Love Candidate - Gaslighter - Chapter 19

I immediately bolted out of my stepfather's office after confirming the controversy associated with the Kim Family. I won't listen to him! This can't be happening right when I thought I had someone?! Thud. I shoved my door open and hurried inside my house to find Jimin stumbling down the stairs in a hurry. He stopped abruptly to stare at me with a dreadful expression.

"Did you see the news?" Jimin stared at me in horror.

"What news?!" I frowned. Jimin hurried towards the living room to grab the remote to switch on the TV. He repeatedly switched the channels until he landed on a news channel. My heart sunk as the reporter briefed about a chaebol family murder controversy.

"-The suspect is believed to be the youngest son-" I hastily snatched the remote control out of Jimin's hand to switch off the TV after hearing the statement on the news. Why is my life like this!? Jimin immediately grabbed my arm when my feet suddenly wobbled at the overwhelming shockwave as I struggled to grasp the dire situation.

"Jiyoung, it's Taehyung. He killed- Jiyoung?! Jiyoung!?" Jimin tried to comfort me, but my mind was too stuffed with terrifying thoughts to focus on his words. I sprinted out of my house as fast as my legs could carry me to stop a cab on the street and quickly go in. I gripped my hands in tears as I sat in the back seat, stubbornly resisting the uncomfortable dizziness to calm my shaken condition. I'm tired of this. I'm tired of having my life ruined!

"Jiyoung? Wait- now isn't the time to see him," Yoongi suddenly appeared after stepping out of the apartment with a drained expression. He halted when he found me striding up to him.

"Where's Taehyung?" I questioned while staring at him with my glowering eyes and tried to push past him.

"He's inside- He's a mess, so I don't think you should see him-" Yoongi blocked me from entering the apartment with an anxious face.

"I want to see him," I gritted sternly with my piercing eyes trained on Yoongi's pale expression.

"The media might disclose the truth if they reinvestigate the case," Yoongi exhaled.

"Let me inside," I insisted, impatiently gripping my fists when Yoongi refused to let me through. I want to hear Taehyung's side of the story, and I will not listen to anyone else until I see him first.

"Look. This is a sensitive topic for Taehyung. He's been coping with it for years," Yoongi bitterly sighed as he studied my fuming frustration.

"I said I want to see him," I softened my voice to plead him. Yoongi gulped in difficulty when I refused to back away, eventually stepping aside to hold the door open for me.

"I'll be downstairs if you need me," Yoongi sighed in defeat. I nodded nervously and strode into the apartment after he closed the door behind me. I glanced at the living room to find Taehyung sitting on the couch in his night robe, barely covering his shirtless torso.

"Taehyung?" I whispered, cautiously walking up to him as he kept his vacant expression trained on the news on the TV screen with tears in his eyes. My heart dropped when I realized he was holding a gun in his hand. He didn't seem to notice my presence as he glared at the screen with a broken yet angered gaze. I shakily reached for the remote to switch off the TV because I knew the rubbish on the news was tearing him apart with their subjective claims. Taehyung slowly averted his deadly eyes to me as I stood before him in tears without uttering a single word.

"Leave me alone," Taehyung demanded in a low voice. His face was as pale as a ghost, and his lips were still bloody from being struck by his father earlier at Namjoon's office.

"I don't want to," I exhaled and tried to advance toward him when he suddenly snapped the gun at me in anger.

"I SAID LEAVE!" Taehyung roared in tears. My heart thumped against my ribs in fear as I stood paralyzed, standing at gunpoint. Taehyung is unstable. Maybe I should leave?

"Talk to me-"

"I don't need anyone! Go away! I know you're only with me for the ledger! So leave before I lose my shit!" Taehyung roared at the top of his lungs. He hastily handled the gun and raised it higher to aim at my chest, numbing my body with his dangerous mental state.

"It's not about the ledger-"

"NO ONE CARES ABOUT ME! DON'T PITY ME! I HATE IT! I HATE BEING PITIED!" Taehyung screamed so loud... strained veins formed along his neck, and his skin was burning red as he fiercely glared at me.

"I care!" I denied his false claim with my concerned eyes fixed on him.

"Lies!" Taehyung snarled at me as he shakily directed the gun at me.

"Taehyung, please I'm here to listen-"

"No! Look at the news! They say I'm a monster! A serial killer! Fucking shameful names! Arghh!" Taehyung cried in distress, making my chest swell with immense pain at the sight of his shattered soul. I've never handled a past trauma attack like this before... so I don't know if I can calm him without being killed.

"You told me we're not bad people! We're just misunderstood-"

"But I am a bad person!" Taehyung shrieked in distress.

"If you're a bad person, then so am I," I stated shortly, stubbornly standing in my position despite being threatened by him.

"Oh? Have you killed people before, Jiyoung-shi? You don't understand anything! You have no idea how much pain I'm in because of the unfair treatment! No one listens to me when I'm desperately begging them!" Taehyung rudely scoffed, tightening his grip around the trigger handle.

"Taehyung! I'm here to listen to you! Stop being stubborn and put the gun down-" I finally screamed after losing my patience and tried to snatch the gun out of his grip. Taehyung suddenly shoved me away with all his might, sending me tumbling to the floor with the forceful impact.

"I don't want to live anymore! Argh! I hate my life! I hate everything! Everything is so unfair! Why is my misery invisible to everyone around me?! Why won't people fucking pay attention to me?" Taehyung screamed in distress as I sat on the carpet with a pained expression. Blood drained from my body when I turned to find Taehyung shoving the gun against his chin- as if to shoot himself.

"T-Taehyung! Stop! Don't hurt yourself!" I gasped in horror as he sat on the couch in tears. He shakily closed his eyes with the gun pressed under his chin.

"I'm a disgrace? I shouldn't have been born? Fine! I'll get rid of myself to fulfill their wish! Maybe that's the only way they'll be proud of me!-"

"THEY DON'T CARE ABOUT YOU, BUT I DO! I DO, TAEHYUNG! YOU'RE BREAKING MY HEART! I AM- ACHING TO SEE YOU LIKE THIS!" I screamed on the floor in frustration when he refused to believe my words. I'm so fucking scared!

