~ Devastating Love ~ Chapter 2~
"Kim Taehyung is on the way here?" Joohyun shrieked and got up from her seat and darted towards Seungwan personal coffee counter for her bag.
Seulgi was surprised by Joohyun's speed; she stood before her trying to halt her from leaving. "Joohyun...relax, listen to me...Joohyun..." she grabbed hold of her arms and stopped her. "I was just kidding, Jimin oppa is coming alone. Both of them went out for separate meetings, he won't be coming with Taehyung. Relax..."
"Kang Seulgi, it's not funny at all okay," Seungwan hit the playful dancer. "Your sense of humor never fails to raise a ruckus." She shook her head disbelievingly.
Joohyun frowned and puffed, irritated "yes, that's not funny."
Returning back to their seats, Seungwan took a sip of her coffee before looking at Seulgi who looked evidently happy. "So future Mrs. Park, when will your wedding take place?"
Seulgi's smile grew wider at the mention of her upcoming wedding, "we haven't really decided on the date yet. Jimin oppa had been very busy recently. I wonder how he planned on the proposal with his packed schedule." Swiping her phone, she looked up at the two "speaking of wedding, did you all see the news? Kim Taehyung and Kim Jennie are getting married."
Eyeing at the lady beside her, Seungwan kicked on Seulgi's shin under the table without Joohyun noticing. She signaled to her to not bring up the topic. Understanding the sign, Seulgi looked away while fingers gently tapping on her pursed lips awkwardly.
Joohyun sensed the awkwardness in the air; she smiled lightly "you ladies don't have to avoid talking about him in front of me."
Seulgi bit her lower lip, "are you sure you are fine?"
"Heol..." Seungwan rolled her eyes at Seulgi lack of sensitivity character. "She wouldn't have speed up to her bag if she is fine. Yah Kang Seulgi, you never change a bit."
Joohyun chuckled at Seungwan never ending complains, "That just show he has move on, isn't it?" she said whilst staring still on her cup of drink.
"Oh, Park Jimin is here," Seungwan pointed out at the man who was coming up from the stairs.
"Oppa, you are early, I thought you would be here around dinner time." Seulgi looked up to the man who casually draped his arm around her shoulder.
Jimin just smiled warmly before greeting the two ladies "Hi Seungwan noona," Jimin waved at her and turned to Joohyun, "Joohyun-shi, it had been quite some time since we last met."
Joohyun smiled uneasily before bowing her head courteously. "I need to make a move first..."
She took hold of her sling bag, ready to take her leave before Seungwan held on her wrist, "where are you going?"
"I skipped practice today, since I have some free time now before relieving oppa later I should go practice a bit," she explained.
"But it's almost dinner you can go after having dinner with us," Seungwan argued.
Joohyun shook her head "I'm not hungry, you all enjoy yourself."
Watching her left hastily, Jimin bewildered "because of me?"
"Isn't it obvious?" Seungwan rolled her eyes with her usual dramatic expression.
Jimin raised a brow, "Seungwan noona's remark is always unkind." Seulgi chuckled before pulling on her fiancé arm to sit beside her.
"Stop calling me noona, I'm only a month older than you do, okay." Seungwan said while tapping her finger on the table.
"Unnie, come to think of it, Taehyung and Joohyun are the youngest in the group," Seulgi said.
Jimin nodded, "Yup, his birthday is near Christmas while Joohyun's is near New Year." Turning his attention to the older lady, he asked "why is Joohyun avoiding me, it had been years since I last talk to her? Earlier was the longest sentence I've got to say to her over 7 years."
"To be precise, she has not spoken to anyone who is associated to Kim Taehyung," Seulgi answered.
Jimin chuckled at that statement, "that bad ha."
"Back then, I thought they became a thing after the party but what surprised me most is after the concert they became enemies," Seulgi scratched her head, agitated "I don't get it, have you ever ask Taehyung about this?"
"Never interfere in your boss personal matters, that was the first rule he set for me," Jimin stated.
"But you are his closest friend," Seulgi eyed at her fiancé suspiciously.
"Let's not talk about their history, I'll make you a drink what do you want?" Seungwan offered to the man who never leaks any information of his boss.
Jimin grinned, "The drink hyung like the most."
"One more time I'll make sure you'll get kick out from here," she pointed at him threateningly with her index finger, "I'll make the one you like. No wonder both of you are match made in heaven, lack of sensitivity."
"She stopped making that drink a year ago, remember" Seulgi reminded him.
