A/N: Hello people I was down sick hence the lack of updates. I'll be back to my schedule as I recover!

"14..15... ONE MORE"

"Leave me alone.. a voice cried... leave me alone"

"15...16.. GET BACK ON THE MACHINE SHIN CHAERIN, I SWEAR TO GOD"

"Momma... I want my momma... leave me alone....", Chaerin cried as she rolled from the gym machine to the floor. "I am sorry... I am sorry I cannot do any more leg pushes... kill me please but not the machine again"

Jungkook sighed and the next second, grabbed the workout belt she was wearing and picked Chaerin up from the ground and put her back on the machine like it was a no big deal. Standing there with his arms crossed, he glared at her. "Unless you finish the set and reach 20, you are not getting off"

Chaerin flared up in anger, glaring at the man she was dating. "My sugar mother Alison will hear about this. You have no idea what she is capable of"

"That 5'2 best friend of yours ain't gonna do shit to save you. I'll put her on one of these gym bars for pull ups and she isn't coming down from that", the man glared back. "Now where were we. 16? No you broke my pace. So we start at 15 again. And you do 25 for being a brat"

Chaerin cried but hesitantly continued with the exercise. By the end of the set, she was almost dead as she lied on the machine, refusing to get up. "That's my little cutie, great job", he smiled to the almost dead girl who opened her eyes like a vampire out for blood and glared at him. "I'll come for you Jeon Jungkook. I'll see that you pay for your sins"

"I'll be waiting for it. But first shall we do the 50 lunges piled up?", he smirked and Chaerin went silent before screaming and crying at the top of her voice.

———•••———

"I can't walk. I can't walk", the woman said with wobbly legs as they entered Jungkook's apartment. "Come on, I'll set my Jacuzzi to warm and add bath salts. You can go dip your legs in there while I make breakfast"

"Dip my legs? They about to dissolve in the hot water", Chaerin scoffed. "You are absolutely ridiculous Jungkook. How can you make the woman you are dating workout like a maniac. What if something happened to me?"

"Weren't you the one that held me by the collar last week and told me to 'quotes' man up and teach you how to work out. And when I refused saying you couldn't keep up, you proceeded to trash talk me and 'quotes again' say that I was scared that if you got ripped you'd attract more attention and someone would steal you from me?"

"I—I never—said that", Chaerin stuttered, mentally cursing herself for being this overconfident when she knew she was the kind of person who'd pass out trying to run 100 meters.

"Oh you didn't?", Jungkook raised an eyebrow as he walked close to her. Chaerin tried her best to look everywhere else but the man positioned himself in front of his girlfriend as he stared intently at her. "Okay look me in the eye and tell me that", he said in a deep voice.

"Oh shit", Chaerin cursed only for herself to hear, her heart beating erratically. Jungkook inched closer as she tried to escape but the next second he wrapped his hands around her waist and pulled her back. "Oohh Chae, six months of dating and you still get flustered"

Chaerin gulped turning to him. "You sir are going to hell for whatever you do to me. It should be illegal to be this sexy. Tone it down please. Some of us are not looking for cardiovascular diseases at an early age"

Jungkook smirked. "Seeing you get flustered does something to me. Makes me want to do it more", he chuckled rubbing his nose to hers. "Like a wolf and a little lamb except the wolf doesn't want to kill the lamb but cuddle with it all the time and kiss it senseless"

Chaerin scoffed. "Do you have a sheep kink or what? I will by no means be wearing a costume like that. Do ever expect me to walk through that door looking like a white fluff ball"

"Shit you just ruined my one desperate wish", he fake pouted. Chaerin giggled at her cute boyfriend but before she could say anything, he eyes fell on something. "Oh", she raised a hand and touched his cheek. "Where's this scar from? Why I haven't I noticed it before"

"That is from the glorious day your sugar mommy's brother decided to send me on my way to meet Jesus. Remember the time he found out about me and Alison?"

———•••———

"I want the pitchbook ready by evening. Send it over to the presentation team and have them fix alignments and print 100 copies. And for the excel model we prepared, I'll go through the numbers, mark and suggest changes. I have forwarded it to our VP for consideration and whatever changes he wants, we'll get them done. Its gonna be an all-nighter Kevin, so have your phone nearby and promptly respond to emails", Jungkook instructed his junior at work.

He wanted to say something more when the door opened with a thud. Jungkook looked on wide eyed as a breathless Taehyung stood there. "Kevin, let me call you back", the younger hastily replied as he put down the phone. "Hyung?", he asked confused.

"Jeon Jungkook", the older spoke slowly. "Pick your phone, and call your mother"

"What?", Jungkook looked perplexed.

"I said pick your phone and call your mother", Taehyung said walking towards the man. "And tell her that her only son is about to bid goodbye to this world"

Jungkook's eyes widened but before he could say anything, a punch came right at his face. The man went flying back into the couch in front of which he was standing. Taehyung proceeded to pick him up by the collar and propelled him ahead. "Did you fucking hook up with Alison?", he growled as he punched Jungkook again who fell back in pain, holding his throbbing nose.

