Alice pov :
As I walked to the parking area, I saw Taehyung's by his neatly parked fancy Mercedes. Earlier, I didn't really notice when he changed into a different suit, but now, I could clearly see that he was really good at wearing different colors and styles. I wondered how he made every outfit look so great. My own change from casual to business clothes didn't look as nice as his ability to wear anything and make it look amazing.
When he saw me coming and looked at me, he gave me a friendly smile and quickly opened the car door for me.
"Why did you decide to come with me, Mr. Kim?" I asked as I sat in the car. He put on his seatbelt and turned towards me.
"Well, I'm your assistant, so it makes sense for me to be with you all the time, right?"
I couldn't help but roll my eyes, knowing that Kim Taehyung wasn't someone you could easily argue with. He had a habit of using his brainpower for small and sometimes annoying things, instead of using it for more practical things. He could be quite frustrating.
After a short ten-minute drive, we reached the restaurant. It was owned by Taehyung's family, which showed his connection to it. Our table was on the restaurant's third floor, with a view of the ocean. I looked at Taehyung, who seemed a bit sad in his chair. Then, a man came over to us. He was wearing black jeans, a shirt, and a white jacket. His hair fell nicely on his forehead, and he was quite tall, probably taller than 6 feet.
"Are you the famous Kim Alice?" he asked. I stood up and shook his hand. "Yes, and you must be Daniel Wang."
He shook my hand and had a slightly strange smile.
"I'm really happy to meet you, Ms. Alice. I have to admit, you're even more beautiful than I thought."
His look had a bit of flirting in it. I pulled my hand back carefully and sat down gracefully. Meanwhile, Taehyung was staring at Daniel, his eyes sharp and intense. Finally, Daniel noticed Taehyung and offered his hand for a handshake.
"And you, sir…?" Daniel seemed a bit confused. Taehyung looked at the extended hand and seemed annoyed, but he still shook it. I could see that Taehyung was holding onto his hand really tightly.
"I'm Kim Taehyung, Ms. Alice's assistant, " he said in a cold way, looking at Daniel like a sharp knife. Daniel pulled his hand back quickly, looking a bit rough. Taehyung just went back to his seat, acting like the handshake didn't bother him at all.
"So, Mr. Wang, can you tell me why we're having this meeting? I have to admit, I didn't think it was very important."
Daniel sat across from me, and Taehyung sat next to me in his mysterious way.
Daniel smiled before answering. "How can you say it's not important? I've really wanted to meet the person who's been all over the news and media with her presence and achievements."
I couldn't help but make a little joke. "Well, I didn't know you had so much free time, Mr. Wang, just to meet me." It seemed random and strange that he called me by that name.
"You're right, Ms. Alice. Both of us are very busy, but believe me, there's nothing more important for me right now than meeting you. Everything else can wait."
Beside me, Taehyung shifted a bit, and I could feel heat coming from his side.
"Does that mean you never thought about saying no to our offer to work together, Mr. Wang?" I picked up the glass of orange juice I had ordered earlier and took a careful sip. I kept looking at him, a man who had appeared in many photoshoots over the past five years. He was definitely handsome in a young way, but there was something strange about him too. He didn't give off a friendly vibe, but then again, I was used to giving off vibes that made people keep their distance.
Daniel shook his head. "I would never miss a chance to work with someone like you, Miss Alice."
His flirty behavior didn't really affect me, but the serious man sitting next to me had been quiet and reserved during our entire discussion about the terms and conditions with Mr. Wang.
A waiter came over to take our orders. Since it was lunchtime, it seemed like a good idea to enjoy a nice meal. After talking to Mr. Wang, the waiter looked at me.
"What would you like to order, sir?" he asked.
"I'll have the pasta and Spinach Salad, please, without any spice," Mr. Wang said.
"I'll go for the grilled mackerel and stir-fried glass noodles, please," I ordered, then I discreetly tapped Taehyung's hand under the table, telling him to choose his food.
Finally, Taehyung looked at the waiter. He surprised me by giving the waiter a big smile, which was a bit strange.
"I'll have the beef galbi and Spaghetti, please."
"Sure thing, and what drink would you like, sir?"
"Semillon wine, please." The waiter left after noting the request.
Taehyung then looked at me with determination in his eyes before turning to Daniel.
"Who even likes salad? It's like food for animals," he said boldly, almost making me choke on my drink. Daniel seemed surprised by this unexpected comment.
"Taehyung," I interrupted, my tone serious.
He just shrugged casually, looking a bit pouty, as if he had just accomplished something big.
"Seriously, I think a long time ago, in the old days, someone who hadn't eaten for days must have eaten grass and called it Spinach. Now people are too silly to see the truth."
I rolled my eyes, but I couldn't help but smile. His strange talk was oddly charming.
"Mr. Daniel, please don't take his words too seriously. He's a bit different." I told Daniel, who looked at me with a puzzled expression. Then, unexpectedly, Taehyung stood up from his chair, surprising me.
He looked into my eyes for a moment, and in that quick look, I could sense something intriguing.
"I need to use the restroom," he said and left quickly. I frowned, feeling like he had some secret motive.
When I turned back to Daniel, he was looking at me with a flirty smile. Oh dear, it seemed like I was now on my own to deal with his company.
