It’s a very long chapter so please do lots of comments. I need some motivation to start writing a new chapter. Thank you <3

Past

46| “The shift of emotions.”

Nina’s chest dropped like a wine glass, the giddiness she had felt a few moments ago spilled all over the floor of her chest with the shattering noise. There was an uproar somewhere inside her that abandoned her body with a numbing sensation. Not being able to endure his morbid behavior, Nina swatted his hand away. What was Taehyung so angry about? Just a moment ago, he said the words that effortlessly sent her into cloud nine and suddenly, he was acting as if some demon had possessed him.

“Don’t you have any manners in you? What’s wrong with you all ?" Nina spoke in her calm, easy voice, hiding her frustration. It was like someone talking to a toddler who painted all over their bedroom with no guilt in sight.

“Unfortunately, my manners do not exist when it comes to you.” Nina’s mouth fell open at his blunt response and she shut her eyes to calm herself down.

He was crazy and bipolar and moody and the very worst thing that she had no idea how to deal with. Nina wished that there was something in her hand to slam on his head to bring him to the right senses.

“You can’t use this as an excuse!” Frustration bleeds into her voice.

“Watch me.” He clipped out.

Nina scrutinized him as if she was trying to stare at the paths of his dark soul, to peel his essence off from layer to layer to find the reason for him to be so infuriatingly twisted. Every word he spoke in a way with such carelessness, Nina believed he had no compassion toward living things. Though, he was interested in her, the one he wanted to hold and possess. It stirred an impatient passion inside of her. That was the thing with Taehyung. He was way too honest for her liking. Way too viciously expressive with whatever winding sentiments he felt.

Nina thought she knew him, and then he brought out another, hidden emotion. Lust. Desire. Hope.

So much hope for things.

Sometimes Nina pondered how it would be with a guy like Taehyung, to breathe and seep into his madness, to dance with his demons. Foolishly, in her utopian daze, she imagined him warm and gentle, not as a guy who would buy her flowers but as a guy who would comfort her in her pain, who would let her cling to his shirt until she felt less torn. She wondered how Taehyung would be if he fell in love.

“What’s your problem?” She lifted her chin, back as straight as a board and took her steps back. Her feisty expression and resistance made his full mouth twitch and his golden eyes gleamed in malice.

He tilted his head sideways, and stepped forward, destroying any space between them while looking so damn sexy.

"You are my problem, do you understand? Can't you hear me, take it off!" Every word was as sharp as a shred, leaving a long slice in its wake.

“Don’t yap!” Nina’s voice ascended,  ringing in his head and weakening him at his knees. Even her anger made him want to reach those parts within her that he was unknown from, he wanted to curl into those parts of her where she had no option but to keep him and breathe him. 

“You are making it hard for me to listen to you. You are making it hard to look into your eyes without judging you.” She shook her head, a battling gash in her body language. If he wasn’t such an asshole. If he could just ask her with some decency, some manners— with the exact reason behind his anger— she would have tossed that necklace away.

However, he thought using this demanding tone on her would solve his every matter. Male and their ridiculous domineering issues. Spoiler: his demanding tone only worked on Nina when she was horny.

Right now she wasn’t horny. She was agitated, unnerved, and pissed. And could lash out at any moment.

“You think imposing authority on me will get me to bow my head and do anything for you. No, that’s not how it works. That’s not how you impress me. I find you disgustingly uncivilized so you better leave me alone.” Nina slanted her lips as she spoke in a sickly sweet voice.

“Nuh-uh, you don’t establish the rules here, princess. I won’t leave you alone until I accomplish my goal.” Nina stared straight into the wells of his soul until her spine became heavy.

“Think whatever you wanna think but you’ll listen to me, Nina. And there’s no fighting in it.” For a long moment, they just stood staring down at each other as the air sifted, getting pungent and hotter, building a lingering strain that couldn’t seem to avoid.

“I won’t. Your request is denied ” Nina heaved out.