Jungkook was flustered as he heard this but things made sense to him when Alison came running through the door like she had been chasing her brother. "TAEHYUNG!", she yelled at sight of her brother. The older was about to hit the younger once more but stopped as he heard his sister scream.

"Let go of him!", she held Taehyung's sleeve and pulled him away before pushing him to the other side. "Are you okay?", she asked Jungkook who despite being completely disheveled and in pain, nodded his head.

"Are you out of your fucking mind?", the woman screamed at the top of her lungs at Taehyung. "How dare you raise your hand on him!? IT WASN'T HIS FAULT. WE BOTH GOT DRUNK AND I INITIATED IT. I WAS ALL OVER HIM. HE WAS NOT EVEN IN HIS SENSES"

Taehyung stopped as he heard this, looking at the duo in confusion. He saw Jungkook struggling to stand up as blood dripped from his nose on the white tiles under their feet and in that moment his entire world came crashing down. The guilt of doing this to someone who was like a younger brother dawned upon him and he gulped, trying to fight his tears.

"Come on Jungkook, Let's get you to the hospital. That looks bad", Alison said supporting the man. Jungkook put a hand at his nose to stop the bleeding.

———•••———

"Water?"

Taehyung sat on the roof with his legs dangling as he looked at the view of LA in front of him. As he heard a familiar voice, he turned back to see Jungkook standing there with a bottle in his hand. "I am good", the older replied.

Jungkook nodded and sat down beside him. Taehyung saw the bandaid around his nose and he looked away, mentally cursing himself for acting the way he did before. "I am sorry", he quietly added to Jungkook.

"Its all right Hyung", the older replied. "Gotta say tho, I was shit scared. I have never seen you this angry", he paused to chuckle.

Taehyung did not reply as he continued looking ahead. "I know why you did this", Jungkook added. "Its not because of Alison is it?"

Taehyung's head immediately turned to look at him and Jungkook smiled sadly, knowing he had figured the truth. "I know you are not mad because me and Alison made out. I also know that you let Alison do whatever she wants to. You are not the kind of brother that is going to stop her from enjoying her youth and exploring intimacy. You are mature that way. The reason you are mad is because....", he paused to gulp. "You know about me and Chaerin"

Taehyung had no words because Jungkook was indeed right. He had masked his true intention unknowingly using Alison as an excuse. But in reality his pain, anger and hurt stem from Jungkook and Chaerin.

"I am not going to apologize for that", the younger said. "I like her, I really do. But I also like you. You have been an older brother, one of the best friends I have ever had. And I don't want this creating a rift amongst us"

"It won't", Taehyung softly added. "I am...", he sighed as he composed his thoughts. "I am sorry. And you are right, if I were in your place, I wouldn't give up being with Chaerin either"

Jungkook painfully smiled. "Are we really fighting over a girl?"

"Its Shin Chaerin we are talking about", Taehyung chuckled. "We are lucky there aren't more men in line, wanting to be with that goddess. I saw the way Namjoon Hyung was impressed with her smartness or how Yoongi Hyung smiled when she started talking about the history of one of his favourite artists. Or Hobi chuckling at her lame jokes. If those three stepped in, we'd have no chance"

Jungkook laughed back, nodding his head. "I am going to be on my toes all the time. Women like her attract attention"

"That's what I should have done. I am stupid for not telling her seriously"

Jungkook pat his back. "You are. Very. Very. Stupid", he laughed. "If I had known her earlier , I'd wife her up already"

"Yeah like that ambitious 'I am going to rule the world one day and make billions of dollars' woman would have agreed to settle this early", Taehyung laughed. "I know women in your family don't work and take care of the house as well as social image. The most they do is trade art. Do you really think she'd become a wife and take house responsibilities when she could probably dethrone you and your father and run the business"

"I wouldn't expect her to follow the rules my mother and the other women did", Jungkook nonchalantly replied. "She is her own self, she is free to do whatever"

"As if that Hitler of a person you call father would agree", Taehyung scoffed throwing a stone in the air.

Jungkook looked down, an uncertainty taking over his mind. He wanted to speak something more when the door opened with a thud. A very pissed Chaerin stood there. Her eyes traced Jungkook's face and then Taehyung's sore knuckles.

"Jungkook", she calmly spoke. "Do you mind leaving us alone for a moment?"

"Listen to me Chaerin, its not—"

"JUNGKOOK I SAID DO YOU MIND LEAVING US ALONE FOR A MOMENT!", she screamed at the top of her voice. Jungkook immediately stood up as he rushed towards her. He tried pacifying Chaerin but she pushed him beyond the door and closed it, making it impossible for him to come inside.

