Love Candidate - Invisible Shadows - Chapter 12

So... he's really sure about me? Why did I doubt him when he was always this sincere?

The empty hospital door hummed with subtle monitor beeps as I sat on the bench with my hands clasped over my face. I sighed and straightened my back as I shakily shook my legs, nervously glancing at the ER to find Seokjin's guards securing the door.

"Jiyoung-shi! Are you alright? I just received the news," Secretary Yoo suddenly appeared with a worried yet startled expression as he rushed up to me in his work attire.

"I'm fine, but Seokjin is in the ER," I anxiously turned to look at the emergency room after I got onto my feet to greet the secretary.

"I need to contact his parents. Excuse me," Secretary Yoo hurriedly drew out his phone to contact the Kims as I paced back and forth, worriedly biting my finger. Why was Seokjin attacked? Was it a robbery? But the person didn't have anything with them? Taehyung got hurt not too long ago... now Seokjin too? I halted when my phone started ringing, so I quickly answered it.

"Where are you?! It's almost midnight, and you're not home-"

"I'm at the hospital. Seokjin got hurt," I interrupted Taehyung when he tried to shout at me through the phone.

"Moh? What do you mean he's hurt???" Taehyung questioned in a baffled tone.

"I don't know. Someone broke into his place. He's in the emergency room right now- Moh? Hello?- Oh?" I tried to explain when Taehyung suddenly hung up on me. I lowered my phone in confusion and turned to find Secretary Yoo speaking with Seokjin's guards with an uptight expression. I slumped back onto the bench and leaned back with my eyes closed. What would've happened if I didn't visit him tonight?

"What happened? Why is he hurt???" Taehyung suddenly appeared in the hallway with a questioning look half an hour after calling me. I sat up worriedly when I noticed he was still limping on his left leg. I thought he wanted to hide from everyone until he recovered?

"Sir," Secretary Yoo greeted Taehyung while eyeing his bandaged head with a puzzled expression.

"You went to his house?" Taehyung asked, turning to look at me with a questioning look. I was about to answer his question when we heard footsteps storming through the corridor.

"My poor baby! Is he alright!? My Seokjinie~! Aigo~!" Mrs. Kim cried in distress as she rushed down the corridor with her husband and guards, looking as pale as a worried mother would be.

"Anneonghaseyo," I greeted them when they got to us.

"Taehyungie! Where have you been? I couldn't contact you for days! And what happened to your head?!" Mrs. Kim gasped in shock when she found her youngest son standing in the hallway with a bruised face and bandaged head.

"I got into an accident," Taehyung weakly smiled at his mother as she cupped his cheeks to examine his beaten face with a torn expression.

"What happened? Why is my son hurt?" Mr. Kim grimaced at Seokjin's secretary. Taehyung briefly glanced at my stained shirt while patting his mother's shoulder to comfort her.

"According to the guards, Jiyoung screamed for help after she entered his villa to see him. They couldn't find the culprit, but we'll review the camera footage around his property," Secretary Yoo informed his parents.

"Omo! You were with him!? Did you see the culprit? Who hurt my son?" Mrs. Kim suddenly grabbed my forearm, making me seethe in pain when she applied pressure on the fresh cuts I got from crashing onto the glass table.

"Oh? I saw Seokjin, but I didn't see the culprit's face-"

"Omo! Doctor! Is my Seokjin alright!?" Mrs. Kim suddenly pushed past me with little to no attention when the emergency door opened, and a doctor stepped out in his lab coat.

"He's dealing with a 3rd-grade concussion, but his condition is stable. We patched his wound. He should wake up soon, so we'll transfer him to the resting room," The doctor reassuringly smiled at Mrs. Kim as she sobbed before him with her napkin pressed against her nose.

"My poor baby~!" Mrs. Kim immediately chased after the hospital cart when she noticed the nurses pushing Seokjin out of the room, disappearing in the left corridor. I exhaled in relief at the good news and gently pressed my hands against my face to recollect my thoughts. Thank god his wound isn't severe.

"Contact the central police station to investigate the intrusion. The culprit must be caught no matter what! How dare they hurt my son before the election!" Mr. Kim instructed secretary Yoo and sternly walked forward with his people. Secretary Yoo sighed heavily after receiving the order and followed Seokjin's parents to his resting room. I turned to find Taehyung rubbing his lower chest with an uncomfortable expression. His parents didn't even pay attention to his wounds.

"I'll visit Seokjin- What?" I muttered, turning to walk in a way when Taehyung suddenly grabbed my arm, gently tugging me back.

"Aren't you going to get your wounds treated?" Taehyung questioned, glancing down at the scratch on my elbow and back at me.

"I'm fine," I nodded, tugging my arm out of his grip, and walked towards Seokjin's resting room.

