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Yes, because of my foolish love

I' m holding onto you

Day by day, like this

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The Maple Tree Restaurant was famous for its delectable Korean BBQ, bustling with the aroma of tantalising grilling meat. 

You both gazed around with widened eyes at the intriguing place.

“Dette sted er fantastisk. (This place is amazing). I’m having a great time here Olive," you say smiling.

Olive nodded, “It is sure a pretty place, Cha-. The aroma is delicious and my stomach is growling in all seriousness now. Meat looks good.”

Both you and Olive smiled broadly at the team, happy to have been invited for fellowship there. “Hey guys, Thanks for inviting us”

Sunwoo smiled lovingly at you as Seulgi tried not to laugh at his obvious liking of you. Olive laughed seeing her funny behavior.

In charge of exhibitions was Mr. Nam Chan; he welcomed Cha-young and Olive to the table where they were sitting next to Soo-Ah as well Ms Hak. “Cha-young, Olive! I’m glad that you could make it. Please sit down .We’ve already ordered some meat and drinks on the house.Thanks to Mr Kim we can afford any number of such dishes.”

You chuckled and nodded while your teammates cheered for you. Having jokes together over delicious food with museum staffs was their joy.

Olive exclaimed, "You guys are the best! So what’s cooking about Egyptian exhibition?" as she received a glass of soju from Mr Nam.You requested hot water with lemon because you didn’t want alcohol.

Ms Hak ,the museum director beamed as she shared details of the upcoming exhibition.“It’s going to be wonderful! We have got some very amazing pieces which we want them showed off in an incredible exhibit.I even had a write –up on Seoul Arts magazine-how exciting!”

They talked about their successful Egyptian exhibition on campus knowing they had higher chances of winning more awards too. Sunwoo could not contain his excitement sitting on his seat dancing up and down.”And do you know what that means? More awards for us!"

The air was filled with laughter as they discussed their plan of exhibition. It was an entertaining night though Ms Hak, Seulgi and Soo-Ah were beginning to get tipsy. Sunwoo called Uber, and he decided to accompany you and Olive in it to the house while Mr Chan organized a taxi for them to ensure that they reached home safely.

Despite your impending departure in a few days, you had a wonderful time with the team, and they were sad to see you go.

........

Your departure in less than a week notwithstanding, you have really enjoyed staying with the team and they were sad to let you go.

...................

The next day, Jimin was with you. The two of you decided to grab breakfast at a cool café in Gangnam-gu. It looked lovely as the café had pink, red and white décor that gave it a sixties feel.

“Cha-young isn’t this place just so cool?” said Jimin grinning at her.

“Yes, I love it here. Oh wait those aren’t Taehyung’s parents over there?” you scrunched your eyebrows noticing how beautiful the couple was as well dressed people waved towards you and Jimin; they must be so rich and elegant taking time off their very tight schedules for break.

You approached them as you exchanged warm greetings with Taehyung’s parents. Jimin nodded with a smirk on his face. They were all pleased to see each other again and hugged tightly while also exchanging smiles over coffee. You’ve grown fond of Taehyung’s parents since that time when Tae told them about your secret relationship which shocked everyone in the Elite club.

His  eyes sparkling like his son ,Mr Kim smiled.” Hey Cha-young it’s great to see you! You look healthy darling.”

“We’ve missed you sweetheart please sit down with us I asked jimin to get you because I knew that you had doubts about meeting us,” Ms Kim added after him.“

Your eyes started watering when it reminded you of some difficulties between yourself and Tae at the museum, this time he meant what he said. He has stopped having any connection or association with you whatsoever.

“That’s not easy Mr.and Mrs.Kim.He told me too leave Seoul.He no longer believes me,and his coldness breaks my heart,” she replied nodding sadly.

However,the mood later became gloomy when sadly mentioned you just wanted  to leave Seoul as soon as possible,because he didn’t want you to work for the whole two weeks.

“I just want him to be happy even if it means reuniting with his ex, Dilraba,” sobbed you.

Ms. Kim’s eyes appeared woeful," Cha-young, I believe that somewhere deep down Taehyung still loves you. His memories may have faded away but his love for you is still there.”

Mr Kim nodded and gently smiled.“Cha-young,don’t give up on him he’ll recall very soon then we can all be happy again and continue with our wedding preparations.”

“Taehyung’s might put Cha-young’s career at risk Mr.and Mrs.Kim.Her job could be in trouble if she fails to accomplish this project.Her boss insists,and she could lose a promotion,” said Jimin looking worriedly.