With her fists clenched she walked towards Taehyung. The man watched as tears rolled down her eyes. "What is your problem?", she growled at him. "Alison told me everything. What the fuck were you thinking hitting Jungkook like this? I just saw his reports downstairs. He burst a few blood vessels in his nose and potentially ruptured his nose bridge. Do you have any fucking idea what you have done?"

"Chaerin I am sorry I—"

"What was the reason for it?", she said through gritted teeth. "You didn't hit Jungkook because he made out with Alison. Did you hit him because he is—", she paused. "Dating me?"

Taehyung spoke nothing but clenched his jaw. "Yes", he slowly spoke. "YES", he yelled back. "I was mad at him. I was fucking mad. And I couldn't see him, being around you, kissing you and calling you his girlfriend. IT MAKES ME MAD AND IT BREAKS MY FUCKING HEART"

"Why the fuck do you think you have a say in who I can date and cannot", Chaerin shot back. "Who even are you? Wait", she paused to chuckle. "Is this about that party of yours from when you were 17. What you said about me to your friends?"

Taehyung's eyes widened. "How do you—Chaerin that wasn't what you think it was", he immediately reached out to her.

"Why it was exactly what you said it was? You had no interest in me until I was ugly. The moment I became conventionally pretty, you began flirting with me and messing around with my feelings?"

"Chaerin..", Taehyung helplessly called out. "Let me explain myself. It is not what you think"

Chaerin shrugged her shoulder, moving away from his touch. "I heard it myself and I need no explanation. It was exactly what I think it was"

———•••———

"Can you stop staring at him please", Melissa, Chaerin's friend nudged her. "Are you really staring at Alison's brother. Does she know you like him?"

"I haven't told Alison", Chaerin replied. "It would get weird. Also she has a loud mouth and she will tell him. Not to mention her fantasies and how she will plan the whole wedding in her head"

"Oh well", Melissa sighed at her fellow 9th grader. "He is literally every girl's crush. Stella and her gang is all eyes on him. Every party she keeps trying to get him to make out with her. Just look at the way she keeps glancing at him. You need to assert dominance. Go and talk to him in front of her so she backs off"

"You think so?", Chaerin asked unsure. "I do know Taehyung well but it's still odd"

"This is your only chance. He will leave for Singapore again and you are going to US next month. You still have a few weeks so you can date a bit if he says yes"

"Well okay", she nodded a big smile on her face. "I'll go"

———•••———

"Wow Taehyung you really sneaked international cigarettes for us", one of Taehyung's friends said to him as they sat on one side of the party.

"Go on try you guys. I know we don't get this in Korea so I picked it up for you all. John especially insisted", he said slapping his friend in the head. "This fucker called me thrice to remind me"

Everyone laughed as a couple of lighters flickered in the background. "Man Sora has been driving me crazy", one of his friends spoke. "I don't want to date her anymore. I thought it would be nice to date an older girl but it was absolutely the worst decision. I am just gonna date someone younger"

"Younger girls are much better", another friend added. "More cute and definitely makes me feel protective"

"Taehyung what about you?"

"Why are you asking him?", Ha Joon one of his friends interrupted. "We all know he is in love with his sister's friend"

Taehyung's eyes widened. "What...", he mumbled at his secret being put in the open.

"You are, aren't you? Its not like we don't see you staring at her all the time", one of the guys smirked.

"Its nothing like that", he shook his head. "You have it all wrong"

"So then it shouldn't matter if one of us wants to date her right?", Ha Joon added. "You'll be fine right?"

All color left Taehyung's face as he heard this. Of course he didn't want any one to even look in Chaerin's direction. But he had to put up the act. So out of panic he said something he absolutely regretted later. "Why would you want to date that ugly girl?"

"Ugly?", Ha Joon raised an eyebrow.

"Y-yeah", he struggled to affirm. "You dated two of the most popular girls in school and now you want to go and date a nerd? All she does is study and think about college. She is not even fun. Heck she doesn't even get her eyebrows done. Come on man your dad's one of the biggest actors in the industry. Lee Ha Neul's son deserves to be seen with a glam bomshell not an ugly girl who's life starts with an economics magazine and ends on an excel sheet. Maybe instead if she read Vogue, people would pay her attention"

"You know he is right", MinHyuk their friend added. "Those acne scars are probably deeper than craters on a moon. Your mom was Miss Korea in the past. I am sure she doesn't want her son dating someone that couldn't care less about looks"

Taehyung clenched his teeth as he heard this but kept his cool knowing very well he was the one that started this. He felt a stone in his throat trying to fight back anger at himself for saying something like this about Chaerin even when he didn't mean any of it.

Outside the smoking space, Chaerin stood staring right ahead at the floor. She looked down, disappointed and mad at herself for harbouring a crush for a man that couldn't care less about her. Dejected she walked away from there as she removed her glasses, wiping a lone tear that rolled down her eyes before putting them back on.

"Motherfucker", she mumbled under her breath and walked away. "One day you'll regret saying that shit about me"