“It wasn’t a request.” He narrowed his eyes.

“Too bad, I don't take your orders.” Nina batted her lashes in taunt. “You need to work on your manners or you can shove this distorted, shitty attitude down your throat and choke on it, I don't care.” More batted of lashes, and the mocking expression made him want to grab her by the throat and ravish her mouth with monstrous kisses— He just wanted to kiss her, imprint his taste and distress into her mouth.

Taehyung’s anger dissolved into sexual frustration…

“The way she glares and the way she insults me from that sexy mouth should be worshiped. I got major heart eyes for this girl, I'm so fucking doomed!” Taehyung resisted the urge to laugh at himself. What was he turning into? Well,  he knew… he was turning into a man who would ablaze the very sanity of his if it would make her happy.

If Nina would just ask him for his heart, Taehyung would hand her the knife with a smile… he was that whipped.

When he opened his eyes, all his thoughts vanished along with his amusement. The sparkle of the diamonds across her neckline settled charring waves of outrage in his stomach. The loath he had nestled for Hyeon began flogging and lurching his guts.

“I won't unless you tell me what made you so mad. Why are you always so edgy when I'm around your father or when we even just simply talk? You always act unnerved. Also, you told me to stay away from him and didn’t explain why. What's the reason? What made you so bitter toward your dad?" Every muscle and cord of his body constricted with overbearing suffocation, searing his tongue to burst out the sick truth about his so-called father. To tell her about his sick intentions toward her, to tell her about Lea’s and Hyeon’s arrangement but one look in Nina's eyes told him that she wouldn’t be able to take it all.

“Not everything can be explained.” Taehyung lied. He had a lot of things to explain but at what cost? Nina wasn’t emotionally ready to face the validity of the situation. Knowing that she wasn’t strong enough to endure the real face of Lea broke Taehyung’s willpower. That evil and greedy face. For Nina, Lea was her mother and the truth would be like a scar that Nina would have to carry with a damaged heart.

“I… I don’t like him, okay?” Taehyung rubbed his palms over his face as if it would shield her from Nina’s quizzical stares.

“But he is your father, Taehyung.” Nina’s voice eased, pulling him into her orbit. Despite her soft voice, only he could feel the coldness seeping from his fingertips and unfurling through his whole being.

Father? Really? Was he a father when he crashed Taehyung’s world, shoved him into the pit of misery, and formed his dreams into nightmares? The intense urge to cry out his hatred for that man crawled to his throat but he stayed tight-lipped. The effect cut through his skin, muscles, and bones, leaving an invisible trail of blood behind.

Nina wanted to add a few more
words like; “Taehyung, your hate for him isn’t silent. It’s loud, even when you look at him, the tension is always there. It’s murderous and it shows how you are suffocating inside. I see how you clench your fists, try not to grit your teeth, and control the angry twitch in your jaw. You control yourself a lot not to do something bad. Your loath for him permeates your character, it makes you look furious. But there is more behind all the scorn and hate that needs to be out. Something that you don’t tell anyone and conceal by your cheeky smiles, even with your anger.” 

Nina wouldn’t dare to express her thoughts because she had no idea what was the matter between them. There are always two sides to the story and she didn't like to jump to the conclusion and wound Taehyung with her assumption. Also, she wouldn’t let him get the slightest hint about her detailing toward him, about her obsession for him.

“He’s my father. Yeah red, tell me something I don’t know.” Taehyung spat out, winching her from the apathy veiling his features. Every detail, crinkles, and linings were so sharp, so cold, Nina thought he would never get out of the place he was right now.

“And you don’t know shit so don’t touch this topic.” Nina just gaped at him in compassion. Again, it was his matter, a sensitive issue and Nina found it inappropriate to shove her views on his face. The last thing he wanted was her emotional guidance over his daddy issues.

“So you are jealous because I talked to your dad? That’s absurd.” Taehyung slowly craned his neck at her. That emotionless mask was still intact.

