, so he hid there until you appeared inside the darkness," Hoseok shrugged. I frowned at him.
"Wait- What? But Taehyung said he was the man in the closet-"
"He did? Hah. That dipshit. He wasn't even in the room to begin with. Kim Taehyung was downstairs the entire time," Hoseok scoffed. I frowned at Hoseok.
"Did Seokjin tell you-"
"Yeah. But Seokjin doesn't remember the incident since he was drunk. He collapsed after the game ended, remember? He fled through my secret closet door. He kept grumbling about kissing a woman and how much he liked her tasty sweet lips as I helped him into the car. Seokjin had a red lollipop that night. And you had blue, right? That's how I knew... the story and used it to fool you for my own gain. I'm sorry," Hoseok apologetically eyed me. I stared unblinking at the carpet. That night... Taehyung had purple lips... and so did Hoseok. But no one saw Seokjin because he fell unconscious.
Taehyung lied to me.
"Why were your lips purple?" I asked.
"I kissed Haerim. I initially thought I kissed you, but it was her. I was never in the closet... and she was the other person with purple lips. She got upset and left the party early," Hoseok shrugged. Sighing, I lowered my face to press my palm against my face. How many times did he lie to me? Kim Taehyung. What is his intent? And why is he constantly hiding the truth from me? Our relationship and the words he told me... was it ever genuine?
A moment later.
I left the campus with Jungkook a period before the last class. He stayed strangely muted, so I sighed and rested in the car until we arrived at the mansion. I headed straight to my room, refusing to have dinner with the elders... and kept my door locked for privacy reasons.
Taehyung knocked on my door a couple of times, but I didn't respond to his call and remained in my room. I lowered my head over the opened textbook to process my cluttered thoughts before glancing at the gift bag Seokjin sent to me. Sighing, I placed my books away and sat on the couch with the paper bag.
"Oh?" I muttered, drawing out a laptop and a phone. My heart sank when the screen lit up to reveal a selfie of me with Yangcha. It's his belongings. Why did Seokjin send it to me??? The phone is locked.
I typed Yangcha's birthday... denied.
So... I typed my birthday, and as expected, the phone unlocked itself.
I stared at the wallpaper of my own portrait. It was a picture of me at the BBQ place with Yoongi. Sighing, I leaned back to search through his phone... but there was nothing.... out of the ordinary. He took a lot of pictures of me and his toy collection. There were exchanged texts between him and his friends. Yangcha led a pretty ordinary life, aside from his psychotic killer phase. Gurgle. I lowered his phone to listen to my irritated stomach... growling hungrily for food.
12:23 AM. Everyone is probably asleep by now.
Creak. I opened the door, cautiously turning my head from side to side to ensure Taehyung was nowhere to be found. The corridor is empty. I carefully closed my door without making a sound, raced towards the kitchen as quietly as I could... passing by the dark living room, and quickly slipped inside the vacant kitchen. I found a few dishes left on the heated plates. Imo must've left it for me. I smiled, sat at the counter to devour the warm meal, and drank the juice from the cup. Burp. I cleared my throat after scraping the plate clean with the spoon and did the dishes in the sink.
"Kamjagiya!" I shrieked, jerking in a panic once I turned around to find Taehyung sitting on the stool by the counter with his hand tucked under his chin. When did he get here!?
"Did I startle you?" He asked. I gulped and quickly turned away to place the dish in the cabinet. Shit. My body hair rose all over my nape as he got off the stool. He quietly strides towards me, so I clenched the dish as his arms slithered around my waist.
"I'm heading to bed," I muttered, pulling his arm off my waist, and hurriedly left the kitchen.
It was another sleepless night for me as I tossed and turned on the bed until I somehow managed to fall asleep... right before dawn. The darkness gradually swallowed me into the abyss of my subconscious mind as I rested on the mattress.
His fuming hot breath... brushing over my moist skin.. teasing my nerves with the gentle breeze.
The addictive traces of his lips on my lips... my forehead... my neck... my breast... all over my bare stomach and between my thighs.
I could feel my body heat rising with every tender stroke over my sensitive skin. His dominating movement over my body as we moaned against each other's lips.
The igniting pleasure... consuming our souls with the smoldering pleasure of his presence inside me.
His alluring sweat scent... filling my nostrils and soothing my stiff muscles with his tempting pheromones.
It was a dream. I opened my eyes to stare at the ceiling with an empty heart. My body is thirsting for Taehyung's love... but I'm afraid I'll bleed if he rests his fingers on my skin again. I sucked in my breath once I felt the movements between my legs. I glanced down in horror to find Taehyung kissing the side of my inner thighs as he knelt between my legs. Am I still dreaming? I remained frozen in my place as he skimmed his hand over my gown, gently pushing the light fabric up to my stomach, and lowered his head to press his damp lips over my belly button. My body shakily vibrated at his thrilling strokes, so I reached down to push his head away.
"Taehyung-" I tried to speak, but he simply interlaced our fingers to pin my hands to the side. I arched my back over the mattress as he lowered his face to press his nose against my panties until my crotch throbbed at the thrilling presence of his lips activities.
"You promised to stay by my side," He muttered, lifting his head between my spread-opened legs. I fearfully stared at the darkness in his eyes. Taehyung looked almost upset... but his cheeks... were burning red. Did he drink? He lowered his head again and tried to pull down my panties, so I seethed, abruptly reaching down to block my crotch.
"I'm not in the mood- AH!" I gasped, trying to sit up but gasped in shock. He forcefully scrambled onto my body to pin my shoulders over the pillow. I stared at his drunken face in fear.
"Don't you dare push me away-"
"Stop! Please- You're drunk!" I gasped, trying to shove his heavy torso off my body, but Taehyung firmly held my body captive under him. My eyes surged with tears as he gripped my cheeks between his fingers, impatiently roaming his other hand over my breast to tug down my straps.
