21

1 and ⁹ ⁄ ₁ ₀ days till the premiere

Yoona

What?

It can't be.

I checked the time in my phone.

1:11am

It can't be.

"Open it." Sulli had a nasty grin pasted to her face.

Fuck.

Somehow I managed to move and open the door while my heart pounded loudly in my chest.

There he was, my sweet artist in his beige pants and loose white t-shirt. He wasn't wearing a tuxedo nor was he carrying a bouquet of roses. No. His clothes were stained with paint, his hair unkempt. He had colored them again. Black locks curled around his honey skin.

When I met his eyes, the weight of everything came crashing down on me.

The stress of promotions, looking for new label, getting fired, not getting new offers, not being enough and the fear of loosing the one person who I was keeping me afloat.

My whole body moved forward on its own, wanting his warmth, craving the softness of his touch. Only he could put the countless thoughts running through my head to rest.

He let out a surprised oof before embracing me.

I pursed my quivering lips.

A lone tear escaped my eyes, getting absorbed in his shirt. The sense of relief I felt in his arms. Even if my life was in chaos, he could ground me, take me away in our bubble.

But I was still afraid.

What do I say? Should I apologize again? Is he still mad?

He didn't seem angry. But what if he is?

I looked up at him; his eyes were softened. I watched his tongue poke out to dampen his lips. They were enticingly close.

Sulli cleared her throat.

"Sorry, but can you guys move a little bit so I can get out of your hair?" She was standing beside me with a huge grin.

Taehyung let out a deep chuckle and loosened his grip.

"See you tomorrow." I waved at Sulli, although a part of me wanted her to stay because my body was tingling with the tension in the air. I was partly afraid of being alone with him, because it has become easier to let my real emotions come to surface when it's just the two of us.

Sulli winked at me before closing the door, leaving me alone with Taehyung.

"Come on." He took my hand and started dragging me.

"Errm, Taehyung," I spoke up when he crossed the living room.

Is he taking me to the bedroom? What's going on? My heart thundered inside my chest.

He stopped near my bed. "You must be tired. You just came home, right?"

I nodded dumbly.

"Lie down." He urged me towards the bed. "We'll talk." His lips curled into a sweet smile.

I got under the covers, hiding my bare legs, remaining seated as I watched him climb beside me, lying on his belly over the covers.

I let my head rest on the soft pillow.

"You can get inside the blanket. The air-con is on."

"Thanks." He nodded and got comfortable. "Before I forget, give me your contact number. I was worried, you know."

"Sorry." I looked up to his face, smiling like an idiot. He was worried. He texted me. Maybe even called. And he was worried because I didn't respond.

I took my phone from the night stand and shot him a text.

"It's fine. I'm glad you changed it. All those texts were creepy. Any idea who was behind them?" His phone chimed and he took it out to save my number.

"I don't know, Tae. An obsessed fan is the least of my worry right now." I shook my head, trying to keep my voice from wavering.

He frowned. "What do you mean? Is something else bothering you?"

"I am-" I trust him. "I am about to be kicked out of the company. It's not official yet but it's happening."

His jaw dropped. "Woah, why?"

"I'm not sure. Sulli actually came to know about it. It could be because of the scandals. The higher ups probably think I'm a liability."

"What the fuck? You're generating the most of their income." His face changed as realization dawned on him. "Is that why Sulli rushed to see you on your day off?"

"Yeah." Watching him get mad on my behalf made me feel warm.

"They're stupid. You're the best actress in this country."

My eyes widened hearing the sincerity in his words. "I'm not, Tae. Shut up." Blood rushed to my face as I hit his shoulder lightly.

"As far as I know, you are." He gave me his boxy grin and picked up his phone again.

I watched him type: Yoona

God knows what came over me as I put my hand over his before he could hit save.

"Yeonji."

"Huh?" He raised an eyebrow in confusion.

"My name." I felt a lump in my throat. It's been so long since I'd uttered it, let alone told anyone.

"Yoona is not your real name?"

I shook my head with pursed lips.

It all started with my name. The first thing I let go of the girl I used to be. The first thing Sangin demanded of me. Yeonji went to the entertainment factory to fit into their mould and came out as Yoona.

"So it's Lee Yeon-ji?" His voice got deeper somehow.

I nodded.

"Oh okay." He gave me a small smile and replaced Yoona with Yeonji and hit save.

I bit my lips. His piercing gaze was stuck on me as if he was trying to make sense of it, trying to see humor in my eyes, but I guess all he saw was pain because his smile faded away for a second.

"How did you manage to hide that?"

I chuckled. "I had help."

"Yeon-ji." He pronounced each syllable clearly.

My heart pounded loudly in my chest; his deep voice ringing in my ears.

"Yeonji."

He said it a few more times as if testing the sound of it and trying to memorize it. He kept gazing at me as if trying to fit the name on me like it's a piece of puzzle.

"I like it." He smiled softly.

"Thanks and I'm sorry for running away so suddenly. Did you finish the painting?"

"It's fine. Obviously the matter was very important, I should've been more understanding but I-"

He looked down at his hands. "It felt like you were running away, like you grasped the first excuse you found to run."

I cleared my throat. "It was partly that, but I wasn't lying when I said I wanted to make it up to Sulli."

He nodded, appreciative of my honesty. "Do you wanna talk about why you cried? And...and the scars?"

"Not yet." I closed my eyes, feeling naked under his stare.

He took a deep breath. "Okay."

"So, um, Yeonji. Gosh, it's gonna take some time to get used to." He chuckled.