One thing was clear— Taehyung wasn’t a big fan of his father because kids have complicated relationships with their parents. Okay, understandable. Even acceptable for some reasons. However, she had no inkling that he was that possessive. That side of him was scaring the delight out of her

Taehyung wasn’t jealous, he was worried,  anxious, and scared… so greatly scared that he felt his heart beating on the tip of his tongue. If Hyeon had slightly hurt Nina, tonight Taehyung would have dug his grave.

When Taehyung's gravelly silence remained uncracked, Nina’s mouth fell open in utter shock, her nose scrunched in pure disgust.

“Ohmigod! He is the same age as my father, Taehyung! And he probably considered me as a daught—” Nina hesitated, finding it hard to utter the next word. The memory of Hyeon staring through her flesh began to vividly flicker in her head like a bulb… it was unmistakably dreadful.

“Daughter, sure.” Taehyung thought in disdain. Hyeon had put a shroud of deception in Nina’s eyes. So revealing the truth right now wouldn’t do him any good as he dwelled in silence.

“You want a diamond necklace? I’ll buy you one, no biggie.” Taehyung shrugged his shoulders. He sounded sure, even glad. He did some modeling shoots for some small companies and had savings in his accounts. So he didn’t seem to have any issue with affording a necklace. More importantly from his money, not from that two-faced bastard Hyeon.

“I do not want that!” Nina flashed him an offended look.

"But you want this?" Taehyung towed out a chain from his back pocket. Nina’s mouth fell open with a loud gasp, her chest crackled with new anxiety and her eyes dilated.

It was a pear-shaped bezel pendant with one single red ruby, it was dangling in a gold chain. Taehyung could tell, It was an heirloom and very important to Nina that’s why she put it securely in a box, singled out from her other things.

"Then take that fucking necklace off right now." Taehyung closed his fist around the pendant when Nina lunged to snatch it from his hold.

“You touched my things in my absence? You stole my pendent, how can you do this Taehyung?! You should never touch a girl’s belongings, never unless she wants you." Nina gaped at him in unfathomable panic.

“The box was pretty, it caught my attention.” Taehyung was lying. No hate to the box, though it didn’t catch his attention at first. He hadn't planned to snoop around.

His eyes fell on her vanity; he was curious to know what made her smell like strawberries. What scent of her actually made him lose his mind— It was the body mist. She tasted strawberries and sweetness and it was her lip balm. She had a faint blush on her face, he saw it when they were close and it was the cheek tint, again strawberry. 

Then he noticed the box and opened it with the thought to put it back later but  Nina walked in at the same time so he kept the pendant in his pocket.

“Taehyung, I'm serious.”

“Nina, I’m not joking.” He wasn’t laughing, so yes, he was even more serious than her. "Now take that necklace off or let me do it, but I won't be fucking gentle." Taehyung’s jaw was tight and every word was like a fire whooshing out of his lungs.

“As if I care!” Nina peeled off the necklace and slammed it on the vanity, her hands limply falling at her side. “You are a pure tormentor.”

“Cute, I know.” He glared at the necklace on the vanity as if his eyes could alone destroy it. Then he coolly flashed her a ‘I don’t give a fuck. I did what I did’ expression.

“You are a menace.”

“I look good while being a menace.”

“For once I thought you could be normal but you have to prove me wrong!” Taehyung decided to remain quiet. Because she had every right to pour her anger out on him, he deserved the spite. He nestled her bitterness in his chest, let it stung and pierce because he knew he earned that for being a colossal asshole.

“You’ll never change, I shouldn't expect anything from you! Like anything.” *nods* “Why don’t you ever listen?” *nods* “I can’t stand you.” *nods* “You like to hurt me?” *shook his head* “Why can't you take anything seriously?” *shrug* “You are devoid of any human decency.” *nods* “Will you stop nodding your head? God, look at you being so insensitive.” While she was rambling out her frustration, Taehyung smoothly moved behind her, slid her hair over her shoulder, and shut the clip behind her neck. 

