Ecstacy of Love (vsoo)

23. Am I looking that handsome that you can't take your eyes off me.

Edited

The dimly lit room buzzed with tension as Sehun's fists clenched tightly, his knuckles whitening as he stared down the man in black. His so-called hyung's nonchalance only fueled his anger, his words cutting deeper than he cared to admit.

"Don't test me," Sehun hissed, his voice low and dangerous, like the quiet before a storm. "I don't care what you think. I'll make sure she realizes who she belongs to."

The man in black chuckled darkly, his smirk never leaving his face. He tilted his head slightly, his eyes gleaming with amusement. "And what if she doesn't? What if she's already made her choice, Sehun? Are you prepared for that possibility?"

Sehun's jaw tightened, his breath coming in sharp bursts. The thought of her choosing someone else-him-was enough to drive him to the edge of sanity. "She will choose me. I've given everything to protect her, to be the one she needs."

The man in black pushed off the wall and stepped closer, his gaze narrowing as he studied Sehun. "Have you ever asked her what she wants? Or are you too blinded by your obsession to see her as anything more than a prize?"

The words struck a nerve, but Sehun refused to show it. He wasn't obsessed. He was determined. There was a difference. He had to believe that.

"Don't lecture me," Sehun snapped, his voice rising. "You don't understand what it's like to love someone so deeply that it consumes you."

The man in black's smirk faltered for the briefest moment, a flicker of something unreadable crossing his face before he masked it with a cold expression. "You think I don't understand?" he said, his tone dropping to a dangerous whisper. "You think I've never had something ripped away from me? Don't be so arrogant, Sehun."

Sehun took a step back, momentarily thrown off by the sudden shift in his hyung's demeanor. But he quickly recovered, his anger bubbling back to the surface. "Then you should know better than to stand in my way. I'll do whatever it takes to keep her away from him."

The man in black sighed, his smirk returning, though it lacked its usual humor. "You're a fool if you think love can be forced, little brother. But go ahead, chase after her. Just don't say I didn't warn you when it all comes crashing down."

Sehun glared at him, his heart pounding with a mix of fury and desperation. He turned on his heel and stormed out of the room, his mind racing with thoughts of Jisoo and the man he despised.

As the door slammed shut behind him, the man in black poured himself another drink, swirling the soju in his cup thoughtfully.

"Love," he muttered under his breath, a bitter smile playing on his lips. "It's always the ones who think they can conquer it who end up destroyed by it."

---

Bangtan palace

Jisoo's POV

Sneezing without reason, I rub my nose and look around, realizing I'm alone in the room that was once filled with warmth and memories from last night with my childhood sweetheart. What happened? Where was Chaeyoung? Wasn't she with me here in the Bangtan Palace's beautiful backyard?

My thoughts take a pause when I hear a soft knock at the door. I wait in silence, wondering who it could be, until the door creaks open and a maid steps inside, carrying a few elegant garments and ornaments.