His Addiction || KIM TAEHYUNG - [#2 of Mafia series]

EP 3

Taehyung's Point of View :

"Pull over," I ordered the driver.

The car came to a smooth stop, and I stepped out, the roar of the city around me fading into the background. My eyes never left her. Nabi. She was so close, yet still out of reach. As I approached, her laughter, light and musical, cut through the noise. It was a sound that both enchanted and infuriated me.

"Mr. Kim?" My secretary Chanyeol's voice was tentative, trying to bring me back to the reality of our schedules and obligations. But I ignored him. Nothing mattered right now except her.

Nabi glanced up, her eyes widening in surprise as she saw me. The guy beside her turned, his expression shifting from confusion to concern. He moved a step closer to her, a protective gesture that made my blood boil.

"Amm T... Taehyung?" Nabi said softly, her voice a hesitant greeting. Her eyes darted nervously between me and her companion.

"Hey..." I started, my face confused, moving my eyes around. "You, uh, study here, huh?" I sounded as clueless as I felt.

"Yes, I study here," she began, but I cut her off.

"I had a meeting, but it got canceled at the last minute, so I just stopped for some fresh air," I said smoothly. She nodded, seemingly accepting my explanation.

"How will you get home?" I asked, eyeing the guy beside her. "I can drop you."

"Oh... I..." She looked at the guy beside her. "Um, Sehun..." Nabi glanced at Sehun, who looked like he was about to protest, but she placed a hand on his arm, stopping him. "It's okay. I'll be fine."

She nodded at me, but as I turned to open the car door, I heard them murmuring to each other.

"You sure, damn? With him? You know him, sure?" Sehun's voice was low, filled with concern.

"Yes, I know. He is my mom's friend's son. We, yes... don't worry," Nabi replied, her voice soft but firm.

I clenched my jaw, trying to control the surge of possessiveness that flared within me. Turning back to them, I forced a smile. "Ready to go, Nabi?"

She nodded and stepped closer, bidding a final goodbye to Sehun. As she got into the car, I followed, sliding in beside her.

"Are you comfortable with the air conditioner?" I asked, eyeing her. She nodded, looking down at her lap.

"Um, thank you for the ride... uh, I called you Taehyung, are you mad?" she asked, glancing up at me. Her eyes were captivating, drawing me in, but I snapped back to reality when I heard the clearing throat of my PA, seated in the passenger seat with the driver.

"No, I'm not mad," I replied, keeping my tone gentle. "You can call me Taehyung. I like it when you do."

Her cheeks flushed, and she looked away again. Come on look at me again!

"How was your day at university?" I asked, trying to steer the conversation to safer ground.

"It was good," she said softly. "Just busy with classes and projects."

"I see," I replied, nodding. "It sounds like you have a lot on your plate."

She nodded, her fingers still twisting nervously in her lap. "Yes, but it's manageable."

"Yesterday, Mrs. Shin mentioned you study fashion," I started, hoping to make her feel more comfortable.

Nabi glanced up, her eyes lighting up a bit. "Yes, I do. Fashion design. It's always been my passion."

I smiled, glad to see her opening up. "That's impressive. What drew you to fashion?"

She hesitated for a moment, then spoke softly, her voice gaining confidence as she continued. "I've always loved how clothing can express individuality. It's like a language of its own, telling stories without words. Plus, I enjoy the creative process, from sketching ideas to seeing them come to life."

"That's a beautiful way to look at it," I replied genuinely. "Do you have a favorite designer or style?"

She thought for a moment, her fingers playing with a loose thread on her sleeve. "I admire a lot of designers, but I think Alexander McQueen's work really resonates with me. His pieces are bold and often dark, but there's a lot of beauty in them too. It's like he's telling a story with each collection."

I nodded, impressed by her insight. "McQueen was a genius. It's fascinating how he could blend darkness and beauty so seamlessly."

She looked up, meeting my gaze with a small smile. "Exactly. That's what I love about fashion—the ability to create something that evokes emotion, whether it's joy, sadness, or anything in between."

Our conversation flowed more naturally now, and I could see her starting to relax. "Do you have any projects you're currently working on?" I asked, genuinely curious.

"Actually, yes," she said, her excitement genuine. "I'm working on a collection inspired by dark romance. I've been taking help from my favorite singer's songs; they're dope—" She smiled, showing her teeth, and oh, my poor heart.

"I'm talking too much, aren't I?" she murmured, her cheeks turning a lovely shade of pink.

I chuckled. "I like it. The way you speak about your ambitions is pretty great," I said proudly. "I don't see many students that devoted to their majors, and the way you talked about McQueen—it's just something. It shows you're really focused on your dream."

"You know about McQueen?" she asked, looking confused.

"I know quite a bit," I said, nodding. "I'm actually a premium member of Gucci Korea."

"You what!" she exclaimed, her eyes wide with surprise.

I couldn't help but laugh at her reaction. "Yes, it's true. Fashion is an interest of mine as well. I appreciate the artistry and craftsmanship that goes into it."

"Wow," she said, still processing the information. "I had no idea. You don't really come across as someone who's into fashion."

"Well, there's a lot you don't know about me, Nabi," I replied, my tone teasing but sincere. "And talking about dark romance, I kind of like that too. Um... do you watch anime?" I asked.

Her face lit up. "Omo, they are my favorites! Gosh, we have so many things in common! That's why our moms have so much gossip with each other." She giggled. "Taehyung-shi, you are quite interesting. I always heard you were the opposite."

"What a coincidence," I chuckled, genuinely pleased. "We do have a lot in common, don't we?" I smiled at the thought.

As we continued talking, I couldn't help but think to myself: I'm not a stalker, I'm just a man who knows what he wants.

The conversation flowed naturally, and before we knew it, we were at her home. When the car stopped, I walked her to the door once more, feeling a deepening connection between us.

"Thank you for sharing with me, Nabi. I really enjoyed our conversation," I said, looking into her eyes.

"Me too," she said softly. "Until next time?" she asked, searching my eyes for a reply.

"Sure," I replied with a smile.

I watched her walk inside her house, a small smirk forming on my face. She was opening up, and I could feel the connection growing stronger.

"Boss... the meeting—" Chanyeol started.

"Tell Mr. Min to reschedule it," I interrupted, not taking my eyes off the door Nabi had just entered.

Chanyeol nodded, quickly typing a message on his phone. As the car drove away, I leaned back in my seat, my mind racing with thoughts of Nabi. She was more intriguing than I had imagined, and the more I learned about her, the more I wanted to uncover.