"I know but it's just nice to tease her, I know you agree to me too." Jimin smirked before getting a pinch on his nose from her.
-
After the discussion with Jimin, Taehyung had left to the hospital to visit Mr. Bae. Stepping into the main entrance, he saw a petite woman dropped her things but before he could lend her a hand, a nurse came up to help. As he entered the ICU ward, he checked at the nurse station for Mr. Bae's room.
The moment he opened the door, he was frightened as he saw an object was thrown towards his direction.
"Eomma, stop it you would hurt him." Baekhyun held on Mrs. Bae who was outrageous with Taehyung's presence. He held on the elder woman wrist, "I'll bring him away."
"That's scary..." Taehyung eyes widened before looking at the cup that was threw at him earlier.
Baekhyun sighed, embarrassed by his mother's action. "Thank god her aim was bad or we would get sued for injuring you." The taller man did not know how to react to his statement.
Baekhyun beamed, patting on his back before bringing him to the café at ground floor, "let me get you a drink, what do you want?"
"I'll get for you hyung, please sit" Taehyung insisted as he pushed him down on the couch. Few minutes later, Taehyung came back with two cups of tea.
"Did you see Joohyun?" Baekhyun asked while helping Taehyung to put the drinks on the table from the tray. Taehyung looked at him with his two huge eyes, surprised. "She just left a while ago."
He shook his head and muttered "no..."
Baekhyun chortled, "What's with that surprise look? The last time I met you was back in 5 years during our family gathering. That was the first and last gathering you went."
"Hyung know very well I never like family meetings," Taehyung smiled. "How is Uncle Bae's condition?"
"We are still waiting for the anesthetic effect to wear off, nothing much can be done for now but at least he is not in a life-threatening condition." Baekhyun was grateful of that. "By the way, I'm sorry about my mother's behavior earlier. She just came back from home after a short rest."
"Never mind that, she has the right to feel angry. Have you spoken to Jumyeon-shi about the case?" Taehyung asked.
"I wanted to but this morning all us were swept away by hurricane." Baekhyun had his palms on his face, brushing it exhaustedly "all I could think was only appa at that moment, thank goodness we got to send him to the A&E in time. Joohyun tried contacting him but there was no response."
Taehyung's breath hitched upon hearing her name again. Holding on Baekhyun's shoulder, he said "I may not be of much help in the case but if you need any other help, please let me know."
He patted on his hand gratefully, "appreciate it, I know your uncle had been wanting to stop us from being the exclusive supplier in YJ Group. Sooner or later he would have given us more challenges."
"Hyung, you should return to SH Enterprise and lessen you father's burden. You can't just rely on your cousin," Taehyung wasn't sure how he should hint to him about the suspicious Jumyeon.
Baekhyun shook his head with a grin laced on his lips, "business was never my strength all I did in school was basketball, you know too. Joohyun would have done better but she loves music too much and gradually shunned away from our family business." He sighed before turning to Taehyung and noticed his nervous and bothered face, "why do I feel you would have this weird expression whenever I mention about my sister?"
Clearing his throat uneasily, Taehyung was caught off-guard by his question. "Did I? We weren't that close, just schoolmates."
"Why are you stammering I didn't even ask much," he grinned. "Schoolmates ha..."
"Yah hyung, I was talking about you going back to SH," Taehyung moved anxiously on his seat. Just like the past, he would easily become nervous before this man who used to be his senior in the basketball team.
"Yah??? Something must have happened between you two in the past. Anyway, I never expect you'd grown into such a mature man. I admire how you had stepped up and done so well in YJ for Uncle Kim." Sipping on his coffee again, he recalled "congratulations on your engagement. I never see that coming and with Kim Jennie?"
Taehyung forced out a smile, "thank you hyung."
"What's with that forceful smile?"
Crossing his arms before placing them on the table, Taehyung had a light smile on his face. "I envy you and Taeyeon noona a lot. Not many people could walk down the aisle together with your first love, the love of your life and you are the one and only I'd ever seen."
"Marriage is not a game, don't gamble with your happiness."
-
Taehyung spent some alone time at the café after the conversation with Baekhyun. Upon receiving Jimin's text about Joohyun heading back to Yoon Hwa Orchestra for practice, he decided to make a trip to the school again. Just when he stepped out from the side entrance towards the external seating area, he met a familiar figure who was waiting for him.
"Is there something you wanted to talk about, Aunt Bae?" he took a seat next to her at the garden.
