The moment lingered—soft, unfinished, real.
Y/N's fingers tightened slightly around the ring in her pocket.
Then, almost like the thought had been waiting for the right moment—
She spoke.
"There's something else."
Taehyung's gaze sharpened slightly.
"What is it?"
She hesitated.
Not because she was unsure.
But because this part still carried weight.
"Back then... in college," she said quietly, "when I confessed to you..."
His expression shifted—subtle, but real.
"I always thought I knew why you rejected me."
He didn't interrupt.
So she continued.
"I thought you were embarrassed of me."
A pause.
"I thought... I wasn't enough for you."
The words came out softer than she intended.
Honest.
Unfiltered.
Taehyung's jaw tightened slightly.
"You really believed that?"
She let out a small, humorless laugh.
"You rejected me in front of everyone, Taehyung."
Another silence.
This one heavier.
"I had to believe something."
For a moment, he didn't say anything.
And that scared her more than anger would have.
But then—
He stepped closer.
Not rushed.
Not defensive.
Just... steady.
"That's not why I rejected you."
Her brows furrowed.
"Then why?"
He exhaled slowly, like he had been carrying this answer for years.
"Because I was already being controlled."
She stilled.
"What do you mean?"
"My father had already decided my future," he said quietly.
"My career. My company."
A pause.
"My engagement."
Y/N's eyes widened slightly.
"Even back then?"
He nodded.
"I knew if I got close to you..."
His voice dropped.
"...you'd be dragged into something ugly."
She shook her head faintly.
"So you humiliated me to protect me?"
"I thought it would make you hate me."
"It did."
"I know."
The honesty in his voice didn't try to soften it.
It just accepted it.
"I figured," he continued, "if you moved on... you'd have a normal life."
She let out a breath.
"And instead I spent years thinking I wasn't worth choosing."
That hit harder than anything else.
Taehyung closed the distance between them completely now.
"You were always worth choosing."
His voice was firm.
"I just wasn't strong enough back then to fight for you."
The room went quiet again.
But this time—
It wasn't heavy.
It was something else.
Something healing.
Y/N looked at him carefully.
"You really thought pushing me away was the right thing?"
"At the time?" he said honestly. "Yes."
"And now?"
He didn't hesitate.
"No."
Her lips curved slightly.
"Good."
Because there was no bitterness in her voice now.
Only clarity.
She stepped a little closer, their foreheads almost touching.
"Next time," she said softly, "don't decide things for me."
"I won't."
A pause.
"I learned that the hard way."
She smiled faintly.
"Yeah. You did."
His hand tightened slightly at her waist.
"And I'm not making the same mistake again."
Their eyes met.
No past misunderstandings.
No assumptions.
Just truth.
And for the first time—
That part of their story finally felt complete.
Outside, the city kept moving.
Inside, something old had finally settled.
And something new—
Was finally free to grow.
//SORRYYY CUTIESS I KNOW I AM NOT BE ABLE TO POST FOR A WHILE BUT I'M TRYING HARD TO MANAGE STUDIES AND ALL RIGHT NOW I'LL TRY TO PUBLISH IT!!! FOR NOW ENJOYY !! AND STREAM ARIRANG FOR NOW!!//
YOU ARE READING
ENEMIES WITH BENEFITS//TAEHYUNG FF//
FanfictionHE HATES HER... ALMOST AS MUCH AS HE WANTS HER
