"I'm sorry love."
One apology from him got me electrified like I had struck myself with 1000 volts of electricity. I was partially paralysed by his sudden confession with so many emotions weighing heavy in his eyes and the truth resonating in the timbre of his voice. He was not the arrogant jerk who would go ballistic on me after my arrogant counter-backs. He was considerate and sought warmth in my arms, digging into my neck. His warm breath and his sinful lips were brushing the sensitive skin of my neck.
His sturdy arms were draped around my waist in a death grip. He passionately hugged me, making my body go limp. Picking up an emotion or acting accordingly with his proximity was difficult. Not when his breathing was burning my neck and his sinful lips brushed against the delicate skin of my neck. I knew I was looking like a ripe tomato. My thinking has totally fluctuated into flames and ashes with his crazy act. Thinking about his apology was too much work when my dizzy head tried hard not to make my palpitation visible. His closeness was affecting me dangerously. My attempts to free myself from his arms were futile instead he pulled me closer to him for my protest in staying close to him.
Why won't he allow me to sit, where I can ponder over the intentions behind his apology? Act civil and sort the issues as adults do. Rather he is causing jolts of electricity and tingles through his hugs.
What kind of position is this for apologising? I felt my cheeks heating. Did he not get any other better position to talk? This level of closeness was new to me. The affection and care for everything from him were new. I can't help but worry over the next minute where he'll be back to the devil he was. Push me down from the heights of compassion he just showered and stomp me on the ground with his venom.
He snuggled into my neck making my breath ragged. What is happening? I felt like I would pass out any minute with his closeness. The Arrogant King, Kim Taehyung, is apologizing. I was sceptical about his apology.
Kim Taehyung can never apologise for his mistake. Will not this turn into the most uncanny thoughts of mine, where if I refuse to acknowledge or accept his apology he would threaten to throw me off the building? Or choke me to death. Or at least steal all my evidence of identity and leave me stranded in Paris. I knew no married woman would describe her husband in such hostility but here we are dealing with the devil lord. Everything that dealt with him was like walking on eggshells. Torturous, overbearing and frightened of the next step.
He wouldn't think twice before breaking your heart like never. All I wanted him was to rip off his fake cloak of being a husband and take back his crown as the devil and ascend his throne. Not the caring husband he is pretending right now. Well, at least the fake pretence of being a human. With his last-night acts, I doubt he was the same man. Not the disguised devil to feed on my soul.
And most importantly, did he not know that a person should seek forgiveness only when it was a mistake, where you do it unknowingly or not aware of his/her doings which can hurt the other? Not when he or she does it wanted just to hurt the person.
What he did was a sin, something you are doing after knowing it is wrong. He did that knowing I had allergies and he did want me to suffer. Now for what on earth he is apologizing?
I don't know about others but me forgiving a person for sinning is not a piece of cake. I ain't a noble soul to let go for hurting me.
I was about to give him an earful for treating me like crap and to stop, all his apology acts.
"I am sorry Aria. I am extremely sorry for my gormless act. I deeply regret inflicting pain on you. I died a few times last night when I saw you run away from me. When I found you shivering in the cold. When I hear you say you hate me. The most beautiful orbs staring at me with hatred would be a never-ending wound in my heart. Your swollen lips will claw my heart every time I look at you. I know my apology won't fix it but I regret doing that to you. I had an unpleasant past, a very bad one; that made me lose my shit and act like a monster. Acting sane is the last thing I am capable of doing when I lose my shit. My past can never be a potential reason for the crime I did against you. Talking about it was never easy for me. I beg you, Aria. Please forgive me. Please find in your heart to forgive your husband. I deeply regret hurting you, Aria, "I stared into his eyes to get a glimpse of lies or fake emotion as he pulled away from me.
Staring into my eyes with a whirlpool of distinct emotions, he pecked my forehead with gentleness. To my surprise, I found nothing other than sincerity, guilt and mostly regret as he pulled away. He laid his forehead on mine with closed eyes. I was thunder-struck. Minutes passed with emotions that were struck inside our throats. Our hearts were laying heavy with said and heard truths. My mind was tangled with perplexing thoughts of hearing such sincere words from the devil lord. Rippling tingles, burning breaths, palpitating hearts, dry mouth, and wide eyes was all I could take notice of. Picking up words to let out my thoughts once again became unfeasible.
Our heaving breaths clogged when he decided to pull away and cup my face. Breathless I watched him bore his deep gaze on mine. "I know this isn't easy to process. All I want from you is to accept my apology and my regret. I'm extremely sorry, Aria. I wasn't the best guy you have ever met. Probably the worst jerk to ever exist."
