"Seojoon Oppa."
Okay, we're now back in the present. Jesus, thank goodness. Whew. Hope y'all know what happened. Great, let's continuing reading.
Penny couldn't stop staring at Seojoon, the man she once loved. She kept blinking, believing that her eyes were deceiving her. But alas, he was in the flesh, right in front of her.
He was back in Imuwa.
She noticed how much he changed. His hair was clean-cut and messed into perfection. His coffee-toned eyes sparkled more than before, eye puffs were youthful and less hollow. His cheeks were fuller and skin was brightening.
It didn't take a genius to see how much more God damn handsome he had gotten. As if he couldn't be any more attractive, the universe said fuck you lemme do it again.
Okay, now his body though...his frame was very appealing to her. He became wider and muscular compared to his scrawny self four years ago. His tiny waist paired with his toned legs clinging out of his pants. His style has definitely gotten better.
But oh my God, those arms, those meaty biceps. They looked like they were about to pop out of his shirt because he was that big. And he also rolled up his sleeves to show his veiny forearms.
Penny's heart was about to explode.
Seojoon gazed at Penny in awe. She's matured through the years. Her stature has gotten curvier, filling into the right places though she nevertheless looked delicate to hold and touch.
Her facial features accentuated her older self. Skin as golden, cheekbones were higher, she grew into her nose and ears, and her onyx irises sparkled as she glowed in happiness even if she wasn't smiling.
She remained as innocent-looking as ever.
The fact that he's finally here, seeing Penny, made his heart do a beatbox.
The room was still, the thick air of tension could be sensed from kilometers away but each person had different reasons as to why.
Namjoon, Seokjin, and Hoseok were hopeless and didn't know what the fuck was going on but there was a hot guy facing the fine country girl.
Yoongi assumed that since it's been a while with no contact, it'll be difficult for old friends to reconcile and talk.
Oh, Yoongi...
Jungkook and Jimin were fuming and wanted Seojoon to get away from their friend after all that he did, but remembered Yoongi doesn't know about it. So they had to hide that hatred towards him.
But Taehyung...oh, Taehyung. He didn't know who this man was but he immediately didn't like him one bit.
The way he stared at Penny with eyes of desire and adoration made the prince's blood boil. He could tell that he wasn't a relative or more so he hoped it wasn't. The look in the man's irises was a different type of love from her cousin's.
Why was he staring? Was she a fucking window at the store? He wasn't necessarily the jealous type but seeing this fine muscular man standing next to her? Looking at her like that?
Not a fucking chance.
"Hi, Nini." Seojoon greeted.
That voice. That reminiscing nickname she missed hearing. That nickname that only he called her.
It sounded foreign yet soothing but also triggering.
"H-h-hi." She rasped out of her suddenly dry throat.
"It's nice to see you again." Seojoon grinned softly. "I got you violets. The blue ones, I remembered they're your favorite flower." He held the bouquet before her while she blinked her pupils at the flowers.
It was true. Blue violets were her favorite. The meaning was always something she wanted but never had in him, or a lot of people. Though reluctant, she obtained the carnations from him. Their fingers grazed one another, creating an old spark to erupt their bodies.
She quickly pulled away and smiled at the best of her agitated ability, "Thank you." It was almost a whisper.
"You look..." He checked her entire being before he continued his sentence, "...so beautiful as ever."
There was the old Seojoon again, the one who was always beaming, acting as nothing happened. Like he didn't leave Penny and Imuwa without saying goodbye and broken any sort of communication four years ago.
"Thank you." Was the only thing she could say. The only thing she could regurgitate.
"I thought it would be a surprise if Seojoon came back for your birthday!" Yoongi chimed in with his signature smile.
Penny averted her attention to her cousin as she seethed through her forcible smile, "It really is a surprise, Oppa!"
"Yeah, and I accepted it without any doubts." Seojoon nodded.
The girl went back to the muscular man as she could feel her chest thumping. He came back for her birthday? He came back for her?
Oh no, there was a forgotten feeling creeping up. The feeling before he left. The feeling that made her fall deeper into a hole, the feeling of floating like a little butterfly seeing how caring he looked.
Her breathing began shaking and her palms were sweating from the sudden emotion.
She refused to let it happen.
Before Seojoon could say anything, her grateful best friends came beside her with arms wrapped around her shoulder and waist.
"Hyung, you're back!" Jungkook faked a smile.
"Kookie! Chimchim!" Seojoon called out. "Nice to see you guys!"
"You too." Jimin chuckled uneasily.
He opened his wide arms, ready for a hug from them. He was always an affectionate person to the two younger boys. They saw him as a brother or at least before.
The boys were skeptical as they merely blinked at him. They didn't really wanna hug him after all that he did but Penny nudged them to do so to avoid any awkwardness.
They both stepped forward and uncomfortable embraced the man as they patted his back. They wanted this to end.
