Taehyung sat on the couch looking enraged. He didn't spare a glance at the poor girl who was pouting because of his behavior.

He sounded different when he called her. However, once they stepped into Ara's apartment, his aura changed completely. He got cold suddenly, unlike his usual self.

Taehyung was the most positive and kind man that Ara knew. She never met anyone else who was so lively, as him. But his behavior today was totally opposite. It made her think about all those things that could have hurt him, but she couldn't come to think about anything.

She tried to scoot closer to him, to get into his embrace or kiss him. Those gestures of hers always worked, and she thought it would work again. How wrong she was?!

When Ara tried to hold his hand, he quickly pushed her body with a stern look. His eyes were dark and it scared Ara.

"What were you doing with him?" He quickly inquired in his deep-velvety voice, staring furiously into her timid eyes.

"I... He had r-rented m-me." Ara responded softly, glancing down. She knew he would start his interrogation now, without letting her think about her answers. Hence, she closed her eyes and cheered for herself in her mind before opening them and glancing at him once she was ready.

"Did he take you to a business party or something?"

"No! He rented me to take me on a personal date." 

"And why would he do that? Why couldn't you refuse?"

"Because I was getting paid?!" Ara responded with a duh tone, earning a stern look from Taehyung that made her gulp.

"Why are you running after money so much? I had told you before that I can feed you even if you don't work."

"Because I need to earn for ... something."

"And what is that something?"

"I can't tell you." She glanced down when she noticed Taehyung looking at her with a raised brow.

"It seems like you don't want to be Kim Ara. Perhaps, are you interested in being Jeon Ara?" 

"KIM TAEHYUNG! MIND YOUR LANGUAGE!"

"AND WHAT IF I DON'T? YOU AREN'T FOCUSING ON THE WORK YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO DO. YOU DON'T CARE ABOUT ME. I TOLD YOU BEFORE THAT I NEED MY FATHER TO ACCEPT YOU, BUT YOU KEEP ON RUNNING AFTER MONEY. HAVE YOU FORGOTTEN ALL THE DREAMS THAT WE HAVE SEEN TOGETHER? DON'T YOU WANT US TO FULFILL THOSE?"

Taehyung yelled louder than Ara which made tears well up in her eyes. She didn't like fighting with him even one bit. But what could she do when he was blaming her for something she wasn't doing? 

It wasn't like she was trying to impress Jungkook. She didn't even want to mingle with him in any way. But she wanted to earn as faster as she could, to fulfill Taehyung's dreams.

Taehyung wanted to get enrolled in the best acting school in Seoul. He hadn't shared this with anyone except for Ara that his dream was not to be a model but a successful actor. But his father wanted him to take over the company. 

He never intended to become a businessman. He wanted to be an actor, just like his mother wished to be one in the past. However, when his mother fell in love with his father, their lives flipped.

Daehyun never forced his wife to do anything, but he began setting up his business and so, his wife supported him in every way possible. She didn't even reveal her goals to her husband, because she always prioritized her family.

When Taehyung was born, his mother always shared how she wanted to be an actor before getting married. Little did they all know that Taehyung was born with that dream. Her blood ran in his body, and so did her dreams.

Daehyun asked him to take up the business, to which he refused. Taehyung was as stubborn as his father and he knew his father won't give up till he made up his mind to take over their family business. 

Hence, Taehyung requested his father to make Namjoon the CEO temporarily till he was ready to take over. Namjoon was Taehyung's maternal cousin and Daehyun trusted him the most. Maybe more than Taehyung. So he didn't mind making him the Interim CEO.

During those days, Taehyung shared his dreams with Ara. He loved his mother even after her death. So he had taken a pledge to fulfill her wishes. And Ara only promised herself to help Taehyung achieve his goals.

That was the reason why she had taken up this job. She was paid better than any other "decent" job and that way, she could help Taehyung get enrolled in the best acting school.

It wasn't like Taehyung couldn't afford to get admitted into one of those schools. But Ara wanted to do this much for Taehyung in return for all the love and support he had been giving her all these years. 

She wanted to keep this a surprise, but it appeared like her good intentions would be creating trouble in their lives.

"I think we should take a break. You need to make up your mind if you want to be Kang Ara forever or if you want to become Kim Ara. Let us clear our minds, because I had taken up this whole thing of getting you accepted by my father too seriously. Maybe your heart has changed after meeting Jungkook."

Taehyung let out those hurtful words with a sad tone. He never imagined he would say this to Ara. However, he was hurt. Their whole mission was something else, which was why he had been lying about Ara's profession with his father all this time.

But if she wasn't that interested in receiving all the love, support, and comfort from him, he didn't see why he had to overdo all this.

Taehyung sighed and rose to his feet. He was undoubtedly hurt. He still had an immense love for her despite everything he said. He didn't want her to live a life of an orphan. In addition to wanting to cherish her and giving her his last name, he also wanted to provide her with the best possible life.

Ara's heart ached at the words she heard. She couldn't imagine Taehyung would ever speak such harsh words. She was doing everything for him because she only had him who she could call a "family." He gave that word meaning with his existence in her life. She wanted to give him the world, just like he wanted to give her.

The two of them loved each other a bit too much to get hurt like this. 

"Tae, please don't do this. You aren't in your senses. Please don't say the words you might regret." Ara begged, standing in front of him as she held his hands in a tight grasp, not wanting him to leave. He kept glancing down as if he had no intention to take those words back, and it made Ara hurt.

"Ara, please let me go. I don't want to hurt you. Just remember, if someone hurt you, I'll be there for you always." He spoke, cupping her face and kissing her forehead. His lips stayed on her forehead a bit longer than the two imagined.

Once he pulled away, he looked deep into her eyes. She could see his eyes glistening with tears. She quickly pulled him into a tight hug, allowing him to place his head in the crook of her neck like he loved doing at times like this. 

Ara was his "home" and he always found solace in her. He would always run to her and hug the living life out of her. He had no clue how he would live without seeing her. It wasn't like he would never see her. But their lives were getting messy.

Too messy for the two of them to be happy and take things positively.

They basked in each other's warmth. Their eyes were crying rivers as if they were bidding goodbye forever. The tears flowing from their eyes conveyed all the love their hearts had for each other. 

This wasn't how they had imagined their future.

This wasn't what they had been struggling for all this time.

This wasn't the end of their love.

This was just the beginning of something more worthy and beautiful.

Taehyung kissed her forehead one last time before mumbling "I love you! Please take care," before he left her apartment with a heavy heart and teary eyes, not waiting to hear her reply.  

If he had waited, he would have melted at how the girl was left alone on her knees, crying like a baby as she let out all the tears that were left for her to cry and chanting "I love you, Tae! Please don't leave me."  

That night, her apartment was colder than the coldest winters. She cried all night while laying on the cold floor where Taehyung had left her. 

She was left alone with her thoughts; it was her decision to make now. If she should continue to hustle for Taehyung to help him fulfill his dreams or become "Kim Ara" right away and enjoy the future the two had been wanting to live in together so much.

She closed her eyes when she got tired and decided to choose the former. If Taehyung didn't talk with her or get back to him in the near future, she would happily accept her fate. However, she wouldn't want Taehyung to live a life that he didn't see himself into. He would surely achieve his dreams even if he had forgotten. Because his happiness mattered a lot to Ara, and she would give him happiness with all her existence.

__________________________

I'm satisfied with how this chapter turned out. 

I felt so sad while writing it, ngl. But this is how the story is supposed to progress. 

Anyways, did you enjoy reading it?