Grabbing hold on his hands, Taehyung was frightened by her sudden action. Her voice was trembling, "I know you could help us, you are the only person who can save us, save SH Enterprise."
Loosening her hands from his, he was uncomfortable with her action, "Aunt Bae, I suggest you should let Baekhyun hyung handle this matter. Uncle Bae needs you to look after him. You shouldn't be worrying about this."
"Please help us, you are the only person who can help us now," she had both her knees on the floor before him.
Taehyung was surprised by her. "Aunt Bae, please stand," he grabbed hold of her arm and pulled her up.
"SH Enterprise is his everything, the claims your uncle demanded would kill us. We can't afford it, there's no way we could win this lawsuit. Taehyung-ah, please help us."
"This is beyond my control, Aunt Bae" he said sternly and turned around ready to take his leave.
"What do you want I'll offer you anything, Joohyun?" Mrs. Bae stated desperately which halted Taehyung from leaving. "Would you do something if I am to offer to you my daughter?"
He looked over his shoulder and said unrelentingly "what right do you have?"
"That's what you want? As long as you can save us from this crisis, I'll make sure you could have her."
"If she comes, SH Enterprise problems will be resolved." He said curtly and left.
-
It was almost 8.30pm when Taehyung arrived at Yoon Hwa Orchestra. He casually entered his room that was specially designed and constructed in a way where he could see and listen anything in Joohyun's room. The speakers of his room were connected to hers. As for the wall that separated both the rooms, from Joohyun's room, it looks like an ordinary solid wall but the moment you enter Taehyung's room, you could see it was actually a see through, transparent wall that enables him to watch her from his room. That was how he had listened and watched her practice for the past 7 years.
"Why does it sound different?"
He looked up to Joohyun from his armrest chair when he heard her voice. She was checking on her violin, her lips were sticking out, troubled.
"Was it because I dropped it earlier?" she talked to herself while checking on the strings and untied her pony tail without knowing someone was actually watching her, always. "Let's try one more time..."
Taehyung laughed quietly as he watched how Joohyun kept mumbling and pouted her lips to the strange sound her violin was producing. He rested his elbow on the arm of the chair before holding on his head, fascinated with the scene before him.
"Now this sounds better," she beamed from ear to ear while flipping on the sheets on the music stand. It was her newly produced piece of music, 'Spring Day'.
"I miss that smile a lot, do you know that?" he whispered woefully, loud enough for himself.
Listening to the soothing rhythm, he gradually drifted into slumberland, serenely. In his dream, he was walking on a secluded street in fear, he wasn't sure if he is once again trapped in the same nightmare; the night he feared most. As he walked further down, he saw a familiar scene; their very first meeting way back to 8 years ago. A smile crept on his face.
-Spring 2010-
"Taehyung-ah, you had been expelled by all the schools in Seoul and ours is the last that is willing to take you in, can't you at least try co-operating with us?"
The medium blonde-haired boy yawned while stretching forth his arms, "Mrs. Han, I don't wish to give you more trouble. My father decided to transfer me to Seoul Performing Arts High." Taehyung stood up and bowed respectfully, "this would be our last session. Thank you for keeping up with this troublemaker."
Holding on his shoulders, she said "I know you may not listen but I have to say this. If you don't untangle that messy knot in your heart, you can't live a happy life."
"Thank you, Mrs. Han," he winked before running out from her office towards his bike.
It had been eight weeks on end that he has to attend counselling session with the homeroom teacher as a punishment for violating the school's rules. Leaving the school on his bike, he rode towards his favorite arcade game shop. After removing his helmet, he checked on his hair through the side mirror of his bike and realized there was a group of boys eyeing at him. Almost instantly, he recognized the group's leader whom he had fought with 2 nights ago.
Running into the busy street of Myeongdong, Taehyung was searching for a good place to hide. It was difficult for the group to keep up with him due to the crowded street, they kept shouting for him to stop running. He ran into the arcade shop wanting to hide inside the karaoke box but it was occupied. Screening through the surrounding, he saw a pint-size female student checking on the Purikura photo machine.
Taehyung knew they were near; he paced up to the female student taking off her cap along the way while pulling her into the Purikura photo machine. She was frightened by the sudden ambush and yelped but he covered her mouth instantly, stopping her from making any unwanted sound.
"Who are you?" her voice was trembling as she looked up to the person who had pulled her into the machine, he was putting on her cap and pulling it downwards to ensure it could cover his face. Receiving no respond from him, she attempted to escape but he wrapped his arm around her waist swiftly bringing her closer to him.
