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Stuck in a Love Simulator
Episode- 08

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"May I ask, where have you been young lady?" Joae's father stepped up infront of her with his arms crossed and a dormant storm behind those eyes.

"D-dad I..." Joae's eyes trailed behind Taehyung who have a look of fear and concern. 'I hope it wasn't him who Gaslighted them cause I am gonna murder him' . She sighed and held her head low,"I am sorry dad for being late."

"A simple sorry won't be Enough to forgive you this time. No phone. No going out and direction-"

"If you hate me that much then you could've just asked me to die?" Joae asked her eyes as cold as ever as she looked at her now bewildered father who was looking at her with all pale expression. "It's not too late for that either."

Her father's brows twitched,"What did you just say..."

Joae laughed, a pure sound of mockery as she clapped along like a psycopath. "Oh come on daddy how did you not want me to find out that, huh?  It was pretty clear from the start you & mother never loved me. It was Taehyung from the start. It's my fault for not teaching Taehyung when he grades bad at a exam, It's always my fault when he acts like a complete jerk around me and it's also me who doesn't even get 10% of the freedom Taehyung gets. As if I'm the one who is adopted"

"Joae!" Her mother shouted, a mixture of anger and plead evident in her tone causing for her to pause. But not entirely.

Joae's eyes narrowed and jaw clenched, she ain't stopping today, No! Nothing can make her stop today. She is not the Joae who will throw tantrum but won't raise her voice, She will rise her voice and make everyone listen. She is tired of getting stomped down by everyone when she is just trying to escape from this game. But now she had enough.

"How pathetic your mindset have to be to adore a son but not a daughter?" A cruel smirk formed over her face. "If you wanted a male heir you could've aborted me before birt—"

A hard slap landed on Joae's face causing her face to move to the other side with the intensity. Tears threatened to fall from her eyes so she didn't look back at her mother, her palm coming to touch the place she slapped.

"Enough!" Her mother shouted although tears prickled down her chin as well. She never thought that her daughter would ever think so low of them. She kind of knew she was growing hateful towards them, her own parents but she never tried to find out the depth of it. She regrets that now.

Her father sighed. He was also genuinely sad yet a guilt laid down underneath of it all.

Taehyung tried to get a glimpse of your face and he couldn't. Silence took over the carbon dioxide surrounded room causing it to get uncomfortably suffocating. Taehyung cleared his throat taking a steps towards Joae,"Joae we shou—"

"Upstairs." Her father spoke up, his voice commanding and firm. An unshakeable order which made a shiver course through Taehyung's spine as he again looked back at you. "Now"

Your bangs covering your eyes almost making you look emotionless.

He gulped as he saw you taking silent steps towards the stairs while Taehyung panicked, not wanting to leave you alone in this state.

"Stop where you are standing." His father spoke up looking at Taehyung with a stare that he never looked at him with. Taehyung's whole body froze and the thought of helping you flee out of the window in an immediate.

Joae sat on the edge of her bed, her slender body shaking uncontrollably as she sobbed. Her face was streaked with tears, and her eyes were red and puffy from crying. She had retreated to her room after the confrontation with her parents, seeking solace in the quiet, familiar space.

Her mother's slap still stung her cheek, and the memory of her father's harsh words echoed in her mind. Joae felt like she was all alone, like no one understood her or cared about her feelings. She buried her face in her hands, letting the tears flow freely.

The room was dimly lit, the only sound the muffled sobs that racked Joae's body. Her bed, usually a haven, now felt like a refuge from the pain and hurt that had been inflicted upon her. She felt lost and scared, unsure of how to process the emotions that swirled inside her.

As she cried, Joae's body began to relax, her sobs slowly subsiding into hiccupping breaths. She lay back on her bed, exhausted, and let the tears dry on her cheeks. The silence of her room enveloped her, a fragile sense of calm washing over her like a balm.

The knock on the door was soft and gentle, a hesitant tap-tap-tap that broke the silence of Joae's room. She lifted her head, her eyes red-rimmed and puffy, and called out in a small voice, "Come in..."

