A week later, Taehyung POV
The crunch of gravels under my shoes welcome my first step out of the highly-fenced building.
I look up at the blue sky & squint.
The sun is exceptionally bright this afternoon despite the chilly wind.
I take a deep breath, letting the cold air fill my lungs, & then let it out slowly.
My body is finally free, but my soul.. not really.
It's forever incarcerated by guilt & regret the moment Jimin told me about what happened to Y/n & her baby. Our baby.
Tears begin to sting at the back of my eyes again & I quickly blink them away.
A long winding road is lying ahead of me & I need to focus my strength on finishing the journey.
I reach into my pocket & fish out the piece of paper containing the address that Jimin told me the other day when I took his offer.
Sajik-ro-3-gil 23, apartment 207.
"Let's do it." I exhale deeply & put the paper back into my pocket.

An hour later
The cab driver drops me off right outside the low apartment building, which is situated in a quiet neighborhood.
My feet are stuck to the ground. Jitters run through my veins as the onerous task I've promised to carry out looms ahead of me.
How is she going to react? How can I convince her?
Gathering all my courage, I stride towards the building & climb up the stairs.
207. She's in here.
I quickly fix my hair & blow out one sharp breath before firmly pressing on the doorbell. A surge of anxiety comes attacking as I wait for her to answer the door. My throat feels so dry that I have to cough several times to get rid of the itchiness.
Breathe Taehyung ah. Breathe.
Hasty footsteps echoes through the door before it swings wide open. I immediately straighten my posture in anticipation.
"Tae?" She asks, hands covering her mouth, eyes overflowing with tears.
All of my emotions explode inside me as soon as I see her face. Without saying a word, I rush forward & pull her into my arms.
"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry Taehee ya.." I sob on her shoulder as she does on mine. We stay like that, hugging, crying, finding comfort in each other, until she gently pushes me away.
"Let's go in first." She sniffs & wipes her face with the back of her hand.
The living room is empty except for some plain-looking furnitures, but it's comfortable enough.
"Park Jimin ssi rented this apartment for me. He was the one who helped me escape." Noticing me looking around, she explains.
"Do you talk to him often?" I ask as I sit down on the beige sofa.
"He texted me yesterday saying that you were going to be discharged today. And.. he also told me everything about Y/n & the baby. I'm sorry." She gulps as fresh tears brim in her eyes.
Misery washes over me at the mention of Y/n & our baby, but I immediately brush it off.
Don't focus on yourself. Taehee is suffering too. She must be reminded of her own baby.
"Let's not talk about me. How are you? Are you feeling better?" I change the topic & gently rub her arm.
Her arms are so thin that it feels like they can be broken by the slightest force. Sorrow veils over her glistening orbs as she stares at me & smiles faintly.
"I guess I'm never going to completely fine again, but I'm trying."
My heart clenches at her words, but I maintain my composure & smile back at her.
I talk to her about random lighthearted things, avoiding the inevitable question that's hanging over my head like a heavy cloud.
Will she break apart if I ask her to do what Jimin wants her to do? But we have to do this. It's for everyone's good.
"So what are you going to do after this? Go back to the tattoo shop?" She asks.
This is my chance.
"Actually.. I have a favor to ask you.." I rub my hands together & hesitantly say.
"What is it?" She tilts her head.
"How about.. uhm.. we press charges against Kang Jihwan for what he did to you?" I clear my throat & ask.
Blood drains from her face. She doesn't respond, only staring at me with unblinking eyes, & I instantly wish that I could take back what I said.
"You want me to relive my nightmare in front of everyone?" She mutters, horrified.
"I know it will be hard for you, but-"
"No. I don't want to do it. You probably haven't read the news, but he is currently being investigated for bribing officials & illegal monetary transactions. I don't need to sue him. He will soon be punished anw." She shakes her head vigorously.
"But what if he is able to pay his way out of it as usual? Or find a scapegoat? It will only damage his company, not him as a person. Aren't you afraid that he'll come back & hurt you again?"