The cool pear-shaped stone settled on her skin and her breaths tripped in her throat.

“Oh?” Nina mumbled, holding the red stone under her fingers.

“Yeah oh?” A smirk coiled his lip and his mouth fell on the pulse of her neck. A sharp breath pierced her chest when he rained her neck with soft kisses.

“You are very unpredictable, you know.”  Nina faced him, her voice was low and deep.

He gave her an answer with his mouth seizing hers for a moment and then she was all his. From head to toe, she felt that ravenous kiss. For one split second, he kissed her like an insane man would kiss his lover. With utter passion and undying desire. With lost morals and new-found breaths. His tongue ventures wildly into her mouth, pressing against her. Nina fluttered her lashes, loosening the hold on the pendant. He moaned ever so slightly, a sound that was scratched in the back of her throat and settled between her legs. It was all-consuming and even maddening in the most fucked up way possible.

"Wear this." He mumbled close to her lips and felt her mouth chasing him as they fit together again for a slow kiss. They wanted to kiss each other for long moments. Moments that never end. Until their lips were bruised and on the verge of falling.

“You should stop rotting this in the box, it belongs here. This pendant is very beautiful, very you. very red.” Lovingly, his knuckles brushed on the pulse of her neck, sensing it pounding wildly.

“I'm red?” Nina stared at him through the curtains of her lashes, then lowered her eyes at the pendant pressing her skin. The suggestion from Hyeon about dyeing her hair ringed in her head. Suddenly, she recalled the distaste in his tone about her whole look and the insecurity clung to her nerves.

“I call you red, remember?” Taehyung chuckled and brushed the strands of hair falling over her face. The carelessness and affection had cracked her heart open. Nina might have leaned a little toward him.

"It's my mom's, very precious. She gave it to me on my 10th birthday, and always told me to wear it but I never did. I was scared and still am, what if I lost it?” Taehyung’s tight shoulders unwound at whatever softness he was gathering in the center of his chest for this girl.

“That’s why you don’t wear it?” He softly grabbed the stone and skimmed his thumb over the red stone, earning a slow nod. She smiled because of how small the stone looked in his hand.

"Don’t worry, you won't." Taehyung let the stone go.

"How can you be so sure, what if I forget it somewhere?” A disturbing frown occurred between her brows and he kissed it away. That gesture should have repulsed her, but the sweet intent turned it into something that slammed through her already-dusted barriers.

"When something is important, you don’t forget it." He pulled his lower lip between his teeth and tapped his index on the stone. “Always wear it.”

“If I didn’t take that necklace off, would you have thrown my mom’s pendant away?” A flicker of hurt beneath her lashes crushed Taehyung’s firm stance.

“Of course, not. I was going to hand the pendant right away when you walked in. Then I saw this rubbish around your neck and my mood went in a dumpster. And I had the hunch you would be tenacious like usual. You never go down without a fight.” There was a tinge of fondness in his undertone. 

“Don’t worry, I would have just kept it for a short moment but then where’s the fun? I like it when you fight and hiss at me.” That lazy wink was an arrow through her heart, digging deeper and deeper.

“It makes me want to gobble you whole.” With a flirtatious smirk, he slid the palm on the groove of her waist and whispered against her ear.

He loved it when his hands fit every part of her so well. He loved it when his voice made her shudder and hot and fiddle. The effect they had on each other made him believe that she was created for him. Alone for him.

“Pretty wicked… I was close to getting a panic attack.” Nina attempted to scowl but couldn’t keep up with it when he flooded her jaw with his open-mouth kisses, his teeth playfully grazing her skin and then nipping her chin.

“I’m pretty and wicked, the best kind of guy you’ll ever meet.” The charming grin shrank all the delicious coils in her belly.

“Get out now.” Taehyung blinked and leaned away a little to see her face. His confusion was wiped away when Nina jutted her chin at the door.