The door creaked open, and Taehyung's concerned face appeared in the gap. He slipped inside, closing the door behind him, and approached Joae's bed with a quiet tread. His eyes scanned her tear-stained face being buried in her pillow as she refused to show him her weak side  and his expression softened with empathy.

For a minute he didn't speak thinking hard about what to say and what to not. Especially after what hard treatment you got from your parents.

"You m-must be happy now..." Her voice hoarse with pain trailed off as she looked back at Taehyung. Her eyes puffy red glaring at Taehyung with venom in them.

Taehyung's lip parted, an astonishing expression crossing her deadly features before he composed back.

"I am not here to pull your leg, Joae" His tone indicated a calmness Joae never heard before. She slowly turned to look at him, her eyes softened but she didn't stop glaring at him.

"That doesn't change it's all because of you!" She yelled back, tears welling up in her eyes while Taehyung sighed and rubbed his temples.

"I know and I am sorry" he took slow steps towards the bed before approaching it. He looked at Joae who has a blank reaction with her red cheeks stained with dry tears, eyes swollen and hair slightly disheveled. He extended his hand to remove the hair sticking to her forehead but she shrugged away.

Guilt swirled inside Taehyung, suddenly he regrets everything he has done to you. A feeling of Nausea hitting him at his doings. He did it all to make you realise that you can't overpower him but he didn't mean to make you despise him. Heck he hates himself for that now.

"Joae..." He pleaded his voice shaky,"it's okay if you can't forgive me. I don't deserve it anyway but hey, Mom & Dad—Your mom and dad loves you."

Joae's eyes widened slightly at his words but Taehyung continued.

"After losing my parents they were the one to take me in without any second thoughts. I wanted to prove them that I can be the good boy they wanted and I wanted to become friends with you as well. If not sister only friends" he looked down a frown in his face,"But you weren't like any of your parents. Rude, stubborn and very disobedient yet your frustration about the new comer was justified. I would've been mad too if someone snatch my parent's attention from me"

"You started to ignore me gradually when all I wanted to was to be friends with you. I started feeling frustrated with those venomous stare you'd give me whenever your mom would approach me or your dad would help me out with studies. I even came to you to help me out but you pushed me away. I noticed how your parents took my side instead of yours and that's when I thought to... I can use that to my advantage." Taehyung fist clenched as he realised how absurd his doings was before he looked back at her with eyes softened.

"Joae  I don't hold any grudges towards you nor your parents. I treat them like my own. I am sincerely apologizing for whatever I have done to you and I know there's nothing I could do to make up for that. But please... Do not hate them."

Joae went deep in thought, her eyes fixed upon the pillow placed on her lap. She didn't know why but Taehyung was apologizing. She probably didn't feel like forgiving him but she couldn't bring herself to stay pissed over him either.

She lifted her head only to find the pink bar over his head glowing and soon it changed to '45%'. Joae's posture froze. So he wasn't lying?

She didn't know whether to be happy or not. Right, it doesn't matter what she does in here. She shouldn't involve her personal feelings when she is just supposed to escape by raising one of the bastard's love bar.
Jungkook maybe her main target but that doesn't mean it will hurt if she raised Somebody else Love-O-Meter.

"It's okay Taehyung" she relaxed her facial expressions while looking at Taehyung "I am not mad at you. It's not your fault anyway"

Taehyung blinked before his eyes widened,"You are serious!?"

He couldn't believe she just forgive him so easily. Is she even Joae? The same ignorant and sadistic one? The one who slapped him for insolent behaviour?

"Yes, it's not your fault." Joae smiled at him. "It was me who came late and became an awful daughter. It's their choice whome they should... Love more. I shouldn't have said so much back then either."

Taehyung was too in shock to speak anything and Joae noticed that. Her eyes trailed upwards as she noticed the bar increasing by +2.

Though she didn't feel right. It felt too wrong especially when she still hasn't forgiven her jerk brother from heart. But she had to pretend. Atleast for the sake of returning home.