"Stop. I don't want to talk about this anymore. I know you mean well, but I can't do it without breaking down. Experiencing it once is enough Tae, I don't want to remember the details anymore." She puts her palm up signaling me to drop the conversation.
"But-"
"I'm tired. I'm going to head in first. Please make yourself at home." She says before turning away & steps into the bedroom.
"Taehee ya-" I call out but she's closed the door of my face.
Huh.. This is going to be difficult. I take a deep breath & knock on her door.
"Taehee ya, please listen to me. That man is evil. He's murdered your baby, my baby & his own daughter. Don't you think that he deserves to be punished so that he can repent for his sins? So that he won't be able to do it again to anyone else? I don't want us to live in fear & unease all our lives, knowing that he's still out there doing whatever he wants."
The room stays silent. Not even a creak is heard.
She probably needs some time to think.
"I'm going back to my apartment & come here again tomorrow. Please think about what I said, Taehee ya. Call me if you need anything." I say to the closed door & leave with a heavy heart.

The next day
She hasn't called. Maybe she's still angry at me.
I shift my weight from one foot to the other & chew on my lips, hesitating whether I should ring on the doorbell or not.
You need to do this, Taehyung ah. You can't let Kang Jihwan come back & disturb your & Taehee's lives again.
Thus, I brace myself & press the doorbell.
The door is opened a few seconds later, revealing a somber-looking Taehee. The bags under her eyes are even darker & heavier than yesterday.
"Come in." She mutters before I even open my mouth.
She sits down on the chair with head lowered & folds her hands on the table, like she's praying.
"Have you eaten? I brought you some jjajjangmyeon & jjamppong. Which one do you-" I feign cheerfulness & unpack the takeaway boxes on the table.
"I'll do it." She quietly says.
"What?" I ask, thinking that I might have heard her wrong.
"I'll do as you say regarding Kang sajangnim. You're right, he should understand that he can't run away from his mistakes." She smiles sadly at me.
I instantly drop everything & hug her tightly.
"Thank you Taehee ya. I promise I'll accompany you through every step."

Two months later
Shoulders slouched, we heavily step out of the courthouse. It's been a long & tiring day. Our energy has been completely drained.
As expected, Kang Jihwan pleaded not guilty & his lawyers managed to drag the case, knowing our limited resources. In addition, he has successfully painted Taehee as a gold digger who does this for attention & to extort money from him. He used my history with Y/n to discredit my testimony as well. Despite the ongoing investigation on the illegal activities in his company, people still pick his side because he's been wearing his angelic mask perfectly all these years. It's difficult for the society to believe that the charitable compassionate Kang Jihwan could be responsible for such an atrocious crime.
"Can we just give up?" Taehee suddenly sighs as we wait for the bus to go home.
"Taehee ya, I know we're on the losing end now, but we can't give up now. We can't let him win." I try to convince her, although I, myself, am not sure how long I can endure this.
"Huh.. I need a break Tae. I need to get out of here for a while. He's spread false rumors about me all over town. Now even my neighbors treat me like an outcast."
"I tell you what, how about we go on a short trip this weekend?"
"But we can't afford spending too much money. We still need to pay the lawyer's fee."
"You're right.." I slump forward dejectedly.
But then, suddenly, a place comes to mind. The little fishing village that I was going to escape to with Y/n.
"I know a place. It's pretty cheap & no one knows us there."
Damn, that feels like a lifetime ago. I wonder how my life would be if we had successfully escaped that night. Oh well..

Friday comes.
I've rented a car & we're on our way to the fishing village. It's quite a long drive & we mostly stay quiet during the drive, but I don't mind.
The soothing silence is very much welcomed after all the commotion we've faced ever since the trials started.
"Taehee ya, wake up. We need to take the boat from here." I park the car & shake her shoulder once we arrive at the pier.
"Huh? Oh okay." She yawns lazily & stretches her arms.