"How can your heart hurt for me when it doesn't even belong to me!?" Taehyung sobbed in distress and tried to pull the trigger.

"Taehyung- please! My feelings are real! I really like you, and I can't lose you like this! We might not be together for long, but I am very fond of you, and I will fucking go psycho if you hurt yourself! Please- Just drop the gun and talk to me! Tell me your side of the story if no one else believes you!" I whimpered in despair when I felt my chest tearing itself apart.

"Everyone else wants me gone! My brothers! My parents! My rivals! My friends! My own people!-"

"BUT NOT ME! Not Lee Jiyoung! I want to be on your side! Why won't you believe me? Even if I'm begging you like this!? I've hopelessly searched for love! In the wrong people! I almost gave up on love- until we got together! You made me happy! I felt really comfortable whenever I'm around you! How can you say my affection is an act to fool you?! Was it all a lie then!? When you told me you really liked me?! Was it your plan to deceive me!? To lure me into your bedroom!? I finally gave love another shot just for you, but you're doing this to me after I gave you my body?! Was everything a lie from the beginning? To claim you like me? Was it all a lie Taehyung? Because you've got me hoping for forever with you! With you! Out of all people!" I screamed at him with my bloodshot eyes and lowered my head to sob in defeat when I couldn't suppress the unbearable stabbing pain in my chest. Taehyung stared at me in silence while gripping the gun with his tearful eyes.

"It wasn't a lie. I really like you," Taehyung whispered after a long pause, causing my heart to wrench in pain.

"Then why are you hurting yourself? Why are you hurting our feelings like this when I'm begging you not to hurt yourself? How am I supposed to believe your words when you're shoving a gun at your own head while claiming all my feelings are false and only yours are authentic! How're your assumptions fair?!" I bawled, shakily gripping my fists as my body shook in immense distress.

"No one had ever loved me ever since I was born-"

"I'll love you. Taehyung, I'll love you," I sternly interrupted him. Taehyung stared at my shaken condition with a troubled expression as he struggled to make up his mind. My heart was pounding so hard- I couldn't breathe at all. I tearfully frowned at his tight grip around the gun trigger until I felt the nauseous intensity of the anxiety I was under. Taehyung suddenly lowered his face to cry, finally surrendering his gun to the side of his body.

"Don't say that- You might regret it-" Taehyung sobbed in agony while shaking his head. I wanted to exhale in relief, but he was still holding onto the gun. I was uncertain of his unpredictable behavior, so I carefully crawled onto the couch with my eyes fixed on the gun.

"You said we should try this thing people call permanent. Do you want to try it? With me?" I whispered, cautiously withdrawing the gun out of his grip after placing my shaky fingers on his cold hand. Taehyung refused to loosen his grip, so I leaned over to hug his trembling body instead. Please just trust me. He broke down and bawled in distress at my soothing embrace and leaned forward to lower his heavy body on mine as I patted his back.

"What if you leave me...? I can't stand the thought of losing you. It's frightening. What if this is all a lie?" Taehyung whispered in a broken tone. I closed my eyes at his words to let the warm teardrop flow down my cheeks with my nose pressed against his shoulder and encircled my arms against his head to assure him of my affection.

"You have me now. I'll stay by your side," I tightened my grip around Taehyung's head as he softly whimpered against my shoulder. I successfully drew the gun out of his grasp, carefully skating it across the floor to keep it away from Taehyung. That was so close. He could've killed himself if I didn't visit him sooner. I gently weaved my fingers through his hair to soothe his scalp while rocking him on the couch. He tightened his clutch around my body, softly sobbing in pain as he held onto me. I bit my trembling lip and turned my face to give him a comforting kiss on the side of his head. Taehyung eventually fell asleep against my shoulder after burning all his energy. The heartbreaking episode completely drained his soul as his heavy body weight down on me, yet I refused to release Taehyung. I tightened my grip around his frail body and rubbed his back with my eyes fixed on the dark sky. Slowly, I laid him back onto the couch in tears to examine his face and swollen lips after I was sure he was unconscious.

A moment later.

I finally recollected my deranged mind after the emotionally intense argument with Taehyung and got up to put the gun in his bedroom. I searched his bathroom for a first aid kit before returning to the couch to find him fast asleep in his night robe. I exhaled and sat on the floor beside the couch to treat his wound in silence as he quietly whimpered in his sleep, gently dabbing away his tears and snot with a warm towel. I could've lost him. I got up to put the medical supplies away before walking into the kitchen to open the fridge. It was surprisingly stocked with fresh food. I eyed the available ingredients in silence to search for a suitable recipe and decided to brew him warm soup.

Appa used to cook me my favorite ginger soup whenever I was sick. It never fails to make me feel better. I recalled appa's recipe after years of avoiding my father's food and stirred the soup on the warm stove before placing the rice bucket in the automatic rice cooker. I carefully turned off the stove, poured a serving into the bowl, then prepared a glass of refreshing drinks. I lifted the tray and strode towards the crouch after preparing the warm meals. Taehyung grunted in discomfort and slowly sat up to rub his face with his head hung low.

"You're still here?" He hoarsely whispered, lifting his pained eyes to look at me as I placed the food on the coffee table and sat beside him on the couch. He must've lost his voice.

"Take the painkillers," I placed the pills into his palm, but he kept on staring at me, so I grabbed the pills from him and gently pushed it against his lips to make him swallow it. I handed him the glass of water to ensure he took the medication. Taehyung refused to look away.

"I asked you a question," Taehyung weakly stared at me.

"I am here to take care of my sick boyfriend, of course," I shrugged dismissively.

"Haven't you seen the news?" Taehyung whispered in confusion, so I gently held his face between my palms and leaned forward to kiss him. Taehyung didn't react to my affection and stared at me with his weary eyes. I smiled and leaned forward to kiss him again.

"Oh? You're burning!" I gasped when I noticed how warm his face was. I tried to touch his forehead when he firmly gripped my wrist with his deadly eyes fixed on mine.

