For hours, Taehyung spoiled her with more clothes, shoes, and lingerie even if she objected. He also bought her a new phone because hers was severely outdated and distasteful to his liking. He wanted to give her everything.
Though there were frequent occurrences where Penny grew uncomfortable. She was out of her comfort zone. These excessive spendings, the overcrowding of people, the non-stop busyness of it all. While having their adventure in the city, due to Taehyung's socialite status, paparazzi or fans would take pictures of the two and ask questions about who she was. There were also images paraded online during his birthday and COO announcement party.
"Prince Vante, you've been spotted with the same girl at your party here. " A paparazzi interrogated while another snapped photos as they followed them down the street. "Sources say she's a cousin!"
Taehyung grimaced in revulsion while anxious Penny clung onto his arm and hid her face away from the flashes.
"Others speculate a potential lover? Who is she?! Where'd she come from?"
"Taehyung." She whined frighteningly, firming her grip, as more people came their way.
"Shh, it's okay." He shushed softly as he intertwined their fingers together before quickening their speed.
After that mayhem, Penny begged for them to have street food for dinner and so they did. They ordered lamb skewers and dumplings to which they ate it at a nearby park.
The sun went down as the atmosphere darkened for another day's rest. The lamp poles lit the inactive walkway as not many bodies passed by other than the two on the bench. The sound of crickets and the crinkling of tree branches resonated their ears while the cool subtle breeze swept through their warm skin.
Once they finished their food, they sat in serenity, admiring their setting. Only trees, grass, remnants of the chalky ice sprinkled across the cemented ground manifested their irises.
Taehyung took Penny's hand into his before sniffing her fragrance. He smooched many kisses on her skin. "Did you have fun today, my Sweetheart?"
She rested her head on his shoulder and hummed, "It was a good day." She thought about it as a whole. "Despite you know...people wanting to know about me and feeling like I need to zoom everywhere."
"Sorry about that..." He apologized. "Socialite life can be overwhelming most of the time."
"It's okay. It's not your fault you're so handsome and popular." She chuckled. "It was an experience...but things like this," She referred to the tranquil scenery. "I like a lot and it reminds me of Imuwa. Nice, quiet, and less people around."
Taehyung bit his lip, hesitant to speak about something with her. But he needed to get it out of him or else it'll be too late.
"D-do you really love being in Imuwa?"
She turned to look at the prince whose demeanor came earnest. She lifted an eyebrow and asked, "What do you mean?"
"Like..." He paused, trying to get his thoughts together. "Do you love being there? Is that where you wanna be for the rest of your life?"
The unexpected interrogation took her aback, wondering why he was asking them. She couldn't put her finger on it but she continued to answer the best way possible. "I mean it's my hometown, where I was born and raised. I can see myself there."
Taehyung chuckled lightly at her skeptical reply, "Sweetheart, you didn't answer my questions. Do you love being in Imuwa? Is that where you wanna be for the rest of your life?" He repeated once more.
"Taehyung, where's this going?" She sighed, unable to respond to his questions.
He stared calmly at her with much concern drowning his pupils. He breathed out slowly. "May I be honest with you?"
Though perplexed to where this was going, she nodded carefully. She turned her form as she waited for him to speak up.
"You don't need Imuwa in your life anymore."
"Huh? What do you mean?"
"You should—no, you need to leave Imuwa. Leave that shitty town to do what you're truly destined to do." He explained before shifting his body towards her. "Penny, you have so much potential in your life that you're not using. You're more than your history, more than what you've done in Imuwa, you're more than what Imuwa has to offer you. Leave and come to this part of the world. The part of the world where there are so many opportunities for you."
She grew flustered. It's not that she didn't want to hear it, but she just didn't really see herself doing all that he advised. Though she's seen people leave town, her mindset was strictly within Imuwa, contained in Imuwa, not once did she ever think about leaving.
Not disagreeing entirely, but she shook her head, "Taehyung, no. What are you talking about? Imuwa is where I belong. I-I-I don't think I'm cut up for this. I can't."
"I know the lifestyle I have or even being in a big city is difficult but I don't believe you when you say that your place in life is in Imuwa." He wasn't supportive of her explanations. He knew she was trying to convince herself out of it.
"You know it's not easy for me. I don't wanna just drop everything I have to come here." She countered, still shaking her head. "I'm leaving my life behind."
"I understand it's not easy. Believe me, I know." He grinned mildly when he recalled his time back in Imuwa. "But I believe so much in you, Penny, for you to continue living in a place that won't even appreciate all that you've done."
He analyzed her puzzled expression. It was as if she was in an internal battle with what she thought she wanted to what she truly needed. She didn't know what to think. She was faced with two different wavelengths, two paths, two different futures, but which did she actually belong to.