We get out of the car, take our bags & get on the old fishing boat.
"Woah, this really is in the middle of nowhere." She exclaims, sea breeze blowing her hair as the captain starts the engine.
I breathe in the salty air & smile genuinely for the first time in the last few months.
Y/n ah, this place is so pretty. If only you were here..
"Aigoo, what brings you to our small village? Are you newlyweds?" The captain appears out of nowhere & asks.
"No, we're siblings. We saw this place on the web & thought that it would be a good place for a short holiday." I explain.
"Oh really? Well, let me give you a recommendation then. See that wooden pier that we're heading to? There's a very good seafood restaurant a few meters west from it. You should definitely give it a try." He points towards the shoreline ahead.
"Ah yes. Thank you for your recommendation. We'll definitely give it a try." I politely nod to him.
"You're welcome. We're almost there. I hope you enjoy your time on the island." He smiles at us & steps away.
A few minutes later, we arrive at the pier & bid our goodbyes with the captain.
"Have fun!" He shouts & waves at us.
"People here sure are friendly." Taehee comments.
"It's nice, isn't it? Look at the beautiful beach. Ah that's the restaurant the captain was-"
The rest of the sentence gets stuck in my throat as I see the shadow of someone so hauntingly familiar.

Y-Y/n?
"What's wrong?" Taehee nudges my arm & asks.
"Huh? I thought I saw-" I turn to her for a fraction of second & point at the beach. But when I turn back around, Y/n, or whoever it was, has already gone.
"What did you see?" Taehee stretches her neck & scans along the shoreline.
"N-Never mind. Let's go to the guesthouse." I hoist the bag on my shoulder & feign a smile.
My eyes must have been playing tricks on me since this place reminds me so much of her.
We spend the rest of the afternoon lazing around at the guesthouse, which is located right by the beach, & enjoying the serene atmosphere, the calming sound of waves crashing against the shore.
Given the environment, I can't help but think of those days I spent with Y/n at the secret beach. It feels like it was a long time ago, but I can still vividly remember the feeling of sand rubbing on my skin as our bodies pressed against each other, the smell of her floral-scented raven locks, & the taste of her lips, salty & sweet.
Fuck, I miss her so bad. I inhale deeply & let it out slowly as I stare at the dark blue water.
"What are you doing?" Taehee suddenly plops down beside me.
"Nothing. Just watching the seagulls. Do you like it here?"
"I do. It's peaceful here. I wish we could stay here forever." She sighs.
"Maybe we could, after everything is done." I ruffle her hair & smile.
"I'm hungry. Shall we go grab something to eat?" She rubs her stomach & says.
"Sure. How about the seafood restaurant the captain told us about?" I suggest.
"Sounds good. Let's go."
We walk leisurely towards the pier, chatting & admiring the scenery along the way. Taehee seems much less tense than usual, which is great. Maybe we should really consider moving here.
After fifteen minute walk, we arrive at the restaurant & peek inside. The tables are all empty, no one is around.
"Are you sure this is the restaurant the captain mentioned?" Taehee frowns.
"I'm pretty sure it is. There's no other restaurant around here. Maybe it's closed? Let me go in & ask." I push open the glass door & step inside.
"Excuse me? Is there anyone here?" I holler.
"Yes yes! Wait a moment, please!" A female voice answers from the back.
I turn around to nod at Taehee & shift my weight uncomfortably as I wait for the ajumma to come out.
"Yes? What can I do for you?" The ajumma steps out while rubbing her hands on her pink apron.
My heart stops when I see her. Her eyes, her nose, her facial features bear an uncanny resemblance to Y/n.
"Hello?" Noticing my zero response, she waves her hand in front of my face.
Shit, I must be going crazy. Everything I see reminds me of her. I blink my eyes & snap out of my daze.
"Sorry. Are you open? The captain of the ferry recommended us this restaurant when we got here earlier."