"What are you doing?" Taehyung stared at me suspiciously. I let out a deep exhale when he kept on doubting my actions.

"Let me ask you something. Do you want me or not?" I firmly stared at him without blinking.

"Don't play pretend with me after seeing the news-"

"I asked you a question. And you have to answer me. I will offer you a chance to decide our fate, so tell me. Do you want to be with me or not? If not, then I will get up right now and leave your side as you wish. I will not turn back once you make your decision, and you can't turn back once you make that decision. I will never return to you if you don't want me around, and you can't come to me either. So tell me. Do you want this or not?" I firmly stared at his killer eyes. I will not fool around like I used to anymore. I will stay by his side only if he sees my worth.

"I don't want you... I need you," Taehyung whispered while staring at me with his tired eyes. My chest throbbed in pain because I thought he didn't want to be with me anymore but the negative feelings were immediately replaced by a flood of intense emotion after he finished his sentence.

"So, what's your decision?" I asked shortly. Taehyung softened his expression and stared at me with his puppy eyes in silence.

"Don't leave me," Taehyung's lips trembled as he struggled to answer me.

"Are you sure?" I stared at him coldly.

"Please. Don't leave me. I need you," Taehyung repeated with an anxious expression, desperately reaching out to hold my hands. I studied his scared pupils in silence, finally grabbing his face to pull him into a deep kiss as I shifted my seat to sit on his lap. He clutched onto my waist as I perched on him to deepen our kiss until I felt him gasping heavily against my lips. I knew he needed air... yet I refused to let him breathe and kept draining him. Taehyung weakly slumped back onto the couch to lay down when he was entirely out of breath as I remained over him. I briefly pulled away to give him a break and leaned down again to meet his lips as he held onto my hips. Taehyung was very exhausted, but he responded to my kiss as I traced my fingers over his shirtless torso beneath the robe's silky fabric.

"Okay. I'll be right here with you," I took a deep breath after pulling my moist lips away from Taehyung as he remained beneath me. He panted heavily over the cushion while staring at me with his tired yet fond eyes as I gently rubbed his cheek.

"I love you," Taehyung whispered, making my heart thump in pain. I weakly smiled at his exhausted face and leaned down to hug him.

"I love you too," I whispered in his ear as he tightened his arms around my waist. Taehyung deeply exhaled as we matched our breathing until I felt the sore pain subsiding from my chest.

"You should eat. Come on. Sit up," I chuckled, finally getting off his torso to let him breathe as Taehyung lay on the couch to stare at me from his position. He smiled and sat up to peck my lips. I giggled softly when he playfully snuggled his face against my neck to absorb my warmth. I walked toward the fridge to find the fever cooler after Taehyung released me from his embrace.

"Ah~ It's cold," Taehyung groaned as I placed the cooling patch over his forehead.

"Why are you so whiny?" I chuckled, leaning down to kiss the patch over his forehead. Taehyung smiled at me after I pulled away and turned to lift the bowl off the table.

"Did you cook?" Taehyung stared at the soup.

"Just for you," I nodded, carefully blowing on the soup, gently raising it to his dry lips. Taehyung slurped the soup in silence and suddenly lifted his head with an uplifting smile.

"You're a great cook," He stared at me with these weird doe eyes... as if he's in love with the food.

"You have to finish everything," I jokingly scolded him. Taehyung laughed weakly at my playful attitude, so I fed him the rest of the soup and made him finish the warm rice as well. I collected the dirty plates and did the dishes before returning to sit on the carpet while Taehyung rested on the couch. Taehyung slowly opened his eyes and turned to look at me on his side, so I gently reached out to brush his wild bangs and pressed on the cooling patch.

"I'm sorry for what happened earlier," Taehyung whispered as he held my hand over his warm chest. I smiled and rested my head on the couch to stare at him.

"Do you usually hurt yourself when you're upset?" I muttered, pulling his hand forward to examine the scars on his knuckles. Taehyung grew hushed as he watched me with his tired eyes. I gently kissed his hand, making him smile at me.

"I do. I hurt myself when I'm upset... if it weren't for you today... I could've pulled the trigger," Taehyung muttered. I stared at him in silence when I felt an intense painful surge thumping in my chest.

"You're so mean. How can you treat yourself so brutally? Is life meaningless to you? Even when I'm by your side?" I pouted.

"I'm sorry. I was just- crushed. I'm sorry for hurting you," Taehyung whispered. He placed my hand over his lips and inhaled my scent deeply as I played with his earlobe while he lay on the couch.

"You might not have anyone before, but from now on... don't hurt yourself when you're upset because this woman's heart aches to see you in pain. Be nice to me," I shook my head Taehyung.

"Okay. I'll be nice to you," Taehyung nodded, leaning forward to kiss me while I sat on the carpet.

"Be nice to yourself too. I'll get mad if you don't treat yourself well. Jimin wasn't joking when he said I don't believe in second chances," I frowned at Taehyung.

"I'll be careful," Taehyung nodded. We grew hushed and stared at one another in silence.

"I don't want to have things hidden from me. I didn't listen to anyone and rushed here as soon as I heard the news because I wanted to hear your story. I don't want to be curious either, so tell me everything, and I'll be patient with you. Be honest with me," I sighed, finally breaking the silence between us. Taehyung stared at me with his pained eyes and nodded at me.

"I killed Yeona," Taehyung confessed, making my heart clench in pain.

"What happened?" I whispered.

"It happened when I was in college. I was a freshman, and Seokjin was a senior. I had a crush on Yeona, so I asked her out. She agreed. We went on a date, and I thought she liked me," Taehyung exhaled. So it's a love triangle?

"Our relationship was pretty smooth and healthy," Taehyung whispered. I remained quiet to listen to him. I will not react or make any judgments until I hear the entire story.

"Are you mad at me? I promise this is just the past-"

"No. I'm not mad. Go on," I shook my head. Taehyung looked worried and gulped in difficulty, so I gently squeezed his hand to assure him.