You nodded along.

They were shocked upon learning this.

“I never knew about it let’s  talk to Taehyung.” Mr Kim looked annoyed at what his son had recently done to Cha-young.

Clearly, Taehyung's parents were taken aback by this news as they grasped the severity of the situation. It was a moment of vulnerability, when she felt she had to share something important with Jimin without disclosing her medical condition. She glanced apologetically at Jimin.

"Oh my gosh Jimin, I’m sorry for not telling you but please keep this secret from the Bangtan Club. I just couldn’t hide it from Taehyung’s parents. It would be unfair…”

They looked at you with deep furrowed brows at the gravely sound in your voice. You took a deep breath and they could see how much pain you carried so bravely, too scared to tell them. But that was as far as your breathing went, because after inhaling, you let the secret out.

You searched through your white Chanel bag and removed your wallet. Hesitantly, you passed on a small piece of paper to Taehyung's parents.

You appeared visibly unhappy. “I have something to say. I am pregnant with Taehyung’s child. I am three months plus some days and it is a girl.”

Taehyung’s parents were happily shocked by the first news that followed soon after. Jimin was open-mouthed and clapped his hands in delight! This altered things but only shook your head in response; however, Tae should regain all his memories before he can understand their full situation.

Tears of joy streamed down their faces when they embraced you yet told you that this is something that must be carried in secret,"  And if he didn’t get better soon enough then he would miss out on becoming a father which would be his biggest life event ever.”

You gently breathed in again.” Don’t let anyone know about this now please; our relationship is complicated.”

You had hopes of a brighter future for your family despite the sorrows inside your heart.

✦•·················• 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐞𝐱𝐭 𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐮𝐦 •·················•✦

As you enter the gallery the following day, a sense of dread looms heavily over you. Olive had taken a few hours off to accompany Seulgi on errands for additional decorations to enhance the museum entrance. She had come up with brilliant ideas and asked Olive to join her.

Sighing, you make your way to the elevators. Greeting the security with a soft smile, you nod in the direction of some staff members.

Feeling exhausted after a sleepless night, your shoulders ache severely. You head to the archive storage room, nervously glancing around, half-expecting to see your ex-fiancé and Dilraba lurking in the shadows. "I hope I don't run into them today," you think sourly.

Flashback: 9 months ago.

Suddenly, Mr. Kim Taehyung entered the archive room long after the museum had closed. You were still documenting the artefacts for the first phase of the Egyptian Exhibition for nursery to high schools. His mere presence sent a shiver down your spine.

Mr. Kim furrowed his brows as he glanced at his Rolex watch. "Cha-young, what are you doing here?"

You looked up and forced a polite smile. "Just oversee the Egyptian artefacts, Mr Kim."

Mr. Kim eyed you suspiciously as if you were up to something illegal. "Don't mess anything up."

As you continued your work, a sense of irritation washed over you as you remembered your turbulent past. He didn't trust you. What did you do to the devil to force you to work with this demon?

Meanwhile, a crucial topic came to your mind, and you needed clarity as you and Mr. Kim discussed the exhibition.

You turned to him as his hands stroked over some fabrics. "Mr. Kim, I must talk to you about the children's Egyptian exhibition."

Taehyung looked up, his brows raised. "What about it?"

You took a deep breath. "The museum director, Ms. Hak, informed me that you rejected my proposal for the exhibition space. Why?"

Taehyung sighed. "That's correct. Another exhibition is already scheduled for that area. We discussed it in the meeting, Ms. Choi Cha-young."

You looked frustrated and yelled loudly, "But that's not fair! We've been planning this for months, and now you're just going to cancel it... It's the highlight of the exhibition!"

Taehyung scowled. "My decision stands, Cha-young. Find another location within the museum. There are open spaces upstairs!"

His voice rose in anger and frustration, the tension between you palpable.

You exhaled deeply. "You're just trying to sabotage my efforts! You want me to quit and leave the museum!"

Taehyung's eyes narrowed as he met your irate gaze. "Maybe I do. Maybe it's time for you to move on. I told Mr. Hansen that the Seoul team was capable of doing it on their own. We don't need your team from Denmark!"

Your eyes locked in a silent battle, each daring the other to back down. The air crackled with tension as you stood on the brink of a confrontation... He turned with a smirk on his heels and left the area.