"We're only opened for lunch. Are you guys new here?" She glances at Taehee, who's waiting outside.
"My sister & I are visiting for the weekend. Uhm.. well.. thank you then. We'll come back again tomorrow." I nod at her & turn to the exit.
"Wait! I still have some 간장게장 (ganjang gejang=marinated crab) left. Do you want some?"
"Uhm.. yes, if it's not too much trouble for you. Because we don't know where else to go." I rub my neck sheepishly.
"Give me a minute." She rushes to the back & disappears behind the curtain.
"Tae, are they open?" Taehee pops her head into the restaurant.
"No, but she's preparing something for us to take away. Just wait for a little while."
"Here you go." The ajumma walks out with a big paper bag in her hands & give it to me.
"There are 간장게장, 김밥 (kimbap=rice roll), 된장찌개 (doenjangjjigae=soybean paste soup), & some rice inside. I'm sorry but that's all we have since we've sold out everything today." She says apologetically.
"No no no. This is much more than enough for the two of us. So, how much do I need to pay?" I pull out my wallet & ask.
"Don't worry about it." She waves her hand & smiles.
"No, we can't take this. I must pay for it." I frantically say.
"It's fine, really. Now go, your sister is waiting. I hope I'll see you guys again tomorrow." She spins me around & pushes me out the door.
"But ajumma-"
"Enjoy." She smiles at Taehee & me before quickly going back in, leaving me baffled.
"What happened?" Taehee asks.
"She gave us this for free." I show her the bag.
"Wow, people down here sure are friendly. Ommo, 간장게장, my favorite! And it looks so delicious." She exclaims excitedly.
Suddenly, our stomachs grumble loudly, prompting us to laugh.
"Let's go back to the guesthouse & eat for now. I'm starving too." I say as I turn back around one last time to the restaurant.
What a weird ajumma.

Ajumma's POV
What a pair of good-looking siblings. But there's so much sorrow in their eyes, like they've lost someone important. It makes me sad. I wonder what happened to them?
"Eomma, who was it? And where is our dinner?" My daughter asks as she steps into the dining area.
"A pair of tourists walked in, not knowing that we're closed, so I packed our dinner for them." I explain.
"Ah I see. I'm done cleaning the shrimps & shellfishes for tomorrow. Oppa is still tidying up. Shall I cook some 해물탕 (haemultang=seafood soup) for us then?"
"That sounds good. I'll help you. 사랑해 우리딸, 알고있지? (saranghae uri ddal, algoissji = I love you my daughter, you know that right?)" I link my arm with hers & lay my head on her shoulder.
"엄마 왜 그래? (Eomma wae geurae = Mom, why are you like this)" She chuckles.
I glance back at the door & see them walking away.
I truly hope I'll see you again tomorrow.

The next day, Taehyung POV
We spend all morning at the beach, soaking in the sun, swimming, relaxing. For a moment, I forget about all our troubles. About Y/n.
"Tae, should we go to that seafood restaurant again? I want to eat the 간장게장 again. It's so good." Taehee says.
"Ok. It's 10:15 now. Let's get ready & go there."
We clean ourselves up, change our clothes & head towards the restaurant again.
This time, a lot of the tables are filled although it isn't lunch time yet. The ajumma's face lights up when she sees us coming.
"You guys came back!" She greets us cheerfully.
"Yes, your 간장게장 was so good that we have to come back for more." I smile at her.
"Please take a seat. I'll bring the menu for you." She signals us to sit on one of the empty tables.
More people are starting to come in as it nears lunch hour & soon the restaurant is packed.
"I'm so sorry, it's a bit crowded today. And my son & daughter haven't come back yet from the market." The ajumma hands us the menu & apologizes.
"That's ok ajumma. We're not in a hurry."
"I'll come back later to take your order." She steps away to attend to other guests.
We're still scanning the menu & deciding on what to order when someone approaches our table from behind.
"Sorry for the long wait. What can I get you?"
My blood freezes when I hear the voice.