"I found out she was two-timing me with someone else. She was seeing my older brother too. Seokjin. So I confronted her, and she claimed she liked him more. Seokjin got Yeona, and they dated. I felt betrayed, of course. I wasn't too upset and accepted her betrayal because I wanted Seokjin to be happy... until she returned to me after she fought with Seokjin. I thought she broke up with him and- had sex with her. Seokjin found out about us, and I realized she was cheating on Seokjin to be with me. Seokjin thought I stole his girlfriend and went feral after catching us," Taehyung exhaled.

"You didn't know she was still with him?" I whispered.

"She told me she doesn't want to be with him anymore and that she liked me more. It was a lie. She got back with Seokjin afterward. Seokjin hated me ever since, and I wanted to explain the situation to him. I tried to explain my story until Yeona- accused me of sexually harassing her because she didn't want Seokjin to know the truth. She returned to me for the second time, but I refused her affection... and she went psycho. She told people I was a pervert and that I despised my older brother. Seokjin believed Yeona. He didn't believe me. My family and friends found out... She even got me expelled from the university, so I was very upset with her actions. I wanted revenge because no one would listen to me- no matter how desperately I tried to prove my innocence. They all believed her," Taehyung clenched his jaw.

"Did she come back to you again?" I questioned sadly.

"Yeah. Yeona came back to see me. Seokjin took her home to meet our parents. She came to my bedroom that same night instead of being with Seokjin. She apologized for her actions and claimed she only did it because she was hurt. I was smarter. I told her to prove it. I asked her to run away with me, and she agreed. She came to me that night... until Seokjin called her. I told her not to answer his call on our way out of the city, but she answered him and told Seokjin- I was abducting her. She cried into the phone and begged for help... as if I was hurting her when we were on the road," Taehyung exhaled.

"Moh?" I frowned at him in shock.

"I lost it when she made up stupid lies to get me in trouble again. It was her plan... to take revenge on me for rejecting her. She wanted to humiliate me. Seokjin chased after us with his car... I was pissed, so I tried to outrace him. Yeona suddenly unbuckled her seatbelt on the highway... so I told her to put it back on. She refused and told me to stop the car- I screamed for her to buckle her seatbelt, but she wouldn't listen. Seokjin- He caught up and rammed his car into mine. I lost control of the wheel, and- my car flipped. We rolled a total of ten times on the asphalt road. A truck crashed into us during the collision... and the force sent my car skidding across the city street," Taehyung gulped as he recalled his memories.

"And she died? Because she wasn't wearing her seatbelt?" I whispered, lifting my head to stare at him in horror.

"Oh. Yeona smashed through the windshield... I wasn't unconscious, but I was badly wounded. I remember blood dripping from my head as I hung upside down in my seat... and my eyes were out of focus... until I saw her. Yeona... laying on the road outside my upside-down wrecked car. She broke her neck... twisted her limbs, and snapped her spine at the impact. The back of her skull was smashed against the road. Her eyes... nose... ears, and mouth were bleeding. I wanted to scream... but I had already lost my voice to the shock. I was too weak- Seokjin stopped his car at the intersection to drag me out of my car after realizing Yeona died on the spot. I couldn't keep my eyes off her deformed body. Seokjin he- He took me in his car and drove away. Leaving my car and Yeona on the street. My parents covered the accident afterward, and my father refused to let me join the corporation out of fear of being exposed for my crime. They forced me to hide in my older brothers' shadows," Taehyung whispered.

"So you joined the mafia?" I questioned as I watched his beaten expression.

"Oh. The court ruled Yeona's death as a hit and run," Taehyung nodded at me. I grew hushed as I stared at his conflicted eyes.

"So it was Seokjin who caused the accident? He drove his car into yours, and Yeona refused to put on her seatbelt... resulting in her death," I whispered. It's not entirely Taehyung's fault. So why is he the only blame?

"Seokjin knows that. That's why he's protecting my case, but he still hates me for killing and stealing his first love. He wouldn't listen to me. I stopped liking Yeona... ever since she turned her back on me to be with him. In his eyes... I'm a traitor. I didn't steal Yeona from him. She was originally my girlfriend until she left me for him. But he didn't know that... because I never told him," Taehyung whispered. I stared at him with difficulty...

"Have you ever told anyone this story?" I whispered.

"My mother and the police," Taehyung nodded at me.

"They didn't believe you?" I asked.

"No one believed me. No one listened because to everyone... I'm a monster. A sinner... a family's disgrace. A murderer," Taehyung shook his head weakly as tears filled his eyes.

"You're my man," I smiled at him. Taehyung grew quiet as he stared at me.

"I am a bad person-"

"No. I have heard your story, and you're not a bad person. You're a good person Taehyung. Yeona exploited your love and manipulated you because she was indecisive. She ran back and forth between you and Seokjin. And that killed her in the end. It wasn't your fault. You tried to warn her about her seatbelt. You tried to save her that night," I whispered, firmly gripping his hand.

"Jiyoung, I lost control that night-"

"It wasn't you who lost control that night. It was Seokjin who lost control of himself. If he didn't crash his car into yours... Yeona wouldn't have died. You tried to save her. Taehyung, I don't care what your family- or Seokjin or the world are telling you to make you think this is somewhat all your fault- I don't fucking care. They're wrong. You're innocent, and it was a tragic accident. You are not a murderer. You have a good heart. Yoongi and Jimin know that too, and you're definitely not a bad man. And I hate that they made you think you deserve to be punished. It's not you. It was never you. The bad guys are the wicked people... pretending to be the good guys to blame and torment you for a crime you're innocent of. Taehyung... I'm going to be honest with you," I repeatedly shook my head as I stared at him, finally halting to stare at him.

"What is it?" He questioned nervously.