"Stop resisting me! Why are you-"
"TAEHYUNG!" I screamed, angrily thrusting him off my body. He grunted and tumbled to the side, so I quickly sat up to pull my nightgown over my shoulder with a frightened look. I quickly rolled off the bed in fear as he sat up with a frustrated look.
"I NEVER INTENDED TO TOUCH HER- SORA!-" Taehyung bellowed. I quickly sprinted towards the door- but he was quicker. I yelped in a panic as he effortlessly swept my waist with his forearm. Thud. I slammed hard against his pulsating chest, so I smacked his forearms to resist his touch- but he didn't budge and only tightened his possessive arms around my body.
"Release me! Taehyung!" I cried as he hauled me back to the bed. He angrily pressed me down on the mattress, making me whimper in distress as he clutched my throat within his suffocating grip. Is he out of his mind!?
Taehyung angrily glared at me as he tugged down his pants to expose his bulge and pushed my gown to my waist to expose my lower body. I shrieked in distress as I grabbed his hand to stop him from pulling down my panties- but he shoved my arms away while coiling his fingers around my neck, causing me to gag with my lips ajar. Tears filled my eyes as he roughly pulled down my panty from my hip bones, so I twisted my legs to stop him- BANG. Taehyung wildly turned around at the unexpected disturbance. THUD. Jungkook appeared, rushing inside my room in his pajamas.
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?!" Jungkook roared, punching Taehyung hard in the face. I coughed in pain and sat up with my hands around my throat as tears dripped from my lower lash line. Taehyung grunted drunkenly on the floor as he held the drawers for support. I pulled down my gown in fright, quickly covering my exposed legs.
"Stay out of my business!-" Taehyung bellowed, launching toward Jungkook. My eyes widened in terror as Jungkook slammed back into the opposite cabinet, collapsing to the floor, sending the picture frames shattering on the floor. Taehyung seized Jungkook's collar and tried to strangle him.
"No! Taehyung! Wake up!-" I cried, grabbing his forearms to tow him off Jungkook, but he was too powerful.
"Urgh!- Holy fuck, you fucking asshole-! Sora- go to Do-hwan!" Jungkook roared as he struggled to remove Taehyung's arm from his neck. I fearfully stared at Jungkook's alarming condition as his cousin choked him with his bare palms. SMACK. Taehyung grunted, falling to the side as I swung my leg to kick him off Jungkook, who quickly scrambled to his feet. Jungkook grabbed my hand, so I turned and sprinted out of the room with him.
"ARGH!" Taehyung roared, angrily chasing us. Jungkook's eyes widened in fright as he dragged me toward the living room. The half-blood frantically pushed open the door... just in time to find Do-hwan patrolling the door.
"Big man!" I sobbed, running into his arms. Thud.
Do-hwan unconsciously hugged my trembling body as Jungkook wildly slammed the door shut on Taehyung- BANG. Jungkook flew to the side at the violent impact. The door swung open, and Taehyung's looming darkness appeared before the door frame. Kim Taehyung stood by the door with his evil-infested pupils nailed on me, so I whimpered and hugged my chief guard in fear. Do-hwan froze at Taehyung's dangerous energy... quickly drawing me behind his back to form a barrier between us.
"Kim Taehyung!" Do-hwan roared, trying to wake the alpha from his clouded mind, but Taehyung didn't... seem to hear his words and dashed forward to tackle the man. Do-hwan aggressively grabbed Taehyung's shoulder and tried to disable him, but Taehyung was quicker.
The alpha roughly elbowed Do-hwan in his nose, sending the man topping into the pillar. Jungkook grunted as he sat up in pain with his arms around his stomach. Taehyung angrily kicked Do-hwan's chest, swiftly turning to slam the door against Jungkook's head. Thud. Jungkook whimpered, falling back with a bruised forehead. Taehyung panted heavily after the two men collapsed to the sides... before shifting his dark face to me with his killer stare as I stood frozen with my hand clasped over my mouth.
"Sora- run-" Do-hwan grunted, attempting to get up, but Taehyung effortlessly wrestled the man back onto the pavement.
"Oppa!" I gasped, rushing forward to hug his forearm.
"What's with the noise!?- Omo!" Imo appeared with a sleepy face but gasped in shock once she found me clinging to Taehyung's muscular arm. Taehyung snapped his deadly eyes toward Imo.
"STOP ME, AND I WILL KILL-" Taehyung roared, angrily turning towards imo with his murderous energy but was cut short when I tiptoed to kiss his lips. He glanced down at me in confusion.
"Let's speak! Okay?! Taehyung!- Please! You're out of your mind!" I begged, holding tightly onto his forearm. Taehyung kept his dark gaze on me as imo nervously backed away from us.
"You said-" Taehyung tried to scold me, but I dragged him back into the mansion before he could finish his sentence. Do-hwan sat up with a bleeding nose, so I signaled him to help Jungkook... who was unconscious on the ground. Imo immediately crouched down to help the half-blood.
"You need to calm down-"
"YOU PROMISED TO STAY BY YOUR SIDE! NOW YOU'RE BACKING OUT OVER A RIDICULOUS ISSUE!" Taehyung bellowed, slamming the door to his room shut. I tearfully turned to look at him. Thump. Thump.
"Sora?!" Do-hwan called as he frantically pounded on Taehyung's door.
"I'm fine!" I called to assure Do-hwan. The man stopped beating the door, so I glanced back at Taehyung's unstable condition. He reeks of liquor. I glanced at the empty wine bottle on his couch and back to him.