"I know they still think of you as the poor girl, and not in the way you see it as now." Taehyung continued as he brought her hand to his lips. "You're not leaving your life behind because you haven't even started your life. You only survived." He rubbed his thumb over her skin and comforted her through a smile of reassurance. "But not anymore. You're gonna start it and you're gonna do well. Like I said, don't limit yourself."
She couldn't fully process his speech despite being very persuasive. It kinda scared her. Change was inevitable but this type of change she had a choice to do.
She had no idea, where to even begin. She had no plan if she moved out of town. Though She did love Taehyung, was it enough for her to get out of her so-called destiny in Imuwa? Was it even her fate to stay there?
"This is too much for me to handle." She overanalyzed every thought in her brain to the point she questioned where she'd buy her groceries or how she'll move her things if she came to the city. She needed all the answers before making a decision.
"Which is why I'm here to help." Taehyung chimed as he had a set plan for his Sweetheart. He knew she wanted solutions on everything first. "Now as much as I want it to happen, you don't even need to stay with me. Of course, I'm gonna say it again that I'd love for you to live with me because I'm biased and I love you." He giggled before she curved her lips. "But you can be anywhere you'd like as long as you leave Imuwa for you to grow."
"But I don't have money." She acknowledged that that was the main issue with all his ideas. "How am I gonna be financially stable? And don't say you'll cover it because I don't want you to."
"Too late." The prince smirked.
"No!"
"Consider this as a stipend." He offered the deal to her. "I talked with Dad and we don't mind having you work under us as an intern until you find another job."
"Peanut..."
"Of course, helping in the line of a highly rated fashion magazine isn't necessarily your work of interest." He pointed out a con. "But helping people is!"
"Tae—"
"You'll be my personal assistant where you need to do very personal things for me." He slid his hands on her crossed legs and rubbed her inner thigh.
"Taehyung!" She inhaled sharply.
"Kidding!" He defended but she wasn't all that convinced. "Stipend includes a nice apartment free of rent with sky view and all your plushies. You'll have a driver unless you get your license, to which a brand new car. Food, water, other necessities." He listed down all that she needed for the move. "All you gotta do is say yes and kiss me."
Those all sounded pleasing and compelling but it felt all too rushed for her. She needed time.
"This is a lot to consider in a short amount of time." She said then looked down at her lap. "I want to think about this. Talk to my Halmeoni, Yoongi Oppa, my best friends...I need input."
"I'm sure they'll support all that you want."
"Still, I want to think this through."
"How 'bout this?" He sighed, coming up with a temporary settlement for her. "Once you've graduated, make the decision then. You'll see what you want and I'll happily support your answer." Well, not entirely. He still wanted her to leave that dump place.
"Fine. I'll keep it in mind." She accepted his modified terms.
"But may I add my very biased and selfish opinion on this?" He asked cutely with a pout and large eyes.
She scrunched her nose and pouted as well, "You know I can't resist that!"
"Same goes for you!" He laughed, flaunting his rectangular smile. "But..." He then embraced her and kissed her passionately on the lips, making her heart flutter like a graceful butterfly.
As he parted, their foreheads touched and he spoke, "I love you so much and I wanna be with you. Please come here." He cupped her face before pecking the tip of her nose. "In my gut, I don't wanna go back to Imuwa, but I'm more than don't want you to be stuck in that place, knowing you can be greater out here."
She huffed chirpy, "That does seem tempting..." She laid her head on his chest while circling her arms around his torso. "But I will think of myself first."
"As you should." He agreed. "But you love me too so it should be at least 64% of your decision!"
She rolled her eyes at his logic, "Well, you are hard to resist."
"Well, I am hard for you right now." He joked but he was serious.
"Peanut, stop being so horny!" She complained.
"Never, I won't be with you for probably after you and I graduate." He immediately denied her. He snatched her legs and sat her into his lap, facing him. Her skirt raised higher as he massaged her thighs. "I only have a few more hours with you. Let's make the most of it. We're not sleeping tonight."
Penny internally died that night.
-
She also died in the morning...repeatedly.
"Well, that's everything in the car." Wooshik placed the last bag into the car before closing the trunk. He bowed to the three Imuwaians and said, "Mr. Jeon, Mr. Park, and Miss Lim. It was a pleasure to have you here. We hope to see you again."
Jungkook and Jimin really went to Japan with the older rich men. They spent their time at Disneyland, sightseeing, going to tourist attractions, and also exclusive places that the wealthy had access to. Long story short, the Imuwa boys were sugar babies to them.
Jungkook had a signature all-black outfit enhanced as he wore a name-branded sweatshirt and cargo pants with chunky Balenciaga boots and a corresponding bucket hat. He slung a new portable speaker on his side.
Jimin had on a leather jacket with a plain shirt under with tight black jeans and Chelsea boots he has grown to be obsessed with. He wore overly-priced sunglasses despite the sun being covered by a cloud. He shouldered a side bag that had absolutely nothing in it besides his phone and an empty wallet.