No way. I must be hallucinating again.
I slowly look up & my eyes instantly widen in shock, so do hers.
"Y-Y/n?"
"Y/n?" Taehee looks at me & asks in confusion. Then, she turns to Y/n & gasps.
"Y-You're mistaken. I'm not Y/n." She lowers her head & hastily exits the restaurant.
"Wait! Taehee ya, I'll be back soon." I rise from my seat & follow Y/n out in a hurry.
I see her striding away towards the beach & pick up my pace.
"Y/n! Y/n ah!" I call out but she doesn't stop.
I run as fast as I can & finally catch up with her.
"Please. Stop. Don't run away." I grab her wrist to stop her.
"Let go of me! I told you I'm not Y/n. You're mistaken." She tries to shake off my grasp while still keeping her head low.
"Fine! Let's say you're not Y/n. Let's say I'm crazy, which I believe I am because I miss you too fucking much. So even if you're just a ghost, let me see you & talk to you just this once. Please. Stay." I beg, my throat thick with longing & fear of losing her again.
She stops moving & stands absolutely still. It seems like my words have gotten to her. She slowly lifts her face & meets my eyes, taking my breath away.
"It's you. It's really you. You- You're alive!" A manic chuckle escapes my lips as I wrap my arms around her & hug her tightly, scared that she'll disappear if I loosen my grip.
"You're alive. You're alive." I repeat the words to let the situation sink into my brain.
She doesn't push me away nor reciprocate my hug, only standing limply in my embrace, her tears soaking the fabric on my shoulder. My heart is shredded to pieces seeing her helpless stance.
"I'm sorry for everything that happened. It was my fault. You can hit me, kick me, scold me, yell at me all you want, but please don't cry." I cup her face & stare right into her somber eyes.
"H-How did you find me?" She retreats from my touch & averts her gaze.
"I didn't look for you on purpose. I thought you were- Jimin told me that- Anw, I came here with my sister for a short holiday without knowing that-" I quickly explain, but my sentence is cut off by someone shouting her name.

"Y/n ah!"
I abruptly turn my head around & see a man running towards us. In a swift move, he pulls Y/n away & stands in front of her, blocking her from my view.
"Why are you here?" He asks, brows knitted into a deep furrow.
"Park Jimin?" I gape in surprise.
"You're not answering my question. Why are you here? How did you find her?" He steps further backwards with Y/n behind him.
"It was a coincidence. I didn't even try to look for her because you told me she was dead!" I yell at him, fury burning within me.
"I didn't say that. I said that she was in a better place, which was the truth."
"So are you saying that it was my fault that I misunderstood? You clearly made me think that way on purpose! Do you have any idea how tortured I was?!"
"It was Y/n's request. She asked me to tell you that."
His words punch me right in the gut, freezing me on the spot.
How much does she hate me that she faked her own death just to avoid me?
"Tae!" Taehee waves & calls as she runs to us.
"She's here too?" Jimin asks.
"Ah, Jimin ssi." Taehee nods at him & stands beside me.
The atmosphere becomes frigidly awkward. So many words to say, but they're all left unspoken. The delicate threads that connected us are so intricately messy that another misspoken word could make them disintegrate in an instant.
"Oppa, could you please leave us alone for a while? I need to talk to him. Besides, eomma may need your help at the restaurant." Y/n finally breaks the rigid silence.
"Are you sure?" Jimin turns to her & frowns in concern.
"I'm sure." She nods & smiles assuringly at him.
A surge of jealousy stabs through my chest as I listen to her calling him with such an intimate nickname.
Are they together now?
"Well, alright then. Don't go too far though. We'll be waiting for you at the restaurant. Let's go Taehee ssi." He pats her head & turns to Taehee, signaling her to follow him.
"Me?" Taehee points at herself, surprised that Jimin called her name.
"Yes, let them talk in private. You can help me at the restaurant while waiting."
Taehee looks at me, not knowing what to do.