She thumped on his chest and shrieked, "Let go of..."
Taehyung knew her sudden voice would have drawn the group's attention already. He turned her around and sealed her lips with his to avoid having the guys see him when they draw the curtain. Her eyes widened in surprise as she looked into his, baffled. She tried her best to free herself from his arm but the more she retaliated, he held her even closer with enormous strength.
Seeing the group of boys drew the curtain, she knew they were chasing after this boy who is assaulting her. She wanted to stop them from leaving but he brought up his free hand and held still on her head deepening the kiss, stopping her from making more noise. Her voice was muffled by his kiss completely.
When he noticed they have left, he released her and almost instantly, he could feel a stinging pain on his cheek. He held on his face, "did you just slap me, what was that for?" his voice was rather loud which scared her a little.
"How could you just kiss anyone you bumped into randomly, which school are you from?"
He rolled his eyes before taking out his wallet and took some notes out. "Compensation," he put the money into the pocket of her blazer and walked away.
"Yah, you can't just leave like that," she ran after him, "not even a sorry?"
All of a sudden, he whirled and grabbed hold on her blazer collar before pushing her to the wall behind him, caging her with his bigger frame.
Taehyung held on her nametag, "Bae Joohyun..." he closed in when he noticed she was afraid. Their lips were just inch apart, nose brushing one another's, "money is not what you want?"
Joohyun pushed his arm away when he placed his index finger on the bridge of her specs and turned to the side when she could feel his breath hitting her face. Her heart was beating extremely fast.
"Great, you could have just run away" she thought.
"Should I date you then?" he looked into her eyes darkly before whispering to her ear, "to thank you for helping me to get rid of those guys?"
Biting on her lips, Joohyun gathered all her strength and punched on his chest. Taehyung shouted and stepped back a pace in pain.
"Don't ever let me see you again, you a good for nothing rascal" she threw the notes on his face and ran out from the arcade shop.
"Such a petite girl but her strength is..." he smirked while touching on his lips with his thumb. "Bae Joohyun, interesting."
-Autumn 2018-
Smile was all over his face at the memory that was playing in his mind. However it didn't last long when the sudden continuous knock on the door woke him up from his sugary dream. His eyes wide opened in panic and when he saw the door opening in a slow pace, he could see Joohyun's peeking face from the small gap. He immediately ran up to the door and pushed it close briskly.
Joohyun was frightened by the sudden push, "I'm sorry Mr. Do, I knocked on the door a few times but there was no respond. I wasn't sure if you are inside. I didn't mean to bother you."
Taehyung cleared his throat, "hmm..."
His short reply made Joohyun worried, not knowing how to respond to him. "I'm leaving now, the guard on duty would be locking the main gate very soon. Do you want to leave?"
He held on his throat, afraid she would recognize his voice "You go ahead first."
Nodding her head, "alright..." she turned around ready to leave but recalled what she had wanted to say all this while. "I'd wanted to say this for a long time. Thank you for your help in keeping the orchestra team running. Good night."
Taehyung head dropped low while his back leaned on the door, he heaved a sigh of relief "that was close..."
For the first time in 7 years, they finally talked but sadly it was separated by the closed door that hid his secrets.
As usual Joohyun would take the last bus home and walked into the neighborhood in the dark while Taehyung would take his leave few minutes after her and his driver would tail behind her until she arrives at her doorstep of her house.
Watching her stepped into the house; he took his phone and dialed one of the favorite contacts in his contact list. "Did you receive my email?"
"Yes, working on it," the opposite line answered.
"Can it be done by tomorrow morning?"
"I would send you a draft in a while and if it's good to go, let me know where do you want to execute the agreement, be it your office or my firm."
"Great!"
He ended the call and shut his tired eyes "Am I doing the right thing?"
-
Joohyun entered the living room and noticed her mother was sitting motionlessly on the couch. She approached her to check if she is fine.
"Eomma, you should get some sleep. It's very late already."
Mrs. Bae smiled, "Joohyun you are back. I was waiting for you, come here." She patted on the couch gesturing Joohyun to sit beside her.
Joohyun felt uneasy as it had been quite some time since her mother last spoke to her in such a loving way.
"Joohyun-ah," she held on her hand "I have found someone who could save us, save our business."
"Really, that's good. Who is that?"
"But he has a condition and only you can fulfill this."
"Me?"
"Kim Taehyung's condition, is you. He wants you."
Presented by winter's rain
//Their very first meeting//
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