⤷MASQUERADE || Jeon Jk FF ♡

part; ²⁰

Y/N gasped as she jolted awake, her breath coming in short, rapid bursts. The darkness of her room pressed in around her, but the only thing she could see was the vivid remnants of her nightmare. She felt trapped in that shadowy place for a moment longer before reality slowly settled in. The sheets were tangled around her legs, and the cold sweat beading on her forehead glistened under the dim glow of her bedside lamp.

Her heart hammered in her chest as she tried to calm herself down, inhaling deeply and counting her breaths until the panic gradually subsided. The same nightmare had plagued her ever since she returned—visions of that night, blurred faces, and the haunting echo of voices that sent chills down her spine. With trembling hands, she sat up, reaching for the drawer beside her bed.

With a heavy heart, she pulled out the small, crumpled letter—the same one that had shaken her to the core. The threat it held weighed heavily on her mind, and she knew she needed to confront her father about it soon. Someone knew her secret. Someone was toying with her, taunting her with knowledge that could destroy everything she had built for herself.

“Delusion,” she whispered the word from the letter, as if saying it aloud would somehow dispel its power. “I am not a murderer…”

But the images in her head, the memories she wished to forget, only served to mock her. Her fingers traced the harsh lines of the unknown handwriting before she shoved it back into the drawer, closing it with a decisive click.

Desperate for a distraction, she picked up her phone, scrolling through her social media. Yet, even here, there was no respite. Her head throbbed with the onslaught of notifications, likes, and comments flooding in about the recent photoshoot with Taehyung.

Her screen was awash with glimpses of their shoot—teasers, stolen shots, and short clips that had been posted by onlookers. It was almost overwhelming, the way the public had latched onto their pairing. Comments scrolled past in rapid succession:

“OMG! They look sooo good together. The chemistry is off the charts! 😍”

“When is the official spread coming out?! I need more of these two ASAP.”

“Dynamite Couple for sure! Taehyung and Y/N should just date already. They’re perfect for each other. 😍🔥”

“I heard there’s an engagement announcement on the way 👀😏.”

Y/N grimaced at that last comment, irritation flaring up within her. Engagement? They hadn’t even officially confirmed their relationship, let alone anything beyond that. But people were quick to make up stories, seeing only what they wanted to see.

And then she saw it. Taehyung’s latest post. His profile was filled with professional shots and candid snaps from the photoshoot. But the one that caught her eye was a close-up of them, caught in a moment where they seemed lost in each other’s gaze.

“Fate or just good business? 😉” Taehyung had captioned it teasingly, adding a playful wink emoji. The post was already blowing up with thousands of likes and comments.

“Fate, for sure!”

“Stop teasing us, Tae. We all know you’re into her! 💖”

“Does this mean what we think it means?? Are you two a couple now?!”

“I can’t believe this is happening… so happy for you two!! #RelationshipGoals”

"Y/n had been quite about it, what does that mean? "  🤷‍♀️

Y/N stared at his post, her jaw tightening. The way he played up their relationship online, fanning the flames of speculation… It was almost amusing how seamlessly he blurred the lines between their personal and business lives. Was this his way of showing dominance? Or was he just playing along with the public’s expectations?