"I BEGGED YOU TO TRUST ME BUT-" Taehyung seethed while glaring at me. He halted in shock as I swiftly slipped off my gown, letting it drop to my feet. He stared at my naked body in confusion.
"I don't want you to harass me. But if my body is what you desperately need to calm your anger... Then I'll gladly offer it to you," I coldly stood before Taehyung and leaned down to slip my panty from my legs. Taehyung stared at my bare body in tears, slowly glancing back up at me.
"Sora- I didn't mean to scare you-"
"It's what you always do to me. Sex. Whenever we fight, you arouse me to settle our conflict. So do it if that's your love language. If you're upset with me... then unleash your frustration on me... not the innocent people," I swallowed the hot lump in tears. He tried to reach for me but stopped himself. Taehyung glanced at his raised hand, slowly lowering it to his side as I remained cemented in place. He sorely observed... my healing rashes and glanced back up at me.
"I'm sorry. Alright? I promise I'll never force you again-"
"Of course. I'll believe your empty promises because I love you. You know that, don't you? That I'm willing to let you fool me with your words?" I sternly nodded. Taehyung deeply inhaled and slowly leaned against the door with his apologetic gaze on my naked body. He's torn.
"We were happy together-"
"I was happy with you until you lied to me. Over and over again. You could've told me the entire truth," I coldly replied in disappointment. Maybe I wouldn't be as hurt if Taehyung were honest with me, but he told me it was nothing! Nothing? Is assaulting another woman by accident nothing to him? I expected a man like him to handle the matter with decency- but he chose to silence the victim and lied to me to get away with his crime.
"I knew you'd get hurt-"
"What about Hwa-young? Is she... just another woman you can touch and discard? I feel like shit because I'm whining so much when she's the real victim! I should be sorry for her- yet all I care about is your betrayal!" I cried, angrily storming towards Taehyung. He pursed his lips with his hands on his hips.
"What am I supposed to do?! I was drunk! I thought it was you, so I touched her-"
"I'm not blaming you for accidentally betraying me, but you should be sorry towards Hwa-young!" I snapped. Taehyung hardened his face at my tearful eyes. He seemed conflicted.
"What do you want me to do then? Kneel before her? Beg for forgiveness? Will it erase my touch from her skin?!" Taehyung snapped. I closed my eyes to let the warm tears trickle down my face.
"I don't know! It's your problem- But why am I hurting over it?! I don't know Kim Taehyung! How will you resolve this conflict?! You tell me!" I snapped, angrily prodding his chest.
"I'm sorry- Sora-" Taehyung whimpered, shakily stepping forward to embrace my body. I gripped his shirt and cried in distress as he patted my head.
"Do it," I muttered, pulling away to glare at him.
"What?" Taehyung scanned my tearful eyes.
"Do what you always do whenever I doubt your love! Fuck me! Do whatever with my body! Because I'm losing my mind right now! And I'm afraid I'll fucking give up on you- so poison me with your love to keep me addicted!" I snapped, angrily seizing his arm to tow him toward the bed. Taehyung scoffed in disbelief as I pushed him down onto the mattress. My heart- It's tearing itself apart, and I hate the fact... that I'm beginning to detest him!
"Sora-"
"Do it, Kim Taehyung! Ruin me!" I screamed in desperation. It always worked wonders! His strategy to weaken me! Maybe it'll work again after he exhausts my body and mind?! I'm desperately attempting to save our relationship so- maybe- I can deceive myself into submitting to him again if he fucked me right!
Taehyung didn't react and remained under me with a sulky expression. He carefully sat up to cup my soaked cheeks, gently hugging my throbbing body with his comforting warmth. He reached down to pick up my gown from the floor while holding onto my naked body.
"Don't cry," Taehyung sighed, lifting my body off his lap to settle me on the mattress. He quietly pulled the gown over my head and helped me back into the nightgown.
I stared at his beaten expression in silence as he crouched before the foot of the bed, weakly lowering his head in defeat to press his face against my knees as he reflected on his actions and hurtful speeches. My chest wouldn't stop pulsing with the dull ache, so I sighed in frustration and wept internally until the silent tears spilled from my eyes. I felt helpless. I can't fix this for him... and he's struggling to deal with the issue.
I don't know how to help him when I'm a total wreck like this.
Fast Forward
I ended up falling asleep inside his room that night. Taehyung tucked me in and left for work since it was already morning. I fell ill for the next few days. High fever... stuffed nostrils and an aching body. We didn't speak about the fights afterward and I remained in solitude within the walls of my rooms.
"What's wrong?" Eomma lifted her eyes from her document as I limped inside her office in my usual nightwear and cool patch over my forehead. My hair... striking messily, but I didn't care... and I sat down on the couch without answering her and hugged my knees. Eomma kept her uneasy eyes on me as I watched her with my dark circles.
"Did... appa... ever... cheat on you?" I asked. My mind is diving into the deep end, and I feel like I will lose my sanity because of the harmful thoughts and miseries. Eomma dimmed her eyes at my unstable condition.
"No. Your father is a loyal man," Eomma sighed, leaning back against her armchair.
"If you were me... What would you do? Eomma, I'm lost. My heart... it keeps aching," I mumbled with my tearful eyes fixed on the gloomy sky outside the window. Eomma grew hushed as she watched me sniffle. We both know I can't interfere with the issue... but I'm hurting too much and I can't ease the pain. I need to resolve the conflict before it kills me.
"You know the answer. Why are you asking me?" Eomma sighed.
"I- I love him- and I'm willing to forgive him, but- I don't know. I don't want to see him anymore because I keep breaking at his presence," I shook my head. I always claimed to be different from my mother despite being her blood daughter... but I was wrong. I inherited the greed for love from her. My possessive nature is killing me because I hate sharing my lover with another person.
He completely wrecked my trust.