"King of jerks!" I replied being deeply dissolved in his confession. He continued shaking his head with a small smile, "Yeah, right, the king of jerks. But I care for you. I deeply do. I never lied when I promised us. I'll take time to open up but I would never treat you like that ever again... Till my last breath and that's a promise. Why won't we start over again as you suggested? Just name what you need I'll lay it down your heels. Amnesty is all I plead."
Befuddled with melancholic happiness I gaped at him with uncertainty. Freaky warmth cuddled my insides, my heart melting into a puddle. Never in my life have I felt weak after hearing an apology. His apology felt different. His apology was yearned by my heart. "Please find in your heart to forgive your husband." This struck me hard. The pain behind his words and his sorrow-filled eyes constricted my heart.
I hate when I see people crying, it pisses me off but seeing him like this I felt my heart clench. Damn! It hurts badly. I was still in his tight embrace as he was holding onto me like a koala.
I could see his glossy eyes and the tears which were kept at bay. He seemed he might lose control any moment with the tears which were put at bay.
Are tears traded for the murder attempt?
His eyes mirrored his heart for the first time making me shoo away the earlier thoughts of kicking his tushie. He seemed genuinely upset and hurt. I felt my emotions being put in a bowl and were mixed with confusion and forgiveness. And to add to my already flushed and muddled state, his intense stares and tight hold on my waist made my emotions bake into a cake.
Am I such a foodie?
I decided to serve forgiveness on his plate.
So, technically I made up my mind. Trust me when I say this was the first time I forgave anyone this easily. Out of all I still don't know how this jerk was able to rupture my cold heart.
I didn't want to hold any grudges against him, not after his sincere apology. The ice king let out tears to earn my forgiveness. I validated his apology with the visible emotions lined at the shore of his hypnotising hazel orbs. My recent interest to stare at. Heaving a sigh, in conclusion, I made up my mind. I hesitantly placed my fingers on his cheek as I wiped the salty tears that were in the corner of his eyes. Waves of electrifying tingles passed through me at the contact of his manly skin under my fingers. Heat rushed to my cheeks when I felt him lean onto my touch. An expression of savouring flashed his features setting my cheeks on forest fire. Wild and unstoppable.
Clearing my throat I decided to bring back my lost voice. "My heart isn't a chip where I can easily erase last night's events in a click and build my trust in you. I least hoped the fact that you would never manhandle me or let alone plan a murder. Like always you proved me wrong with an extraordinary way to traumatise me. Being civil with each other or starting over isn't the equation now. It was a completely different scenario when I proposed and now I need time to look at it from the light I had been forced to project. And the light I see on you is Kim Taehyung is a monster." I replied to him drawing a deep breath.
He was taken aback hearing my statement. His glossed eyes turned blood red with a growing tinge of pain and guilt. The regret oozing from his stare was telling me tales of his miserable heart. A pang of hurt made me scrunch my eyes looking at him open his mouth to say, instead, he stared at me with his glossed eyes and abruptly closed his mouth and looked down.
"I'm sorry, Aria," he apologized again and was frantically looking at his fingers. Rising to his feet, he tried to flee the room but stopped at my voice. Pushing the duvets off myself I carefully stood at the edge of the bed, making him unaware of my actions. "Taehyung!" I called out for him, who shunned his actions of sprinting from the room to escape to never land. He stood frozen, his chiselled back ripping off and flexing its muscles along the t-shirt he attired. "Yeah," I heard his soft voice.
"Can you face me when I talk? This is getting on my nerves!" I snapped at him when he made me feel like a fool talking to the walls. Look at my face when I speak idiot! I screamed inside my head.
He pivoted on his heels at a slow tempo. His legs worked faster in my direction and his eyes grew heavy with concern when his eyes fall on my wobbly figure standing at the edge of the bed. His hands draped around my waist and he stared at me with confusion. There was no glossiness now instead his eyes carried concern, remorse and agony. His Greek godly features erupted a pit of a raging fire in me. Why does it have to be him? Why am I feeling a soft blotch of care in the stark end of my heart? Grabbing him by his collar I muttered weakly, "Don't! Just don't show emotions that are reserved for me. You hurt me! You acted like you never care! Why are you doing this now?"
