Shadows Of Stardom

Chapter 35

“Jennie,” Taehyung greeted me with his signature smile. This was how I remembered him—always so carefree and effortlessly charming, but I could tell it was all a facade right now.

I quickly wrapped my arms around his waist, holding him tightly. I was unsure of what he was feeling at that moment, and I hated not knowing. It didn’t take long for him to wrap his arms around me, pulling me in even closer.

“Thanks for coming,” he whispered, his voice much calmer now. I nodded against his chest.

“It’s just my mom being my mom,” Taehyung shrugged. “Forget what you heard earlier,” he added as we settled into the living room, plopping down beside me.

“Right,” I replied, forcing a smile. He was still the same Taehyung I loved, but something felt off.

I realized how inadequate I was as his girlfriend; I hadn’t taken the time to truly understand him. Sure, I knew his favorite person, color, weather, and celebrities, but did I know his dreams? Did I know how he envisioned his future?

“Jennie...???” Taehyung called out, waving his hands in front of me.

“Did you have breakfast?” he asked, and I nodded. I had already lost my appetite after what I witnessed earlier. I told him I had eaten, and he nodded, shifting closer to me.

Her voice echoed in my mind like a broken record: You loved Sana; you two have been engaged since childhood, why don't you accept her again
:You need to join the family business and be with Sana

Those words twisted in my stomach like a knife. Did she really want Taehyung to get engaged? The idea that he might consider going back to his first girlfriend, especially now that he feels I still had some feelings for Kai, made my heart sink.

“Jennie?” Taehyung’s voice pulled me out of my thoughts. His brow was furrowed, and for a moment, I wondered if he could see the worry on my face. My heart raced. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah, I’m fine!”

“Want to play a game?”

“Sure!” The response came out too quickly, revealing my eagerness, but I needed something to distract me, even if just for a little while.

I could see that Taehyung noticed something was off with me. He kept stealing glances my way while he fixed the game, trying to suppress that familiar smile that I had fallen for time and again. Yet, even with him right next to me, I felt incredibly alone.

“Jennie?” he asked again, concern evident in his voice. “Are you sure you’re okay?”

“Yeah, I think I just need some fresh air.” I took a deep breath and stood up, needing a moment away from the confined space. But before I could leave my seat, he took my hands and gently pushed me back down.

“Hey, tell me what’s on your mind,” he said, worry etched on his face. I inhaled deeply before responding.

“I heard everything, Taehyung,” I said, getting straight to the point. His expression hardened at my words, but softened when he met my gaze.

“My parents…” he began, offering a faint smile. “They weren’t the best. To be honest, they weren’t even good.” I held his hands as he continued. “Sana and I were engaged by the time we were fifteen. We were supposed to get married after college,” he explained.

“I didn’t mind it back then because I really liked her… a lot. Plus, I couldn’t object; she was the daughter of another wealthy family.”
"It was an arranged marriage," he explained. "I was actually happy about it because we liked each other, and there was no downside. If we got married, we would be pleasing our parents while also being together." I couldn't help but feel a pang of jealousy when he mentioned how much he liked her.