Meanwhile, Penny was normal-looking but with Taehyung wrapping around her like a koala on a bamboo tree.
The rich men and Taehyung's parents came by to say their goodbyes as well. But his parents left for work and a meeting, leaving the youth at the driveway all by themselves.
"I hope you guys had fun." Seokjin smiled as he was the last one to hug the two boys. "Yeehaw, I'm sure you had fun as well." He winked cheekily at the exhausted girl.
"H-how d-do you know?" She croaked as her mind was still a bit dizzy from thirty minutes before coming back to the mansion.
Hoseok snickered, "Well, for one thing, your neck says it all."
She touched her collar and realized that she wasn't wearing a turtleneck or anything else to cover her neck up, exposing her marked-up skin. "For fuck's sake!" She groaned. "Whatever. It's just my neck. Not like you can see everywhere else that he—" She also noticed what she just blurted out. "Dammit."
"Wow, okay." Namjoon wiggled his eyebrows. "I can see from Tae and thigh girl that it went well."
"Geez, Princess. Didn't think you'd dicknotize her." Jungkook chuckled lowly as he stared at the unfortunate but also fortunate girl.
"I hope you didn't destroy her completely. She still needs to go on with life." Jimin smirked.
"I didn't." Taehyung pressed his cheek on top of her head as he frowned sadly. "I just wanted to remind her how much I love you before she left."
"Awww." The other boys said in unison.
"Don't fall for it. It's a trap." Penny rasped, knowing his ploy.
"But thank you guys for everything." Jimin laughed. "We enjoyed our time here, I hope we can see each other again."
"Feel free to come back to Imuwa!" Jungkook happily said. "It may not be what you want but you're always welcome."
"Oh, Jungkook." Seokjin laughed, cueing his unusual windshield laugh. "We don't like it there at all but I appreciate the offer."
"Yeah, I don't think I can last using bar soap." Hoseok grimaced as a shiver went down his spine.
"Hopefully, we can see you guys again too!" Namjoon nodded as he hugged Jimin again. "Maybe in the middle...where it's closer to the city...and not reek of animal manure...come back to the city!"
"Pencil, while you try to get Princess off of you, we'll be in the car waiting," Jimin told his best friend before he and Jungkook went inside the vehicle.
"Do you have to go?" Taehyung whined as he held his Sweetheart tightly into his arms.
Though she was drained, she managed to giggle into his chest. "I have to. I need to work and finish up school." She said. "Plus I don't think I can last another day and your...antics."
"Can't believe you were gonna pull a Seojoon on me!" He pretended to sob.
"You knew I was gonna leave. And my boys need to be tamed back into the Imuwa lifestyle again. Look how pretentious they fucking look! Jungkook is wearing a plain black top that costs an arm and leg."
"My Hyungs rubbed off on them." Taehyung laughed softly. "I'll miss you so much again."
"I'll miss you too." She hugged him back. "But hopefully this time, we'll text and video chat each other now."
"But it won't be the same." He pouted as he bent down for cheeks to touch. "I want my Sweetheart with me."
"And I'll want you too!" She reassured as she caressed his hair like a child. "But we'll see each other again! For your and my graduation." She grabbed his face. "Come on, Peanut. Don't make this any harder than it should be."
"No, I'll make it as hard as I can. I get what I want."
"Taehyung!"
"Fine, fine." He willingly gave up before pecking her on the cheek and stood up straight. "Can you at least do one thing for me before you leave?"
Not sex, not sex, not sex, please, not sex, she pleaded in her thoughts. "Of course."
"Will you be my girlfriend?"
Though she wasn't complaining, it left her staggered. "Huh?"
"I realized I didn't think about officially asking you," Taehyung explained. "I was too busy being in love to even have those thoughts."
"Were you ever this corny?!"
"Not until I've met you."
Penny rolled her eyes to the Gods and laughed. Oh, how he'll miss hearing her laugh in person. She sighed in ease, "I can be your girlfriend." Which made him light up like a bulb. "If you can be my boyfriend."
"That's a hard bargain I'm willing to accept." Taehyung was easily persuaded. He leaned into her so he could taste her sugar lips once more. "I won't stop loving you and missing you." He whispered then kissed her again. Then attacked her cheek and jaw.
"Yo, Princess, I don't wanna see live porn! Wrap it up!" Jimin complained from inside the car.
"No, lemme see! Action!" Jungkook acted like a director.
"Fuck off, rats!" Taehyung snapped his head at the two and flipped them off, which earned bubbly laughter.
"I love and will miss you too." Penny turned the prince's head back to see him one last time. "Take care, okay?"
His anger died down and a loving smile formed on him. "Okay, take care too." He pecked her nose once more.