"I don't know. You make me do this. You make me act this way, Aria. You squeeze out emotions from me. You make me face my demons with heads on. What are you doing to me, Aria?" He mused cupping my face with his right hand. His left arm curled around my waist pulling me closer in his arms. My teary eyes met his stoic ones of darkness. He was so dark and bruising my light and distancing me from reaching them with every step I took towards him. His darkness was swallowing every drop of lucid thinking and embracing me with thoughts I could never find an exit on.
"What did you do to me? What the hell did you do to me that I hate looking at you like this? What did you do to me that made me want to forgive you? Tell me jerk! I declared my hate for you, but what am I doing in your embrace?" I asked him softly with an emphasis on every you's that escaped my quivering lips.
"I'm ducked up basta--- Yo--you forgive me?" He asked me gobsmacked. I nodded my head with a small smile creeping on my lips and my eyes focused on his glowing orbs.
"You mean the world to me Aria! This means so much," he grinned and pulled me in a tight hug. He pulled away enough to kiss my facial features making me giggle. His eyes darted to my lips watching them with unruly fascination. Before I could protest his actions, his lips were on mine moving like a slow wind. My hands clenched around his statin olive green shirt, creating endless creases contrasting to their prior tidy format. Nibbling on my lips like his sweet candy, he relished them with such passion turning making me lean my shivering body onto him for dear life. I opened my drowsy orbs when he pulled away from the brief, sweet intoxication.
Like he did nothing out of the box, he carried me bridal style and placed me back on the bed. I gulped down a few spoons, fed by him when I giddily fall back on the bed. Laying my head on his shoulder, he fed me the porridge with utmost care. I took my meds for my fever and allergy. I freshened up and wore a turtleneck black sweater with black ripped jeans to cover my allergy spots. I attired a light coffee shade trench coat as I felt cold. I applied some concealer on my cheeks which Taehyung managed to get me from the shops nearby. Taehyung insisted on me resting till we were set to depart. My eyes drowned in sleep my head filled with the conversation I had with Martha.
My grandson is so in love with you.
Aria's Outfit
Flashback
"What happened to Taehyung's mother Martha?"
Her face's colours drained from my sudden question.
She said giving me a small smile, "It's not my story to reveal it to you, Cara. Tae will soon unfold your blindness regarding his past. You are all he needs. You are all he was searching for all his life. My grandson is so in love with you. Please don't break his heart when he confides in you for shelter. He'll be left broken behind repair," she said with her gentle tone and tears pricking her blue eyes.
Flashback end
I gazed at my peacefully sleeping wife who had forgiven me from the depth of her heart. I got dressed in my casuals and carried her to my limo. I placed her on my lap and asked the chauffeur to drive back home. Her face was in between my neck and shoulder, her hot breath marking every skin as her territory as it could touch. I gently raked my fingers through her soft glossy hair. She stirred in her nap and she slowly peeked from her thick lashes. In a second she scurried away from me and sat on the seat when she found herself on my lap making my body miss her warmth immediately. I chuckled looking at the innocent woman who was trying to avoid me by looking out the window. My heart was filled with strange content when I looked at her, whose face was red like a tomato.
She spoke in a small voice, "I'm not terminally sick where I can't even step on my legs. Why do you take so much trouble."
"Why do you say that? I didn't want to wake my sleeping wife. Please believe me Aria. I care for you. I deeply care for you," I reasoned looking at her with an incredulous look.
"The last time I thought you cared enough for me to carry me to the room resulted in an ugly argument between us," she replied bitingly. Her deep brown orbs with the hypnotic tint sent from heaven to test my sanity were reading every crook that crossed my face.
"I-- that--- Aria---"
"When will we reach there? She queried, ditching the earlier talk.
"20 minutes or so," I replied emotionlessly.
My mind went crazy with the amount of tension built in the air. The intoxicating woman was creating a gale inside my head, causing distress to my thoughts. I can't find a way to sort the issue between us. Bad memories are plunging their way into the bubble I try to create with peace.
"Tae?"
I turned towards her at breakneck speed when I heard her call me that. That was the first time she addressed me like that. Oh!!!! Goodness, that sounded so good from her lips. The way my name rolled off her tongue in elegance made my heart pound wildly, discarding my previous worries. All my previous sulks vanished at the mere nickname. Damn! I'm whipped!
Hope your jealous ass is tranquillized now. I just wanted to grab her close to me by her waist, take her beautiful face in my palm while staring into her mesmerising orbs and ask her to call my name and then taste her ice cream li-----. Woah!!! Get a grip man yelled my brain. I was looking at her like a caveman when she asked while stuttering "Di--d y-you ..Ummm C-chan-ge-d my ummmm d-res--s la--st n-ig-ht..."I laughed at her who was crimson red.
