𝐑𝐎𝐒𝐄𝐒 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐑𝐍𝐒

VI

Burgundy Rose

Park Jimin awoke at five o'clock each and every morning. Without fail.

As soon as the first rays of sunlight broke ruthlessly through the gap in his dark blue curtains his eyes fluttered open. He squinted against the brightness. Rolled onto his back. Stared at the ceiling. Groaned, because it hadn't been enough. Not enough sleep. As usual.

He sat up. Cracked his neck a few times. Flexed and curled his fingers. Wincing as what was surely a burgeoning case of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome strained at his wrists, the flash of pain making him grunt.

Jihun was always telling him to take a vacation…

The maid, as per usual, had left a cup of coffee and a croissant on a tray, along with several of the world's leading daily papers, all tied together in a crisp bundle-the Guardian, the Wall Street Journal, Reference News-along with the less-erudite Seoul Times. Jimin got out of his king-size bed with its dark blue coverlet, rolled back his shoulders, and padded across the thickly carpeted floor to retrieve his breakfast.

He ate neatly, not spilling a crumb of the pastry, as he had been trained to do as a child, as he briefly flipped through the international papers, clicking his tongue in approval at various stock reports and trade deals littering the news outlets' business sections. Very good, very good.

Taking a sip of the steaming hot black coffee, Jimin turned idly to the Seoul Time-while it was Seoul City's most popular newspaper, circulation did not exactly connote prestige, as much of the non-business or sports sections of the daily was devoted to more tabloid, tawdry affairs.

He laughed under his breath, thinly and harshly, as he saw his own scowling face plastered on the front page of the Life section-him fending off a photographer, looking ready to punch someone, hand on Rosé's back, as he led her to the restaurant at the Seoul City Ritz-Carlton.

"Seoul City's Most Eligible Bachelor-SPOTTED ON A DATE WITH A MYSTERIOUS WOMAN!"

He flipped to the continuation of the story, avoiding getting dusty ink on his fingertips, where several television personalities and reporters had given their opinions of the presumed couple-wondering blithely who this unfamiliar woman was, how the pair of them looked together, how long they'd been secretly dating before taking that step and going out in public together…

Roséanne Park-

That strange woman.

One minute she was obedient. Quiet. Fearful yet calm. Serene.

The next-

Winking at him and joking around with Mino, voice heavy with laughter and implications, like the two were the best of friends…

Then-

In the limousine-

Jimin blushed delicately as he recalled her unnerving behavior in the backseat. How she'd smiled at him. Murmured in his ear. Loosened his tie. Her hands moving to his shoulders. Eyes half-lidded. Wanting.

And testing his willpower.

Jimin took another bite of pastry. I mean, I know I'm no eyesore, but she must have had too much to drink. She would not have acted in such a way had she not been intoxicated…