"-Aigo~! You poor thing! How are you feeling??? Does your head hurt?? Aigo~ My poor heart can't handle seeing you like this!" Mrs. Kim's anxious voice could be heard from the gap between the opened door leading to the VIP medical room. Secretary Yoo forcefully smiled at me and stepped aside to let me in. I nervously entered the room to find Seokjin leaning against the bedhead with a sick expression.

"I'm fine, eomma. It's nothing," Seokjin weakly gripped his mother's hand to assure her of his well-being as he sat with a bandaged head.

"How can you claim you're alright when your head is bleeding?! Aigo~!" Mrs. Kim whined at her son with a disapproving look.

"Are you going to treat him like a child? I'm sure the blow was nothing compared to mine," Taehyung spoke sarcastically, entering the room after me.

"How can you say that!? Your brother is hurt! Is his life and safety a joke!?" Mr. Kim snapped at his youngest son with a glowering glare, causing Taehyung to gulp in fear. Taehyung clenched his jaw at Seokjin and turned away with an irritated expression.

"Jiyoung?" Seokjin blinked at me in surprise when he found me standing quietly beside Secretary Yoo.

"Jiyoung found you after you collapsed in your office. She alarmed your guards and even got hurt while fighting with the culprit," Secretary Yoo informed Seokjin.

"Are you alright?" I approached him anxiously as he smiled at me with a bright yet weary smile.

"Oh? Really?- Did you get hurt? Your arms..." Seokjin's excited smile suddenly faded when he noticed the scratches on my arms, so I quickly hid my arms behind my back.

"I'm fine. Don't worry," I reassured Seokjin, but he was already frowning at me with an skeptical expression.

"What happened? Why were you attacked?" Mr. Kim questioned his son as he sat on the couch beside the bed with an uptight expression.

"The person was trying to steal something from my office when I returned home from work. I fought with him until he swung something at my head. I can't remember anything else," Seokjin furrowed his eyebrows as he struggled to recall his memories.

"How can anyone be this cruel!? You poor child~!" Mrs. Kim whimpered as she ruffled Seokjin's hair. Taehyung rolled his eyes at his mother's reaction and glanced down at his bruised knuckle in disinterest.

"They're probably attacking you because everyone knows you're dating a corrupted chairman's daughter," Taehyung scoffed. The room turned muted, and everyone suddenly turned to stare at me with a suspicious look. I gulped at their gawking eyes and gripped my hands in restlessly as they studied me until I felt really uncomfortable.

"Where's Namjoon?" Mr. Kim exhaled, turning to look at secretary Yoo, finally breaking the intense atmosphere.

"I contacted him earlier, sir. He's still working overtime at his office. He told me he's occupied with work and therefore could not visit his older brother," Secretary Yoo informed Mr. Kim.

"Aigo~! What if he gets hurt too?! He shouldn't be alone at the office during this hour!" Mrs. Kim gasped dramatically, making Taehyung grip his fist in irritation. I won't lie, but Taehyung's injuries are far more severe than Seokjin's, and yet... his mother didn't seem to care about his condition at all.

"Annyeonghaseyo. We're here to question the suspect," Two police officers suddenly stepped into the medical room.

"Suspect?" Seokjin raised his eyebrow at the officers in confusion, so they averted their eyes to me. What? Why are they looking at me-

"Are you referring to Jiyoung-shi?" Secretary Yoo turned to stare at the officers in confusion.

"She was the only person at the crime scene-"

"You want to interrogate her?" Seokjin questioned, frowning at the officers with a disapproving look.

"Aigo! I'm sure they'll only ask her some questions! She was the only person there, so she should be questioned until she's proven innocent-"

"It wasn't her. She already gave you her statement. I was there. It was a man, and Jiyoung was not with me until I collapsed," Seokjin bitterly turned to stare at his mother when she tried to explain the situation.

"We're sorry, but all the witnesses and suspects must cooperate for us to undertake a proper investigation," The officers sighed at Seokjin.

"It's okay. I'll go with the officers," I smiled, turning to walk away when Seokjin suddenly got off the bed in a hurry, causing his mother to gasp in shock.

"No. I told you it's not Jiyoung. How can you disrespect her like this? You're not going with them," Seokjin firmly grabbed my wrist to hold me back as he stood in his medical clothes.

"Seokjin, it's fine-"

"If she didn't find me, I'd be dead by now. There are available camera footages, so review them. She's innocent, and I'm certain of it. I won't let anyone make her feel uncomfortable. Especially not when she got hurt to help me," Seokjin glared at the officers, protectively tugging me back behind his back.