But you wouldn't let him walk all over you like that. You had worked hard in Denmark to plan this. You ran after him to reason with him, but he just entered the private elevator to his executive office floor, openly ignoring you. Swiftly, you slipped in behind him, determined to make your point. Taehyung pursed his lips tightly, his arms folded, ignoring your tirade.

When they reached his office, you were ranting and raving, trailing behind him, urging him to reconsider until he entered his office, turned, and shut the door in your face. You pursed your lips determinedly and pushed his door open with meaning, now viciously mad.

You threw your arms up exasperatedly. "You're being unreasonable, Mr. Kim! This exhibition is important for the children, and you're just shutting it down without considering the consequences."

Taehyung responded, "I've made my decision, Cha-young. It's not shutting down the Egyptian exhibition, only the playground. Children are naughty, and dealing with more than ten schools at a time is madness. They can just come with their teachers, who will watch over them and not break priceless artefacts. I've only disapproved of the playground area. It's time for you to accept it and move on."

You huffed in frustration. "You're not being fair. You're just trying to push me out of the museum because you can't stand to see me succeed. What the hell is your problem, Taehyung? This exhibition is for both our museums. You told Mr. Hansen you'd give me freedom..."

Taehyung sighed, and he turned around with flashing eyes. "That's not true. I want you to succeed, but a playground in the largest area of the museum is just not feasible. We don't want to employ more staff only to check on mischievous kids. I have valid reasons for my decisions, and you must respect that, Ms. Choi!"

You felt your blood pressure rising. Why was he so adamant to go against a good proposal?

Their voices escalated, each trying to outdo the other in the argument. Tension filled the air as you glared at each other, neither willing to back down.

You were breathing heavily, your heart racing with adrenaline. "You are such an obnoxious jerk! This isn't over, Mr. Kim. I won't let you get away with this. Mr. Hansen can deal with you. You've stood against every decision I've made. It's preposterous how you act!"

Taehyung's eyes darkened with intensity. "And what will you do about it, Cha-young...write a song about it?" He uttered it mockingly.

Your eyes flashed dangerously. "...That playground will be part of the exhibition space. There will be educational games, a small jungle gym for the nursery schools, a multimedia centre where the kids can dress in costumes only for weekend visitors, colouring booths and competitions, even a 4D ride taking them on a virtual Egyptian tour, a small stage setup for a special costume drama based on Egyptian history. The actors from the Seoul National University Drama Department have already worked on it. We even have the geography and the biblical side dealing with the importance of the Nile River, etc. What are you so against? It's also near the restrooms and on the ground floor! It's already planned, and you gave your permission, Mr. Kim." You huffed exasperatedly, waving your arms around until he tightly grabbed your wrist in his hands.

Your breath hitched at the intensity of his heated gaze. His silence unnerved you.

Suddenly, the atmosphere shifted, the tension between you crackling with electrifying energy. With a deep growl, Taehyung wrapped his arms around your petite frame, pulling you closer to him. His hands slid behind your neck, drawing you in until your bodies were pressed tightly together.

You were caught off guard, your breath hitching in your throat. "Taehyung..." His name softly escaped your mouth.

Taehyung's voice was low and husky, with a bit of frustration evident, "You have no idea how much I've just wanted you to shut up, Cha-young. You drive me crazy! Do you know what you ignite within me, Choi Cha-Young?" with every word he utters he would press you against him. You could only look at him with bated breath.

You shook your head, trembling with nerves. You were only aware of his body pressing against yours. You could feel his chest muscles behind his soft shirt heaving up and down against your silk blouse. Your mouth became drier than the Sahara desert.

Then your eyes locked, anticipation hanging heavy in the air as you stood locked in each other's embrace. The unresolved tension between you reached its breaking point as Taehyung held you tightly, his voice trembling with emotion.

Taehyung says in a soft and husky tone, “Cha-young, I can’t hide it anymore. I’ve hated missing you – my bitter nemenis – after graduation. Your stubbornness, your pranks, your unyielding insistence on fighting me… it drives me insane. But what I hate about you is also what I love about you. Your fearlessness.”

Your heart skips a beat at his words, and your mouth suddenly dries as you struggle to process his confession.

Your brain cannot fathom what is going on right now.

Taehyung sighs, voice rough with emotion. You push me to the brink with your shenanigans, Cha-young. But I know it’s only because you care about your craft deep down. Because you’re passionate and headstrong. And I can’t help but be attracted to that.”

In his beautiful expressive eyes, all you see is vulnerability and the pain of past fights etched onto his face.