"You're not a red flag. Your family smudged you with red blood to make you the bad guy to save their own names and reputation. You're a green flag man. Taehyung... you've been fooled by your own family. They have blinded you. You told your mother and police about the accident. They knew Seokjin was also responsible for the accident but I bet your mother couldn't accept the fact that her own son killed a person... so she covered the crime to protect Seokjin because he's the heir and dumped all the responsibilities on you," I whispered, sadly staring at him. How can they do this to him? It all makes sense now. How can they turn a perfectly good person into a wounded soul like this? His entire family gaslighted Taehyung until he believes he was the bad guy when he never was the culprit. Taehyung grew quiet as he thought about my words. Tears filled his eyes when everything started making sense...

"Jiyoung..." Taehyung frowned at me in horror. I might not know all their family affairs.. but after hearing his story... everything I've been questioning about Seokjin and his parents suddenly came to light.

"I found my green flag, and it's you," I whispered in bewilderment when it struck me so hard that I suddenly felt dizzy. Taehyung stared at me with a troubled expression and slowly sat up on the couch. He slid off the couch to sit on the carpet with me- suddenly drawing me into a crushing hug. I gripped tightly onto his body as he pressed his face against my shoulder.

"I love you. Jiyoung, I love you. Don't you ever leave my side. I'm begging you," Taehyung whispered as he tightened his clutch around my body.

"I'm right here. Don't worry," I nodded, turning to bury my nose against his shoulders. Taehyung suddenly pulled away to stare at me with his pained eyes. He grabbed onto my cheeks and pulled me into a deep kiss. I gripped onto his shoulders when he suddenly lifted me off the floor and carried me to his room. He crawled onto the bed with me and laid me down as he sensually kissed me.

"I'll never let go of you," Taehyung quickly sat up to slip off his robe and leaned down to kiss me again as I encircled my arms around his neck to draw him close to me. Taehyung panted shakily as he lifted his face to kiss my neck while removing my pants from my legs. I quickly pulled off my shirt as Taehyung kicked off his sweat pants and immediately leaned down to merge our bodies again. I slowly interlaced my fingers with his as he unclasped my bra on the mattress, then leaned down to please my body until I arched my back in pleasure.

I clutched tightly onto his muscular back when he shoved his crotch against mine to enter me. I gasped at the sudden penetration as he slowly but powerfully thrust between my legs until I shuddered at the pleasure. Taehyung gripped my hands tightly to hold me in place and leaned down to insert his tongue in my mouth before pulling away to grunt in pleasure. I moaned intensely with my head tilted back on the pillow when I felt the burning throb between my legs and gripped tightly onto his firm hips. Taehyung grabbed my right thigh and lifted it against his hips to push deeper inside me, so I pressed my hands against his hard abs as he pleased my nerves with his crazy hot and manly body.

We've slept with each other before, but this is the first time... we actually made love.

Because... with every touch... with every kiss... with every stroke... with every breath we took... it was filled with... love.

It felt as if my skin was melting into his as we absorbed each other's heat from the friction between our moist bodies. It wasn't only my body that burned that night... both our hearts... were flaming with... this intense ache and warmth for one another.

Our lost souls... finally merging our aching hearts to form... love.

I woke up from my deep sleep when I felt someone stroking my hair after falling unconscious from the exhausting night. I stirred and slowly opened my eyes to find Taehyung staring at me with a bright expression. He was shirtless under the blanket... laying on his side with his hand against his head. He was patting my head with his free hand as I quietly stared at his calm expression.

"Good morning," Taehyung smiled, leaning toward me when I grumbled and turned to face the opposite direction before he could kiss me. I grabbed the blanket and pulled it over my head to keep him away.

"Ohoh? Did you just turn away from me!?" Taehyung scoffed as I sleepily snuggled into the pillow.

"I'm sleepy~ Ah! Ahah! Stop it! Taehyung~" I mumbled and tried to go back to sleep when Taehyung grabbed me by my waist and turned me back towards him. He started tickling me until I screamed in distress against his chest.

"Give me a kiss," Taehyung muttered with his eyes fixed on mine.

"No," I shook my head, slightly pushing his face away with my palm, and tried to turn away again, but he refused to release me and pulled me back. I gripped his shoulders when he suddenly leaned down to kiss me and wouldn't pull away until I started suffocating under him, so I lightly tapped his shoulders in defeat.

"Are you awake now?" Taehyung questioned, pulling away to smirk at me after stealing my breath while hovering his face above mine. I lay on the mattress with my tired eyes trained on his and gently rubbed his firm cheek with my thumb.

"Do you feel better?" I whispered after recalling the memories from the night before. He was in so much pain. Taehyung stopped smiling at my question and suddenly dropped his heavy body on mine. I firmly hugged back as he snuggled against the side of my face.

"Thank you for saving me last night," He whispered in my ear. I chuckled and turned to look at the gun on his nightstand, slowly reaching out for it.

"Can I confiscate this from you? I don't think you should keep a gun around you," I muttered. Taehyung lifted his face to stare at me as I examined the gun.

"I need it for business purposes- JIYOUNG! *BANG*" Taehyung whispered but shrieked in horror when I accidentally pulled the trigger. I gasped in fright when Taehyung snatched the gun out of my hand, causing my heart to thump in extreme shock. He immediately sat up on the bed to disassemble the gun into pieces as I panted in fear, startled by the accidental shot.

"I can't hear anything!" I snapped as I gripped my muted ear on the bed. Taehyung was talking to me, but no sound entered my ears, and my eardrums were aching intensely. I sobbed in distress when the dull ringing grew louder in my ears, so Taehyung cupped my cheeks in horror and pulled me into a crushing hug.

"Taehyung- I can't hear you-"

"Can you hear me now!? Are you alright?!" Taehyung snapped. I froze in fear when a flood of noises suddenly filled my ears again. I whimpered in distress and pulled him into a crushing hug. I thought I turned deaf!

"I can hear now-" I cried against his chest as he hugged me in his arms. He eventually pulled away to cupped my terrified face with an anxious expression before turning to look at the shattered mirror against the wall.

"Why did you pull the trigger??? You could've hurt yourself!" Taehyung frowned as I pursed my lips in guilt.

"I thought it was a toy gun... like the one you gifted me," I pouted. Taehyung stared at my adorable face in silence and pulled me into a crushing hug again.