"Honey-"

"Eomma. I'm not a child anymore. I'm fine," Seokjin sighed heavily at his mother when she tried to convince her son again. Mr. Kim rubbed his nose bridge when Seokjin refused to let the officer question me and eventually agreed to dismiss them. I insisted on staying with Seokjin, but he told me to head home because he'll leave the hospital tomorrow morning anyways. I bid him goodbye and slowly walked out of the hospital with a blank expression. What should I do? I wanted to meet Seokjin to end things between us... but my emotions are all over the place now. Was Taehyung speaking the truth? Am I the reason they got hurt? Are the corporation's representatives against the Kims cooperating with my stepfather?

"I'll take you home," Secretary Yoo suddenly appeared by my side with a weak smile.

"Ah. It's alright. I can head home by myself," I politely rejected his offer. I don't want to burden him.

"But Seokjin wants me to escort you home-"

"Go home to your wife and kids, Mr. Secretary. I'll take her home," Taehyung chuckled as he walked up to us in his furry coat.

"You're only making her uncomfortable-"

"That's not true. We're good friends. Right? Jiyoung-shi? Kaja~!" Taehyung laughed, placing his arm over my shoulder, and suddenly tugged me in the opposite direction before I got the chance to bid Secretary Yoo goodbye.

"I'll go home on my own!" I whined, shrugging Taehyung's arm off my shoulder in annoyance.

"We're going to the same place anyway," Taehyung frowned at me as we got to a black Porsche parked by the hospital entrance.

"Same place? You're going back to my house?! I said you can only stay until-"

"Until I'm healed. I won't leave until I can take this bandage off my head. I refuse to walk around looking like a marshmallow head! Now get in and stop making a fuss! Your roommate boyfriend will be upset if I let you walk home!" Taehyung forced me into the passenger seat and roughly buckled my seatbelt before hopping into the driver's seat.

"Where did you even get your car if you were at my house?" I grumbled, turning to look out the window with my arms crossed.

"Did you forget? I'm a mafia boss," Taehyung laughed as he drove forward. I rolled my eyes at his cocky smile with my eyes on the side window, and for some dumb reason, I fell asleep in his car. I grunted in discomfort when I felt my body swaying from side to side. Thud... thud... thud. The steady footsteps strode up the stairs, so I opened my eyes to find myself looking at the staircase... upside down.

"Moh? Where am I? Yah! Put me down! You said we're going home!" I groaned in shock when I realized Taehyung was carrying me over his shoulder. Why is he carrying me like a dead animal?!

"We are going home," Taehyung chuckled.

"This isn't my home! Yah! Put me down!" I shrieked, smacking his back repeatedly, and tried to lift my body, but he firmly held me over his shoulder and strode into a dim corridor.

"We are home. My home," Taehyung laughed. I rubbed my eyes in frustration but halted in shock when I heard his door beeping open.

"WHAT! YAH! ARE YOU NUTS- YAH!" I gasped in panic when it finally struck me. I smacked his back in distress when he suddenly tossed me onto his leather couch. I quickly sat up in horror to find myself sitting in his mafia apartment.

"Your bed is too uncomfortable," Taehyung chuckled as he switched on the lights before heating up the automatic fireplace to keep the room warm.

"You fucking freak! I'm leaving- Open the door! Yah! I'm not staying!" I frantically scrambled onto my feet and rushed towards his door to yank it open, but it wouldn't budge. It's locked. Taehyung dismissively chuckled, disappearing into a corridor without responding to me as I violently rattled the door but no matter what I did... Taehyung wouldn't open the door for me.

"Yah~! Why are you so noisy?!" Someone whined in irritation. I quickly turned to the corridor to find a pale man yawning as he strolled into the living with messy hair. Yoongi. Taehyung called him Yoongi. He halted in confusion when he noticed I was trying to break open their door.

"I'm trying to leave... Can you- perhaps open the door for me?" I stood awkwardly by the door as he stared at me with a baffled expression. It's the same man who saved me from his people.

"You're Jimin's girlfriend?" Yoongi questioned, dismissively sitting on the couch to pour himself a whisky. Did Jimin tell everyone I'm his girlfriend?

"Not anymore, but will you open the door-"

"I'm not taking you home tonight, so stop rattling the door. I'll sue you if you break it!" Taehyung threatened, returning with spare clothes in his hands, and tossed them at me. I unconsciously caught the clothes and towel in disbelief.

"Why did you bring her here? I'm seriously drained right now, so if you intend to have sexy bedtime with your brother's woman... then book a hotel. I can't stay up all night listening to your affair after a tiring day at work. And where have you been? I thought you died," Yoongi muttered in a husky tone before taking a sip from his glass.

"Go and shower. You reek of blood," Taehyung suddenly grabbed my collar and dragged me down the corridor with him.