"Men... They're the bane of our existence. Love... is a beautiful sensation. All the little moments. The innocent kisses and endearing memories. They make us feel loved. They make us feel wanted. They make us their priority. We usually get through all the conflicts together and resolve the issue as one if the love is healthy and mature. But... there is one curse... with the potential to ruin a wholesome relationship. And that is... the presence of another woman. Once there's another woman's involvement... the possibility of the relationship surviving is slim. It only takes a few seconds or even... a few minutes of blunder to break each other's hearts. One might claim it's unintentional and... that it was merely a mistake... but broken glass can't be restored to its perfect condition... even if it was an accident. Sure. The shards could be pieced back to their rightful places, but the streaks... of our torn fragments... will still be visible to the eye," Eomma spoke quietly. I sat in silence to ponder her words.
My mother is right. Whether or not his error was intentional... I'm already broken. Is that why I'm in so much pain? Because I'm aware of my shattered pieces. I'm trying desperately to put the shards back together with Taehyung... but we're both bleeding from the rough edges.
The glass heart... is now smeared with... my blood... filling the cracks and rifts with the muted heartbreak.
"Why do you wish to discard him?" I asked, lifting my deserted gaze to eomma.
"Why don't you question Kim Taehyung yourself? Didn't he inform you of his intention to keep you by his side?" Eomma asked. I lowered my eyes to my yellowish palms.
"He said it's love," I muttered.
"But you're doubting him? So you're skeptical of his love?" Eomma questioned. I've been dismissing the troubled feelings towards Taehyung by using love as an excuse to justify his actions.
"I want to know the truth," I muttered. Eomma dimmed her eyes.
"He threatened to expose his crimes to the Jeons," Eomma sighed. I looked up at her in surprise.
"What?-"
"He said he'll destroy the households from within if I took you away from him. He'll confess to murdering his uncle. The Jeons... will likely break off our alliance if they uncover the truth behind the average's death. Kim Taehyung signed the Chul alliance under The Jeon to taunt me with his hostile intention to eliminate our household. If I dared end your relationship... He'll wreck our household with his crime, and the Chul will have to side with the Jeon. The Park will side with the Kims and us? We'll be left with nothing," Eomma nodded. I gripped my fists.
"But if he ruins us... then he won't be able to marry me-"
"Exactly. It's not about you, Sora. It's not about the marriage. Kim Taehyung... is willing to scrap us from the chessboard if he fails to achieve your power. It's his end goal... to integrate with our bloodline... to seize the throne of immunity in the council. It's either he marries you for power... or he'll destroy you to achieve the power," Eomma sighed. So... that's the reason... eomma was so... anxious about him? My chest churned in discomfort as I thought about her words.
Eomma didn't wish to abandon him.
It was Kim Taehyung who... intended to discard us first.
______________________
I turned on the mattress to hug Taehyung's bare chest. He snored softly against my head, so I lifted my face to stare at his side profile. It didn't work. The intimacy didn't work on me anymore. I sat up to pull on my hair in distress.
Hah~ I'm going crazy. We fought again last night... and I was desperate to forgive him, so I begged him to poison me with his addictive love, and he did. He exploited my vulnerable body with lust and suffocating kisses. I moaned and whimpered for his love on his bed, pathetically pleading with him to numb my aching heart, and he did as I requested. I was numb... temporarily... while he was penetrating me. I couldn't think but savor the blazing pleasure between my legs. I assumed I could let him use my body to weaken me... but I was wrong.
My heart is still hollow and I am... still... hurting.
Fast Forward
I stared at the reflection of my dreadful face in the mirror, gently tugging my collar to cover the love bruises. Night after night... He'd manhandle my body as he pleased, and I let him because it was the only solution to ease the swelling in my chest. Taehyung was almost always away at the office to complete his work during the day, and I spent most of my time at the university. Alone. Jungkook got super bitter with me for letting Taehyung use my body for pleasure, so he stopped speaking to me. I had no friends and no one to speak with. Everyone appeared happy with their lives... except me. I'm once again... succumbing to the darkness in my mind.
Hwa-young? She appeared... ill ... and every time we meet... I feel the intense guilt feasting inside me.
No matter how desperately I tried to overlook the rift between us, I couldn't. I wanted Taehyung. I knew I loved him but... it felt wrong... and yet... I was stubborn and chose to replace the distressing emotions with sex.
Sighing, I tapped Yangcha's phone to look through his cute selfies. He was such a bright soul with so much potential. I can still recall his radiant smile and cute dimples. But he's gone now. As if he never existed in this world. I quietly scrolled through the discontinued application on his phone. Rumors... gossip... and insider information were leaked on the site. The platform is inactive, but I can still view the archives. It was interesting. To go through all the publicized sources. I kept scrolling down until... I found a few pictures. It was Hoseok's party.
Someone uploaded pictures of the alphas. I smiled at the drunk pictures of Minah and Jungkook dancing. Swipe.
Namjoon appeared, speaking intensely with Haerim. Swipe.
Hoseok appeared with a drink. Swipe.
Seokjin was tugging at his collar. Swipe.
Taehyung was grimacing at the flashed picture. A lower rank had forced him for a picture. He looked annoyed. Swipe.
I found a picture of myself smiling at Hoseok with my purple lips. Wait a minute- I swiped backward to inspect Taehyung's picture again. I pursed my lips as I zoomed into the picture to find him... clutching a purple lollipop in his hand. Taehyung had a purple lollipop that night? So Hoseok told me the truth?
I quickly swiped back to Seokjin's picture... to find him... holding a red... lollipop between his fingers. I had blue that night. And Hoseok? I zoomed in on the picture... he was sucking on a blue-colored stick. He had the same color as mine...? We couldn't have created the purple combination if we had the same colored tongues. And Haerim? She was sucking on a red one.
