Chapter 16

Jisoo has just finished eating with Lisa while talking about how things between her and Taehyung happened.

She was going to bring the package to the post office but she forgot her coat on her desk.

She took the elevator to go up and as soon as she stepped outside the floor, she heard something falling down in the kitchen accompanied by some men’s voices.

She could recognize Taehyung and Jungkook’s voices right away but she couldn’t hear them very well.

She approached them slowly with light steps wanting to ask Taehyung if he had eaten already..

But she didn’t know she would be the one most surprised..

She heard everything they talked about.

And every word they said left a dagger on her chest.. stabbing her heart.. 

That hiring her as Taehyung’s secretary was because he felt bad for her..

That Taehyung took care of her and helped her because he felt guilty for her..

And that because of Taehyung and Jungkook’s mistake.. she became a responsibilty..

That’s right.. a responsibility..

What she thought was genuine turned out to be a lie..

“Ms. Kim.. please listen to me first..” said Taehyung following her.

Jisoo grabbed her coat and bag from her desk.

Taehyung grabbed her by her wrist.

“Please.. hear what I have to say first..” said Taehyung in his shaky voice. “Ms. Kim.. I beg you..”

Jisoo felt a squeeze on her chest.

She remembered how Suho also begged her to listen to him outside the cafè.

Same words from different men.. same pain.. same feeling of betrayal..

Taehyung held both her arms.

“Ms. Kim.. I wanted to tell you.. I wanted to say it to you but-..”

Jisoo pushed his hands away from her.

“But you didn’t.. you didn’t tell me anything Sir..” she said facing him. 

“It’s because I couldn’t find the right timing to-..”

“Almost five months Sir..” she said breathing in deeply. “I have been working with you for about five months already.. and you say you couldn’t find the timing until now..”

Taehyung held her hand tight.

“I was afraid you’d be mad.. I didn’t want you to get mad at me..” he said softly. “That’s why I didn’t have the courage Ms. Kim.. I couldn’t bring myself to tell you the truth.. so I hid it from you.. I didn’t mean to lie to you until now.. please believe in me.. I did it because I didn’t want to hurt you..”

“Sir..” Jisoo stared at his eyes. “You say you didn’t want to hurt me.. that’s why you kept the truth from me.. but.. didn’t you realize lying to me.. would have been worse? Because.. I thought you really cared for me Sir.. I thought you were nice to me.. I thought-..”

Jisoo choked with tears.

Taehyung wiped them delicately.

“Sir.. when I came to work here on my first day.. I thought finally I got lucky in my life.. that someone has appreciated my skills and efforts.. that someone successful like you didn’t look down on me.. and I.. naively fell for you.. because I thought I found someone who loved me sincerely.. but it turns out.. everything was just an act.. because you felt guilty.. for ruining my wedding Sir..”

Jisoo took a step back pulling her hand away from Taehyung.

“And all the things I thought you did for me.. everything you did to me Sir.. it was out of pity..” she said as she walked past him.

Taehyung grabbed her arm once again and pulled her to him hugging her tight.

“No.. that’s not true Ms. Kim.. I love you.. I really love you.. I love you.. I didn’t lie when I said I was in love with you..” Taehyung whispered to her ears.

But Jisoo was just standing still while her tears kept flowing, unable to comprehend anything he was telling her.

Because she doesn’t know anymore which is true and which isn’t..

Not able to believe anymore in anything he says to her after being lied at continuously..

“Why.. why did you do that to me? What did I ever do to you? For you to ruin my happiness.. not just once.. but twice Sir..”

Jisoo started sobbing.

“All this time I thought that.. Suho cheated on me.. I even told you Sir.. that my world was falling apart when it happened.. you saw me cry several times.. you saw how painful it was for me.. and now that I have moved on from him thanks to you.. now that I have fallen in love with you.. I learn.. that all that misery happened because of a trivial revenge you and Sir Jungkook mistakenly made towards me.. why.. just why did it have to be me? Just who are you to play with someone’s life? With my future? With my heart?”

Jisoo pulled herself from his arms as she breathed heavily.

“How could you.. how could you do this to me when I.. I told you I love you? Did you make me fall in love with you so you could take everything away from me? If that was your plan.. then congratulations Sir.. you have successfully taken everything from me.. my happiness.. my love.. and even my dignity..”

She pushed him out of her way and headed towards the elevator where Jungkook was standing.

She glanced at him before walking past him and pressing the button.

Taehyung ran after her a few seconds later but Jisoo turned to him before he could hold her hand.

“I’m taking a leave from work Sir.. I have the right to so, don’t I?” Jisoo looked at him while gritting her teeth and clenching her fists. “Please don’t follow me.. I want to be alone..”