"I said I'm not staying! What's the matter with you-"

"I'll let you go tomorrow morning, alright? My brother's secretary saw you leaving with me so if something happens to you... Seokjin will break my neck," Taehyung sideways glared at me as he shoved me into his bedroom and slammed the door shut before I could confront him. Gulping, I turned to look at the neat room with the transparent view of the city lights and glanced at the bathroom unsurely.

"Jiyoung... let's just pretend you're at a motel with a guy, okay? Just shower and stay calm," I muttered, carefully stepping into the oddly clean bathroom. My jaw dropped when I realized it was bigger than my living room. A single tub-like pool sat by the giant glass wall with bubbling water. What the heck? How can he shower when there's a transparent wall in the bathroom??? I gulped, slowly turning toward the shower stall... and my eyes bulged open when I realized there were at least three different showerheads. The bathroom even had another room leading to a private sauna room. I clenched the towel tightly, slowly turning around the bathroom to scan it in disbelief. He's crazy rich...

"I can't shower!-" I whispered, hurrying out of the bathroom but stopped dead when I opened the door just in time to find Taehyung stepping back inside his room.

"What's the matter? I told you to shower," Taehyung frowned at me when he noticed I was still a mess and walked to his drawer to withdraw something from it.

"How can I shower when there's a giant window in the bathroom?!" I shook my head repeatedly.

"Why? Are you shy? I didn't know you were this conservative," Taehyung chuckled without looking at me as he dug into his drawer.

"I'm not an attention whore like you! Why call it a private bathroom if you're going to let people see you naked!" I snapped in disbelief.

"Women like to see me naked though," Taehyung laughed, turning to meet my eye with a devilish smirk.

"Whatever. I'm done-"

"The glass wall is tinted, you fool. No one can see you. Now clean yourself because I won't let you on my bed if you stay dirty," Taehyung tilted his head to the side.

"Who says I'm sleeping with you? I'll sleep on the couch," I glared at him and tried to walk away when he tugged me back with his tongue pressed against his inner cheek.

"My couch is the only edition in the world. I don't want you to dirty it either," Taehyung raised his eyebrow at me.

"Then I'll sleep on the floor- YAH! AH-" I screamed in panic when he grabbed my arm and dragged me into the bathroom with him.

"Should I shower you then? Do you want me to strip you here?" Taehyung asked, hastily unbuttoning his shirt before me, causing my eyes to bulge open in horror.

"Leave! You're so annoying!" I shrieked in frustration, roughly pushing him out of the bathroom and slammed the door shut to keep him away.

"Don't take too long, or I'll break inside," Taehyung dawdled, so I turned to glare at the door until I heard him leaving his bedroom again. I quickly undressed and rushed into the bathroom to shower. I didn't take long because I was afraid he'd really come in and quickly pull on his loose shirt and short pants. The short is too big for me. I tied the waistband with my hairband, and finally strolled out of the bathroom with the towel, looking like a homeless person in his baggy shirt. The short pants kept slipping, so I had to constantly tug on it.

"-They stabbed you?" Yoongi questioned Taehyung in the living room as I slowly approached them.

"Oh. My brother was attacked too. It must be the motherfuckers from the representative council," Taehyung replied, turning to fire me a bitter expression.

"What do they want from you?" Yoongi questioned, eyeing Taehyung's oversized clothes on me with a judgy look and turned back to Taehyung.

"Her father's ledger," Taehyung fired me with a sour expression.

"My father's ledger?" I questioned in surprise.

"Oh. The anti-corruption council wants your father's confidential ledger to pin down his illegal cash flow. They thought I knew where it was, so they targeted me," Taehyung nodded as I sat on the couch with him.

"Why would they want the ledger-"

"To use it against your father, obviously," Taehyung fired me an annoyed look.

"Why did you bring your brother's date here? You really love to annoy him, don't you? Well. Don't make too much noise... I'm going back to bed," Yoongi chuckled while shaking his head at Taehyung as he got onto his feet and walked away with his hands in his pockets.

"You wanna sleep with me?" Taehyung turned to smile at me.

"No," I said shortly, turning to scroll through my phone.

"Why not? Seriously! Look at me! What don't I have!? I'm an entire full course meal," Taehyung proudly puffed his chest with an offended expression.

"Respect," I muttered without looking at him.

"Yah! Are you saying I'm disrespectful!?! I'm offering to let you stay in this luxury apartment for free! You should be thankful!" Taehyung widened his eyes at me.

"You're holding me captive against my will," I nodded sarcastically with my eyes trained on my phone.

"Wah. Are you that devoted to being a good person? The rumors I heard about you- Does it make any sense? You don't hesitate to sleep with the poor scumbags on the streets, but you're refusing to sleep with me? I'm hurt," Taehyung grumbled with a sour expression.