Taehyung pov :
That mean guy has been flirting a lot. I moved back to my seat next to Alice. She didn't seem bothered by his flirting, as if it didn't affect her at all. But let me tell you, it actually made me more nervous.
Finally, our food arrived. I kept watching that guy. He took a bite, and suddenly, his face turned really pale after he swallowed the first bite.
"Oh my, this is super spicy," he said, grabbing the glass of water and drinking it like he was really thirsty in a desert. Alice quickly reacted to his complaint.
"Mr. Wang, are you okay?" She looked worried, and I gripped my fork tightly. I'm not usually a violent person, but at that moment, I imagined poking him with that fork.
"I don't think it's as spicy as he's saying. Our staff wouldn't have messed up your order, Mr. Wang. They're really good at what they do," I said with a smirk. This was our place, and the staff here was always excellent. I tried not to laugh.
"No, seriously, they must have made a mistake. This feels like a volcano in my mouth," Daniel said between sips of water and trying to save his taste buds with a napkin. Meanwhile, Alice was looking at me with a knowing look in her eyes.
In the middle of this, a call interrupted our spicy drama. Daniel said sorry and went to take the call. He came back quickly.
"I'm sorry to interrupt, but it's an emergency. I need to leave. I hope you understand."
"Of course, Mr. Wang. It was nice meeting you. We'll see you at our photoshoot next week," Alice said politely.
Then, she surprised me by saying, "You did it, didn't you, Mr. Kim?" I froze, her words echoing in my head as I tried to understand what she meant.
"Look at me, Taehyung." When she said my name like that, it felt like she had some strange power over me. I couldn't breathe properly, and my heart was pounding fast. What was it about her?
Slowly, I looked at her. She stared back at me, her expression showing she understood, and she nodded as if we had an unsaid agreement.
"You don't need to say it; I can tell by your face."
"No, I didn't do anything, Ms. Frozen," I said firmly, my voice almost like I was defending myself.
She raised an eyebrow and shook her head, then she moved Daniel's plate of pasta closer to me.
"Then let me check. One bite, and we'll know the truth."
Alice reached for the fork to take a bite, but something inside me reacted. I grabbed her wrist gently but firmly, stopping her from eating that bit of food.
"You shouldn't eat from a plate that someone else has used," I blurted out, getting a bit annoyed at the thought of her sharing a fork with him.
"Really? Then you do it." She pushed the plate towards me, challenging me and leaving me confused.
"Why should I?" I asked, not understanding what she meant.
"Let's see if you did this 'clever' thing, or if I need to go ask the chef myself."
I was trapped. The chef would tell the truth for sure. I had asked him to make the food really spicy, and since he knew who I was, he followed my instructions. But I couldn't let someone innocent take the blame. Also, I can't handle really spicy food. It feels like a fight in my throat with every bite.
"Mr. Kim, you're making this more complicated than it needs to be. Either eat this, or I will. If I find out that you did this, your dad will be the first to know. Speak of your actions." Her voice got serious and cold, and I felt nervous. Why did she have to handle it like this? First, she didn't seem bothered by that guy's flirting. And now, just when I thought I was giving him a taste of his own medicine, she's making me look like a fool.
I reluctantly picked up the fork and took a bite, keeping my eyes on hers. The spiciness burned in my mouth, and my lips and throat hurt. The chef really made it super spicy. I was about to take another bite, but she stopped me by holding my wrist.
"That's enough." She took the fork from my hand and put it back on the plate. Then, she reached for the wine glass, giving it to me and guiding it towards my lips.
"Drink it quickly, or you might hurt your throat , Taehyung." Her voice was serious but also kind. Her blue eyes showed a bit of worry, and I couldn't stop looking at them.
I took the glass and drank the wine. It helped a bit with the pain in my throat, but it didn't completely fix it because I'm sensitive to spicy things.
Alice took my hand and led me out of the restaurant. I didn't say anything because my voice was completely gone. The burning feeling was really strong, and I felt like coughing and yelling because of the pain. When I was a kid, I had throat infections, and the doctor warned me that I might have trouble with spicy things and cold.
It was kind of a blur, but then I found myself sitting in the front seat of my car. Alice didn't say anything; she just started the car. My head felt light, and it was hard for me to stay awake.
"I can't believe your carelessness you pulled a stunt for no reason." Even though she sounded far away, I could tell she was disappointed. She looked at me in a way that made me feel even worse.
I knew I had to act normal so she wouldn't get suspicious. I sat up and tried not to cough.
Finally, we got to the office. She got out of the car and closed the door loudly. When she went inside, I then let it out i couldn't stop coughing, and tears were coming out of my eyes because it hurt so much. Breathing through my mouth made the burning worse, so I tried to breathe through my nose, but it didn't help much. It felt like someone was poking my throat with really hot needles.
With my hands shaking, I got my phone and opened the chat. Even though I could hardly see, I managed to type what was happening and sent the message.
I took off my coat, and I felt like I was on fire. skin damp from the sweat. My mind was getting fuzzy, and it was hard to keep my eyes open. I started to panic because I felt like I was going to pass out. I tried really hard not to close my eyes, not knowing if Amara had read my message. But soon, two people came running to my car. One was definitely Jungkook, and the other was definitely Amara.
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