"I'll be there soon. Don't worry." I squeeze her shoulder.
"Ok then. Don't take too long." She reluctantly nods & scurries behind Jimin.
"Let's find somewhere to sit." Y/n glances at me & says.
We walk to the beach & find an empty bench to sit on. The gentle breeze blows on her hair, cut much shorter than before; caressing her soft complexion, now tanned, kissed by the sun. She looks much healthier & happier than before, which makes me think that maybe I shouldn't have barged into her life again.
"How is she doing?" She asks all of a sudden.
"Who? Oh, Taehee? She is still in the process of healing, but she's doing well."
"I'm sorry for what my father did to her." She looks down at her hands & mutters with a low voice.
"Don't apologize. It wasn't your fault."
"It was. At least, you thought it was. That was why you planned everything & approached me to avenge her, right?" She turns to me & says flatly.
"I- I'm sorry. It was stupid of me." I lower my head in shame.
"I was angry when I found that you that you had an ulterior motive. Then, Jimin told me about your true reason, about Taehee, I was horrified. Honestly, if I were you, I would probably do something even worse. So, you can stop apologizing because I understand why you did what you did." She smiles faintly at me.
"So you've forgiven me?"
"I have. A long time ago, although I refused to admit it. I guess I needed to hate you so that I could forget how much I actually loved you."
I'm stunned by her statement, hopeful yet uncertain at the same time.
Does she still love me? But she used past tense.. Maybe.. she loves someone else now. Jimin?
"Were you the one who came by our restaurant last night? So you must have met my mother." Her question breaks my daze.
"Huh? Ah yes, it was us. Wait. So that ajumma is your mother? I thought you told me that she ran away when you were little."
"That was what my father told me. Apparently it was all a lie." She scoffs.
Then, she tells me about what happened to her mother, how Jimin's father saved her, why Jimin started working for her father & how I reunited with my mother.
"So your father tried to kill your mother too? What the fuck is wrong with him? How can he be such a horrible person?" I exclaim in shock.
"He did. After he lost her, he was afraid to lose me too. Thus, he treated me like a prisoner, controlling my every move so that I wouldn't escape. That's why, according to Jimin oppa, my father didn't confront me about you when he found out because he was afraid of making the same mistake he did with my mother. Ironically, he ended up repeating history anyway."
"Did Jimin use the same approach as his father to get you out of town? Because it seems like your father doesn't know that you're still alive."
"Yes. He took me to Dr. Lee, the gyneacologist I went to when I wanted to confirm my pregnancy, instead of going to the hospital. According to him, I lost so much blood that I almost didn't make it. In the end, they had to sacrifice the baby for me to live. Jimin oppa told Dr. Lee about what happened & bribed him to help fake my death. I don't know about the details, but they somehow got ahold of an unknown female body & claimed it as mine. Thankfully, my father didn't even check who it was in the body bag before he cremated it. Then, Jimin oppa brought me here to meet my mother & resigned not long after."
Hearing the recital of her tragic experience, tears well up in my eyes. Not only because I grieve the loss of our baby, but also because I can't help but feel ashamed. I, who proclaim to love her deeply, has done nothing but hurt her. Yet Jimin, who's never said anything, risked his everything just to save her. I don't even have the right to feel jealous. He's earned her trust & affection not by manipulative words, but by sincere action.
"Wow, he's done so much for you." I mutter, swallowing the bitterness in my throat.
"I know. I'm really thankful for him. He was also the one who sent all the evidences of my father's illegal monetary transactions to the media. He said that he didn't want us to live in hiding forever, and thus he had to find a way to bring my father down so that he wouldn't have any power to disturb our lives anymore." A small smile lifts the corners of her lips, oblivious to my despair.
"Yeah, he even asked us to sue your father for what he did to my sister." I mindlessly reply.
"He did? I didn't know that." She frowns.
"Oh, I thought you knew. Jimin was afraid that the legal charges against his company were not enough to damage his reputation so he asked us to expose the crime that he did to my sister."