"Goodnight then Taehyung. I am sorry I want to be alone" she looked away trying to calm herself down, she felt a nausea kicking her at her sudden decision change. Would the real Joae had forgiven Taehyung if she was in her place?

Probably not.

She shut her eyes. The thought bothered her more than she thought.

She felt something nuzzling her as she looked back to see a chocolate in Taehyung's hand. She looked up to see his face turned towards the window though she get to notice those pinkish cheeks of his.

"For you" he spoke causing Joae's head to blast. What the hell was happening? Why is he behaving so... weird after his Love-O-Meter increased? Is it really sibling kind of relation? "You haven't eaten anything"

He was right.

Joae didn't eat anything after lunch in her school. The interaction with Jin then then the Shitty altercation with her parents.

She thought for a while before finally extending her hand, her heart beating in her chest as she carefully grabbed the wrapped without touching Taehyung's hand, she took it.

She noticed Taehyung's smile with a hint of pink blush. 'He looked adorable, not gonna lie'.

Muttering a thank you she waited for Taehyung to leave not really feeling spaced enough to eat front of him.

Understanding Joae's need of space Taehyung got up and went near the door. He turned the knob and before escaping he looked back his eyes filled with concern,"Please don't hate them, Joae."

He left after that leaving Joae in the dark again. She let her head to hit the pillow. She is doomed. This is not what she planned. She simply wanted to play a game not to get emotionally drained.

And especially when she was leading her brother on.

Kim Taehyung

Love-O-Meter ::              50%

"You look like utter shit love, what happened?" Kiara ran a hand through Joae's uncombed hair while looking at her pale face. "Where's the all fashionesta Bonita queen go, huh? Why you look like a widow?"

Joae slammed her head on the desk Huffing out a breath "I couldn't sleep last night.."
She murmured against the wooden desk which Kiara couldn't quite make out as she leaned down.

"Don't hit on a sleepy girl like that" Yoongi came walking as always towards the last corner desk while he ruffled Joae's hair before settling down in his desk. Joae briefly looked upto see his love-o-meter.

'39%'

Well? Improvement.

Feeling a little relaxed she sat up but instead the paper ball Kiara aimed at Yoongi hit Joae accidentally as she groaned.

"OH—sorry, it wasn't for you" she panicked while Joae gave her a small smile.

"Relax, it was a paper ball not a literal bomb you threw at me." She gave her assurance.

It's been three days that Yoongi is hitting into her, while Joae made no effort of declining the favour and somehow she managed to pull the effection bar to 39%

Which was a lot in Yoongi's case. Atleast he wasn't as autistic as Jungkook and alas! He was Joae's main target.

"You wanna come in my neighbourhood someday? There are few newborn kittens lives in the building's ground floor which we live in" Yoongi asked, hoping for me to accept it.

I turned to look at him "umm...yeah sure—"

"What kind of guys asks a girl out in such a pathetic manner?" Kiara snorted while writing a note while a vein popped up over Yoongi's forehead at her fiesty response.

"Atleast I am trying." He spoke through gritted teeths,"I don't think anyone even waste their time on trying over you"

Kiara scoffed in offense standing up from her chair abruptly.

Here we go again.

Since the day Yoongi decided to behave like a normal friend with me, Kiara beside me, didn't like his clingy attitude at all. She thinks he clearly have some creepy intentions behind approaching you so suddenly. Everything was happening all too  lewdly that it almost seem ridiculous to you.

But you didn't know how worse your day is gonna become.

A guy came rushing through in the class that he almost bumped into other students' as he looked at everyone with a panick stricken expression.

"JUNG HOSEOK FROM SECTION B IS TRYING TO JUMP OFF FROM THE SCHOOL ROOFTOP! "

Chaos took place. Some shooting from the ground floor or some shouting him to get down. But all of those fell deaf ears to Hoseok.

He was ready to take a step.

People murmured-

"it surely must be that girl bitch who decieved him"

"He was too good for her"

"Wasn't his girlfriend an autistic nerd from class A?"

Some felt guilty for him and some were here to enjoy the drama. The principal who stood down by the school gate trying his best to speak through the microphone and manipulate Hoseok to come back down. So the school reputation won't be stained.