“Taehyung, I didn’t realize…” you whisper softly.

But your voice trails off into a whirlwind of emotions threatening to tear you apart from the inside out; in this moment, you understand how much he means to you despite everything that has happened between the two of you. Your explosive history.

Without warning or hesitation, he reaches out and pulls you into his strong arms – holding tightly onto your body as if trying desperately not let go ever again.

His embrace melted you inside, making your heart beat faster. Warmth and love wrapped around you like a blanket. You could tell that Taehyung was restraining himself from desiring you too strongly by the way his body stiffened.

Taehyung dragged his fingers softly down the line of your throat, moving closer as he did so. Your mouths clashed in a desperate kiss that set off an inferno between them. In this instant everything but for what tied both of your souls together ceased to exist.

You exchanged hearts with each other through every kiss; it was a tango between bodies yearning for love and filled with passion. The world disappeared because there was nothing left to do but to succumb to your desires– you were melting into each other’s arms as if coming out from a dream world were only the two of you exists.

After the intense kiss, you realize you love him. Terrified of these newfound emotions, you break away from him and flee the archive room, running out into the rain with your thoughts in turmoil.

.......

Over the next two days before the weekend, you called in sick. You couldn't come to terms with the fact that you had fallen for your longtime rival. You felt confused and upset.

Olive and Hansel visited you at the BnB, finding you in misery with a runny nose and red eyes, lost in your thoughts.

That night, a knock came to the Airbnb that nobody was expecting. You were surprised when you opened it up and found Taehyung standing there, filling the room with his presence. Wordlessly you let him in, nervousness creeping over you as he moved closer.

Taehyung sighed deeply, exhaustion etched into his face. “Cha-young, I need to tell you something… Why did you run away?” he asked, his voice heavy with emotion.

You met his gaze tiredly. “What is it, Taehyung?”

Taking a deep breath, he admitted, “Since we met there has always been some kind of connection between us that I couldn’t ignore — that I still can’t ignore… Do you feel it too?” His eyes searched yours for confirmation.

Your heart raced as you nodded, “I do feel it, Taehyung. Even when we try not to be drawn together we are anyway,” fear entered your voice. “How can two people who fought so hard against each other suddenly fall in love like this?”

He stepped towards you and cupped your cheek softly with one hand; his touch sent shivers down your spine. “Cha-young…” he trailed off before continuing quietly but intensely “…I’ve fallen for you harder than I ever thought possible. It started long before graduation…I think,” he paused briefly before continuing softly yet still seriously "I love you Cha-Young," He ended this confession with a gentle smile on his lips.

Tears filled up in your eyes as you leaned into his touch even more. "Taehyung…I've been scared to say this but…I feel the exact same way about you too….You infuriate me sometimes and then other times make me feel things nobody else could...I'm unexpectedly madly in love with you…..” You admitted shyly letting down all of your walls at once.

Taehyung’s smile widened and a newfound light glimmered in his eyes as he wiped away your tears with his thumb. He held you closer, comforting you with a tender path across your damp cheek.

"Then let's stop fighting it. Let's forgive each other for everything we’ve done before this moment. I couldn't stop thinking about holding you...kissing you these past two days…I love you Cha-Young," he said softly while grinning.

Your smile grew wider than ever before as tears of joy mixed in with it and you nodded while pulling him even closer to yourself. "Yes Taehyung, I want that more than anything; please forgive me too,...I love you too" you replied feeling so much lighter all of a sudden.

He kissed you passionately before pulling back slightly from the embrace but still holding onto tightly; whispering in-between breaths: “I missed this” — In that moment both hearts knew freedom at last… freedom to love openly… their once-hidden feelings laid bare forever warmed by shared time

End of flashback.

........

Present

Lost in your thoughts about how everything began, you were pulled back to the present when you suddenly noticed a figure standing in the doorway. Dilraba's narrowed eyes were filled with accusation and contempt, sending a chill down your spine.

A/n: Cha-young had a flashback

Thank you so much for all the reads, votes, and follows and for adding this book to your readers' list. You are appreciated.

shout out to the commenters Girlnamjooning MarieKarlsson3 @itsguccigirl131 @sugatidexxx

1. What do you think about Taehyungs'parents?

2. Do you think Jimin will keep the secret?

3. Was it wise for Cha-Young not to tell them about her physical struggle?

4. Any thoughts about the flashback?

5. Why do you think Dilraba visit Cha-Young at work?