"Paboya~ Can't you tell it's heavy steel? How can you confiscate a gun from me when you don't even know how to handle it?" Taehyung patted my head as we sat on the bed when we suddenly heard frantic footsteps rushing towards his room, and the door suddenly flung open. Taehyung frantically pulled the blanket over my body just as Yoongi appeared with a bewildered look.

"What happened?! I heard a gunshot!" Yoongi snapped, averting his eyes to the shattered glass in the room with an alarmed expression.

"It's nothing. Jiyoung accidentally fired a shot," Taehyung shook his head as he held the blanket securely over my body.

"Wah~! I was sleeping- I thought-"

"Get out! We're not dressed!" Taehyung grimaced at Yoongi.

"Ohoh? You used to shamelessly have fun with naked women all over the apartment!" Yoongi snapped at Taehyung.

"I don't want you to see Jiyoung though! She's my woman! My only woman! Shoo!" Taehyung glared at Yoongi. His friend laughed at his reaction and strolled out to leave us alone as I gently rubbed my ears.

"Does it still hurt? Let's go to the hospital," Taehyung turned to frown at my condition. We got dressed after I assured him I was alright. Taehyung told me to head out while he cleaned up the mess in the room.

"Thank you for the food last night. I'm heading back to bed since it's my day off today," Yoongi smiled as I entered the living room to sit on the couch. I cooked enough for Yoongi and Taehyung last night. I nodded at him when Taehyung appeared in his casual clothes. He suddenly handed me a folder without speaking.

"What's this?" I whispered while studying the file, cluelessly flipping through it.

"It's your father's ledger," Taehyung nodded. I froze and flipped to the main page to find a golden seal on it. He really has it?

"Why are you giving it to me?" I questioned, unsurely turning to look at him as he sat beside me.

"You wanted it, didn't you? Your father must be pissed with Seokjin... that's why he exposed my past crime to irritate my parents," Taehyung shrugged. I glanced at the ledger and turned back to look at him.

"Why did you steal it?" I question curiously.

"Namjoon told me to. He asked me to keep it until he's ready to attack your father, but you can have it. I'll deal with my brother," Taehyung shrugged, making my chest churn warmly at his words.

"No," I sighed, placing the leger back into his hands.

"Why not-"

"I'm not dating you for the ledger. I don't care about my stepfather. Keep it for Namjoon. I don't want you to get in trouble with your older brothers again," I sadly stare at Taehyung. He can't do this. His parents will hurt him again. Taehyung stared at me with a beaten expression and glanced down at the ledger.

"Are you sure? Won't your stepfather-"

"My stepfather wasn't responsible for the leaked information. I already asked him. It's someone else, and I don't care about him. I'm assured now because I have you by my side. Let's keep our family affairs out of our relationship. Okay?" I weakly smiled. Taehyung nodded and leaned forward to hug me.

Fast Forward

"Namjoon is still going hardcore despite his brother's scandal," Hoseok stood beside me as I stared at the staff waiting outside the secured room. They're questioning everyone.

"How do you know it's not Namjoon?" I questioned, turning to look at Hoseok.

"We all know it's Kim Taehyung. Why else would his father ban his involvement with the corporation," Hoseok shrugged. I gripped my fists uneasily at his words. It's not Taehyung's fault.

"Why is everyone making it a big deal in the corporation?" I sighed. If the Kim forbade Taehyung from being involved in their business affairs, why is the corporation brutally reactive to the news?

"The corrupt men are trying to cast the Kim out of the council. Your father might want to maintain peace with the Kims... but his followers aren't happy," Hoseok turned to smile at me.

"Why aren't they happy?" I questioned.

"Because your father is muted on Namjoon's plan to expose the guilty men. He's ignoring his own men to let Namjoon butcher them knowing his status is guaranteed by Seokjin," Hoseok replied. I gripped my fists at Hoseok's words and left the department to head toward Seokjin's office.

"-The case blew up on the internet, and we failed to control it, so there's a high possibility of reinvestigation by the supreme court," Secretary Yoo informed Seokjin as I entered the office to find... Mrs. Kim... sitting on the couch with a drained expression.

"I contacted Taehyung. He doesn't want to appear at the press, so I'll have to substitute him," Seokjin sighed heavily.

"How can you appear in his position?! You're the heir! I have to protect your image at all costs!" Mrs. Kim snapped at Seokjin. How can she be so biased? She's ruining her youngest son to place a golden badge on her birth son. An innocent boy! A good man! She's smudging Taehyung with mud and dirt to keep Seokjin clean! I wanted to interfere in their conversation but held back and slowly walked up to Seokjin.

"I contacted my father. He claimed he was not responsible for the leak," I lowered my face because I couldn't stand looking at Mrs. Kim.

"Taehyung must appear no matter what. You are staying in this office!" Mrs. Kim glared at Seokjin.

"Eomma. How long are you going to push Taehyung? What if he hurts himself again!?" Seokjin sighed in frustration. I looked up at Seokjin with a conflicted expression. Seokjin is very protective of Taehyung.

"He always does it when he's upset! I won't let him die! I'll keep him alive at all costs!" Mrs. Kim argued.

"Keeping him alive to mop your dirt...?" I scoffed under my breath in anger.

"Moh?" Mrs. Kim turned to look at me. I slowly lifted my dull eyes to stare dead at her.

"Nothing," I forcefully smiled at her. She stared at me unsurely and got up to leave the room. Seokjin asked Secretary Yoo to escort her, so I was the only person left inside the office with him.

"You can sit on the couch if you have nothing to do," Seokjin nodded at the couch from his desk when he noticed me standing awkwardly. I stared at him with a troubled expression. Is Seokjin really a good or a bad person? I can't tell unless Namjoon explains the situation to me. Why am I so stupid?

"If you don't have any task for me, then I'll head home," I lowered my head to excuse myself because I didn't want to stay with him. He's been quiet about our past conflict, but I can still feel his frustration whenever he looks at me.

"Do you have time today? I want to talk with you," Seokjin exhaled to stop me from pulling my coat.

