Jimin had dressed himself up quietly and had grabbed the camera he had placed above his closet where it had the perfect view of the whole room and as such it was sure that it had captured every moment you two shared together.
He put his shoes on as he was seated at the corner of his bed, his mind screaming to him to not look behind him as if he was to do so, he was to be met with your sleeping figure that some minutes earlier rested in his arms.
His mind was still full of you. Your kisses, the taste of your skin, your voice that so sweetly called out his name while he was making love to you. Your eyes that so purely looked at him with love and desire. Seconds and small gestures that may remain in his head forever.
Everything was still inside him and his heart was already trembling in uncertainty so he knew that looking back at your innocent-looking figure, would just make it more difficult for him to walk out of that door and take one step towards his betrayal towards you. So he stood up with his eyes on the floor and just took a deep breath before his lips left a soft apology to escape. A sorry you were never to hear nor accept and he already was aware of that but he had to do what he had agreed on doing from the very start.
He can't turn back time but even if he could maybe he would have never dodged hurting someone at the end so he just accepted his outcome and with a heavy heart he left his room, leaving you behind, sleeping sweetly among his bedsheets, dreaming of the sweetest dreams.
Everything was dark as he walked soundlessly down the corridors, knowing that all the workers must be resting by now. The time was very late yet he still walked towards TaeYong's office, hoping to find him there so he won't need to pass more agonizing hours waiting till he wakes up. He needed to do this quickly. He needed to get to his family and most importantly, he just wanted to get done with it so his contradicting thoughts won't be scaring him so much, each second that the clock ticked away.
Jimin was never more fearful of his own self that he was at that moment. Of the force within him, that was fighting a bloody battle with his logical thoughts, however, he just couldn't allow himself to back away. Especially now that his family was literally being captive and he had a time limit ticking on his head and their lives. It doesn't matter how much it tore him apart, he had to knock on that damn door and take his money. He earned it with his soul so he was not going to ever be thankful nor shameful about it or so he had thought to himself. He was gonna pay for it eternally anyways.
His knuckles hit against the wooden door twice as his face grew cold and his breath locked itself in his throat, unable to get out, but after a minute of silence, he heard TaeYong's voice allowing him to enter his office, and that was when Jimin Forcibly left out his breath and opened the door.
TaeYong smiled lightly while he saw him entering as he was more than waiting for him tonight and as Jimin approached his desk, he understood that it was no late work that had kept him up as at the top of his desk, laid a black leather briefcase.
"You Look tired. I guess you worked too hard tonight."TaeYong spoke while his eyes were pinned at the camera Jimin was holding.
"This was no coincidence, wasn't it? You planned this all. You shortened my curfew for my debt while also using this party too set the mood and give me the perfect opening. You were even being so touchy with her to make her in need of something that wouldn't disgust her. "Jimin blurred out his realization of the moment as now everything made sense. The reason why he suddenly decided to throw a party as well as why he kissed her while dancing when they equally disliked each other.
"Don't take it personally. It's not that I didn't trust you or anything of the sort. I was just merely getting impatient and between us, a helping hand shouldn't be a problem. It got us both what we wanted after all. Didn't it?"He responded as he opened the briefcase and turned it towards Jimin for him to see the exact amount of money that he had promised him on receiving upon completing the job which he hired him for.
"Partially." Was all Jimin replied before placing the camera on his desk and closing the briefcase that now belonged to him.
"You don't seem happy. What's wrong?" TaeYong Joked as he couldn't help but feel satisfied with the situation at that moment.
"As far as I recall, our agreement had no requirements of me being happy or having any certain emotions after completing it." Jimin responded coldly however TaeYong smiled either way.
"You are really a fascinating individual...Maybe if we were to have met under other circumstances we could have been friends. We have so many things in common." TaeYong Stood up from his seat as he spoke and headed to the small bar at the corner of the room, to pour himself a drink.
"I wouldn't like to think so. Besides the only thing that I consider common with you, is fear." TaeYong stayed silent at Jimin's response and just lifted his glass to take a sip of his drink before turning around to face him.
"I have nothing to fear." He uttered and Jimin snickered visibly at his confident statement that was far from the truth.
"Is that so? All I see when I look at your actions is fear though."Jimin gave him a challenging look as he was about to let him taste a piece of his mind, regarding his character and actions.
"You may need to check your vision then." TaeYong responded simply as he returned back to his chair and Jimin just took a seat at the chair across his desk, making it clear that he didn't intend to leave just yet.
"If there is something I take pride in, that's my observation skills. So please allow me to enlighten you."Jimin left his elbow rest on the wooden desk before he casually leaned his head on his hand, his eyes looking at him seriously while a smile rested on his lips. A combination that made him seem somehow fearful.
"I can tell why you hate her so much when Y/n has barely done anything against you. It's not a family vendetta nor her snooping and mingling in your business. You hate her for one reason only." He stated and TaeYong grew a bit tense under his own skin however he kept his face expressionless.