I have never seen her stutter ever since our first meeting...
The fierce lioness who always looked daringly in my eyes and ordered with attitude and arrogance is stuttering!
She looked adorable when she stuttered. Deciding to tease my innocent wifey, I played along. "Who else do you think? You were looking very h----"
She cut me off by placing her hand on top of my mouth. She was looking at the chauffeur to see whether he heard anything. I kissed her hand, she took her hands off my mouth immediately. I laughed at her reaction. I spoke again grinning "He can't hear us, love." Tiny punches were aimed at me with a series of funny cusses.
"I'm never going out with you again," she whined, making my eyes wide as saucers.
Woah!!! That's a no-ball Taehyung.
I held her hands and spoke, "I was just messing with you, love. It was the Doctor who came to check on you." She sighed in relief.
"I swear I will kill you if you do such things or play like this ever again," she threatened me.
"Well it's worth dying," I said with a smirk. Her face flushed again while she gave me a are you serious loo.?
She was about to counter back but the chauffeur stopped the car, indicating we reached. I nodded at him. The chauffeur opened the door for me to get out. I halted the actions of my brat while holding her wrist when she was about to get out from the opposite side. For the first time, I held the door open for my woman. She looked bewildered at my actions so I gently tugged at her wrist making her come out of her trance. She stepped out and I entered the mansion while holding her hand in mine. She tried pulling herself out but I restrained her.
"Just this once please," I said with a pleasing look.
She refrained from pulling away and we walked together hand in hand. I couldn't stop the grin growing on my face. Upon entering I was shocked to see what was present for me. It was the least thought on my mind at that moment. I gripped her hand tight.
A sweet elated feeling filled my insides and made me giddy with happiness. Drowning in his care felt peaceful and secure. Being always in a pampered bubble of comfort and security, his indifference and hate made me crush deep inside. His vengeance put me vulnerable on the grounds of the world's beastly emotions ravaging my sanity.
Nobody would ever wish for your significant heart's hate. It was surreal to see this happening. After the fateful night, I was sceptical of trusting him. Albeit my mind was telling me something different, I can't help but enjoy the leisure of his concerned eyes.
Our eyes went wide when we stepped inside his mansion. We had an unexpected guest waiting for us. I was shocked to find them here. I looked at Taehyung and he didn't bother masking his petrified expression. His grip tightened around my hand. They glared at Taehyung with intense gazes. I found their gaze softening when they met mine.
Yes!! It was Jin and Namjoon Oppa, our unexpected guests.
"Mind telling us what is going on" spoke Jin Oppa.
Yes, Jin and Namjoon were here. Joonie Oppa spoke, "Aria get some rest, we need to have a small talk with Taehyung."
Jin smiled at me and spoke, "Yes I want my princess to rest as she looks really tired."
Taehyung spoke, "You go to our room and rest. I will be there soon."
Although Taehyung's agitated expression didn't set well with me I decided to comply with their words and head to our room. I was watched with 3 pairs of eyes cautiously till I closed the door behind me. Removing my coat I loosed my tucked-in top. Plopping myself on the comfy bed, I pondered over the reason for the sudden arrival. No beforehand notice to either of us. And it was hardly 2 days of us being in Paris. They gave me no hints of following us here.
Time ticked sluggish, and my mood was already monotonous. Dipping my hands into my pants pocket I tried to get my phone. To my surprise, I couldn't find any. I walked to the place where I hung my coat and checked inside the pockets too. Still, I couldn't find it. There it clicked! I might have slipped in during my drive. Opening the room door casually I made my way out. I stopped dead in my tracks when I heard my name being...yelled.
"Aria! Aria! Aria! I know what I did to her was wrong but now we are civil with each other. I made up by taking good care of her and she did forgive me," I heard Taehyung yell icily. I decided to hide behind the pillar this time and hear his conversation.
Wrong? What he did to me was just wrong. He did something more than wrong and the audacity!
Making up!
Once again I felt my heart being numbed with pain and betrayal. What the hell was making up?
Was all the damn care for the show again? He seriously didn't have any ounce of care for me? I thought somewhere deep in his heart he did ----- my thoughts were shattered when I heard them again but this time I regret coming here. It would have been better if I hadn't heard them. But goodness I did the right thing by hiding in here and hearing the narcissistic talk of the brute I married. My naive thoughts of mine begged me to trust the manipulator. I rushed to the room and closed the door behind me. I oathed myself to never trust the jerk again. Silent tears set my cheeks damn wet. I don't know why but his betrayal hurt me very badly. I plopped myself on my bed and drifted off when physical and mental exhaustion took me down.