"You both have grown so much since the last time I saw you," Seojoon commented as he smiled. "More handsome, taller, a bit of muscle I see."
"Well, that's what happens when you don't see us for four years." Jimin pursed his lips. "Also no contact, no updates, nothing." Though he was the one who said it, it was indirectly from the speechless Penny.
Penny and Jungkook could tell that Jimin was the angriest out of all of them. Sure they joked around with it now after many years past but after what happened with him and Penny, he blamed himself for sleeping with her despite both being drunk. He even begged Penny for forgiveness even after she said it was okay and apologized as well.
Yet he still thought she was being easy on him and told her to make him suffer. But she couldn't do that. She couldn't do that to her best friend.
But he also blamed Seojoon to be the primary reason why everything led up to their one-night stand. How hurt he made Penny, how reckless she was, how vulnerable she became.
As selfish as it may sound, Jimin hated Seojoon for his wrongdoings.
Seojoon bit his lip before he sighed, "I know, I know. I'm sorry about that. I just had to switch up my life for a bit." He scratched his neck at the tension. "Didn't like having the reputation as Imuwa's Deadbeat, right?" He chuckled lowly but when no one laughed, he cleared his throat.
"I guess so..." Jungkook said.
Then Seojoon noticed four unknown men near the Imuwaians. They were so clean-cut and posh, not having the Imuwa aura around them. They seemed familiar but also not.
"Oh, there are new people here." Seojoon pointed out as he roamed his pupils at three dumbfounded men and a rather pissed off one.
"Umm, oh these people?" Penny was too fazed into seeing Seojoon that she totally forgot about the wealthy men and that they were here.
Especially Taehyung.
She walked away from Seojoon and slid her way by the filthy rich.
"Um, well first, this is...um..." Penny couldn't think. Her mind was clouded with too many memories of her and Seojoon flashing. "This is...uhh—"
"Handsome and hot billionaire philanthropist prince, Kim Taehyung, son of CEO of Vante Corporations, known for Vante magazine." Taehyung interrupted as he growled lowly directly towards Seojoon. "With a trust fund that can keep you in a dirt hole where you belong."
Taehyung saw green. Unexpectedly, he clutched onto Penny's waist, bringing her closer to him before he kissed her hair. All while staring at Seojoon.
Seojoon raised an eyebrow at the prince with a sudden emerald aura around him. His nostrils flared while he pinched his lips into a line.
"Y-yes, he's Halmeoni Kim's grandson." Penny finally recalled something.
That caught Seojoon by surprise as he blinked at the information. "He's Halmeoni Kim's grandson?" The girl hummed in response. "Wow, didn't know she had a child, let alone, a grandson."
"Well, she does and he's super rich." Jungkook came into the conversation, seeing how tense it was getting. "Taehyung Hyung came from the city to stay here."
"I see that." Seojoon nodded as he eyed Taehyung. "What about those three?" He pointed at the older trio.
"Prin—I mean, Taehyung's friends," Jimin responded, stopping himself from saying Taehyung's nickname. "Kim Namjoon, Kim Seokjin, and Jung Hoseok. Also rich as fuck."
The playboy didn't like both guys who had something with Penny. But somehow, he seemed to hate Taehyung a little less in the presence of Seojoon.
"Yes, we're here for Nickel and weed boy's birthday party," Hoseok spoke out.
"Yeah, wanted to spend time with the country folk." Seokjin realized the tension.
"You're an attractive man," Namjoon commented.
Seojoon nodded again, "Well, nice to meet you."
Taehyung let go of Penny as he slowly went towards the taller man. Even if he was shorter, the prince had a death glare to him, especially with someone he disliked.
"If you don't mind me asking, Oppa," Taehyung began as he crossed his arms over his chest. "Who the fuck are you?"
"Well, I can clearly see how he's Halmeoni Kim's grandson," Yoongi muttered.
Seojoon showed no sign of fear. This feeble prince was not intimidating whatsoever to him. He seemed like a little cub trying to show dominance. It was cute, it made the man chuckle darkly.
"I'm Park Seojoon, Yoongi's friend." The man introduced himself. "But I also took care of Nini when she was younger, taught her things, helped her, protected her..."
"Left her..." Jimin mumbled enough for Jungkook to hear to which the younger boy shushed him.
Taehyung shrugged, "So you aren't her cousin?"
Seojoon pushed his eyebrows together as he stared puzzled at the frowning prince. "Uh, no...I'm no—"
"Okay," The prince interjected. "That means I won't give a fuck about what you do or say unless you stay away from her."
"Excuse me?" Seojoon scoffed. "Who are you to tell me—"
"Wow, great introduction, guys!" Penny shouted, trying to stop this before anything erupted. "Wow, Yoongi Oppa, you must have been tired after driving all the way here. Why won't you rest? Maybe take Seojoon Oppa home as well."