"It's because of her. It's because of MinHee. You have tried hard to erase everything that could ever recall you of her, but Y/N is a whole being that you were forced to have by your side. Her best friend around you was the biggest reminder you could ever have. That's why her every breath is annoying to you. That's why her face itself is something you wouldn't like seeing. Cause Y/N just like you were part of her life and dear people at her heart." Jimin was spilling more than he should have with his words but he knew that it didn't matter much at this point. What he knew and what he didn't regarding the case was of non-importance since he was surely going to decline everything anyway.
"I have no idea what are you talking about." TaeYong denied everything calmly exactly as Jimin had thought that he would and that placed a smile on the pink-haired man.
"Oh you more than know. Yet just like me, you have a big problem with this situation. You want her away from you but because of the contract, you have to do things right so you will benefit from the separation. It's a win-win situation for you. Two in one. And then comes the small little twist which you like to avoid. Your own feelings."TaeYong listened carefully at Jimin's words and his fingers gathered up to form a fist as he realized the amount of knowledge he had.
Of course he never thought of Jimin as someone who could be fooled easily and he knew that he was not to speak for any of this to anyone because he was superior and could threaten the lives he held dear more than easily. Yet the fact that he knew was unpleasant to him. It felt as if someone had invaded his privacy.
"You may get Y/N out of your life but you will never take MinHee because it was not Y/n the reason you haven't succeeded in doing so till today. It was all you. It's all inside you. It's your own feelings whom you truly want to get rid of but guess what? You will never succeed. Why? Cause you are scared..." Jimin leaned closer to his face as he stood up and placed his two palms on the desk.
"..Terrified. You are a coward who could not bring justice to her soul back then and aren't even trying to do so now. She loved you. But did you love her enough? She trusted you, but look at how are you returning her trust."Each word that left his mouth hit inside TaeYong's chest like a needle that made him create a pained grimace on his face.
"You could claim that you loved her not and it was nothing to you, but I saw your expression upon facing death. No, you are in no way so heart cold over it."Jimin smirked as he paused, recalling his state at the hospital when you were poisoned and how panicked he looked.
"Why does it matter what I am and what I am not? You have no right to have an opinion upon this matter or any other that involves me. And truthfully I don't understand why are you telling me all this." TaeYong didn't hesitate to express his perplexed thoughts over Jimin's behavior as it was obvious that it would have been to his advantage if TaeYong was not to know of his vast knowledge in a topic that his involvement with, could get him in possible danger.
"I can't go back on my word and the deal I made with you. I now accomplished what you asked and received my rightful payment for it. However, I can't just let Y/N alone. I may have betrayed her heart but I want to at least help her achieve her goal of finding the truth." Jimin admitted bravely as he literally was hanging his hopes on TaeYong at that moment. He was betting on his feelings for MinHee and his own ability to hit on the emotional strings of others.
"We both know that you are the only one that knows what really happened. You may not fully bring justice to her but you still can do a little something to help on it. It's never too late TaeYong-shi." Jimin's eyes turned soft as he spoke and looked at him, waiting for a response but all he took was a gaze that avoided his and a chair that turned around, letting him face only its back.
"I am more than pleased with your work Mr. Park Jimin. Let's stay out of each other's paths for the best of both. You can leave the house in the span of the next three days. I must demand you leave my office for now. "TaeYong's cold response disappointed him somehow but he also understood well that there was always that possibility of his fear winning over anything he was to ever say and bringing any tries of pursuing him to failure.
"Yes, fear is truly all I see when I look at you. And it is really such a pity as much as it is a wonder to me. For how much longer do you think you will be able to live with it all?" Jimin left his last words to echo in the silence before he took hold of his briefcase and walked out of the room. Every step he took sounding heavier on TaeYong's ears as he was eagerly wishing for his departure.
However even after the sound of the door closing reached his ears, he didn't felt alone. A strange aura had engulfed him. An aura that could not walk out of the door and leave him alone. A feeling that if he was to open his window wide for the wind to storm in, it would not be able to blow it away for him. A feeling that rested upon his heart and made his breathing heavy and effortful.
He turned his chair around and took hold of the camera that was left on his desk. He gazed at it as his mind dived into thoughts of black and white.
"That guy sure talks a lot" He murmured to himself as Jimin's words had placed him in front of a dilemma and that sure was something he didn't need.
They say that the journey of a thirsty man towards the fountain was always the most torturing one but no one ever mentioned the moment he was to stand before the flowing water. The importance of the decision to drink it or not is what is really the most difficult one as you have what you desire laying in front of your very eyes. Was it water or was it poison? No one could ever reassure you till you taste it yourself. A risk that you have to take if you want to soothe your suffering. A step that it had to be done, in order to reach on an outcome.
Such felt his situation right at that moment. And the fear of it being poison was what had kept him still for so long.
Was he even allowed to think of going after her? No that was the most absurd thought he could ever allow himself to have but he also couldn't deny that it was also what he wanted, deep inside a corner of his heart.
---To be continued......