"I'm not a prostitute. I sleep with whoever I want to sleep with, and it's not you," I mumbled, finally turning to look at him with my dull eyes after switching off my phone.

"Would you sleep with my brother then?" Taehyung questioned curiously.

"I already slept with him," I lied without thinking. Seokjin already saw my body... and he even touched me, so... it counts.

"And you don't want to sleep with me!? Why not?" Taehyung scoffed at me. I wanted to snap at Taehyung for being a disgusting pervert, but I realized there was something strange about him... he looks... offended. Really offended. He took it so personally as if... he's humiliated.

"Because I like your brother," I replied without thinking, knowing it'll irritate Taehyung. He is lowkey still a child by heart. An ambitious one.

"But I'm better in bed!" Taehyung insisted. I chuckled at his response and shook my head in disbelief. Taehyung frowned at my reaction with his eyebrows furrowed. He's so amusing sometimes... I'm speechless.

"No, you're not," I teased, looking up at him.

"How do you know if you've never-"

"Women cry after they have sex with you. It's not a good sign," I laughed while rubbing my face as I recalled the past memories of a woman rushing out of his room in tears.

"What's wrong with crying after sex-"

"It's because you forced her... or you're hurting her physically or maybe you're scaring her," I shrugged, turning my head to look at him again.

"Oh? You didn't actually think I raped her, did you? I didn't! I don't like to force women! Hey- I was raised by a family with social prestige! I don't like it when they resist me, so whenever I'm with a woman- it's on their own will. I just lure them in, and they'll spread for me," Taehyung huffed at me with his eyes wide open. Yup. I think I understand the mafia freak now...

"Okay, good boy. You're doing well, so why don't you go to bed," I smiled, reaching out to pat his hair. Taehyung suddenly froze in his seat as I playfully ruffled his hair... and as expected... his cheeks turned bright red. Bingo. Did I say he had a degradation kink? It turns him on, sure. But praises? He folds at tender affection. Hah! I knew it!

"What- What are you doing- How dare you touch me-"

"Aigo! You poor thing!" I teased, cupping his face to squish his cheeks. Taehyung's face flushed in horror with his unblinking eyes trained on mine as I cheekily squeezed his cheeks. He's turning red... I found his weakness.

"You're so annoying! I'm going to shower!" Taehyung suddenly shoved me away from him and got onto his feet, so I got up and followed him with a wide smile.

"Should we sleep in the same room? I'll cuddle you to sleep because you're such a good boy! Hmm?" I giggled just as Taehyung was about to open the door. He snapped his baffled expression towards me in disbelief, so I raised my eyebrows as a response until he gulped at me with an uneasy expression.

"No! Sleep on the couch! You're so annoying!" Taehyung muttered, slamming his bedroom door in my face. I chuckled at his sudden withdrawal, walked back to the living and slumped down with my hands under my head. It took me a while to locate his weakness because of his dangerous energy... A child? He shouldn't have told me the key to his soft spot. I'll use it against him- I averted my eyes to the corridor when Taehyung suddenly returned to the living room after showering. He didn't say anything and approached me, and before I could react, he grabbed my hand and pulled me onto my feet.

"What are you-"

"Share the bed with me," Taehyung muttered without looking at me.

"But I thought you told me to sleep outside. Why? Is the good boy scared to sleep alone?" I chuckled, tugging my hand back. Taehyung couldn't look at me in my eyes and awkwardly averted his eyes away when I wouldn't stop teasing him.

"Come with me," Taehyung cleared his throat and grabbed my hand again.

"No. I'm sleeping outside," I shook my head when he suddenly bent down to lift me off the couch, making me shriek in shock. He didn't throw me over his shoulder but carefully carried me back to his room in his strong arms.

"Sleep with me-"

"No! I said I'm not having sex with you-" I glared at him as soon as he let me back down onto the floor after closing his bedroom door.

"Not sex! Just sleep with me, will you? I won't do anything," Taehyung swallowed as he leaned against the door to stop me from leaving. I studied his rosy red cheeks unsurely... What's the matter with him?

"I don't trust you," I sighed, crossing my arms unsurely. Taehyung grew quiet as he stared at me with his oddly... innocent pupils. Did I wake his inner child or what? No matter how many times I refused... he wouldn't move out of the way, so I gave up and agreed to share his bed. But I didn't sleep. I leaned against the bed head as he slipped under the blanket beside me.

"Aren't you going to sleep?" He turned to look at me with a questioning look.

"You sleep. I'm not sleepy. Especially not when I'm with a pervert like you," I muttered, turning to stare at the city view with my arms crossed. Taehyung nodded and turned to look at the ceiling as he lay beside me. There's something off about him... is this all an act? But why was he so flustered?