I lowered Yangcha's phone in disbelief. Hoseok told me the truth. That night... I was in the closet with Seokjin and never Taehyung. But Seokjin was too drunk to remember anything, so he never really brought up the topic. And Taehyung? His lips were purple because he had the purple piece, but why did he lie to me? Why did he- I snapped out of my straining thoughts once Seokjin came strolling inside the storage room. The alpha funnily flinched, panicking at my presence once he found me sitting on the floor beside the desk. He cleared his throat and turned to look through the old thesis documents on the rack... as if I was invisible.
"Why did you send me Yangcha's belongings?" I asked. Seokjin didn't respond as he inspected the leather cases.
"I figured you were the closest person to him. He probably left behind his items for you, given he used your birthday as the access code," Seokjin shrugged. Yangcha left everything to me?
"Your confiscated contracts... It's not in any of the devices," I replied. Seokjin pulled out a thick case to flip through the files.
"I know," Seokjin replied. So he went through the files too...? I watched him place the case back on the rack.
"Do you remember the night at Hoseok's party? The lollipop? Where were you that night?" I asked curiously. Seokjin briefly glanced at me with a confused look.
"Hoseok dragged me into his darkroom... but I was too tipsy... so I hid in his closet," Seokjin shrugged. So he remembers.
"You knew?" I asked, dumbfounded by his confession.
"No. I couldn't remember much but the sweet aftertaste on my lips. But I figured it was you... after Hoseok... pointed it out to me," Seokjin shrugged. I sighed and lowered my head.
"And I was the oblivious one," I muttered, closing my eyes with my head tilted against the wall.
"About our argument-" Seokjin cleared his throat but was abruptly interrupted when the door to the storage room flung open and Kim Taehyung appeared with a furious scowl. What is he doing at the university? Isn't he supposed to be at the tower?!
"Kim Seokjin!" Taehyung roared, storming toward his fellow president. I quickly scrambled to my feet in a panic as Taehyung seized Seokjin's collar with his deadly glare on the alpha.
"Yah- What the hell?!-"
"What did you do with her!?" Taehyung snapped, furiously firing me a rageful glare.
"W-What's the matter- oppa!" I gasped, frantically rushing forward to stop Taehyung from hurting Seokjin.
"Urgh-" Seokjin groaned, toppling into the rack after receiving a painful left hook to his cheekbone. I grabbed Taehyung's forearm to tug him back. He angrily shoved me away and tried to grab Seokjin again but was flung backward by a harsh blow. Thud. Taehyung collapsed onto the ground, colliding with the metallic racks after Kim Seokjin kicked him in the chest.
"Taehyung!- Calm down-"
"CALM DOWN!? TELL ME WHY YOU WERE WITH THAT MOTHER FUCKER ON THE ISLAND?! WHILE I WAS DRUNK!?" Taehyung screamed at my face, angrily shoving me aside. I fell onto my butt in horror.
"What?" Seokjin stared at Taehyung with his eyebrows furrowed.
"In the wine storage! The fucking shed! Why were you there?!" Taehyung screamed at my face in tears as he sat on the floor. My heart thumped hard against my ribs as I stared at his boiling-red face.
"Nothing happened! Sora was there by accident-"
"WHY IS IT- THAT YOU TWO- ALWAYS- END UP IN THE SAME PLACE BY ACCIDENT?! I WAS GUILTY OF MY ACTIONS- AND YET YOU FUCKING HID YOUR AFFAIRS WITH THE FUCKER-"
"WE DIDN'T DO ANYTHING!-" I screamed at Taehyung in anger.
"YEAH?! THEN WHY WAS THERE TRACES OF SEMEN IN THE FUCKING WAREHOUSE?! HUH?! AND YOUR FUCKING HAIR STRAND!? AND HIS FINGERPRINTS!? JUNG HOSEOK RELEASED THE NEW INVESTIGATION REPORT. YOU LEFT YOUR TRACES THERE!" Taehyung furiously shouted while glaring at Seokjin, whose face drained in bewilderment as he stood by the rack with a bruised face.
"Y-Yah?! We seriously didn't-"
"WHAT HAPPENED, SORA!? DID YOU FUCK HIM?! DID YOU SUCK HIS HARD COCK?! DID YOU LET HIM FUCK YOUR TIGHT PUSSY?!-" Taehyung bellowed until I felt his spit splattering in my face. SLAP. I struck the madman hard across his face as the darkness pounded in my head with the icy cold sensation. Taehyung scoffed with his head turned to the side and snapped his burning face back at me in shock with a bright red handprint on his cheek.
"How dare you accuse me of fucking another man while you were fingering another woman's pussy in the sea?! How dare you scream at me for betraying you after you ran your filthy fingers over her body?!" I screamed, grabbing his collar with my burning glower on his sweaty face. Taehyung seethed angrily, keeping his glowering killer eyes on my dark pupils.
"Yah- Kim Taehyung. Sora and I- we never- Sora!" Seokjin tried to explain the misunderstanding. I hastily shoved Taehyung onto the floor, leaped to my feet, and dashed out of the room in frustration. How dare he use my encounter with Seokjin against me?! Did he think it would make him feel better about harassing Hwa-young?!?!
"Oh?- Sora???" Sungho gasped after I accidentally ran into him. I rubbed my tearful eyes and hurried up the staircase in frustration. Fuck! I want to die at this rate! Thud. I kicked the rooftop door open, stumbling into the heavy rainstorm as the violent wind bashed my feeble body with its stinging pellets. I weakly tumbled onto the wet pavement and lowered my face to cry in anguish. I've had enough! I can't do this anymore!