“Did I hear you right?” Taehyung shook his head. When her face didn’t move for another expression, he was even more perplexed.  “What? Why?” Taehyung looked offended.  Heck, he was offended. 

“Really? You are seriously asking me this huh?” She jabbed her index on his chest and took her steps toward him as instinct Taehyung took his steps back.

“You touched my things like a creep.” She took the steps and he took his back.

“You stole my pendant.” She squinted her eyes when Taehyung resisted the smirk as he gladly accepted her futile attempts to intimidate him.

“You crossed your boundaries, acted like an unsophisticated person and you want me to bear your presence in my damn room?” She crowded him against the wall, her chest grazing against him and Taehyung’s fingers were itching to pull him to him so he could feel her softness against his hard muscles.

“Yeah, I guess?” He rubbed the back of his neck.

“No, because I'm mad at you, you fucking dimwit. You should apologize to me.” She threw her hands in the air, an indication that she was pissed.

“Want me to bake you heart-shaped cookies and after that two solid orgasms to show how sorry I am? What do you say?” Taehyung’s smile disappeared. From the corner of his eyes, he watched her fingers clenching into fists. Uh-ha, he could discern her irritation flaring through her body.

“I’ll slaughter you and bury your dead body behind this mansion. You can gladly take this sorry to your grave.” Taehyung placed his palm over his mouth to cover the smirk and looked away. Confusion crept into her when the pink shade forming his cheeks became evident.

“Are you blushing?” Nina tipped her chin and squinted at him with a confusing scowl. “I'm threatening to kill you and you are blushing? You are unhinged.” Nina’s eyes doubled in size.

“I love it when you talk like this.” His self-congratulatory grin broadened as he pulled her closer by the back of her neck. Nina’s fingers grabbed his chest, her nails scraping the skin through his clothes— and fuck, he longed for her fingers to wrap around him, flex around his cock, and put an end to that lustful misery that he couldn’t seem to get out.

“I’m sorry for whatever I did today. I’m very sorry, red.” Taehyung kissed her lip. “sorry for hurting you when I shouldn’t.” *kiss* “Sorry for being an asshole when I should have cherished you.” *kiss* “Sorry for not taking care of you when I should have.” *kiss* “In fact sorry for not kissing you all these years when I should have done this a long time ago.” His whisper danced across her quivering lips, his words twirled with her heartbeats and the sincerity in his eyes permeated her insides like the thickness of smoke.

“Do you like me… or something?” She gripped his t-shirt in a desperate hold. The answer should be yes, she wished for it to be a yes.

“Isn’t it obvious?” Her lips parted, not knowing how to respond to that. “It’s more than like, more than you could think and you have no fucking idea how much I'm  holding back.”

He leaned and then paused, waiting for her to shove him away. When she didn’t show any sign of displeasing, he engulfed her lower lip into his mouth, suckling hard until the fragile layer of her skin began throbbing. She moaned and cupped his cheeks. They kiss as if they were drowning, holding onto each other for oxygen. Her moan melted along his groans. It was a throaty sound, a little rough and a lot masculine like everything in him.

“Don’t be clingy?” She grumbled, not missing the way he was silently adoring her with his eyes.

“You like me clingy, red. You like it a lot.” And Nina was glad he knew that. “Now give me some sunshine.” He trailed the tip of his nose on the side of her neck and bit beneath her ear, sensing her body thawing under his arms like snow.

“I don't like giving you my sunshine.” Nina pulled away so suddenly as if something had burned her.

Taehyung’s face bleached as his chest sunken in tension. Was she again drawing a line between them? When he decided to be a little more honest then why did she have to push him away? Taehyung did not want that, not when his heart was begging him to crawl to her feet.

Then he caught a flicker of smirk on her lips and realized Nina was just teasing him.

“Where should I go anyway?” Taehyung tried to yank her back but Nina had already sneaked away.

"How about you go and annoy Aria? I'm sure she wouldn’t mind fucking your intolerable existence.” Nina taunted him and Taehyung couldn’t do much but stare at her in aghast. Really? Out of all people, Nina had to take Aria’s name, she wasn’t more than a second-hand copy of mean girls— and worst of all, an assaulter. 