"You hurt your elbow," Taehyung muttered after a moment, so I turned away from the view to find him resting on his side, staring at me with his... puppy eyes...? What's this?

"I'm not a whiny baby like you," I shrugged, turning back to look at the car lights moving through the streets in the city.

"Why don't you like me?" Taehyung proceeded to question me. I rubbed my face and turned to glare at him in annoyance. I really want to snap at him, but the look- The innocent look on his face! Why is he so confused about my rejection?

"How many times do I have to tell you-"

"What makes my brother better than me? Why do you prefer him? No, I mean. Even if you don't like me as much as my brother- Why can't you sleep with me? Like you do with the scumbags? Don't you hook up with guys and move on without any attachments? Why am I an exception?" Taehyung questioned. I opened my mouth to cuss at him but held back when the question struck me. He's right. I'd hook up with random guys even if I don't like them. If I was my old self... I'd definitely hook up with Taehyung without hesitation. So why am I holding back now?

"I didn't believe in love when I was younger. I didn't want to commit because I don't believe in forever or real love," I shrugged after thinking about his questions.

"Why? If you don't want something serious... Why are you rejecting me?" Taehyung muttered. I briefly glanced at him as he stared at me from his pillow. I exhaled and looked down at my hands.

"Because I don't want to mess around anymore. I'm tired of meeting endless people just to fool around with them. It's a waste of time. I want to settle. I want to find the right person... maybe... They'll make me believe in forever. I don't want temporary... I want it to be permanent," I sighed with my eyes fixed on my hand. I want to feel real love... I don't want to dance aimlessly with strangers and call it love. I want someone to take my hand, so I can finally settle down and live happily. Taehyung grew hushed at my words, so I turned to find him snoring softly against his pillow. Did he just- fall asleep while listening to me? Shaking my head, I turned to look at the city view again.

I rolled over on the silk mattress to hug the cushy pillow, buried my face into it, and dozed off to sleep again. After a moment, I finally turned to lay on my back when I smelt the faint and soothing scent inside the room. I sniffed the air and turned to the other side of the room to stare at the dull morning city and stared at the cloudy sky with no thoughts in my head. The fragrance is from the diffuser by my bedside. If only I could wake every day with this view... view? I snapped my head to look at the bed in shock when I realized I was sleeping on the freak's bed. Shit! Did I fall asleep?! I quickly pushed the blanket off my body and exhaled in relief when I realized I was still dressed in his clothes. The bed was empty, so I quickly scrambled out of his bed and hurried into the bathroom to search for my clothes, but it was nowhere to be found.

"Where did he go? I need to leave..." I yawned as I strolled down the corridor with my eyes half-open.

"Hah~ Ah~ Hah~ Ah~" Weird noises came from the living room as I groggily scratched my hair. My brain didn't process the sounds, so I strolled into the living room to find Taehyung sitting up on the couch and halted to stare at him.

"Are you working out...? In your living room?" I muttered, blankly staring at him.

"Omo- Who-"

"Shh. Stay still- I'm almost done with you," Taehyung chuckled, briefly turning to look at me as he... thrust into something on the couch. I blinked once, and I realized he was shirtless. I could only see the upper half of his body because the couch was facing the opposite direction. So I blinked again... and I realized he was holding two slim legs against his shoulders as he pounded forward.

"Hah~ Ah~ Oppa- hurry-" A woman moaned in distress. SNAP. I froze in my position when it suddenly struck me. My eyes bulged open in disbelief as I watched the freak... having sex with a woman... on the couch... in the living room.

"Tell me... do you like it? Hmm? Answer me?" Taehyung chuckled as he worked his body harder over hers. I couldn't see the woman because she was laying on the couch, so I only saw her legs over Taehyung's muscular shoulders from my view.

"I like it so much ah~" The woman moaned in response.

"Are you sure-"

"You're the best!- Ah!" The woman shrieked when Taehyung clenched his jaw and roughly thrust into her. I was too stunned to move, so Taehyung turned to smirk at me with a naughty expression.

"Loving the sight, clumsy woman?" Taehyung laughed in a psychopathic tone as he licked his lower lips while railing the woman.

"You should get used to it. Have you eaten?" Yoongi suddenly appeared by my side in his pajamas and sleepy eyes, so I turned to look at his unbothered expression in shock. He nudged my shoulder and walked away, so I unconsciously followed him into the kitchen.

"How did he even find a woman this early... in the morning?" I muttered, sitting down on the tall stool by the counter as Yoongi dug into the fridge.

"He probably went jogging and met a hot chick along the way," The man shrugged, turning to place a water bottle for me. I accepted his offer and drank it unsurely. Why is he so shameless?

