Maya walked her way through some beautiful interiors and intellectual designing which she doesn't have the time to stand and gawk at that moment.

She was looking for Hoseok and she needed to find the man.

"Hey Seria, do you know where Hoseok is?" Maya saw one of the Gardler staff walking with a plate filled with canapés.

"Hey Ms Lim, yes, he was just over on the third floor, touring with the hosts."

"Thanks. Enjoy your lunch then." Maya thanked her and took a piece of canapé for herself before walking towards level 3, trying to spot Hoseok.

It didn't take much longer for her to spot the dark mahogany hair moving around the crowd gracefully, with a glass of champagne in his hand. A fair amount of joy chirped into Maya's heart as she smiled warmly looking at the man before her.

Her smile widened when he spotted her across the room.

"Be right back." Hoseok excused himself and gulped the glass empty before moving towards his lady.

"Hey Hobi."

"Hey, gorgeous. You came after all."

"I know. I'm so sorry." Maya smiled timidly, trying to keep a decent conversation going.

"That's alright. You wanna have something to eat?" Hoseok offered.

"Sure, lead the way."

Maya followed her boss's tail while greeting some noticeable faces in the crowd, acknowledging them.

Time definitely went by faster than expected for it was closing to the end when Maya notice the crowd was dispersing slowly while the hosts sent off one by one, until it was only left with some close friends and team in Gardler.

"Congrats again Suga and you JK for the place, it looks amazing. I hope your business grows and gets more successful." Maya raised a toast after a hearty lunch with the rest.

"Thanks to Hoseok, one hell of a man. Gardler was worth every penny." said JK.

"No worries buddy, we did what we could." Hoseok replied, cheering the rest for their efforts as well.

"By the way guys, thanks for the day. Maya and I will be leaving, we just need to get some personal things done. Enjoy the rest of your day, will catch up soon." He bid them farewell, asked Parker to ensure everything else packs up well after him.

Jimin trailed his eyes to the duo who exited the venue. He knew the precise reason on why Tae opted out from the event, he can't bear to see his lady in another man's arm. Not today.

.

"Brother's Cafe?" Hoseok asked with one hand on the wheel, adjusting his sunglasses up from the bridge of his nose.

"Yep, they have the best coffee ever!" Maya exclaimed, for once excited about the day.

"Anything for you." Hoseok rubbed his thumb over Maya's hand as he was holding onto it dearly since the time they got inside the car.

Within the next 10 minutes, Maya's mood was enlightened again when she saw the big wooden sign board for Brother's Cafe welcomed them.

Two hot lattes were enough to break the silence and kickstart the gear in Maya for the dreadful conversation she was stalling.

"So Hobi-..."
"Maya, I was-..."

Both of them stopped talking when they saw the other wanted to say something. It just brought giggles to the table, enlightening the mood further. Just like the calm before the storm.

"Ladies first." Hoseok said as he sipped on his latte.

"Ok. Um I guess I owe you a lot of explanation?" Maya raised her brows, not sure where should she even begin with.

"How about you start from the first time you met Taehyung? It didn't seem to me like you guys knew each other from the VC project. To be honest, I felt like you guys knew each other for a very long time."

Hosoek placed his cup down, leaned in with both his elbows folded on the table, waiting for Maya to speak up. He wasn't angry nor was he being pushy, he was calm and collected but a certain sternness in his voice was clearly evident.

"You're right. I knew him before. 8 years ago when I went to NYU as a transfer."

Maya pressed her lips in a thin line, giving out a weak smile before she continued further breaking all the details from then till the night before.

"M-Maya, I-I..."

It was about an hour of hearing the narration by Maya which drove Hoseok to the wall. He was baffled. Certainly wasn't expecting this drop of a bomb from Maya. He was expecting an old acquaintance or lovers to be the worse but he certainly wasn't expecting a child to be part of it.

"Hoseok, I know. It's a lot to take in, it's not a story you probably were expecting but it is what it is. Things are complicated between me and Tae."

"Maya, you could have told me about this the time when you agreed to have me court you." Hoseok hissed.

"I wasn't expecting things to turn out this way between me and Tae. I didn't want him in my life anymore Hobi. I was perplexed and in fact shock to death when I saw him at Seoul."

Hoseok listened. His eyes now darker as it stares into Maya's soft brown orbs. He was feeling the rage, not sure why.

"I didn't purposely ran after him and at the same time pursued you Hobi. I didn't. I really liked you."

Liked me. Hoseok chuckled. Very bitterly catching on the past tense while Maya didn't seem to notice what she really said.

"Hoseok please. Don't make this tough on me as well. I'm terribly sorry but I'm here coz I think you deserve to know the truth."

"Was he the reason you were so insecure about yourself and refused me when I wanted to date you couple years back?"

Maya nodded. In fact she never went on a serious date or thought about being in a relationship coz she was still broken from the past.

"I was terrified when I lost my mom, when I lost my baby, when I lost V. I didn't want to lose another person who walks into my life with so much love and care."

She felt embarrassed for admitting it but she now feel petty for being so insecure on such matters.

"Maya, do not let yourself down or condemn yourself for how you feel. I've always told you to love yourself, in fact the reason I love you is coz how kind and selfless you are. You make me want to love myself."

Maya's eye widened, did he just said he loves her?

"Before you boggle your eyes out, I know what I said Maya. I said I love you. I'm not scared to admit, you should know it by now."

A single drop of tear escaped her eyes, covering her face with a lot of shame and guilt. She just broke another heart.

"Hobi, I don't know how to say this."

"That you like me but you can't love me like you love Tae so you wanna end our courting?"

Maya looked up to the smiling boy, holding so much pain in his eyes but still offered her a very genuine smile.

"Why do you have to be so nice?" Maya wiped away her tears. She can't bear to face Hobi.

"I told you since the beginning Maya. This is how I feel about you, you're free to make a choice on your own."

Hosoek swallowed a huge lump on his throat as he said those words.

"Hobi-..."

"I don't really know Taehyung but I can say he loves you a lot too. I've seen him looking at you when you're not paying attention. He always have longed for you. Of coz I was pissed at times thinking he is just eye-ing you, like a playboy he is. I didn't know you guys had such history."

His heart felt like it was stabbed. Hoseok's smile dropped, together with the tear welled up at the corner of his eyes.

"Hoseok, I'm not choosing anyone over anyone. I really need some time for myself. It's been so crazy and with all these confrontations, I just can't." Maya pressed her forehead, sniffling.

"Maya, I understand. I really wish I can kidnap you now and make you mine. I love you a lot but at the same time I want you to be happy. Fuck Taehyung and fuck me too, not literally but I mean it. I just want you to be happy. Whatever it is, I'll be here to support. I care for you Maya."

The Chindian girl broke down, not bothered by the weird stares she was getting for crying in the public. Hoseok allowed her to break down, not bothering the stares on him either.

"Sweetheart, whatever you need, I'm here for ya. Of coz it'll be nice if you tell me you need me and want me, but either way, I got your back Maya."

Hoseok's heart clenched. He can clearly see how broken Maya was.

"I didn't want to lead you on Hobi. I really tried my best to put my focus on you, like I said, I started to like you before all these past walked back into my life."

"You need some time out Maya. How about you take some time off and clear your mind?"

"Huh? Maya looked up.

.
______________________________________
🍀
Angel Hobi.
I'm definitely gonna be dedicating one book just for Hobi as the lead. You're welcome.