Exposé • kth

08 | ok, I didn't plan for this

Cooling down. Calming down. Remember Ara. No panicking. Hoooo. Yes...breathe out slowly. Yes you can do this. No, I cannot. Ara, no hyperventilating. NO HYPER-

"YOU...IT WAS YOU!"

He let go of me and I caught myself before I could make myself a fool by stumbling and falling backwards onto the hardwood floor. I glared at him; I could almost feel the red, hot anger in my eyes radiating like a siren on an ambulance and the only thing I wished for in the moment was him to light up and die. Yes, die. How dare he stand so proud infront of me? Atleast, he could have said a sorry after calling me 'champagne lady' for an accident. And for insulting me on the plane?! But all he did was blow off some invisible dust from the tip of his cuff, lean onto the golden railings on the side and look at me very amused eyes. Was he marvelling in my anger?!

"Yep, it was me. And we meet again, attention-seeker."

I merely stopped my hands from reaching out and clasping them around his neck and choke him. Grumbling furiously under my breath, I replied, "I'm not an attention-seeker," sarcastically adding, "If anyone has been wanting attention, then it is you. I am not the one who came here on my own accord to meet you."

He tilted his head like a lost puppy, a very -very bad -smirk gracing his perfectly defined Asian features quickly.

"What if I was?"

"Was what?"

"Calling you here, because of this reason?"

"What reason?"

"Oh, don't drag this here. You know exactly why."

"No I don't."

I was tongue tied when his sudden movement of pulling me closer towards him -once again- took place. But this time I could feel my heart beating more than it's normal rate, the constant hammering making me feel as if it was going to tear my chest open and come out at any second. (Okay, that was disgusting.) His hands wrapped around my figure and I struggled to move form the very strong grip.

I could feel his breath on my face, his head dangerously leaning close to mine. My eyes quivered as I was reminded of the incident on the plane where we were stuck in this same position. What a coincidence.

My stupid mouth wouldn't open and ask him to leave me alone. Instead I became lost in those dark eyes of his which were so close to me, and I felt as if he could see right into my foodie soul. I felt his hot breath fan over my face as he spoke the words which brought me back to the terrestrial world, but send me spiralling deeper down.

"What if I wanted your attention?"

For a second I just stared into those cold eyes which were now full of some other emotion; then I tried pushing him with all the strength I could muster, all the hile closing my eyes out of embarrassment and keeping my face down so that he wouldn't see the struggle I was putting up.

But all I heard was a deep, soft chuckle reverberating from his throat before his grip on my waist turned tighter; god, where did all the energy from the chips go now?

"What do you want from me?" I asked in utter anger after giving up fighting the moron. My face was up this time as I looked at his gleeful face, his smirk growing wider at my question.

"My date. You are my date for tonight."

No shit.

"Go fuck yourself, I'm never, ever and I'm saying it again, NEVER EVER, becoming your date."

This time I pushed him off and furiously turned away from the hubristic guy but his words made me stop still in my tracks.

"You do want me to buy an estate, don't you?"

I cursed myself internally for forgetting this wasn't about me, but about the mission. I was supposed to put up with this arrogant, selfish fool who had very mischievous intents and a devilish smirk that I wanted to wipe off with a Kleenex or a broom, whichever came first. If I wanted to be the next Lana, I had to tie up my worries somewhere and plaster on a fake smile for this guy. Taking a deep breath, I turned back with a very, hard smile on my face while his just showed that stupid smile.
What an idiot.

Remember that smirk when you are down, Mr.Kim.

"You are right, Mr.Kim. I do need you buy an estate from me. But, please mark my words, I will be your date, just for tonight." My words were strong and clear as I conveyed my message to the guy.

He blinked his eyes once and his smile grew wider, curves stretching upto his cheeks as he stretched out his hand which I clasped onto very reluctantly.
I watched as he sent a silent nod to the other guy, probably his assistant who bowed lowly before whirling a perfect turn and marching of somewhere else.
No words were spoken as we made our way down the grand stairs, this time hand in hand. I could feel his stupid smirk on his face the whole time we were walking down while I plastered the legendary fake smile of all time -invented by me, of course- onto my face in contrast to my cursing mind.

The very boring slow music of the wailing violin still played around the  whole golden lit room as Kim fucking Taehyung dragged me to dance on the floor. Whispers followed me with every twirl and my eyes catched the hushed mouths of young women eyeing me and the idiot with shining jealousy and small talks with the equally startled ladies by their sides. How was this hot head a lady charmer?

"Looking for another man?"

My head cut through air and I almost hit mine with his as I angrily confronted him about the nonsense he spluttered. This guy was arrogant and insensitive about other people and was definitely proud of his signature smirk or whatever, because it was appearing on his stupid face again.

I had just called him a 'bitch' and was about say some more words of very low degree when the clapping of high heels on the marble towards us made me shut my mouth. I did not dare look back but was definitely stud-scared as hell. Taehyung, however, let go of my waist and bowed a perfect 90 degrees, his hair falling of a bit from the front unlike his very, strict assistant.

I turned my body slowly back expecting some angry lady who was very sad that I was dancing with this shithead, but instead it was an old woman who eerily had a resemblance to Taehyung. Her face was, however, pleasant and a smile graced her defined Asian features as she sported a traditional heavily decorated red hanbok and eyed me curiously. Behind, I heard Taehyung's whisper. "Mother."

I bowed this time after knowing who it was but she stopped before I could, placing her hand onto my shoulder.

"My,my,my.." she trailed off and I instantly felt very soothing as her velvety voice hit my ear.

"Mother," Taehyung whispered again, but this time he was cut off by his mother again.

"Why would this beautiful girl ever choose an idiot like you as her fiancé?"