"Nini, you know my mo—"
"Right, right. Your mom left too! That's fantastic of her!" The girl gave her fakest smile ever. "Where is he gonna stay?" She asked her cousin. "How is he gonna stay?"
"He's staying with us," Yoongi said, causing Penny's smile to falter. Only the one side of her mouth barely curling up.
"O-oh, that's...wow." Penny was flabbergasted.
"Yoongi said I could have the spare room across from you while he sleeps in the living room," Seojoon added in.
What were the fucking odds?
Penny lets out a soft whine, not knowing how to handle this situation. The flowers still in her hands for her to play with as she forced herself to stop jittering in place.
Taehyung hated the sound of that so he came back in and said, "You know there's no one staying with me and Halmeoni Kim. It'll be crowded at Penny's house. Why won't you take my bedroom?"
Seojoon was suspicious of the prince's gesture, he didn't know whether it was genuine or false. "Why would I? Aren't your friends—"
"They're staying with the rats." Taehyung smiled evilly. "If you're uncomfortable with me staying with you, I'd happily stay out of the house and be with Penny."
Yoongi snorted, "Um, I don't th—"
"Hmm, Yoongi, I think it'll be fine if I stayed in Halmeoni Kim's house." Seojoon decided to accept the offer. "You're also on vacation too. Don't want you to be deprived of a comfy bed." He glanced at Taehyung while he clenched his jaw. "As for that little boy, I can rip it away from his hands."
"Perfect. I'll call my Halmeoni now." Taehyung said darkly as his eye twitched slightly.
As Taehyung scowled at Seojoon, they both could see it in each other's eyes. It was unspoken but clearly shown. It was strong with jealousy and a hint of envy lingering between the two.
Though Seojoon wasn't one to fight because he thought it was ugly and a complete waste of time, Taehyung was ready to throw hands at anyone who got in between him and what he had and wanted.
But it was coherent to understand that they both aren't backing down without a fight.
-
After Yoongi and Seojoon left to settle down as well as Seokjin and Jungkook and Namjoon, Jimin, and Jimin, Penny and Taehyung remained at the store to lock up.
The reunion with Seojoon caused Penny to fall silent throughout the day. She went on ignoring customers and did her busy work. She refused to say anything, especially towards Taehyung.
I mean can you blame her? The guy that she was falling for and the guy she first loved were in the same place at the same time and they fucking met.
To top it off, Seojoon left after telling her that he wasn't gonna come back ever again thus he wouldn't see her as well too. He left her confused, heartbroken, and distraught, but he came back like it was nothing.
Meanwhile, Taehyung wasn't knowledgeable about this but felt something was up. He didn't know who Seojoon was. He was unknown to their situation. Penny didn't even mention it once or bypassing.
It's because she didn't think she'd ever see Seojoon again so it was irrelevant.
But seeing her so quiet and sulky upsets Taehyung. He wished for her to talk to him. He couldn't find his happy little Sweetheart anywhere. He wanted to understand what happened and why was she like this?
Preparing to leave the store, Penny shouldered her bag and grabbed the store keys. Before she could get out, Taehyung pulled her into his chest as he dug his face in the crook of her neck.
"Penny, please say something to me." He trailed soft pecks on her neck as he gripped onto her. "What's wrong?"
"There's nothing." She shook her head.
Taehyung's hands traveled up to her cheeks, cupping them as their eyes met. "I don't believe you." He kissed the tip of her nose, sending her pleasurable shivers in her heart. "I sense bullshit from kilometers away."
He lifted the girl up and placed her on top of the counter where she sat and dangled her legs off the edge. He held her hands as he grazed his thumbs over the back of her hands.
"I also sense that Seojoon fucker isn't just a good friend like what your cousin says." He detected.
"How interesting to know that you suspected something right off the bat. Meanwhile, Yoongi Oppa has been oblivious to this day." Penny sighed as the prince giggled softly, showing his rectangular smile that she adores.
"Maybe Yoongi is too small to see what Seojoon's eyes tell." Taehyung joked, causing her to laugh. "There's my happy Sweetheart."
He went in between her legs to stay closer before she leaned the side of her head on his shoulder. He lets go of her hands so he could take her into his arms for warmth and safety.
She closed her eyes and respired, trying to find the words to say, "It's rough to see someone who I cared about, who left and never held contact, back in your life."
"If you're not ready to say, it's fine," Taehyung informed her. "But so you know, I will not let him lay hand on you. I fucking sack him in the nuts."
Penny smiled at his funny but serious threat. She leaned in to give him a peck on the cheek, "I'll tell you. I just haven't talked about this in a while."
"Take your time." The prince reassured. "We'll stay here all night if we have to."
Penny nodded as he tightened his grip around her. She inhaled slowly and breathed out before she told him the story of her and Seojoon, then her and Jimin.
~
Taehyung, please refer to Chapter 25, I can't write it again. Thank you.
Also FYI, do you know the meaning of blue violets?