2 7.   C i r c u m s t a n t i a l  
p r o b l e m

Morning in the serenity of the
Bejarim forest should help to calm down oneself, but there was I, who woke up with puffy eyes and swollen lips.

I realized I was wearing his black shirt maybe he slipped me through it during my sleep tenure. Without looking at myself, I searched through the entire place, crestfallen.

My bare feets guided my legs to the rooftop. Reaching upon, I saw his bareback and wide shoulders, sitting on three feet high wall, made from cement. His legs were dangling and hands placed on either side for support.

His ears were highlighting dark orange color due to the sun's blessing and naked upper body soaking some morning sun innately.

I dramatically clapped my hands, louder and louder while taking small steps towards him. "Look! We have a new math professor this year. He's very arrogant and cruel to others but I wonder why was he so sweet and helpful to me?"

He turned around, eyes widening as listened to the further nonstop tale, coming out of my dry mouth.

"You have the potential, come to my house for tuition classes," I took a pause. "Making me lose my shit every time I went to your place." I bawled, hands spreading apart and eyes remaining on the well-tiled floor.

He got down, undefined emotions surging in his eyes. "Dasom,"

"Now what, huh? If you wanted to kill me from the very beginning, then why put a facade of a nice guy and ruining my life in sickening intervals." I yelled and coughed at the sore condition of my throat.

He stared.

"I will only ask you one thing. Tell me truthfully, if by any chance you really fell for me under this pretense. Was I really not successful in touching your heart under this sham act of nothing mere wreaking a nonsensical vengeance?" I bit my lower lip, gripping the side of his black shirt that I had on.

"Dasom, we are going to Seoul." He said in a normal tone, walking past me as if he didn't hear a word uttered by me.

"Fine. That answered it all." I mumbled and wiped my tears. I limped energetically, managing to stand on the same wall where he sat.

"Dasom!" He shouted from afar, standing near the terrace door- hinged in the middle so that one door is fixed and the other operates.

He was standing in a surprising position, running in my direction to stop me from taking any further steps.

"Don't... don't come any closer to me. I think this is what you wanted from the start. I'll make it easier for you."
With a shaky voice and trembling legs, I stood there, defeated.

"Utter nuisance, get down of it!" Anger fuming in his voice as he held out his hand for me to take it.

"The guilt of accidentally taking somebody's life killed me every day. I could never do such a thing. I'm a simple girl with simple, damn dreams of not giving a care to the world, of having a small house and a husband who would want me to kiss him before he goes out for work, dreams of cooking food for him when he comes late from the office. Shit!"
I suddenly started crying unabashedly and pitifully.

Taking advantage of my sensitive state, he dragged my right arm violently, squatting lightly. He slipped his right arm between my knees, carrying me on his shoulders.

While we were climbing down the stairs, he adjusted me to balance my weight properly.

"Leave me you jerk...." I thrust my fists on his strong back.

He dropped me on the hard floor before throwing my drum bag beside me. "Ahh!" I rubbed my bottom, disgust painting my face.

"Change your clothes. I'll make breakfast." He said and went away.

***

Taehyung

I was not feeling hungry so I prepared two pocket sandwiches for her. Half an hour passed by, I dozed off, waiting for Dasom to come at the breakfast table.

I heard a shrill noise that waked my tired senses up.

Rubbing my eyes, I browsed the entire place. "DASOM, DASOM... " I paced upstairs to my room and found the bathroom door locked. "Fuck Dasom, you're inside."

I forcefully pounded my fists onto the continental molded door.

Beads of sweat moisturized my forehead and hands were clammy from fright. I ran at the door with a shoulder first, but it didn't work. Using a front kick, I drove the heel of my foot into the door, on the point where the lock is mounted, perhaps hitting on the weakest point of the door.

It slammed open widely. The scene was heart blocking as she was lying on the blood-stained tiles and the shards of mirrors glass were adjoining the floor. She was saying something but the words were not clear for my understanding.

"Still murmuring." I hooked my arms under her legs and placed her on the bed. "Now don't move I'm getting the first aid---" Cancelling my warning, technically speaking I torn my shirt which she had on her body from its edge.

In doing so, her abdomen was shown and the ugly mark that I gave her last night came into view. I gulped.

I tied it around her wrists, feeling awkward under her glance. "V, don't you love?" She asked in a broken tone.

"No, I don't," I said, bluntly.

"But why is my heart saying that you are hiding your feelings? are you afraid of me that someday I would kill you too?" She said lowly and slowly. Peering into my eyes.

After staring at her I muttered. "Breakfast time."

Dasom

"Let's have sex, I want to lose my purity to you. I don't care if it's my body that's pleasures you instead of me." I said, crossing my arms over my chest. He didn't reply and was busy giving the last minute touches to the food on the plate.

I was standing against the kitchen counter and he extended me the plate of sandwiches without facing me. In the attempt of keeping it on the counter, I placed it on the edge without realizing the space under. It fell.

Turning around, he slapped me on the face. Stretching my face to the left, a loud clap sound filled the silence of the indoor patio.

"It just slipped, I... didn't do.. it deliberately," I wept and then cried, reacting to the sudden violent wrongful attack.

He yanked my head to his chest hurriedly. I wrapped my weak arms around his neck. He encircled his arms against my waist, limply. Throwing his head on my shoulder. I felt his tears watering on my shirt.

Facing different problems --- V was fighting against the oath he has taken long back to seek revenge and Dasom was trying all means to awaken the dissemble feelings trapped within him.

Considering himself as loathful he was trying to denounce the reality of the newly blossomed flower of love which was flourishing between them.

***

It's was midnight, V settled upon the decision of staying over and leaving in the early hours of the morning, tomorrow.

V was lying on the stomach beside me and I was simply looking at him. "Go to sleep Dasom, I've my eyes on you." He said while he had his eyes shut closed.

"I love you V and want to be loved in the same way," I said, hugging the pillow tighter.

"Those cheats were never yours. I set the assignments on fire purposely. I fucked a whore in the car while you waited in a restaurant for me to come on our first date, I nearly killed your father that day when he was returning to your family...."

I paused for a moment.

"But how can I not love you considering the fact that I was never a part of this drama. I bloody don't care if you played with my heart. I know I'm being stupid and crazy but still, I need you. V, I've never loved anyone like this ever before." I said, my eyes tearing up. The outrage came out aggressively.

"Are you mad?" He said lowly, pressing his index finger on my forehead.

"Yes, I'm mad for you. Only for you." I said, hiding my mouth and nose behind the white pillow.

"This means you aren't afraid of me." He breathed out.

"I know you will never hurt me," I said in a closed tone.

He chuckled before returning back to his serious demeanor. "Did it hurt a lot?" He said in hesitation, looking at my stomach.

"Hella much," I said and nodded my head cutely, wiping my tears.

"Oh," he gasped before removing the pillow from the middle of our bodies. Gently tangling his leg with mine as we slept the night away while he provided me protection and affection somewhere.

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Word count - 1527

Captain's note - I don't want to end this, oh lordy :'(
I love the couple tho
Hope y'all are loving the twist n turns in between.