YOU, ME, & SHE • |KTH AU| •

eleven

The sun beats down on the poolside as Iseul and I lounge on deck chairs, enjoying the warm afternoon. The water shimmers invitingly, tempting us to take a dip, but we're content to just soak up the sun for now.

My phone buzzes beside me, and I glance at the screen, a smirk playing on my lips. "It's Jimin again... He just can't get enough of me."

Iseul looks at me long and hard, a big smile spreading across her face. "You're really playing hard to get, aren't you?"

"I mean, why not," I drawl, playfully flipping my hair. "I'm sexy enough - way to sexy for him."

Just as our laughter fades, just about the worst imaginable thing happens - Hyejin emerges from the door behind us and begins heading our way, a maid holding a tray of cocktails in tow.

I watch with barely concealed dread as she steps up to us, a warm smile on her face.

"Mind if I join you two? Looks like you're having a good time."

Before either of us can reply, Hyejin takes a seat on the chair on Iseul's other side. She nods at the maid, who responds by handing her a cocktail glass, and then proceeds to offer the remaining two to Iseul and I. Iseul gives me a small shrug as she takes her glass, and I resignedly follow suit.

As we sip our mojitos, Hyejin smilingly initiates this long chat with her daughter, and I'm casually, politely chipping in here and there, but my mind is racing, trying hard to figure out what she's up to.

It's not long before the conversation shifts to Iseul's love life.

"... but we're still talking," Iseul is saying, laughing nervously. "It's nothing serious yet. And if it works out, and I bring him over one day, you and Tae would probably scare him away with your interrogations."

Hyejin chuckles. "I can't speak for your brother, but I promise that I'll be on my best behavior. Actually, Iseul, could you do me a favor, poppet? I need you to grab my sunglasses from the house."

Iseul raises an eyebrow. "Seriously, Mom? Can't you make one of the help bring them?"

"I could," Her mother says, setting her glass down. "But I want to have a chat alone with Narae here. Just a motherly talk, nothing to worry about."

And, here we are.

Iseul reluctantly stands up, shooting me an apologetic glance before heading toward the house.

As soon as she's out of sight, Hyejin's smile fades completely, and she leans closer to me.

"It's been brought to my attention that Jimin has taken an interest in you - I even overheard you two talking about him just before I came out here. You must be feeling so triumphant, having caught the eye of such a fine looking, wealthy boy."

She squints nastily, lip curled in disgust. "Be warned, though - he just wants to bed you, nothing more. But you're smarter than you look, aren't you; I'm sure you know this. You're probably up for a mere fling yourself - you seem like the type. That's quite all right... just make sure you get yourself on birth control, if you aren't already. I'm good friends with Jimin's father and stepmom, you know, and I'd hate it if anything were to shake our friendship. Anything as in: having someone under my care - a certain, conniving slut who's too pretty for her own good - deliberately getting pregnant for their son she can in cash on their wealth. I know how girls like you think. I won't sit back and let this happen, in the same way I won't just watch while you continue to corrupt my daughter."

There's a lot of words on the tip of my tongue, but I opt for my standard response: to say nothing. I just watch coolly as she finally leans away, a sickly sweet smile on her face.

Iseul returns with the sunglasses a few minutes later, unaware of the confrontation that has taken place in her absence. Hyejin smoothly strikes up a new conversation with her, but this time I'm too broody to join in.

Getting this woman on my good side is going to be harder than I've been imagining. She's going to be my mother-in-law one day. I've got to start scheming towards getting along with her fast, before she launches any attacks on me.

But first off, I must finish my other side mission: which is getting Daeun chucked the fuck out of this place.

****

After the three of us go our separate ways, I first ensure that Daeun is tied up with work in the house before marching in the direction of the servants' outbuilding.

I arrive at the duplex house a few minutes later, sneakily glance around for a bit before creeping inside.

I step into a sleek, but comfy looking sitting room. There's a charcoal-gray sectional sofa in the center of the room facing a large TV on the wall, and a small coffee table sits in front of it, holding a stack of glossy magazines and a vase with freshly cut flowers.
The space is silent and empty, but someone could come in any moment and discover me. Still, it's now or never.

I make for the nearest room on the right, and peer inside; It's a kitchen. I quickly peek into the rest of the rooms on the first floor, which are all empty, before tiptoeing up the stairs.

On reaching the second floor, I begin going from door to door, opening each one and searchingly peering inside with bated breath. It takes a few tries before I find the room I'm looking for; I figure it's the one because there's a set of golden letters up on one wall spelling her name - Daeun.

I sneak into the room like a cat on the prowl, my eyes hungrily darting around the prim and proper surroundings. Everything looks a little too neat - maybe there's something to hide...?

I start my mission, scouring every inch of the room for hidden oddities. I rummage through drawers, flip through notebooks, and even peek under her bed. But there's no smoking gun, no sign of her wickedness.

Frustration gnaws at my gut - I can't go back empty-handed, not after everything I've risked. I won't leave until I find something that'll knock her off her high horse.

Just then, my gaze falls on an innocent-looking curtain hanging in the corner, gently flapping in the breeze that wafts through an open window. Eyes narrowed, I go up to curtain and slowly pull it back.

And my jaw drops to the floor.

Hundreds of pictures of Taehyung cover the wall, meticulously arranged into this humongous collage.

Some are candid shots, capturing moments of his everyday life: him during moments of his show, walking down some street, dining at a restaurant, shopping for clothes, and stuff like that. Others are posed photos - red carpet moments, studio portraits, magazine covers, printed social media posts, etc. There are even some drawings of his face.

But it doesn't end there. Below the collage sits a little table, cluttered with all these relics and stuff: pieces of clothing, locks of hair enclosed in a little glass box, a few buttons, a cufflink, a necktie, a Rolex watch, a mini replica of a mannequin, and so on.

Incredulous laughter bubbles from my lips as I take in the sheer lunacy of it all. A fucking shrine. Batshit crazy Daeun is that obsessed with Taehyung. My Taehyung.

My eyes widen when I spot a single picture of Jennie at the bottom of the shrine, marred with angry marker slashes.

Damn... That's all I've got to say about that one.

My gaze then lands on this custom-made book thingie with his name on it, and I reach out to grab it when a sound from outside suddenly pierces the air, making me freeze.

Someone is coming.

All thoughts vanish from my mind as panic takes hold, but then I snap out of it and begin searching desperately for a hiding place - but the door's handle is already turning.

Shit. Shit. Shit.

A/N: Shit, alright 😦 And isn't Hyejin a real piece of work???

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