"I'm quite busy after work. We can talk here," I shook my head. I have to see Taehyung. He's been hiding in his apartment for a week since the scandal. The public is outraged and is demanding justice without knowing the entire truth. Taehyung has been receiving death threats and harsh criticism. I'm afraid of leaving him by himself when he has a gun.

"You're busy? Even after you quit your job at the local store?" Seokjin dryly smiled at my words with an unconvinced expression.

"Do I have to inform you everything about my daily life schedule?" I blankly stared at him. Seokjin stared at me in silence as I stood before his desk with an empty expression. He suddenly exhaled and got onto his feet, slowly walking up to me with a stern look.

"Why are you acting so cold? I know I wronged you but do you really have to act this way?" Seokjin stared at me with questioning.

"I'm not upset," I firmly denied. I'm not upset about our past conflict, but I'm frustrated with his family affairs. It's not my business, but it's killing to watch Taehyung break at the hands of his parents to protect Seokjin. They're tearing Taehyung apart to preserve Seokjin's reputation. How's that fair?

"I believe our breakup was a misunderstanding, and I know you don't like to leave things unresolved. I want to prove my sincerity, so I need you to give me another chance to prove my love for you," Seokjin bluntly stated in my face.

"What is there to prove-"

"I lost you because I wasn't aware of your love conditions. I know you're still doubting me, but I won't give up. I will earn you back- even if it's difficult, but I need to keep your heart open for me," Seokjin firmly replied to my doubt.

"I'm sure you're aware our relationship was never smooth. Why can't you accept that it'll never work out?" I replied, frowning at his determination to pursue our relationship.

"It was never smooth because you never trusted me, and I don't blame you, but the main cause of our relationship failure is because you have been keeping secrets from me," Seokjin confronted me.

"Secrets...?" I stared at him unsurely. What is he talking about?

"Park Jimin. He took the ledger, and you knew, but you hid it from me to protect him, and yet you're blaming our broken relationship on a dead woman? I know Park Jimin is working with Taehyung and that my younger brother has his hand on the ledger. You knew everything," Seokjin calmly spoke. Blood drained from my face as I stared at him.

"Oh. I protected Jimin because he was only following Taehyung's order," I confessed. He knows almost everything, and yet he played the oblivious man?

"Why didn't you tell me my younger brother had the ledger?" Seokjin asked without blinking, causing my inside to flip upside down.

"Because I don't care about my stepfather. I don't care about his business affairs," I replied. Taehyung promised to keep me safe from my stepfather. And you, Seokjin... you vowed to protect my stepfather.

"You realized I agreed to protect your stepfather because I liked you, right?" Seokjin scoffed at me in disbelief.

"You're protecting a man who has assaulted me in the past," I shook my head. Seokjin grew quiet as he examined my face.

"You could've told me, but you chose to stay quiet and turned the table over to break our relationship-"

"I was never comfortable with you, Seokjin. That's the answer. I had to pretend to be a different person for you because I liked you. I wanted to love you, but no- you make me horny when I'm with you. You keep polluting my mind with pleasure when I'm searching for love and comfort. I'm sorry, but that's the truth," I whispered. He drains me with his sex game, and that's not what I need. Sure, he can temporarily make me feel good, but I still feel empty afterward.

"So love is missing in our relationship?" Seokjin sighed. I stared at him in silence.

"Let's stop here. It's pointless," I firmly shook my head.

"Will marriage prove my sincerity?" Seokjin sighed.

"What?" I blinked at him in confusion.

"I'll marry you if that's what it takes for you to believe me," Seokjin exhaled.

"How can we get married when there's no love? I'm begging you. Please, just move forward. I'm not who you think I am-"

"I know who you are, Lee Jiyoung. A red flag woman. That's what you are. I know about your past because I've been... watching over you. I'm aware of everything you've committed after you ran away, but I never brought it up because I didn't want to make you feel uncomfortable," Seokjin sighed in frustration.

"Then you should know I'm not a wife material," I smiled at him.

"If you can't be a green flag woman for me, then do I have to be a red flag man for you? Because I can do that," Seokjin suddenly took a step closer to glower at me with his determined eyes.

"That's enough, Seokjin-shi. Let's not change for one another because I don't want to play pretend anymore," I sighed and walked away from him before he could counter me. I went home afterward to pack my clothes in a bag while Jimin was resting in my room. I'm moving in with Taehyung for a while until he's stable. Jimin told me he'll take care of my home while I'm away. He visits Taehyung's place almost every day anyway, so I'll still see him. I slowly walked down the corridor when I noticed the door to Taehyung's room was slightly ajar. Why did he leave the door open? I frowned and was about to push the door open when I heard a familiar voice from inside the room.

"-Eomma- I told you Seokjin was involved that night! Why won't you believe me!? Why am I the only blame for the accident?! He should be responsible too!" Taehyung whimpered in distress. I carefully peeked through the gap to find Mrs. Kim standing over Taehyung... who was on his knees again.

"Your brother saved you that night! He dragged you out of the car-"

"He's the reason my car flipped!" Taehyung argued. I gripped the door handle as I stood in the doorway to watch them argue in the living room.

"Seokjin is the family's heir! I can't let a girl's death ruin him!" Mrs. Kim frowned at Taehyung.

"What about me? What about me, eomma?! I'm your son too! You can't let her death ruin Seokjin, but it's okay to ruin me? Wae?! I did everything you wanted to please you! To protect our family! I did the most for our family! You know that!" Taehyung spoke in a broken voice. Mrs. Kim exhaled and slowly crouched down to rub Taehyung's face. He was facing away from the door, so I couldn't see his face, but Mrs. Kim was staring at Taehyung with an anxious expression.

"Taehyung, I love you, but Seokjin really needs you right now. How can you turn your back on your brother after everything he did to protect you? You have to appear at the press to speak about the controversy, and the authority will execute an investigation afterward. But I will not let anyone hurt you, okay? The public only wants to know about your involvement. Just don't mention Seokjin, and I'll take care of everything else. Do you understand?" She gently patted Taehyung's wild hair. He grew hushed at her words as he knelt on the floor.