"HOW MANY TIMES DID I FUCKING WARN YOU- NOT TO RUN AWAY WHEN I'M FUCKING SPEAKING WITH YOU-"
"LEAVE ME ALONE!" I screamed, angrily turning to glare at Taehyung after he followed me to the rooftop. I don't want to see his fucking face anymore! Taehyung stood by the opened rooftop door with his resentful glare locked on mine. Fuck it! I'll face him!
"Don't you dare manipulate me with your pathetic whimpers and tears! Admit it, Sora! You cheated on me with that asshole!" Taehyung stormed forward. I didn't flinch and stood my ground with my tearful eyes glued on him as the wind violently swirled around us. The dark sky... rumbling dangerously above our heads. What are the odds of being struck by lightning? I want to set him on fire!
"The only time I let out the pathetic whimpers is when I'm with you! Whether it's because I'm upset- or because I'm getting fucked by you-"
"YAH! WATCH YOUR MOUTH!" Taehyung roared, roughly snatching my cheeks between his fingers. I tearfully stared at him as he squeezed my face in anger.
"Why are you dumping the faults on me when you're very well aware- that it's all your fault?! Why?! Because you can't admit to your unfaithfulness?! So you're now accusing me of committing the same crime?!" I asked, hastily slapping his hand off my throbbing cheeks. Taehyung fired me a killer glare as the cold droplets poured onto our bodies. The sky suddenly lit up brightly, followed by a clamorous thunder as the strong wind blasted the freezing air over the rooftop, numbing our skin with its frost.
"I told you I never meant to touch her! I thought it was you-"
"That's the problem! I always believed your words! Your lies! Because you claim it's your definition of love! To touch me just the way you touched her! Your fucking dirty hands- between my legs! You fucking slimy tongue sucking on my hard nipples! Your hard dick- beating inside me until I cum all over the sheet! That's what it is to you! Love?! Yeah, sure- it's your love language!-"
"Are you nuts!? You consented-"
"OH, I DID! I LOVED TO BE FUCKED BY YOU! SURE! BUT THAT'S ALL THERE IS TO OUR RELATIONSHIP! SEX! ARGUMENTS! FIGHTS! IGNORANCE! MORE SEX!" I screamed in his face. Taehyung pursed his lips to search my angered scowl in disbelief. I left him speechless.
"Sex...? That's all you can acknowledge in our relationship? So everything else... everything I did for you!- It was never a form of love?! The way I cared for you! The extremes I took to protect you from harm! The death penalty I had to face in the murder trial! Jang Sora! I allowed you to exploit me-"
"That's not love! It's not love! You're confusing it with your duties to care for me!" I screeched. Taehyung frowned at my absurd claims as if he didn't hear me right.
"What's the matter with you?!-"
"Everything you did for me- it's your subconscious duty to raise me! You've been doing it since you were young! To care for me! To protect me! To prioritize me! But you never loved me! It was all your brotherly obligations because I was the youngest! You never saw me as someone you loved! But a burden in your life! A child that constantly needs you! A child that doesn't know what to do with her own life aside from relying on you! You don't love me! It's your duty to care for me! Why? Because I'm your power source. Everything you did for me now is to acquire power from me! The only way for you to earn the position in the council is to keep me alive, fed, and happy! So you could marry me to solidify your power! Every time you cheered me up- it was not because you cared about my feelings but because my negative emotions- might ruin our relationship! You're afraid I'll detach myself from you- and you'd lose your grip in the power game- so you did whatever you could to please me! Even if I'm being a fucking cynical brat- you'd let me have everything my way like the child you were tasked to raise all your life! So I'd be pleased with you, and so I'd be willing to live another day for you! Because as long as I'm alive and in love with Kim Taehyung- You'll be the most powerful man in the fucking society!" I cried in distress. I finally found my answer.
The grounds for my uncertainty... despite being happy around him is clear to me now. I realized it was his subconscious duty to raise me since I was a child. His love felt indifferent because that's how- He's been treating me as a child! And it's not love! Never was!
Kim Taehyung saw me as a burden in his life- but he took care of me anyways because it was his sole obligation as my mother's ally. Nothing changed after we grew up! It's merely his instinct to care for me and to nurse my sulkiness because- the only way to achieve marriage is to keep me content with his presence. He never did it out of genuine feelings because he loved me! It's his natural instinct to earn my favor!
"Who are you to demonize my feelings for you?!" Taehyung seethed, darkly narrowing his sore pupils on me.
"Why is it so easy for me to love you? But you find it so difficult to love me? That's because your affection was never real! And I was always the one... to love you with genuine feelings. Since we were young- I've always clung to you and given you privileged access... whenever you needed me. Whatever you told me... Whatever you promised... What excuses you used... I always believed you, but you don't feel the same way. You always questioned my loyalty! Every word I told you... every feeling I expressed... you never believed me! Because loving me is a fucking commitment to fulfill and never your sincere affection!" I sobbed. I'm tired of tricking myself into falling for his empty promises. Taehyung towered over me as the cold water soaked his bangs. He glared at me with his flaming red eyes.
"If you truly believe... my love is merely a duty to fulfill... then let's end it here. I'm tired of your bullshit," Taehyung clenched his jaw, causing my chest to ache intensely.
"W-What?" I blinked in horror.
"You claim... I'm simply nursing your feelings because I need you to favor me, so I won't do it anymore. I won't waste my affection on an ungrateful person like you. Let's break up. You claim I'm simply seducing you for power..? Hmm? But it is you, Jang Sora... who is taking my love for granted. I never- once-! Saw our love as a duty to fulfill- but it is you- You saw me as the man with a duty to fuck you as a trade-off for power. Guess what?! I don't need the fucking marriage to earn my status in the council- so let's end this pointless relationship! I'm tired of you! You fucking exhausts me! I'm fucking tired of putting up with your childish stunts and stupid assumptions! And if you're still attached to the man you hooked up with in the dark closet- then go and fuck him. Hopefully, he'll offer you the delusional love I couldn't grant you. HOPEFULLY- HE'LL FUCK YOU WITH LOVE!" Taehyung sneered, turning to leave through the door. My heart dropped. Thud. I felt this extreme... excruciating pain crashing violently throughout my body after being dumped by Kim Taehyung.
