LAPSED

⚠ 𝑨 𝑵𝑰𝑮𝑯𝑻 𝑻𝑶 𝑭𝑶𝑹𝑮𝑬𝑻, 𝑩𝑼𝑻 𝑨 𝑺𝑨𝑽𝑰𝑶𝑹 𝑻𝑶 𝑹𝑬𝑴𝑬𝑴𝑩𝑬𝑹⚠

"ᴡʜᴇɴ ɪ'ᴍ ɪɴᴛᴇʀᴇꜱᴛᴇᴅ ɪɴ ᴀ ᴛʜɪɴɢ, ɪ ᴡᴀɴᴛ ᴛᴏ ᴋɴᴏᴡ ᴀʙᴏᴜᴛ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴛʜɪɴɢ. ᴇxᴛᴇɴꜱɪᴠᴇʟʏ."
-𝕰𝖒𝖒𝖆 𝕸𝖎𝖑𝖑𝖘, "𝔉𝔬𝔬𝔩𝔦𝔰𝔥 ℌ𝔢𝔞𝔯𝔱𝔰"

ㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡ

AS DAHYUN'S accusation hung in the air, Jungkook's mind raced with a million thoughts, each one more panicked than the last. He knew he had to tread carefully, so he adopted a calm and collected demeanor, trying to appear as innocent as possible.

He leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms nonchalantly as if the accusation didn't bother him in the slightest. "I have no idea what you're talking about," he answered. Despite his best efforts, his mind drew a blank. He was caught, and he knew it. But he refused to go down without a fight. So he played dumb, pretending not to understand what Dahyun was insinuating.

"The art. It was reported, on the day after that night, that one of the art pieces from the gallery had been stolen and replaced with a replica," she explained, her voice steady and deliberate. Dahyun's words were not merely a fabrication; she was indeed telling the truth. She had watched the news report about the missing artwork from the gallery the very next day after she had seen him outside the gallery. However, it was apparent that Dahyun had deliberately withheld certain details of what she knew.

Jungkook cast a piercing gaze at Dahyun, his tone laced with defiance. He wonders if she saw him put the art in the van or saw much more. But of course he wouldn't mention anything about it unless she says so. "So, you genuinely believe that I stole it, simply because I happened to be present at the scene of the crime?" He challenged, concealing the fact that he was being untruthful.

Dahyun returned his stare, unflinching. "It's a possibility," she replied curtly, causing a smirk to spread across Jungkook's face.

"Is that so? And do you have any concrete evidence to support your accusation?" he countered, his tone playful yet challenging. "I mean, what motive would I have for stealing it anyway?" Jungkook was known for his skilled deception, and he used his smooth words and confident demeanor to mask any hint of guilt or wrongdoing.

"Money," she thought. But she knew she had hit a dead end in her line of questioning with Jungkook. She wasn't ready to spill what she had seen him do. Instead, she raised her hands in surrender, signaling that she wouldn't press the matter further. She then flashed a lighthearted grin and shifted the conversation, remarking on the two glasses that sat on Jungkook's table.

Just as Jungkook began to reply, his words were interrupted by the sudden appearance of a breathtakingly beautiful woman. Dahyun couldn't help but stare at the girl in awe. Her striking appearance and effortless confidence were unlike anything she had ever seen before. She was tall and petite, with striking facial features and a trendy short haircut that had been highlighted to perfection. As the girl settled into her seat beside Jungkook, Dahyun felt a wave of insecurity wash over her. She couldn't help but compare herself to the other girl, feeling like she paled in comparison. She noticed how effortlessly stylish the girl looked, with designer clothes and accessories that complemented her figure perfectly. Dahyun couldn't help but feel self-conscious about her own outfit, which now seemed bland and uninspired in comparison.

She looked down at her own clothes, feeling a twinge of embarrassment at how basic and plain they were. The girl's heels were probably worth more than Dahyun's entire wardrobe, and she couldn't help but wonder how she would ever be able to compete with that level of elegance and refinement. Despite her insecurities, Dahyun couldn't help but admire the other girl's confidence and poise. She seemed so at ease in her own skin, as if she knew that everyone in the room was looking at her with envy. It was clear that this girl was used to being the center of attention, and Dahyun couldn't help but feel envious of her effortless charisma.