You Don't Own Me | 18+

Chapter 24

Taehyung gulps down and grabs Jennie's hands that are around his face to remove them. But she insists and hugs his waist.

"Jisoo, I heard your brother is bullied. I'm so sorry." Jennie says, pressing her face against his chest.

Taehyung looks down at the odd behaviour she's doing and tries to push her away. Yet she is determined to not let him go. He awkwardly smiles at Jisoo and she doesn't return him.

"Grandma is calling you." Jisoo ignores Jennie's comment on her brother and looks directly at him. "In the living room." She doesn't wait for his response and turns on her heels to leave.

He clenches his fist and peels Jennie's hands off of his body. "Will you stop acting like a child?"

"No." She shrugs. "She knows this is how I actually acts in front of you anyway. What's there to feel shy about it?"

"Don't act like this in front of my family." He gives her a warning and follows after Jisoo.

Jennie stomps her feet angrily but doesn't waste another second in the backyard.

***

"Nice to meet you, everyone. I'm Jennie." Jennie introduces herself as soon as she enters the living room before Taehyung can even open his mouth.

Grandma looks at her and Jisoo by her side on the sofa. She puts her hand on Jisoo and nods. "Are you the one Taehyung recently broke up with?"

Jennie squints her eyes and looks at Taehyung sharply. He talks her with his eyes to not say one more word. As he replies. "Yes, Grandma. You're right."

"Then what are you doing here? Don't you know it's rude to barge in our house and accused our family member? Where is your manner? Didn't your parents teach you the basics of civility?" Grandma says with a stern expression.

The more Grandma defends for her, the guiltier Jisoo feels. She's too ashamed to raise her head and looks at the old lady eyes to eyes. She wishes that she could be invincible for the rest of her life or erase the memories of her being in the mansion.

"Grandma..." Taehyung sighs. "She's just...shocked to see me having engagement party with Jisoo right after we broke up. So she can't believe I'd move on so fast and made a scene. Please don't take her words seriously, Grandma."

"That's her problem. It's her fault that she can't move on from you when she isn't willing to marry you in the first place. Am I wrong?" Grandma's question is blunt and cold that Jennie and Taehyung flinch at the intensity of it.

"No, you are not." Taehyung sighs helplessly. "But..." He glances at Jisoo for help. She is not looking at him, to be frank, doesn't care to spare a glimpse to his way. He notices his brother is eyeing her smugly. "Can she live here for a few days, Grandma?"

"What?!" Grandma yells at him. "How could you ask me such request, Taetae? You're not thinking of what Jisoo feels about it?"

"I-" he breathes in exasperatedly, so tired of this whole situation. He pleads Jisoo with his eyes, hoping she will help him even though he knows he is being selfish.

Jisoo catches his plead and touches Grandma hand softly. Grandma asks her what's wrong. With a head shake, she says. "Jennie is my best friend, Grandma. Just like me, she also has her own troubles. Given that she used to love Tae so much and as my friend, I don't mind it if she lives with us and celebrate our wedding...as my bridesmaid."

Grandma's eyebrows narrow with consideration since it's Jisoo who is being generous and kind-hearted. She doesn't want to upset her granddaughter and gives her a firm nod with a smile. "If that's what you want, I can allow it, Jisooya. I just don't want to see you getting upset because of her presence."

"Don't worry, Grandma. I know that Tae loves me." She glances at the man and his expression turns sour at her pitiful acting.

Taehyung feels like he doesn't deserve her kindness at all. On his side, Jennie nips on her bottom lip as her eyes bore into Jisoo's head. How dare she takes her place within a short period of time? She underestimated her because of her poor background but never expected her to be this smart and cunning underneath that pathetic facade.

"You're too good for him." Grandma rubs her cheek and then throws a firm look at her grandson. "Let her stay in our mansion and be Jisoo's bridesmaid as she wants. I don't want to see anything else. Do you understand?"

Taehyung smiles at his Grandma stiffly and bows. "Yes, Grandma."

***

"Jisoo..." He catches her hand when she's about to walk away. She turns to glare at him. He doesn't let her hand go and draws her closer. "I'm so sorry. I really am. I shouldn't just stand there like an idiot. I should have said something—"

"You don't have to say sorry, Taehyung." Her using his full name gives him chills. "I'm aware of your feelings and I know my place in this mansion."

"Hey, that's not what I mean." He doesn't understand why she is looking down on herself like that when she means more than what she is believing.

"It doesn't matter. I'll do my part of acting till the contract ends and I'll never show up to your house after that. So you can let me go." She takes her hand back from his grab and walks away.

Taehyung watches the back of her small figure and pulls his hair from the root in vexation. Being in a predicament where he has no idea what to do is so fucking maddening.

"I'm glad she knows her place." Jennie says, appearing by his side.

He rubs his face. "You should be glad she didn't kick you out."

Jennie's jaw drops. "Excuse me? How could you speak to me like that, Tae? What is this? You're taking her side and doesn't love me anymore?"

"It's not about who I love, Jennie. You're the one who fucking left me on the very fucking big day." He points at her chest, his face hard and fierce. "Did you ever, like ever, think of what could have happened to me when you did that? Huh? No! You didn't! You are so fucking greedy and selfish that you only think of yourself."

"And I come back to you after I realised what I did was wrong—"

"What about me?! The relationship only works out when both sides understand each other. You only look for yourself. You can't be thinking that just because you came back, I'll welcome you with my arms spread? Am I that easy, Jennie? While you're fucking around with another man, I'm here saving my life to not fuck it up!"

"I get it. You're mad that I didn't put you first. But Tae, we both know that you love me so much." She cups his face and stares at him seductively. "You know that there will be no woman in this world that you can love, other than me. Don't you?"

He clenches his jaw and closes his eyes, letting her touch his face.