A stream of hot tears filled my eyes as I stood... alone... in the cold storm.
A moment later.
Third Person POV
The soft drizzle subtly showered over the campus building after the rainstorm subsided. Jeon Jungkook rushed through the gate and back inside the empty building as he frantically dialed the supreme alpha. Call unreachable.
"Have you seen Sora?!" Jungkook snapped, grabbing Seokjin, who was the last to leave the president's lounge.
"No? She argued with Taehyung earlier- I thought she went home?" Seokjin asked, cluelessly staring at Jungkook.
"She didn't check out of school-" Jungkook shook his head. Seokjin frowned, suddenly turning to rush towards the emergency exit.
Jeon Jungkook quickly chased after Seokjin as he climbed the stairs in a hurry to find dirty shoe prints on the vacant stairs. Thud. Seokjin shoved the door open. Jungkook roughly pushed past the alpha and stormed onto the rooftop. They both halted once their eyes landed on Jang Sora. She was... lying on the bench... soaked from head to toe as the icy wind numbed her nerves.
"Shit-" Seokjin cursed, rushing forward to seize her quivering hands. Jungkook supported her body as Seokjin helped her onto the half-blood's back. The alpha stood up and hurried back down the stairs in a hurry as Seokjin held the door open for them.
A moment later.
"My poor child!" Imo cried while standing by the bed to watch the nurse calm Sora's threatening fever. Her face burnt bright red... and her... body twitched in distress on the medical bed.
"She's having a seizure!" The nurse gasped. Do-hwan immediately rushed forward to hold her body as the nurse performed their duties. Jungkook anxiously sat on the medical room's couch with his hands pressed over his lips, sourly watching the supreme alpha's dire condition.
"Bring my equipment!" The head doctor bellowed, barging inside the room after rushing through the rainstorm to assist her condition. Sora groaned on the pillow as she tossed and turned until her eyeballs rolled into the back of her sockets. The head doctor ultimately evacuated the room to concentrate on the intensive treatment to avoid distractions.
The bustling mansion eventually grew hushed after the team succeeded... in calming Jang Sora's hyperthermia episode. The elders visited her briefly and left for bed since it was past midnight... so the only souls by her lifeless side were... Jeon Jungkook and Do-hwan.
Both men sat quietly in the room... with their weary gazes fixed on her ashen face.
"Why was she on the rooftop alone?" Do-hwan asked.
"Seokjin said she was arguing with Taehyung," Jungkook shrugged. The guard grunted and tilted his head backward in frustration. Jungkook exhaled heavily and leaned back with his hands clasped together. He tried contacting his cousin, but Kim Taehyung ignored his calls.
Fast Forward
Sora's POV
I stared unblinking at the swaying tree branches from my room, listlessly sitting in the wheelchair with a blanket over my numb legs. The hyperthermia episode had weakened my immune system and... my ability to use my limbs. I couldn't properly move my body without assistance. My muscles were sore and I felt like... I'm entirely depleted of energy.
Jungkook would visit me before he left for school and after he returned from the university. It's been three days since I last saw Taehyung on the rooftop. Sighing, I steered my automated wheelchair out of the suffocating room... and entered the kitchen to find... imo slicing a freshly baked cake.
"Young lady! What are you-"
"Can I have a slice?" I asked, weakly smiling. Imo nodded and placed the plate with the red velvet cake on my lap. I sighed and rolled my wheelchair back to the living room.
The door suddenly opened, and Taehyung appeared for the first time after our heated argument. He didn't look at me and strode off... as if I didn't exist in his world.
I heard Jungkook punched Taehyung the other night after he returned home. They squabble pretty bad over me because Jungkook came into my room with a bandaged head this morning. I lifted the fork over the cake but halted as this... uncomfortable emotion pained my chest. Sighing, I lowered the fork and redirected my automated wheelchair toward the corridor. Finally, stopping before a door. I should apologize.
Knock. Knock. I nervously sat in my wheelchair with my eyes on the door. No answer. Gulping, I knocked again. And again. Still. No response. Tears filled my eyes. I slowly placed the plate... in front of the door and drove my wheelchair back inside my room. I left the cake for Taehyung as an apology.
I thought Taehyung was temporarily upset with me, but a week passed by... and he's still ignoring my existence. Every single day... I tried calling him and even asked the maid to request his presence, but he refused to show up.
Taehyung left early in the morning to work and would return late to the mansion. I never woke up early enough to greet him. And I always fell asleep in the living room before his return.
Days and nights... I sat helplessly in the wheelchair to yearn for him.
"Oh! Oppa-" I called, helplessly rolling my wheelchair forward when I caught him walking down the corridor. I've been sitting outside my room the entire night in the wheelchair. He passed me without batting an eye and walked straight to his room, so I desperately drove the wheelchair after him.
"I made biscuits today with imo-" THUD. I halted in shock, lifting my face from the plate of snacks to look at the solid door before my face. Taehyung coldly slammed the door on me again. I gripped my fingers and lowered my eyes to stare at the cold snacks until tears slipped down my cheeks. I sobbed uncontrollably, lifting my arm to rub the sleeves over my damp cheeks.