"Wah~ That was a good workout~" Taehyung suddenly appeared in his pants but remained shirtless as he strolled into the kitchen with his sweaty torso.

"Yah. Why can't you do it in your room? It's so disgusting!" Yoongi turned to scold Taehyung as he sat down beside me. And without any warnings, Taehyung snatched the bottle from my hand while I was drinking, making me cough in shock. I pounded my chest in distress and turned to find him gulping all of my water, so I fired him an irritated glare in response.

"Well, clumsy woman was sleeping on my bed. Did you expect me to fool around on the same bed?" Taehyung rolled his eyes at Yoongi, who was heating the pan on the stove.

"And what are you two... exactly?" Yoongi turned to stare at us with his arms crossed. I couldn't answer, so Taehyung chuckled and walked out of the kitchen, leaving me with Yoongi.

"We're nothing. Not friends. Not lovers. Don't make weird assumptions," I muttered as Yoongi stared at me with a doubtful face.

"Whatever it is. Don't mess around with Taehyung. His brothers might be soft-hearted, but not Taehyung. Don't let his goofy side fool you, so pick a side," Yoongi shrugged, turning to fix the stove's temperature.

"Pick a side...?" I questioned, unsurely staring at Yoongi.

"Kim Taehyung is a mafia leader. I'm sure you're aware of it by now. He sometimes doesn't act like an adult, but he's very dangerous when he's frustrated. So if you like his brother... then stick with Seokjin," Yoongi shrugged, turning to look at me again as he leaned against the counter.

"I like his brother, but Taehyung keeps bothering me. So I'm not seeing Seokjin anymore, and I'm not interested in Taehyung either," I muttered, lowering my head to rest on the table. I'm so tired...

"But he's interested in you. Taehyung," Yoongi mumbled. I slowly lifted my head to look at Yoongi's uptight expression.

"He's not interested in me. He's only doing it to irritate Seokjin, and it's dumb," I sighed while shaking my head.

"If Kim Taehyung gets in between your legs ten minutes after meeting you... then he's just horny. Have you slept with him ever since you met him? No. That's unlike his usual behavior," Yoongi chuckled, turning to pour oil onto the pan.

"I'm leaving now," I muttered and walked out of the kitchen, heading back to the living room, and as expected... she's gone. I turned toward the door and tried to open it again, but it wouldn't open. What kind of door did Taehyung install? It's like a prison!

"Leaving already?" Taehyung questioned from behind me. I turned to find him walking toward me in a casual t-shirt and baggy pants.

"You said I can leave in the morning. And where are my clothes? I can't find it," I sighed, turning to look at him in exhaustion. I can't play games with him anymore.

"I threw your clothes away because it was dirty-"

"What?! Are you crazy!? Ah~" I snapped, smacking my face in disbelief. Taehyung didn't speak and leaned against the wall with his eyes trained on mine.

"Do you want to be my personal chef? I'll pay you ten times more than the local store you're working at. And I'll pay you bonuses if you provide other services," Taehyung suddenly offered with his eager eyes fixed on me.

"Do I look like I'm a rental object or a prostitute to you!? Open the damn door!" I whined, firing him a frustrated glare. How can he be so stupid with his words?!

"I didn't say you're an object! Don't put words into my mouth! I'm offering you a job opportunity! You said you don't want to be involved with the mafia, so I'm asking you to cook for me-"

"I don't want to be involved with you! Alright?! I'm not your mother and I know what you want! You want me to spread for you, and I'm telling you- I'm not interested!" I roared, angrily turning to look at him. Taehyung grew hushed when he realized I was upset with him.

"Are you playing hard to get-"

"No, I'm not-"

"Then why don't you want to be with me!?" Taehyung scoffed, furrowing his eyebrows at me in frustration. What's the matter with him?! I fucking told him countless times already!!!

"You only want me to irritate your brother! You claim you want me when you're fucking another woman right before my eyes! And you want me to take you seriously?! No one will ever take you seriously! I told you I don't want temporary people in my life, so I'm not going to fall for your shameless tricks, alright? Now open the door for me!" I seethed at his face in rage. Do I have to smack his head for him to comprehend my words? Taehyung pursed his lips at my sudden outburst, suddenly opening the door with a dull expression, so I yanked it open and hurried off without speaking with him. I took the front exit out of the building because I didn't feel like dealing with the thugs and stomped out of the place until I found Jungkook waiting outside my house. My stuffy chest suddenly grew lighter when he waved at me with a bright smile.

"What's the matter-"

"I'm so tired. Can you hold me for a bit?" I muttered, walking right into him for a hug. Jungkook welcomed me in his arms without hesitation. I clutched his body tightly as he tightened his arms around me.

