Taeyeon lingered as long as she could in the dining room, playing and joking around with the kids while her mind started to go overload with apprehension. Oh, she knew just what he wanted to talk about ever since she saw the determined light in his eyes when he had asked her for lunch. But it was still too soon for her. Two months was far from enough to numb her heart, let alone two weeks. It was still throbbing painfully whenever the kiss scene swam into her mind. Which was almost every blasted moment, she thought irritably.

“Tae Tae noona, the guy is watching you again,” Liam whispered in her ear as he waved his chubby hand to the doorway. Her head snapped to that direction and surely enough, Jiyong was leaning his body there, looking at her appreciatively. Trying to suppress the bile that was rising up when she felt his eyes sweeping over her, she shrugged her shoulder and continued mingling with the kids.

Until Jiyong finally ran out of his limited supply of patience. Before she knew it, she was swept off her feet and being carried out of there like a sack of potato amidst the clapping of the children, who were clearly reading too much of some twisted fairy tales.

“Let me go, let me go,” she shrieked, trying to wiggle free of his hold. Instead, his hand tightened on her legs and buttocks, horrifying her enough to give her struggle up. Silently, she kept her body still to minimize contact with his as he walked oh-so-slowly toward the deserted playroom just next to the dining room.

“Why are you avoiding me?” he demanded the moment they were out of sight and hearing. He let her go with what seemed like the utmost reluctance.

“Who’s avoiding you?” she retorted sulkily, rubbing the goosebumps off her arms while shooting daggers at him with her eyes.

Jiyong took her hand and casually linked their hands. His eyes were so piercing, like he was trying to read her mind. “Taehyung, answer me. Why are you avoiding me?” he asked more gently.

“When did I avoid you? I’m here with you now, aren’t I?” she answered huffily and snatched her hand from his grasp. It still tingled and sizzled, as if it was branded by his touch. His touch for Taehyung. Swallowing profusely, she fervently prayed that the distress that was eating at her inside wouldn’t show on her face.

Instead, her distress quickly became a full-blown anguish when Jiyong stepped closer to her and started to trail his finger on her cheek. 

“Tell me why, Taehyung,” he whispered, misery clearly etched on his face. “Are you angry because of the kiss? Because…”

Before he could finish his sentence, and before she would break down, she cut his words off. 

“I don’t want to talk about it. It was clearly a mistake and better be forgotten.” She could feel her voice