𝙃𝙞𝙨 𝙡𝙞𝙡 𝙎𝙤𝙪𝙡 || 𝙆𝙏𝙃

32. BEHIND THE SMILE

One morning, Taehyung casually offered Ava to join him at his friend's house, but she politely declined. With a soft smile, she explained that she already had plans to meet a friend, as she was looking forward to seeing Jimin today. She didn’t mention which friend, though, careful not to reveal that she was meeting one of his own . Ava didn't want Taehyung to know the truth just yet.

Jimin and Ava sat in a restaurant, though it wasn’t Jimin’s restaurant. Ava had insisted on a quiet place, away from anyone who might recognize them. She didn’t want their meeting to be known.

Ava hesitated before speaking, her voice soft. "I’m sorry, Jimin-shii. I know you’re probably busy with work, but I really needed to talk to you."

Jimin gave her a warm smile, shaking his head. "It’s not a problem at all, Ava. And don’t be so formal. Just call me Jimin."

"Okay, Jimin." She took a deep breath, gathering her thoughts. "You know what happened at the company, right?"

Jimin nodded, his expression serious. "Yeah, I heard about it. Someone tried to set you up."

Ava bit her lip, nodding in agreement. "I’ve been trying to figure it out, but nothing’s come up. And I don’t know anyone, other than you."

A sigh escaped her as the weight of the situation hit her again. "I don’t even know if they’re aware that I’m married to Taehyung. What if that’s why they’re targeting me?"

Jimin leaned forward, his voice reassuring. "Don’t worry too much, Ava. These things happen in big companies. It's always the old employees trying to pin things on the new ones. The real culprit usually stays hidden."

"I just… I hope they find out who did it," Ava murmured, a frown tugging at her lips. "I don’t want to be caught in the middle of this."

Jimin’s smile softened, trying to lift her spirits. "Let’s not dwell on it too much. Now, what I really need is some food. I’m starving." He said this with exaggerated drama, and Ava couldn’t help but laugh.

"Okay, okay," she chuckled. "I’m sorry for making you wait." They placed their order, and the conversation shifted as they ate in comfortable silence.

After a while, Ava looked at Jimin curiously. "So, you and Taehyung are really close, huh?"

Jimin paused, looking down at his plate for a moment before meeting her gaze. He chewed thoughtfully before responding. "Yeah, we’ve known each other a long time."

Ava leaned in, intrigued. "You two went to the same high school, right? What was he like back then?"

Jimin raised an eyebrow and smirked playfully. "Ah, someone’s eager to know more about her husband’s past, huh?"

Ava smiled mischievously, shrugging. "It’s not that, but I wouldn’t mind hearing more. It sounds interesting."

Jimin chuckled softly, shaking his head. "Well, Taehyung was always... unpredictable. He was that guy who could get into trouble but somehow always came out unscathed."

Ava’s eyes widened with interest. "Really? I can’t picture him like that."

Jimin smiled, remembering the old days. "You’d be surprised. He always had a way of surprising everyone."

Jimin took a deep breath, his eyes softening as the conversation shifted. He leaned back in his chair, looking thoughtful for a moment before responding.

"You know, Taehyung wasn’t always like the confident, outgoing person you see today. When he was kid, he was actually pretty quiet, almost shy at times." Jimin’s voice softened as he spoke, clearly reminiscing.