"Whose clothes is this? Why is it so loose?" Jungkook questioned against my ear as I softly breathed against his warm chest and finally pulled away.

"I don't think I can do it anymore," I stared at him apologetically. My life is a mess because of my parents.

"Do what-"

"I can't see Seokjin anymore," I whispered, sadly staring at Jungkook's anxious eyes.

"Why not- I thought-"

"It's not working out at all. I don't want to be involved with Seokjin or my parents," I muttered, lowering my head to look at my shoes.

"We'll be forced to marry each other if you stop seeing Seokjin," Jungkook sighed as he leaned against his bike. I bit my lips to contain my feelings while processing my thoughts and finally looked up at Jungkook with my tearful eyes.

"Why don't you want to marry me? Am I that bad?" I questioned with my pained eyes fixed on Jungkook. My chest throbbed in pain as Jungkook frowned at my absurd words.

"What? Jiyoung, we're friends, and we both love different people. You won't be happy with me even if I'm your best friend," Jungkook gently took my hands in his and gave me a light squeeze. I felt like bursting into tears as he held onto my hands, so glanced back at him with my watery eyes after looking away to suppress my swelling chest.

"You're so stupid. Ah~ Whatever," I gulped the hot lump in my throat and turned away to head inside my house, but Jungkook refused to let go of my hand.

"What? Talk to me! Don't just walk away like that- Yah-"

"All these times... after so many years of being friends with you... I always respected your decisions because you're my friend. I did whatever you asked me to do because I didn't want to lose you. I really liked you when we were in middle school, but you asked to break up, so I accepted your decision. You wanted to be my friend instead, so I agreed. When you like someone else... you come to me. Jiyoung-ah~ Can you help me get with this girl or that person? I never said a word... and supported you with your lovers. I remained by your side regardless of my feelings. Everything you wanted. I did it for you. Now you're asking me to marry a man I don't love so you could be happy with your girlfriend, and I did it without hesitation. I tried. I lied to myself and even convinced myself I was better off with other men, so I went on dates. I kissed another man for you, so you could hold your girlfriend. I even forced myself to sleep with him because I desperately wanted to believe in this thing we call love. I did everything that was supposed to make me feel loved... I did it all. Just for you. I did everything... knowing I'm not ready to be with anyone because you're my friend," I swallowed in difficulty as teams of tears slid down my cheeks. Jungkook sat speechless on his motobike as he scanned my torn expression with a troubled yet dumbstruck gaze.

"Jiyoung. You know I love you-"

"Your love is empty. Don't say you love me when you say the same thing to your girlfriend. I wanted you to be happy with her- but... ever since you asked me to see other men... I've been breaking. How long do I have to keep this up? Hmm? Wae? Despite everything, I did for you... What's so bad about marrying me? What's wrong with me? Why don't you want me? Oh? Does it make sense? I tried- everything. I did it all to please you- so why can't you see me? Why am I no more or less than a friend? Tell me. Why can't you like me more than a friend? Why are you not satisfied when I've given my all to you? Why am I not enough for you!? And why am I always the one in the shadow, hoping for your happiness instead of my own? Does it make sense?! At all!?" I snapped in anger when I felt the emotions overflowing in my aching chest.

I like Jeon Jungkook! I never really stopped liking him, even after years of denying my feelings for him!

I succeeded in detaching my feelings from Jungkook for a while when I'm with Jimin and I was happy with Jimin. But he begged me to ditch Jimin... He claimed Jimin wasn't good for me, yet he couldn't love me more than a friend. I never wanted to lose him, so I held onto him. I let him drag me around, even if it was hurting me.

Taehyung's right about everything. We are indeed similar. We are the invisible shadows... desperately hoping to be noticed. We did everything we could to satisfy people... to reach their expectations.

And yet... no one ever appreciated our efforts... except for a disinterested acknowledgment.

A thoughtless pat... or hug... or compliment... was all we received for our hard work.

Nothing more or less.

We're both invisible to the person we love most, and it's killing us. When Taehyung asked me why I preferred Seokjin over him? I did not have a definite answer but excuses to avoid him.

It's the same with Jungkook. Why am I not enough for him? Why? Why can't I be loved by the person... I'm so afraid to lose? Why? Why? Why? What's so bad about me? What did I do wrong to deserve this treatment? Why am I the one begging to be noticed??? Why am I neglected when I've tried so hard to please him? Wae?! What the fuck is wrong with me?!

Why am I never enough!?

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Hi!!! I'm back! I'm sorry T_T I know I took longer than usual to update! I had a lot of events to attend so I was very busy! I hope you didn't lose hope in me! I love you guys! Did you enjoy the chapter? How was it? Hope you liked it! Please stay safe and take care of your precious health! Thank you for joining this journey with me~! I love you~!