"Did he refuse your food again?" Do-hwan sighed as I placed the plate on his desk at the office. I didn't answer and rode my wheelchair to sit in the corner of his office. The man bitterly watched me sulk from his desk as he quietly ate the biscuits. I lowered my face to press my soaked eyelashes against the lustrous silk while hugging my knees. When will this pain end? I can't endure the pain any longer.
My heart... it's completely crushed.
Fast Forward
[Song Recommendation: Love the way you lie - Eminem ft. Rihanna]
I unblinkingly sat on the couch beside Jungkook with my hands clasped as the elders gathered in the living room with the Chul. Hwa-young nervously sat beside Sungho, who was anxiously observing my bony face. I didn't greet anyone and remained a lifeless shell. Jungkook nervously patted my knee over the nightgown to comfort me. Still, I didn't move and soullessly remained seated until Taehyung appeared. He didn't sit beside me and chose to sit with his parents on the couch across from Hwa-young. Ache. I gripped my fingers to counter the throbbing pain in my chest.
"We heard Hwa-young... has been receiving supportive consultation?" Mrs. Kim sadly eyed Hwa-young's timid behavior. She refused to look up at Taehyung.
"Neh. But she's still... unwell. That's why I wished to speak with the households today. I'm afraid her condition will worsen. Perhaps... Taehyung could speak in person with Hwa-young? You two should figure it out. I don't think you'll get better if you avoid the issue," Mrs. Chul encouraged her daughter. Hwa-young nervously lifted her face to look at Taehyung.
"We'd do anything to resolve the conflict-"
"Kim Taehyung should marry Hwa-young to resolve the issue," Eomma sighed. I lifted my face to stare at my mother, startled by her statement.
"Neh?" Hwa-young widened her eyes. I gripped my nightgown.
"You must've felt ashamed because of the incident. The society has been speaking ill of you because of the Kim's heir. He should... be liable for his actions," Eomma shrugged.
"But what about Sora? She's engaged-" Sungho uneasily straightened his back.
"He broke up with her," Jungkook muttered. Mrs. Kim and her husband immediately turned to stare at their son in bewilderment. Taehyung remained blank as he kept his eyes on Hwa-young.
"We wouldn't dare disrupt the supreme alpha's marriage- "
"Fine. If marriage is the only way to make her feel at peace... then I'll bear the responsibility and marry her," Taehyung agreed. Jungkook turned to look at Taehyung with his eyes bulging open as I fought to contain the rotting pain in my chest.
"Taehyung-"
"The supreme alpha wanted me to bear the responsibility for my foolish acts, but I can't reverse my actions. I've already assaulted Hwa-young's body, and she's living with the trauma of my touches... so it's only appropriate if I marry her. Surely we can resolve the issue between us with marriage," Taehyung sighed. I finally lifted my tearful eyes to look at him. It felt like... I was stabbed by a piercing dagger... right in my chest. Taehyung didn't look at me.
"But the Jang-"
"I do not wish to upset the Chul. Sora had already broken up with Taehyung. Therefore, The Kims may do as they wish. The Jang will not interfere," Appa assured.
"Sora, sweetie. Are you alright?" Mrs. Kim glanced at me. I bit my trembling lips as the tear walls swelled in my eyes. I tried desperately not to blink and swallowed the burning lump in my throat. Taehyung sighed and stood up from his seat. I glanced at him unsurely as he approached me.
"Give me our engagement ring," He said coldly, placing out his palm. I glanced down at the ring on my finger and back at him.
"Oppa-" I whimpered, tearfully looking back up at him. Taehyung hastily grabbed my wrist, so I frantically curled my left hand into a tight fist as he attempted to withdraw the ring from my finger.
"The decision doesn't have to be this hasty!-" Sungho gasped as Taehyung roughly stretched my fingers open. I grabbed his wrist with my other hand to push Taehyung away, but he stubbornly fought to slip the ring from my finger. I burst out crying in distress as I struggled to keep the ring on my finger.
"OPPA! STOP IT-"
"My love was never enough for you. You said it yourself, so give me the ring. I'll give it to another woman," Taehyung gritted, roughly snatching the ring from my hand. I whimpered and looked at him with my burning tearful eyes.
"O-oppa- I really didn't mean- oppa!" I begged, frantically grabbing his hand to stop him, but Taehyung hastily yanked his arm out of my grip, sending me tumbling off the couch.
"Sora!" Jungkook gasped, immediately grabbing my arm to support me. I shoved Jungkook aside and tried to get up, but my legs were still too weak, so I helplessly tumbled back onto the floor. Taehyung stormed towards Hwa-young with the ring.
"Oppa! Jebal! S-Speak to me first! I'm begging you!" I pleaded, ugly crying before everyone as I knelt helplessly on the floor. Taehyung didn't listen to my plea. He grabbed Hwa-young's hand to fit the ring onto her ring finger. She fearfully lifted her eyes to stare at me from the couch.
"Let's skip the engagement and proceed with the wedding," Taehyung firmly held Hwa-young's hand after he proposed to her. My soul left my body as I watched Kim Taehyung announce his marriage with another woman. Sungho glanced at me in fright and back at Taehyung as he impulsively insisted on marrying Chul Hwa-young. I wept in grief and lowered my face to let the warm tears glaze my damp cheeks.
Throb...
Throb...
Throb...
It was only a tiny crack at first... but at this very moment... it wasn't only my heart that was breaking.
The muted pain.
No matter how desperately... I wailed or whimpered for it to cease... I couldn't stop it from shredding my weak heart with its ruthlessness.
The rotting wound remained unbearable within my chest... agonizing my ruptured soul with the first... heartbreak.
.
.
.
He betrayed me.
___________________________
Oh no~ I cried while writing this chapter T_T I'm sorry~
How's everyone doing? I wanted to update early so I came back asap! Thank you for supporting ALPHA! I love you guys~! Imma go to bed now~ Hehe! <3