┍━━━━━━━★━━━━━━━┑
CHAPTER 2
⸻ HYPNOTIC
┕━━━━━━━★━━━━━━━┙

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

ADRENALINE surging up through my vein as my body immediately frozen like a deer in headlights. Panicking, I gulp before my eyes drawl back to the books on the shelf and grab onto one of them to cover my face from exposure.

"What makes you think you have the rights to be in my room?" his strange, deep voice taunts. The sound of his footsteps briefly shutters on the ground, causing my heart to beat erratically.

My breath hitches when he snatches the book from my grasp. His eyes narrowed to every side of my face as if he's trying to make me hypnotised.

"You couldn't answer to a simple question?" he dangerously sneers so deep, and low for me to register into my head.

"I, I'm sorry, I—" my words are cut off rudely by him.

"Sorry?" he scoffs incredulously. "Does your parents ever teach you morality? Including not to voilate people's privacy?"

My words are totally stuck in my throat, sudden regret battling inside of me.

"I swear I didn't mean to," I mutter so quiet under my breath, not sparing him a single glance.

"Look at me while you're talking," he snaps.

I blink, and take a deep breath before I tilt my head upwards.

We both make an eye contact. His subtle gaze lazily boring into mine, eyes lock and I found myself getting trap into his deep stare. My cheeks flush the moment when I study his appearance.

His ravishing looks along with his melanin skin, enchance perfectly upon the dim lights in his room. He drapes in a white button up with black suit on, framing a slighty chest expose.

I immediately pull my eyes away from him but when I do, I look back up at him to catch him staring at me, lips parted in silence.

"Luckily for you, today's my birthday." he picks up the book from the ground. "And I'm letting you off the hook." he adds and takes a step forward to me menacingly.

I gradually retreat backwards, blinking rapidly over his body standing too closely to mine. He appears to remain unfazed and unbothered although our proximity is almost nonexistent.

He places the book back to the shelf before striding a few steps back. He keeps staring at me with both of his hands jammed inside his pockets.

I was literally at lost of words to reciprocate. Should I wish him a happy birthday? No, I shouldn't.

I stand still in front of him in silence, growing nervous when he doesn't say anything. Out of nowhere, he catches me off guard when a smirk twisted upon his lips.

"See you in the hall, stranger," he utters before turning his back on me and strikes away out of his bedroom.

It took me a couple seconds to digest of what had happened. Why did I even have to go into his room in the first place? So stupid.

I shrug the thought off and walk out of the bedroom. As soon as I walk out, Ryujin comes into view and looks at me in concern.

"Are you okay?" she stalks forward as her high heels clicking on ground.

I nod and convince her a small smile. "Yeah."

She gullibily believes me and pull my arm gently with hers. "Then, let's go,"

Both of us use the back door into the main avenue, where the huge hall appears right in front and silently walk towards our vacant seats.

My eyes are now train across the stage, and unknowingly stumble upon the last person that I wanted to meet, again.

"I would like to thank omma, and appa to make this possible for me. Without them, I wouldn't have the chance to stand right here and be given this great opportunity. As impossible as it sounds for a person at such a young age to take over my dad's business, but taking a full responsibility upon my family has always been my first priority." he speaks coherently through the microphone.

"And to my dearest friends, who always been there no matter or under any circumstances and to my little brother and sister, thank you for your existence which has made me become the good brother I am today," he smiles to the direction where his siblings and friends are. "I really would have never to change the life that I have because you guys are here with me and I am incredibly thankful for it. On the other hand, being a business man is going to be a heavy road to work on, but ineffable supports from you is all I needed. To all the rightful workers and business partners, I hope to have a warm welcome into the business world."

"That would be all, thank you very much for coming," All of the people in the hall cheer out for him and the loudest cheers coming out would be his friends, Jimin and Jungkook. They are shouting and cheering his name like there is no tomorrow.

"That was marvellous, that's my friend right there!" Jimin screams along with Jungkook happily.

"Such a heart warming speech, I almost cried," Jungkook's dramatic and sensitive ass rolls in as he purposely wipe his fake tears off his cheeks.

I sigh, my eyes again falls back onto him. He is walking down the stage to his parents and takes a seat between them.

I advert my eyes away when a group of young men in heavy suits with appetisers running around to serve the guests. I was beyond delighted to see it was a spaghetti with a little vegetables on the side, along with a side dishes which are toasted bread and eggs.

Soon, all of us enjoy our meals together without any much words sputter out of our mouth.

"This food is so amazing!" Jungkook says through his mouth full. He chews on the food slowly like a bunny and emits a groan, indicating the foods he is eating are delicious.