Well too real shit for a Otome game.

Amidst this people stood Joae, who felt none of the emotions the other felt but something darker. Something red, something blood rushing like anger.

And why was she angry? Well, it wasn't because he was trying to commit suicide. But he's doing it because of her. She who didn't do anything yet still get to entangled into this.

She who never wished to be struck in a game.

She who never wanted to get humilated by people who were just game characters.

She who have to madly go through all these bullshit only for her to return back to a world where... People will treat her no better.

Joae's grip tightened, knuckles turning white as he saw the tall guy take a step forward ready to jump any moment.

She was done with this melodrama as she stormed upstairs, each stride spoke about her deliberation and frustration. Over every single person in her life. Every single decision she made till now.

God forbid a woman who just want to live a normal life!

Reaching the rooftop she straight pulled Hoseok by the back of his shirt before he jumped down, the strength unexpected from her slender figure.

Hoseok fell back with her on the ground. He looked up at her with a petty grin,"You're finally here Joa—"

A striking pain caused his sharp jawlines to tight while face turned to the other side. Tears of anger flowed down from Yuwon's face.

"You think dying would've earned you my love?"

It came out like a yell while Hoseok held onto his cheek looking down at his lap. Speechless.

"You think you can take me for anything right? I don't remember what you did with Yuwo—me but it was sure for someone like me to not break up without any damn valuable reason. You follow me. Touch me without consent and even though you see how uncomfortable I feel you never tried to even APOLOGIZE for what you did." She scoffed her teeths clenching against eachother, her knuckles tightening ever so as she refrained herself from killing him to death. "You think dying would've solved everything right? You think I would've mourned for you, wish that you'd be alive and would stay devoted to you till I die?

Do you know how ridiculous you are?" Joae shook my head,"Jung Hoseok, I. Do. Not. Love. You. Do you not get it?"

Hoseok felt a strang pain alter through his chest while Joae how she lessened his likability. But right now she gave two about that. He was tired of all the damn selfish characters she was facing. They all thought they can do whatever impulsive things because this is their World. Because they are not the one who are stuck here and have to make any of the fools to fall in love with them by filling their love-o-meter with amazing colours.

"You can die and I can assure you, No one will be happier than me in the earth if that happens." Joae threw him the coldest smile she ever given anyone. Even her real world ex boyfriend, who resembled Hoseok so much. Too damn much. She knew from the start that this is how he would've believed if she was in the real world.

She bent down a little her smile widening into a grin, the tears from earlier dried over her cheeks leaving faint shadows behind,"You do not love me Hoseok. You just desire to clutch me in your palms like an object which cannot be anyone else but yours"

Hoseok's eyes widened and he knew he was exposed right there. He was a prideful guy. He is very cheerful and optimistic normally, easy for people to fall for his nature. And the same nature he uses to...... manipulate others

"Joae..."

"Be a good boy." Joae ignored Hoseok's murmured who looked like was about to say but Joae wasn't in mood. Her eyes were emotionless as she straightened her posture glancing at the Hoseok sitting on the ground. Her eyes trailed up to the bar glowing over his head with peach colour.

'23%'

If she remembers clearly it has already decreased by 16 percent. Though instead of feeling bad she smiled. It was out of satisfaction.

Good. Because he wasn't her choice anyway.

She glanced at him for the last time before turning her back on him walking with heavy steps down the stairs.

Jeon Jungkook was her only hope

The only easy target

He wasn't selfish like others

He adores her too much to abuse her

He will never treat her like a damn object

Joae felt almost feral as ideas to manipulate Jungkook into her sprawled through her mind like tornado.

I will make him love me
I will make him love me
I will make him love me

But would her plan go the same way she wishes to?

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The most shitty author ever right? To update such late.
I always feel tired and out of ideas when I'm completely free or doing nothing and whenever the exams get nearer (just the day after tomorrow) a feel like a different kind of aura strike through me encouraging me to write.

Okay so here another chapter, hope it didn't ruin your day much.

And Daechwita ended. In case you dunno :b