Taehyung would never forgive her for that.

“Puh-lease princes.” Taehyung lifted his index finger. “You are belittling me, this fucker down there is addicted to your pretty cunt and he didn’t even taste it. I'm hurt, so I expect you to kiss it and make it better. Come here.” Taehyung inched closer, his hands flying to grab her though Nina had already yanked her body away from his reach and slid to the small corner of the room.

“Why don’t you go and kiss, Aria?” She feigned innocence.

“Why would I kiss her when all I want is my tongue down your throat?” Taehyung throws his hands in the air in a dramatic way. Nina laughed,  no one could make her laugh like this. He was filthy as well as funny without even trying.

“Why don’t you go and—” She gasped when his arms circled her stomach and lifted her a little. The sweet symphony of her laughter mixed with his and swum across the space as he spun around. Nina wiggled her legs in the air, silently urging him to put her down.

“Get ready, I’m going to take you somewhere.” Taehyung nuzzled his face in the curve of her neck and kissed the sliver of her skin, then lingered his lips down to her shoulder blade.

“This is all so weird, him being completely sweet and gentle. The way he looks at me,  the way he touches me as if he wants to be consumed by me. The way his callous eyes soften at whatever I say as if I was the moon and sun and everything in between. Every second with him becomes something more, something where I’m getting greedy and want every single scrap of him.” Nina was dragged out of her trance when he snapped his fingers.

“Uh, why?” She stroked her neck, feeling the stubborn, giddy tingles. Her nerves shimmering and pounding in complete exhilaration. She watched him walk toward her small closet and open it as if he had every right to.

“Don’t touch my clothes!” She swatted his hand, flaring glares at him. “When you’ll learn to respect other people’s… no, my boundaries.” She pinched his arm and watched him grunting.

“Geez so rude.” Taehyung scrunched his nose. “Wear a dress.”

She stood in front of her wardrobe. “Stop ordering me around.”

“Okay, grumpy cat.” His hand went to pat her head as if he was actually petting a cat tucked under his arms. His eyes skimmed at the T-shirts and hoodies neatly folded in one section. He also caught how Nina quickly grabbed a bra that was on top of the folder skirts and shoved it inside the drawer. A twitch happened in his mouth seeing the flush occurring in her ear.

“Wear something good.” He whispered against her ear, relishing the sight of her shifting on her feet. She was so easy to read for him, even she blushed with her whole body and Taehyung couldn't get enough of that.

“Oh something good, why don’t you choose something for me to wear.” She pointed her fingers at the dresses hanging. For a second, Taehyung couldn’t believe that she was asking him to do something for her. His eyes rounded with unbounded mirth though Nina was just being sarcastic.

“She wants me to choose a dress for her, right? That’s so boyfriendish. That’s what couples do for each other, no? Woah, wait. Is her grumpy heart finally melting for me?” Taehyung thought, the smile on his face getting firm.

“Okay!” Taehyung grabbed her shoulder and moved her aside. “I would love to help you as you seem painfully hopeless.” Nina unleashed a scoff. She was this close to shoving him away and told him that she hadn’t meant her words but the excitement in his tone molten her scowl.

“So let’s see what you have here.” Taehyung’s brows knitted, as he combed through the dresses. Nina stood there, fiddling her fingers and watching him pull out a few dresses in the hanger. 

“Which color you wanna try, princess.” Taehyung gathered the dresses in his one arm and lifted the dresses one by one from his other hand. “Red? Cherry red? Wine red? Burgundy red? Carmine red? Maroon? Garnet red? Or pastel red?  Which one, baby?” Taehyung was still grinning, not being able to contain his contentment.

Nina was stunned, she was shocked that he knew the colors, he knew them so well. She remembered the incident in the cafe where a couple got into a huge fight because the boyfriend couldn’t guess the color of her new hair. The girl was so offended, that she had torn his shirt off in public and went home crying… crazy incident. Nina felt bad for the couple but she also knew that not many boys had any idea about such things.