And she left.

Taehyung leaned his head on the closed elevator doors.

It happened. The scariest moment of his life just happened.

When he saw he eyes glaring at him with tears.. he felt like his heart was being ripped into small pieces..

And when Jisoo left him.. his whole world turned into pitch black..

Jungkook put a hand on his back and gently patted it.

“I shouldn’t have talked about it hyung.. I’m sorry..”

Taehyung sighed deeply.

“Don’t blame yourself.. it turns out for the better.. because I would have never been able to tell it to her with my own mouth anyway..”

And his tears fell down.

“But it hurts.. it ..” 

He covered his face with his hands.

———————-

A week has passed since Jisoo discovered the truth.

Taehyung has been coming to work as usual.. 

Or maybe he has started living inside Viaggio..

He doesn’t want to go home.. knowing he will be reminded by her in every single part of his house..

He comes at 9 in the morning and leaves the office at 9 or 10 pm.. then after that he will head to where Jisoo lives.

He goes there and just stays inside his car to stare at the window of her house..

Hoping to see her.. wishing she would at least look outside the window.. wanting to catch a glimpse of her..

He’d remain there until all the lights inside her house will be turned off..

And when he goes back home.. he’ll cry himself to sleep... no.. he’ll only cry because he isn’t able to sleep..

It has been a routine for him.. a painful routine..

It was another morning when he was coming to his office and he stopped at his stance upon stepping outside the elevator.

The lights were all .. just like how Jisoo used to do the first thing in the morning when she came to work..

Then he heard someone walking inside the kitchen.. going back and forth while moving some things..

“Ms. Kim?”

He ran calling for Jisoo inside the kitchen but found Jungkook instead.

“Hyung.. I’m sorry.. I wanted to bring some coffee to your mom who came to see you..” said Jungkook feeling bad for him seeing his disappointed face.

He told Stella about what happened to Taehyung and Jisoo..

He couldn’t leave his friend in that state or else he might get sick..

He thought he needed to do something for him..

“I’ll bring it to her..” said Taehyung sighing. “You can go back to your office..”

Jungkook gave him a tray with two cups.

Taehyung sighed yet once again.

“Just one cup..” he said softly. “I won’t drink.. I can’t..”

Coffee reminds him of Jisoo.. how can he drink that?

Jungkook took one and left it in the sink.

“Hyung.. you need to eat.. you look sick..” he said tapping his arm before leaving him and going to his office.

Taehyung opened the door and found his mom sitting on the couch.

Stella got up and touched his face with both hands.

“Why do you look so thin?” she asked worried. “And your necktie.. where is it? Let me put it on you..”

Taehyung shook his head as he put the coffee down the table.

He didn’t put a tie because it reminds him of her.. everything reminds him of her..

Stella made him sit beside her.

“What are you doing here, mom?” he asked staring at the coffee.

Stella turned his head towards her so they could see each other in the eye.

“You turned your phone off.. I couldn’t call you.. I was worried about you Taehyung.. are you even eating these days? Are you even sleeping?”

Taehyung remained silent.

Stella was feeling bad for him but she knows it was her son’s mistake and she can’t blame Jisoo if she’s avoiding him now.

Taehyung put his head on his mom’s shoulders while holding her hands. 

“Do you.. love her?” asked Stella placing her hands above his squeezing them. “Jisoo is a really nice girl.. she’s bubbly.. she’s kind.. she’s respectful.. she’s generous.. she’s someone I really admire..”

Taehyung smiled a little. He also sees Jisoo the same way his mom does.

“Son.. give her some time.. let her organize her thoughts for now.. and you.. when you have also reflected on your actions.. you should talk to her again.. and admit your mistake.. she may look tough because she pushes you away.. she may tell you to stop talking to her and to leave her alone.. but as a woman.. I could assure you that she also wants to see you.. to talk to you..and it’s because she loves you that it’s even harder for her to forgive you..”

Stella could hear Taehyung crying. His tears were falling on top of her hands.

“I miss my daughter too.. I want to see her too.. if I’m feeling this sad.. I can’t understand how you would feel son..” said Stella touching his face with her hand. “I wish I could have had this kind of romantic drama in my life.. but your dad is too boring to even argue with..”

Taehyung chuckled and wiped his tears.

“Then why did you marry a boring man like him?”

He looked at her with his puffy eyes.

Stella cradled his face while smiling.

“It’s because of his looks obviously.. that’s why I’m so happy seeing your face because I can see how he looked like when I married him.. now he’s just a bald old looking man..”

Taehyung hugged his mom tight and whispered to her ears.

“Can you stay longer in my office today, mom? I want to sleep on your lap like how I did back when I was a kid..”

Stella patted his back.

“Of cour