Ecstacy of Love (vsoo)

6. Don't be so obvious.

Edited

Taehyung’s POV

I couldn’t help but wonder why she’d come all the way here, disguising herself. What was her plan? Why hide behind such a cute façade?

I knew there had to be a reason. She wasn’t the type to do something like this without a purpose. I owed her, of course—she treated my wounds when I had no one else, and that was why I was giving her time to drop the act. But seeing her struggle with the tasks, refusing to complain even though they were far beyond what one might expect from someone in her position, amused me. She was determined, and it showed.

Her petite figure was deceiving—she had strength in abundance. It was… captivating. I’d never met anyone like her. And though I wasn’t quick to admit it, she was the first woman who’d caught my attention in years.

I noticed her after a while—sitting under the banyan tree, hugging her knees. She seemed lost in thought, a touch of sadness lingering in her eyes as she wiped away a tear. My heart clenched at the sight, though I didn’t let it show. It wasn’t my place to comfort her, not yet at least.

I finished reading the scrolls I had been reviewing and, against my better judgment, made my way toward her. My voice broke the silence as I approached.

"Jian, right?" I saw her flinch, her tear slipping away just as I called her name.

She quickly looked up, her large hazel eyes wide with surprise, and I could tell she was nervous. She looked everywhere but at me.

I smiled to myself. She was good at hiding it, but I could see right through her. The act was slipping, though she didn't know I had figured it out from the start.

"Instead of crouching down, why don’t you try lifting this log? Is this punishment too light for you?" I teased, raising an eyebrow, hoping to get a reaction.

Almost everyone else had finished their tasks. Jian—no, I refused to call her that—was the last one still struggling. I had to blame Jimin for this. Why did he have to punish her so? He didn’t even know she was a woman.

She shot back a quick, almost rude reply. “No... I’m doing that.” She turned to pick up the log again, but before she could, I grabbed her arm. She jerked it away forcefully.

I chuckled softly, watching her fiery response. She wasn’t afraid to stand her ground, and I liked that.

"Jian… where are you from? You don’t seem like someone from the capital," I pressed, my tone light but curious.

I could tell she was lying—badly—but it only made her more interesting. She was a mystery, and I couldn’t stop myself from wanting to unravel it.

"I-I am from the countryside," she stammered, standing with her back turned to me, clearly nervous.

Her hesitation was too obvious. It was clear she was hiding something, but I knew better than to push her too hard right now. I didn’t need to expose her just yet.

"Countryside, huh? From which village?" I continued my playful interrogation, waiting for her to give me another excuse.

Before she could answer, Jimin’s loud voice rang out from across the camp, scolding her.

"Hey, what are you doing over there? Get to work and stop slacking off!"

I shot a look at Jimin, a small smile curling on my lips. I could tell Jian was relieved for the distraction. But me? I was just getting started.

As Jian walked away, Jimin turned to face me, an annoyed expression settling on his face.

Poor guy—he had to manage this whole group of rowdy soldiers while dealing with the chaos that came with them. And now he was stuck dealing with me too.