THE WORLD SHE PAINTED RED |KTH(18+)

CH-61|JUST BUSINESS PARTNERS~

"You know, you're not as cold and distant as you try to portray yourself," he notes, his voice filled with a hint of amusement.

Taehyung lets out a small laugh, amused by her cold facade. He knows that he has managed to crack her emotionless exterior throughout the evening, albeit just a tiny bit.

"You can act stone-cold all you want," he teases, his voice laced with a hint of playfulness. "But I see through you. You're not as tough as you pretend to be."

Isabella shoots back with a scoff.

"Speaking of cold, look who's talking."

She holds his gaze, her eyes challenging him with a hint of sass. Despite her cold demeanor, she refuses to back down from the banter between them.

Taehyung smirks, enjoying the banter between them.

"At least I'm not trying to hide it," he retorts. "You on the other hand, you're like an impenetrable fortress."

Isabella's voice cut through the silence with a chilling edge, "There's no need to get involved with the impenetrable fortress!" She paused for a moment, her gaze piercing, before continuing, "If you think I don't know what you're trying to do since this evening, then congratulations! You are a fool!"

Taehyung can feel her defense walls going up as she turns cold. He knows that he's treading on thin ice, but he's not backing down.

He steps closer, closing the small distance between them, and looks directly into her eyes.

"Maybe I am a fool," he admits, his voice soft but determined. "But I'm not giving up that easily."

He reaches out and gently cups her chin, turning her face towards him. His touch is unexpected but not unwelcome. She looks up at him, her expression betraying none of the emotions bubbling within her.

"I never said I didn't know what I was dealing with," he responds, his tone nonchalant. "I know exactly what I'm up against."

His touch is both unexpected and comforting, and she can't help but feel a flutter of something within her at his forwardness.

Taehyung's intense gaze remains locked with hers, as if the two of them have entered into some sort of unspoken battle of wills.

They stand there, standing incredibly close to each other, feeling the heat from each other's bodies as they stand under the soft glow of the Eiffel Tower's lights.

Taehyung's voice begins to soften as he starts to speak, the words "Bella, I Lov—" on the tip of his tongue. However, before he can finish confessing his feelings, Isabella's hand quickly reaches up and removes his hand from her chin. She takes a few steps back from him, putting a small yet significant distance between them.

Taehyung's heart sinks as Isabella quickly distances herself from him. He stands there, watching her with a mixture of hurt and confusion in his eyes.

"Bella..." he calls out, his voice low and tinged with pain.

But she doesn't stop; instead, she continues to back away from him, determined to keep her guard up.

Taehyung lets out a heavy sigh as he watches her continue to distance herself from him. He wants to reach out, to try and bridge the gap between them, but he knows that she'll only push him away even more.

"Bella..." he repeats, his voice softer and more weary this time.

But the distance between them remains, a physical representation of the emotional wall she's erected around herself.

Isabella turns to face him, her expression cold and distant, as she speaks sternly.

"We are just business partners!" she states firmly. "Please stay within that boundary."