𝐑𝐞𝐝 𝐋𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬 ✓

Chapter 7

THE way her body was pressed against his as they danced to the melodic rhythm.

The way she carried him and spun him ever so elegantly.

The way she held him by his waist, his legs still on the floor so that she was helping him remain in such a position. A position that sent butterflies through his stomach.

The way her arms were securely around him to prevent him from falling or injuring himself.

He gulped as he stared into her piercing gaze, heat rushing to his cheeks.

Their lips were ever so close. He knew that if she let him go right at this moment, she would never allow him near her face like that again.

He gulped once again and stared at her plump lips, slightly inching closer to her. Just a little bit. No harm done, right?

His stomach twisted into a knot. His knees buckled. If it wasn't for her two arms holding his small waist, he would have fallen to his knees.

He licked his lower lip and brought his face closer to hers, his right arm wrapped around her torso.

And leaned in.

Only sand beads could tell them apart by that point. He brought his lips to lightly meet with hers.

Just a faint brush.

His insides turned at the movement. His eyes closed, desperately trying to get a taste of his wife's soft lips.

He never knew he would have wanted a kiss so much.

No- needed.

How could she do that to him?

She never had a real conversation with him. How on earth did he become so desperate for her attention so much?

His lips brushed against hers for a second time, this time lasting a few seconds longer than the first one.

"C-Can you kiss me? Please, j-just once." He begged, his voice weak with desperation. His arms were hanging around her torso while she held him upright, still staring into his dark brown eyes.

Their lips brushed against each other for the third time. He closed his eyes, ready for the marvelous sensation of her finally kissing him to overwhelm his insides.

Only to feel nothing.

He opened his eyes once again, tears already welling up in his eyes at the rejection.

Did she not love him back? Did he do something wrong? Did he-

"I'm sorry... I can't," she replied, her voice shaky with invisible tears. All she could feel was her heart shattering in a distance.

"W-Why not?" He asked, making her shove him away gently with her palms and wipe away a tear that almost escaped her eyes.

She didn't answer.

"Please... Please, jagiya. Why not?" He repeated in a softer tone, trying to reach for her hand to give it a gentle squeeze but failing.

"Because I can't." She replied coldly and turned away from him, fumbling with her fingers.

"But... Jagiya, I love you..." he begged in Korean, suppressing a sob.

She sighed, as if she somehow understood, and hurried out of the studio room, trying to hide her face to not show him her tears.

As soon as she disappeared out of sight, he allowed his knees to hit the floor and shakily sobbed.

Why didn't she love him back?

For all he knew, he had fallen for her. Hard.

No- he loved her, a lot.

The pain in his heart grew unbearable, undeniable. He covered his mouth with his palm to stop his sobs.

Why was she so terrified of him?

His eyes suddenly widened at the realization as soon as images from his past hit him like a locomotive.

If she knew how talented he was by watching his videos with his group, then she must have come across the rumors made about him.

She was scared of him because she thought of him as a bully. A snake. A fake human being.

Just like the haters said about him along with every other member in the group.

But- she was his wife.

Why couldn't she give him a chance?

He brought his knees to his chin and curled up into a ball, tears of pain streaming down his face.

Never in his life had he felt so lonely.

Never in his life would he have imagined that he would be so desperate for her existence, or at least to have her by his side. Because he knew that he had no one else with him at that point.

Only for that to shatter because of the same rumors that got him excluded from his group.

His heart ached once again, this time harder than before. He looked up from his hands to glance around him, at the empty walls and floor of the studio room he was in.

Nothing grabbed his attention. Because there was nothing there except the empty wooden floor, and mirrors all over the side of the walls.

Nothing.

Just like how he felt.

He stopped to glance at the mirror that was across from him, noticing his tear-stained pale cheeks and long, blond hair resting over his neck, ending just before his shoulders.

And only the face of a bully, a snake, a fake, selfish human being stared back at him.

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