You Don't Own Me • 18+

Chapter 9

After a dramatic moment of his grandma welcoming her warmly and weirdly, she let Jisoo sits back down but this time she tells Taehyung to move to another seat and takes his instead.

Her hand is still holding Jisoo. "I'm so sorry to say this but may I know when did we meet? I'm a busybody so I have interacted with plenty of people." She tries to seek explanation, hoping that doesn't offend the elder.

Grandma of Taehyung, Kim Goeun, strokes Jisoo's hands in hers before replying. "I'm sure it's understandable since I saw you left the place urgently. I couldn't even get to say thank you properly. Alas, I was really upset back then. But not anymore. You're here. This must be fate."

Connecting the dots that she elucidates, Jisoo's frown slowly eases, realizing what she's talking about.

Just awhile ago, she helped an elder lady from theft after meeting Jin around his school. So, the lady she helped was Taehyung's grandma all this time?

Wow. What a coincidence.

Grandma's smile widen seeing Jisoo finally gets it. "You remember now, hum?"

Jisoo nods gently. "Yes, I do. Are you okay? Did you lost anything important?"

"No. Thanks to you, he didn't get to steal anything from my purse. And probably in the jail right now." Grandma says the last part bitterly before smiling back to Jisoo. "Thank you so much, Jisooya. If not for you, my family's treasure would be gone."

Jisoo shakes her head firmly. "No. It's okay. I didn't do anything at all. Just a quick trick."

At the mere joke, Grandma's laughter fills the room. "Haha, I saw it. You should have witnessed how angry he was and blaming you for his failure. Of course, I made sure he learned his lesson to not earn money in such dirty way and remember that lesson for the rest of his life."

"I'm sure you did." Jisoo chuckles as Taehyung's grandma is totally different from how he madly spouted. She's not old-fashioned at all.

"Great, now now, Taetae, Jisoo is your girlfriend?" She turns to her grandson.

Taehyung can only bob his head once, uncertainly.

"Very good, very good. But didn't you say you're madly in love with that one girl...what's her name again? Jessi? Something with J."

"It's...um Jennie, grandma."

"Ah, yeah, that one. So what happened? Did you two suddenly break up?"

"Yes, Grandma. She...we don't work. We have different views on everything and I realize it's better to not continue the relationship if it's that...toxic."

His grandma examines his face with a smile and nods. "So you replaces Jisoo in her place? Like a substitute? Did I ever teach you to become that unprincipled?"

"No, grandma. Jisoo is not like that. I...okay, you've been nagging me quite a long time since my breakup with Jennie and threatened me with bunch of arrange marriages and I don't want it. Jisoo, she understands me. She's willing to do anything if that means to make me feel content. Which is why, she's my girlfriend. Grandma, I don't want a marriage where there's no love in it. And you know that more than anyone else."

Grandma tugs Jisoo's hands, gaining her attention. "What about you? Are you okay with this? As his sudden replacement?"

The question makes her gulp down. "I..." she glances at Taehyung, time to begin the acting. "I was not."

Taehyung's eyes widen and he thinks Jisoo has gone insane and is destroying their plan.

Grandma catches his reaction but says nothing. She smiles at Jisoo. "Then why did you accept to marry him? If he's a jerk?"

Jisoo nervously laughs. "What can I do, Grandma? I love him." She sees Taehyung shifting on his seat, basically lost to her acting. But that's what she wants. "I'm Jennie's friend and yeah, I am aware of their relationship but they are not aware of my feelings. I...I like him for awhile. And when he finally gives me a chance, I don't want to lose it. I don't care if it hurts me. As long as I can be with him."

Granma is practically melting under her fake dramatic explanation of one-sided love. Unrequited love is much more convenient than his sloppy story. He may be a big bad businessman but he has no vision for this stuff.

Of course, she knows what she is doing. She does not love him. Like why would she even want to trouble herself with a family of his as crazy and complicated as a mathematic equation?

"My poor child." Grandma storkes her cheek as Jisoo droops her head low, pitiable.

Taehyung stares at her in awe while the rest of the people watches the scene in silence.

"Fine. As long as this is what you two want, I have no objection." Grandma sighs with a delicate smile and looks at the two. "Are you happy now?"

Exchanging a glance with Jisoo first, Taehyung slowly nods his head. "Yes, Grandma. I'm happy that you finally understand me."

"Of course, I do. You're my prescious grandson after all." Grandma then turns to Kim Sohyun, her daughter-in-law, who has said nothing at all this entire conversation. "What do you think, Sohee?"

Sohee, Taehyung's mother, straightens her back. "Just like you said, Mom. I'm fine with whatever he wants."

"So it's settled now. Our Taehyung is going to marry Jisoo." Grandma announces officially.

Jisoo tries not to appear anxious hearing that as this is not real and just acting. She is not going to marry him and be apart of his family. Because she doesn't know what is left for her to do if Jennie came during their fake scheme and exposed all of their work. She doesn't have to worry about Taehyung as he will drop her on the spot and marry Jennie no doubt but then what about her? As a well-known family, The Kim's are going to hold extravagant events for their engagement and various parties. Which means her name will be announced and known, as Taehyung's fiancee.

Her name will be tainted.

She feels bit by bit being swallowed down whole.

Then, someone takes her hand, causing her to flutter her eyelashes.

Taehyung is kneeling beside her and holding her hand, a fond smile on his face. Remembering where she is still at, she responds the same. But what he does next, surprises her.

He lifts her hand and presses his lips on it gently.

A sense of cold stare crawls over her side profile as she glances at the sideway to confirm who might that be.

Jeon Jungkook, the guy she hates to the core is staring blankly at her, his posture relaxed with his cheek propping on his fisted hand.

And why does she feel perturbed by his look?