"No, he never told me. So did you? Sue him, I mean."
"We did. And Jimin was right. The public sentiment is still in his favor despite his ongoing company's scandal. He's managed to discredit all our witnesses & evidences." I shrug.
"How is that possible? What about Nurse Min? Have you talked to her?"
"We have. Jimin gave us her contact & all the evidences she collected. She did take the stand for us, but every piece of evidence she had was obtained illegally & thus couldn't be used in court. Your father even got her license revoked."
"Oh no.." She muffles her mouth & gasps.
"Don't worry. We'll try our best. Even if we don't win, I'm sure we've tarnished his perfect facade so people won't worship him like a living god anymore." I say encouragingly, although it's difficult to believe my own words.
"I'm so sorry. It must be exhausting & traumatic for your sister. Had I known about Jimin oppa's request, I would've stopped him." She looks like she's about to cry again.
"Hey, it's ok. We'll get through this. Besides, Taehee is not doing this for you, she's doing it for her lost baby. So don't blame yourself, ok?" I can only smile at her despite the strong urge to stroke her hair & pull her into my arms.
"But still.."
"Enough of the unhappy story. Let's talk about something else. Hah.. The weather here is so nice & the view is so pretty. Shall we go for a walk?" I stand up & stretch my arms.
"Well.. Sure."
We stroll along the shoreline, chatting about lighthearted topics. Slowly, we begin to relax & feel more comfortable with each other. Her smile grows wider & her laugh becomes louder.
Right this moment, I feel content. Seeing her alive & breathing is enough for me, even though she might never be mine again.
Suddenly, my stomach grumbles loudly.
"Oh no, you haven't had lunch, right? Let's go back to the restaurant." She exclaims.
"It's fine. I-" I hastily refuse while cursing my stomach inwardly for protesting at the wrong timing.
"Besides, we've been gone for almost two hours. I don't want them to worry." She adds.
"Alright then." I nod in agreement, ignoring the heavy reluctance in my heart. I wish I could stay in this moment forever with her, but I know it's impossible.
The restaurant is already half empty when we arrive. Jimin & Taehee are busy tidying up the tables.
"We're back. Sorry for taking so long." Y/n hurriedly tie her hair up & help Jimin carry the dirty dishes to the back.
"That's ok." Jimin replies, but his gaze is fixated on me.
"Taehee ssi, would you mind helping Y/n wash the dishes?" Jimin says to Taehee, obviously finding an excuse so that he'll be alone with me.
"Uhm.. ok." Taehee looks at me worriedly, before going to the back.
Now there are only the two of us left with some guests in the dining area.
"What did you guys talk about?" Jimin steps closer to me, eyeing me suspiciously.
"Only straightening out some facts. She told me about how you saved her life. Thank you for that."
"You don't need to thank me. She's no one to you. I warn you Kim Taehyung, if you dare hurt her again, I-" He hisses.
"Ommo! Young man! You ran out without eating earlier. You must be starving. Sit down, I'll get you something to eat." Y/n's mother walks out of the kitchen & exclaims, cutting our conversation short.
"Ah, it's ok ajumma. I'm not-" I chuckle awkwardly.
"Jimin ah, 뭐해 (mwohae=what are you doing)? Prepare the utensils for him." She ignores me & scolds Jimin.
"네 엄머니 (ne eommoni=yes eommoni)." Jimin reluctantly grab the chopsticks & spoon for me.
"And come help me at the back once you're done. Wait a moment- what's your name young man?" She asks me.
"Kim Taehyung." I answer.
"Ah Taehee & Taehyung. Such pretty names. I'll be back soon, please sit down." She smiles.
"네 (ne=yes)." I nod at her, disregarding Jimin's sharp glance at me.
I giggle inwardly, feeling slightly triumphant. However, that joy is short-lived & disappears once I see Y/n stepping out of the kitchen & smiling brightly at Jimin.