“Whatever you like, baby…” Nina blurted out. A halt occurred in her breaths, a hesitation crossed her and for a beat both were silent. Nina’s eyes widened in realization— she called him baby— and so did Taehyung’s cheeky smile.

“Shut up!”

“But I didn't say anything!”

“I know but shut up!” She snatched the burgundy dress, flipped her hair at him, and walked into the attached bathroom. “And I’m changing, don’t you dare to peek!”

“Princess, I don't need to peek like creeps. If I want to see you naked, you’ll show me every part of you, and yes, willingly.” He shut the closet with a superior grin.

Could this get any more perfect? Nina and Taehyung and this moment, completely away from the world, away from everything, and everyone reminded them how both weren’t made for each other. But in fact, every inch and scrape of them were made to find another. The moment he saw her, Taehyung had shackled Nina to him. For others, it might be a twisted form of attraction. It was more than that. More than the meaningless lust. Because lust could end. Could be withered with time. Could be shifted to another person but love stays in the nook of a heart. It lingers and whispers. It shouts and howls. It bursts and explodes. 

“Don’t be arrogant.” Nina walked out. Pride fused her skin when she watched his eyes darkening with unflagging lust, consuming every inch of her body, sliding up and down as if he was etching the sight of her in his brain. 

“So, how do I look?” Nina twirls and puts her hands on her hips, waiting for his response. It was a bodycon mini dress that reached to her thighs with thick straps around her shoulders as it clung around her waist like a second skin. The pendant added extra charm to the whole look and she had the best sandals to go with the dress.

“You are gorgeous.” A love-sick sigh abandoned his chest and her stomach flipped.

“You are fucking everything.” He erased the distance and cupped her cheek, instantly twisting her heart into giddy knots.

Nina bought this dress from the sale, it was a hurried decision. She had no plan to wear it when she tried the dress the first time. She liked it on her but something felt missing so she shoved it in the closet and didn’t look back till this moment. Right now, the way he was staring at her, made her feel sexy and wanted and everything that she hadn’t thought— as if he was craving her the way lungs crave oxygen.

“Thanks.” Nina cleared her throat and swished toward the vanity.

“What are you doing, now?” Taehyung glanced at his watch. There was still time, the students would be there till midnight, sometimes morning until they were wasted and couldn’t walk properly. Then he glanced back at her, especially the curve of her hips and her long as fuck legs, and the urge to mark her untouched skin intensified like the conflagration in the woods.

“Makeup, duh. Don’t worry, it won’t take much time.” Nina applied some concealer to her face as Taehyung stood there watching her apply the cosmetics one by one. She was doing a clean makeup look, not too much but not too simple.

“Wanna say something?” Nina blinked at him, waiting for a remark about the makeup but all she got was a sweet smile from him. Shyly, she opened the lid of the gloss, applied two coats to her lips, and rubbed them together.

“Let me do your eyeliner.” He stood behind her, his palm cupped her waist and his voice was so soaked with emotions, that Nina found it swirling in the abyss of her chest.

“You know how to do it?” With a full-fledged smile, she lifted the eyeliner pen. “Tried it on mom?” She cooed at him through the mirror.

Taehyung had learned some tips and tricks from YouTube also he had watched the makeup artists in the sets and did Nabi’s makeup a lot of times to cheer her up. His mother loved makeup and he wanted to remind her what used to bring her joy. He wasn’t a pro in it yet but he wasn’t bad either.

“Yeah, tried it on mom. She loved it.” Taehyung swallowed the pang and kissed her shoulder, loving how she glided her fingers into his hair and allowed him to soak her warmness.

The coldness of his heart needed her warmth.

++++

QOTD:  Which was your favorite moment and line of this chapter? 

( mine was when tae asked nina,  which dress she wanted to wear. It was so cute)