"Slow down, Jungkook. They are people here trying not to throw up looking at you," I glance at him morbidly, my face scrunches up in a disgust.

He only smiles bitterly and rolls his eyes as he continues to munch his food.

Silence breaks out the atmosphere when the familiar deep voice comes nearer to our table. My pulse and heart unintentionally accelerates as blood rushing to all parts of my body. I purse my lip nervously and quickly hold onto a glass beside my plate before sipping it quietly.

"Good evening, everyone. Having fun?"

"I have been wondering if the man of the night will ever come over," Jimin retorts, thick with sarcasm.

"Sorry, just a little held up for a while but did you guys enjoy the food?" his eyes land on us innocently before I avoid his gaze. He takes the vacant seat beside Jungkook, who is gulping down his drink.

"Dude, the food was heaven!" Jungkook exclaims excitedly. He places his fingers on his mouth and kissing it gently.

The man shakes his head and chuckles at Jungkook before his eyes divert at Ryujin and I. He smiles charmingly at us but his gaze lingering on mine for an extra beat. To my suprise, he lets out a twinkling laugh.

My heart thumps loudly at the sound of his deep and soft laugh. All of sudden, pictures of our close proximity flashes through my mind.

"You guys didn't tell me you brought your girlfriends?"

I blink, and quietly breath out after his revelation. Eruption of silence grow between us for a few seconds before Jungkook laughs as his eyebrows knit together, finding humor over the question.

"Of course not, hyung. They are my best friends." Jungkook claims perpetually.

The man has his eyebrows furrow, titling his head in confusion. "I thought we are your best friends."

"Don't flatter yourself, I have plenty of friends, alright?" Jungkook shoves his shoulder against the man playfully, his lips shimmering out a small smile.

"Mia and Ryujin, meet Taehyung. And Taehyung, meet Ryujin and Mia," Jungkook adds while gesturing his hands to us and to the man repeatedly.

The man with brown locks just nods, smiling softly as his eyes flicker in our direction. Something about his longing gaze makes me look away slightly, but when I turn back, I catch him staring lowly at me without anyone noticing.

He returns my stare as his lips turn upwards, a little smirk twisted across his breathtaking face. A sudden rush of heat flows through my cheeks and I abruptly bring a glass of water to my lips once more, hoping to get me to calm down.

"Aish, I was about to get excited. Speaking of which, when are you going to get a girlfriend, Jungkook?" Taehyung asks him, causing his cheeks to turn crimson red.

"Hyung! That's not fair but hey, what about you? You're still single after all these years," Jungkook fires back with a triumphant smile across his face.

"It doesn't matter if I have a girlfriend or not, but I'm worried that you won't get any girlfriend, ever. You blushed whenever someone called you oppa," Taehyung savagely retaliates.

"Oh ho, hyung! You did not just go there," Jungkook's mouth agaped apart in shock, his face contouring in disbelief.

Taehyung and Jimin cracks up into laughter before both of them softly patting him on the back.

"Alright, fine. I won't tease you. Anyway, I'll see you soon, I have some other guests to greet. Enjoy your meal," Taehyung stands up and nods curtly before striding away to welcome the other guests.

Due to my absorbent of time, half an hour has passed by so painfully slow.

Ryujin is deeply in a conversation with the both of them, which leaves me alone to do nothing.

I decided to go and get some air although it was cold. Knowing it was bad idea, I still went out through the mahogany door and stood at the front porch of the mansion.

"What are you doing here?" A deep familiar male voice chirps, causing my head whipped to the sound.

It was Taehyung. He was standing at the bottom of the stairs, raising his perfectly sculptured eyebrows. I assumed that he just sent off one of his business partners home as a car strolled out of the automatic gate.

He approaches me as if nothing happened between us. His tall figure standing by my short ones, smirking when he notices my apprehensive demeanor.

"How was your dinner?" he deeply initiates.

I blink once, surprised before answering. "Uh.. it was good,"

"Oh, yeah? That's great," he pauses. "Wait, didn't you drop something?" his voice drowns an octave lower with a frown on his handsome features.

My temple begins to pulsate, causing him to chuckle lightly.

I didn't have the time to ponder over how appalled I was when his arm wrapped around my waist to drag me closer. I feel a lump in my throat as my eyes are staring straight into his twinkle, bright brown eyes. A playful smile stretches at the corner of his lips before he leans down to my ear.

"Your pride, darling,"

•••

A/N: Thank you very much for the supports, and loves. I appreciate each and every one of you, please do comment and give some feedback. See you soon in the next chapter.