I opened my eyes, smiling at him, grateful that he was giving me time to open up, but he doesn't even know that I can't do it. That it's a dead end, but I guess I'm too selfish to admit that.

"You don't have to call me Yeonji. It feels really weird now. Doesn't even feel like my name." I let out a bitter laugh. "I did it all for becoming an actress and now look at me."

"Hey," he uttered softly. "It's their loss. You have your talent and your fans. They cannot take that away. You're gonna get through this."

"Yeah, thanks."

The words of encouragement sound so believable coming from him.

"Your hair looks amazing," I commented as my hand moved to touch them. His ears were a shade of pink. "Are you cold?"

He shook his head very slowly while licking his lips and I couldn't stop staring at them as I let my fingers roam through his dark locks. His eyes shut, head leaning into my touch. I let my nails scratch his scalp, watching the way his lips part, the shadow of his lashes.

He hummed out a deep exhale.

Fuck. I froze. His eyes shot open.

Retracting my hand, I looked away. I'm too greedy, too selfish.

"Who gave you this name?" He asked after clearing his throat.

"My parents."

He chuckled. "I meant Yoona."

"Oh...well I-I'm manufactured to be this person. This image. How public sees me is all planned. The name is only a part of it."

"But what's wrong with Yeonji?"

"It's not about what's wrong. It's about packaging and control. They wanted to re-brand me, and I did what I had to for a debut."

"Well, if you want your real name back, then you can. You're no longer a struggling actress."

"No, it's not that. I don't mind being called Yoona. I just wanted to tell you." My eyes widened as I realized what I'd blurted out.

His hands reached to cup my face, thumb stroking the apple of my cheeks.

I gulped, feeling his breath so close to me.

"Thanks for telling me. I may not understand it fully, but I know what it's like to be controlled by someone. To have to behave in a certain way." I felt a pang in my chest watching the distant look in his eyes.

"Do you still talk to your father?" My voice was barely a whisper.

"No, he doesn't want anything to do with us."

"Us?" My eyes widened. Does he mean him and his mom? Did his father walk out on his family?

He mirrored my expression. It was clear that this piece of information was hidden from the public.

My heart sank. "Taehyung," I whispered. How can someone leave such a precious boy?

"Um, I mean," he rasped, eyes so vulnerable that I instinctively pulled him to my chest. He is hurting. He is still hurting that his father left. He blames himself.

"It's not your fault." I hugged him, stroking his hair. Where is his mother? I wanted to ask, but I didn't.

"I'm fine." He smiled and planted a small kiss on my nose.

I felt a fuzzy feeling in my stomach and spreading across my whole body. He scrunched his nose, mimicking my expression.

How can someone be this cute and nice?  I left a chaste kiss on his cheek without thinking.

He took my hand in his. "Look, I have to know," he began unsurely. "Are you seeing anyone?"

"Huh?"

He narrowed his eyes at me making me want to hide inside the blanket.

I shook my head as no.

"Okay."

"Tae, we can't be anything more than-"

"Fucking hell," he muttered and climbed over me, pinning my hands on the bed by my wrist. My eyes widened feeling his body heat, senses overcome by his smell. "Do we seem friendly to you, Yoona?"

"Does this repulse you? " My heart skipped a beat as leaned closer. "Do you want me to stop?"

God, no.

I closed my eyes as my lips parted, wanting him. His touch. His skin on mine. His hands on me. My body warmed as his lips graced me, kissing me slowly, sweetly, romantically, telling me how none of this is 'friendly', but before I could surrender and deepen the kiss he moved away.

Smirking, he looked down at me, knowing well how my body betrays me in his presence. "What? You want me to kiss you, baby?"

My eyes widened as he mocked me, blood rushed to my face. Fuck, that was hot, not that I'd admit.

I squirmed trying to free my arms. "Nope."

"Really? And I thought you were such a great actress." His tongue poked out to lick his lips. I took a deep breath as his eyes sparkle with amusement.

He closed the gap between us again, our breaths mingling as he barely brushed his lips with mine. I gasped when he moved away, my lips following his for a second.

I thought it wasn't noticeable, but the smart-ass knew as he broke into a smirk again.

"I want this to be exclusive," he uttered each word into my mouth. I clenched my thighs together, feeling the heat pool between my legs. God, what's wrong with me?

"Is it fine with you?" He raised a questioning eyebrow while my brain went haywire. "Is it?"

"Yes," I mumbled, trying to free my hands again, my heart banging in my ears. This can't be good for my health.

"Really?" He grinned widely, eyes shining so brightly, lighting up his whole face, making my stomach erupt with butterflies. Then suddenly, he dropped his whole body weight on me.

"Ow!" I groaned, but he didn't pay any attention, burying his head in my neck.

"Uh." He inhaled loudly against me. Goosebumps rise over my arms as his breath fall on my bare skin. Before I could control my raging heart beat and uneven breathing, "I really like you," he whispered into my ears.

***

Look at this, an update. Has it been a month? Lol.

If you're wondering why Taehyung's character is always seeking out Yoona even when she is so guarded:
Taehyung sees the signals and their chemistry because he knows what attraction and falling for someone is. He seeks affection. Partly because his father abandoned him and that contributes to his fear of people leaving him. It makes him want to hold onto them as closely as possible. He also had doubts that Yoona would cut him off from her life many times as he feels he is not enough and can be forgotten easily.

Thanks for reading! Comments, votes, feedbacks are very much appreciated Take care and stay safe❤️