Love in the Shadows (KTH x reader x JJK) (18+)

Chapter 49

Y/N's POV-

"Taehyung... he handled everything so skillfully," Oppa continued, his voice a mixture of admiration and sorrow. "Everyone in the underworld fears him. They might call him the mafia king, but he isn't a monster. He never killed an innocent, and he never will. His reputation is built on power, yes, but also on honour. You don't know how much he loves you, Princess."

I shook my head, tears threatening to spill again. "How can that be true, Oppa? If he really loved me, why did he lie? Why did he make me feel like a stranger?"

"He never wanted to lie to you, but he felt he had no choice," Oppa explained, leaning forward despite the strain it clearly put on him. "When you left to study abroad, there wasn't a single day that went by where he didn't ask me about you. He kept his distance because he was scared—scared that you'd forgotten him, that you wouldn't want him in your life anymore. Imagine that, Princess—the mafia king, feared by everyone, was scared to approach the woman he's loved his entire life."

I stared at Oppa in disbelief. "But why? Why would he think that?"

Oppa sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Because in his mind, distancing himself was the best way to protect you. Taehyung knows his world is dangerous, and he didn't want you caught up in it. He watched over you from afar, always protecting you even if you didn't know it. And now, with the enemy closing in, we had no other option but to bring you into this world. It was the only way to keep you safe."

My heart twisted painfully. "So, everything he did—ignoring me, pushing me away, acting like I was nothing to him—was for my safety?"

Oppa nodded, his expression serious. "Taehyung was trying to protect you, even if it meant you hated him. He knew the risks of bringing you closer, but when it became clear that the danger was too great, we had no choice. He kept tabs on you, always making sure you were okay. And as for his behaviour in the office, I can't explain why he acted like that, but I'm sure he had his reasons. But one thing I can tell you for certain, Princess—you won't find a better man than Taehyung. He's loved you since the day you were born, and he still loves you."

Oppa's voice softened as he continued, "You know, Princess, when you were stuck at that construction site in Incheon? Taehyung nearly lost his mind when he found out. I've never seen him like that—so desperate, so furious with himself for letting you go there in the first place. He kept blaming himself, saying he should've known better than to send you into a place that could be dangerous."

My heart clenched as I remembered that day. Taehyung had been so different when he found me—gentle, yet fierce, like he was holding onto something precious that he almost lost. He held me so tightly, as if letting go would break him. It was a side of him I never expected, and it confused me back then, but now I can see the truth behind his actions.

Oppa's voice pulled me back. "If anything had happened to you that day, Princess... I swear, Taehyung would have torn the world apart looking for you. He was that close to losing control, to losing everything. You mean more to him than you'll ever know."

Tears welled up in my eyes, but I blinked them back, overwhelmed by the realization of just how much Taehyung had done for me without my knowledge. "Oppa, he was so... different that day. He took care of me like he wasn't the same person who'd been so cold and distant. I don't understand—why does he push me away only to protect me from the shadows?"

"He's always been conflicted, Princess," Oppa said gently. "His love for you is real, but his fear of dragging you into this dangerous world is even stronger. But despite his efforts to keep his distance, he couldn't help but protect you. Like that time when you were coming home alone from the restaurant after meeting Baekhyun..."