exotic | k.th

8 ‣ charity

The Break Room.
> A few hours into the night.

"I can help." He says lowly, keeping his expression calm even though his grip is tight enough to suggest more serious feelings. You try pulling free, but he won't let you go until you say something back to him. This conversation is so incredibly outrageous to you, though, that even looking at him for too long starts heating up your blood to a boil.

"Get away from me, Taehyung." You say through gritted teeth, looking him straight in the eyes and tensing your arms. His stupid expression of concern doesn't go away, instead it softens and suddenly all you want to do is punch him. "I said GET AWAY!" You scream.

"Haru," Taehyung's deep voice comes out gentle, letting go of your wrists and taking hold of your face, "Haru." He repeats, looking deeper into your twinkling eyes as you try one last time to get out of his hold. You try and turn your head away from him, but his hands don't budge. "Look at me." He demands.

"My sister is none of your business. I am none of your business." You clench your jaw, snapping your neck just a few degrees to glare at him straight in the eyes as he so wishes. "What? You find my body attractive, you chase me for a few days, get inside of me and that's not enough?! Leave me alone." You try your hardest to keep your voice steady.

"No," Taehyung shakes his head, slightly leaning in closer to you, "it's not enough." He pauses, momentarily leaving the room so still and quiet that you finally get to notice how hard the two of you are breathing. "I want to do more for you." He follows, adjusting his fingers to cup your face a little better. "You don't get it—"

"No, I don't." You cut him off, bringing your hands up to hit his chest. "I don't get it." You finally catch him off-guard enough to shove him off a few inches. Taehyung keeps his stubborn eyes on you, exhaling an annoyed scoff but nonetheless staying where is. "You don't know me. You have no right to pretend that you do." You tell him.

"You're wrong." Taehyung's voice comes out steady and sure. "I've been spending months sitting at table twelve getting to know you." He follows. "You and Keri have a special bond, you don't trust her all that much, but she's like a sister regardless. Sandoval treats you like a daughter even though he's not that much older and has no kids. You hate drunks, maybe your father was one—"

Does he know my father..?

"Stop." You cut him off immediately, causing him to clench his jaw as you exhale a shaky, angry breath. "You don't get to psychoanalyze me right now—or analyze me in any type of way, matter of fact." Your words leave your mouth through gritted teeth. "I am not your little fucking—charity case or whatever the hell you think this is, alright?"

"You think you're a charity case?"

"Oh, please." You scoff, slightly throwing your head back with a bitter smile and a couple of bitter tears slipping down your cheek. "You're gonna stand there and tell me you don't think so? 'I want to do more for you.' Isn't that what you just said?" You furrow your eyebrows. "As if I'm some helpless, stupid girl who needs someone to swoop in and fix all the problems she's been working so hard to fix on her own—"

"I'm saying you don't have to fucking be alone anymore!" Taehyung raises his voice, taking one big step closer to you as his limited patience finally runs thin. You wince inevitably, backing up on instinct as your breath catches in your throat. Taehyung watches your reaction and softens. "Haru," he tries to reach out to you, "I—I'm sorry, I wasn't—"

"Gonna put your hands on me like you must've just figured my dad did?" You finish his sentence, looking him straight in the eye as the discomfort and shame harden in your chest. "Don't fucking apologize to me. I don't need any of this guardian-angel hero nonsense. You can't possibly feel anything other than lust for me, so do me a favor and stop pretending like you care just to get laid."