"Okay. I'll make an appearance," Taehyung agreed after a moment of silence.

"Good boy," Mrs. Kim exhaled, leaning forward to kiss his forehead and stood up, leaving him hopeless on the floor.

"Oh. I need you to handle a government official tonight," Mrs. Kim turned to look at Taehyung before walking toward the door, so I quickly rushed down the exit to hide from her. She walked towards the elevator and left the floor as I quietly stood against the wall. I peeked at the corridor and slowly walked toward the door to push it open. Taehyung crawled onto the couch in exhaustion after his mother left as I carefully closed the door.

"Taehyung?" I called unsurely. He didn't turn to look at me and kept his head low, so I cautiously approached the couch and dropped my bag beside him. Taehyung glanced at my bag as he sat in silence.

"Why did you bring your clothes?" He questioned.

"I brought my clothes to stay with you," I exhaled, sitting beside him when he refused to look up.

"No. Go home. You can't stay here tonight," Taehyung shook his head. I grew hushed when I noticed his bruised knuckles... it was bleeding.

"Will you look at me?" I asked, calmly sitting beside him. Taehyung shook his head and tried to turn away, so I grabbed his cheeks and turned him to face me. My heart sank when I saw the fresh bruises on his face. His left cheek was bright red... and his healing lips were bleeding again. He weakly tried to hide his face again, but I refused to let go and stared at his swollen face in shock.

"Was it your mother? The reason you've been getting these bruises?" I whispered in horror as I examined his pained eyes. Taehyung's eyes glowered in tears as he stared at me.

"It's fine. Eomma's always right, and I deserve it," He whispered, turning his face away. I slowly dropped my hands to clutch the cushion in pain until I felt anger surging through my body.

"How is she ever right for abusing you like this? You don't deserve this treatment," I whispered. All those times I saw bruises on his face or body... was it because of his mother? She pretends to be good in front of Seokjin... and secretly hurt Taehyung in private?

"It's the things I do for my family. She loves me-"

"Love doesn't hurt you like this. Taehyung, look at yourself. How can you call this love?" I frowned at him in shock, showing him his bleeding knuckles. Taehyung slowly lifted his face to look at me with his tired eyes.

"It's love-"

"Hit me," I firmly spoke.

"What?" Taehyung frowned at me.

"Smack me! Punch me! Do something to hurt me!" I snapped at him in anger.

"What? No- Why would I hurt you-"

"Why not?!" I glared at him.

"Because I love you! How can I hurt you?!" Taehyung frowned at me in confusion. I gripped my fists at his response and stared at him in silence until it struck him. Taehyung stared at me in dread when he realized the purpose behind my words.

"You don't hurt people you love, Taehyung. Not intentionally," I shook my head in tears. Taehyung gulped as he turned to look at the bruises on his forearms in silence.

"There's nothing I can do," He weakly shook his head. This is so frustrating! They're too cruel! I wanted to confront him, but I knew he was too stressed to deal with additional pressure right now... so I leaned forward in defeat to give him a comforting hug instead. Taehyung weakly leaned against my body as I cuddled him on the couch.

Fast Forward: Night Time.

I went to bed before Taehyung that night because his mother sent a government official over to his apartment to discuss business-related matters with him. Probably to sort out the controversies, so he told me he'll come to bed after meeting the man. I was bored inside his room... so I tossed and turned on the bed to wait for him. THUD. THUD. THUD. I turned to look at the closed door in confusion after hearing the strange thumps.

I dismissed it and tried to sleep, but the sound wouldn't stop, so I slowly got up from the bed out of curiosity. I carefully pulled the door open, stepped into the corridor, and poked my head into the living room, expecting to see Taehyung with the government official... but the room was empty. Did they leave?

I shrugged and walked into the kitchen for water- abruptly stopping dead when I noticed the government official sitting at Taehyung's dining table in an oddly straight position. I couldn't process the situation at first as I scanned the man's purple face and bloodshot eyes as he gripped his throat, stiffly perching on the chair. I blinked once to realize... Taehyung was standing behind the man... strangling him from behind. The man stared at me in horror as his eyes bulged open from the intense pressure. He made disturbing gagging noises as he shakily reached out for my help as I stood frozen on the opposite side of the table. Taehyung didn't notice me because his head was hanging low as he struggled to constrict the man's neck with a metal rod. The man's face turned bright red until his swollen tongue poked out of his mouth as he struggled to breathe and-

THUD. Taehyung suddenly released the man, violently slamming the man's head against the table. I flinched in fright at the shocking sight but still couldn't react to the situation. I was speechless and terrified. Taehyung panted heavily as he gripped the chair, lowering his head to recollect himself as the dead man sat on the chair with his face flat on the table.

Blood was seeping from the gash in his neck... flowing over the table... streaming down the table legs... and dripping onto the floor. I heard the door in the living room opening, and Yoongi appeared in the kitchen after returning from work.

"I'm so hungry-" Yoongi yawned but halted beside me when he noticed the alarming scene before us. His face grew pale as he eyed the dead man on the dining table and glanced at the thick blood on the floor... finally averting his shocked eyes to the deep gash around the man's bleeding throat.

"Help me clean up the mess and call a few men to discard the corpse before Jiyoung finds out," Taehyung exhaled under his breath without looking at me. Yoongi turned to look at me as I stood in the kitchen with a petrified face. Taehyung finally lifted his face to comb his blood-soaked fingers through his hair- immediately freezing in his place when he found me standing beside Yoongi with a startled expression. His face drained at my presence as I stared at him with my tearful eyes in silence.

It's his mother. The real boss is his mother.

Taehyung executes her kill order.

________________________

Hi! Hi! Hi! School was so exhausting today! But I made it back! I wanted to update the chapter earlier but I accidentally fell asleep after school so I couldn't finish the chapter on time! Anyways! I hope you enjoyed the chapter!!! How's everyone doing? Please stay safe and healthy! I love ya'll <3