The air was jovial and filled with mirth at the boys' dorm. Namjoon was immersed in reading a crime thriller by Alex Michaelides. Jimin hobi and Jungkook were vigorously tapping the buttons of their gaming console. Suga was busy on his laptop viewing and typing away emails. And the eldest, Jin was occupied in the kitchen, preparing a scrumptious dinner. Soon a breakout between the gamers as they cursed at each other so immersed in the game. Hobi was the middleman trying to end the quarrel. The ceaseless yells caught Namjoon's attention. He shook his head with a smile looking at the trivial brothers.
Hobi half yelled, "If Jin Hyung comes we will be toasted. Stop fighting guys."
Jung Kook and Jimin were far beyond the point of taking up advice. Soon the outbreak of the playful brothers teaches the eldest. Jin bellowed, "Hey you morons stop fighting. If I come there I will smack both of your useless asses and hang you both like bats outside the house." Everything around them died and was breathed to life again for a moment. Even the walls shook with his thunderous voice.
Jin was scary when he was angry. All the grown men acting like kids trudged to their respective rooms. It was then Namjoon received a call from his men.
"Speak."
"Sir, we saw Mistress Aria running out of the hotel. And she was crying when she ran out."
Unable to contain his anger, he yelled "What?"
His men narrated the whole scenario he had witnessed right from the moment Aria stepped in. Namjoon fretted about the idea of sharing this with Jin. Jin was a protective elder brother but Aria was his pampered little sister. And what Taehyung did would loosen Jin's demons.
"What happened Namjoon?" Namjoon heard Jin, who had initially entered his room to call him out for dinner. Looking at the tense guy pacing in the room, Jin was quick to shoot the question. His tone was slightly stern and it was like he already knew, something was going on and the trouble is because of Taehyung. Namjoon knew it better not to hide things from his elder brother.
____________________________
The next morning, the brothers' duo reached his mansion in Paris, patiently waiting for his return during lunch. They were aware of each piece of information regarding Taehyung and Aria. Making sure to claim any possible suspicion from their gran Martha's side, they smoothly made up a story of a business meeting. It was 10 to 2 noon when Taehyung returned to the mansion with Aria.
"Mind explaining what you did yesterday," Jim asked in a cold voice.
"Explain what?" he asked me back after a few minutes of silence.
He let out a frustrated sigh. Trying his best to control his anger, he turned around and walked back and forth. Namjoon patted his shoulder and spoke, "We know what you did. So drop the act! Why did you do such inhuman things to your wife?" He propelled in a stern tone.
Deadly silence prevailed in the air before Taehyung decided to break. "She asked me about my mother. She tried to dig into my past. Nobody! I repeat nobody talks about it. She made it into an argument and stirred the monster inside me. I didn't know what I was doing until she ran out on me... " he dragged.
That was his final straw before he blew up, "For fucksake Taehyung! Do you even get that you are married? She is not nobody! She is your damn wife! The wife you promised to cherish not rot her in your customized hell."
He'll treat her like that just because she asked him something which she wasn't aware of? Something she doesn't even have the slightest clue about? Something she wasn't responsible for? Jin was paranoid about his thoughts.
Taehying yelled icily, "Aria! Aria! Aria! I know what I did to her was wrong but now we are civil with each other. I made up by taking good care of her and she did forgive me."
Jin stared at him in astonishment. The cruel words of his brothers made him think if was he truly his brother.
Looking at his brother stare at him in disgust, Taehyung snapped harshly, "Why are you all taking her side? Seriously hyung? Am I not your brother? I know you would have been spying on us."
Namjoon riposted venomously, "Spying on you! Your dumb mind can only process that rather than the main talk which is about your wife. Are you even in your mind or are you fuxking brain-dead?
Hearing the insult Taehyung burst out, "It's not like I wanted to marry her in the first place! This is a business deal, solely for purposeful benefits. Not even a grain of hate I have for her has diminished. And now you enlighten me with your thoughts on how you expected us to work!"
His hands made a quotation when he said, "And now you enlighten me with your thoughts on how you expected us to work!"
The brothers looked at him stupified to react.
Taehyung continued, "Did she already take you in her spell? She is always bickering and wanting to see me at my worst. It was her fault, she asked for it! And you people are always being her knight in shining armour instead of being my friends." Jin heard the door closing but decided to shrug it off. He mentally hoped it shouldn't be Aria.
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PUBLISHED ON 25.10.20