Secretary Jeon [Jungkook x Reader]

♡ 33

CHAPTER 33

"Why are they here?" My voice was seething with rage, a dangerous look flashing in my eyes as I stared at my brother.

"We're friends..." Jimin whined, tapping his fingers on the table, and avoiding my gaze.

He knew I wanted to strangle him. I was well within my right to. He had invited me out for dinner and drinks on the premise of complaining about his problems- an innocent request that I was happy to oblige. I owed him quite a few favors for the times he'd listened to me, after all. What I wasn't expecting, or rather who, was both Jungkook and Taehyung, sat down beside him. After I had poured my heart out to Jimin last weekend, the last thing I'd expected was for him to be fraternizing with the enemy.

"When exactly did the three of you become friends?" I was still standing, hovering over the table, refusing to take my seat.

"Well, I've always been friends with Taehyung- I introduced you, remember?" He chuckled, but his cheekiness was not appreciated. "And well, Jungkook and I became friends after he returned to Korea."

"Please sit, Y/N, there's no need to be dramatic," Taehyung purred in his usual deep timbre.

I flashed another menacing glance to Jimin, a promise to exact revenge on him for luring me here under false pretenses, before sitting down to join them. "What's the goal here?"

"There's no goal, darling," Taehyung spoke up first. "Jimin was just worried about you with how uncomfortable you've been at work. He thought it might be a good idea if we all got together and snuffed out some of the...tension."

"That's hilarious," I snorted. "I don't think there's any tension."

"You're like a ticking time bomb." Taehyung made a dramatic show with his hands. "Your hostility scares even me sometimes."

"We're not friends!" I nearly shouted, and Taehyung smirked as if I were proving his point. "We're business partners- all of us. Save for Jimin, I don't owe anyone here any sort of kindness."

"You're making things worse, Tae," Jimin interrupted, scrunching his eyes closed in frustration. "Y/N, I just wanted to make things easier for you. You're going to spend six months with these two and I hate to see you miserable."

Jungkook who had been quietly observing finally spoke. "Whatever you want to say to us, please do, Y/N."

His comment served as permission granted for me to fly off the deep end. I couldn't stop the words from flowing. "First of all, you," I pointed to Taehyung. "What is up with your timing? You broke off our fake engagement the night of my company's event with my father still in the building, and then you never spoke to me again!"

Taehyung opened his mouth to respond, but I turned to Jungkook immediately, allowing him no time to speak. "And you. Since we're talking about timing," I smiled bitterly. "One day you love me and the next day you're on a flight out of the country."

"I see this was a mistake," Jimin sighed. He placed both palms on the table, ready to take his leave.

"No, it's fine," Taehyung brought a hand to his arm, holding him back. His attention turned back to me, and his eyes narrowed in on mine. "My family found out we were lying about the engagement on the night everything went down, and they threatened to tell your father. I asked them to spare us and let me call it off myself in order to save face." He bit his lip, as though the next part came with some difficulty. "I should have remained in contact, I know, but I couldn't face you since it was my fault our arrangement failed...I got caught with another woman."

My ragged breaths were slowing as I listened to his explanation. How could I blame him for his decision? He was stuck between a rock and a hard place, and he'd chosen the option that was least likely to hurt me. Even his lack of contact made sense. I'd have felt guilty too if I had been the reason our ruse was discovered, and I very well could have been. I wasn't free of faults. I'd been using him just as he'd been using me. That was the agreement. And yet he'd still shown me some grace by stopping his family from outing me to my father.

"I'm sorry for being cruel to you since we reconnected," I spoke softly. "I understand your reasons for keeping your distance."

"I'm sorry, too." A regretful smile played on his lips. An expression of vulnerability that I'd never seen him make before.

A brief pause occurred before everyone realized it was time for Jungkook and I to talk things out. "Maybe we should leave those two alone for a bit," Jimin addressed Taehyung.

"I agree."

The two men rose from the table and left Jungkook and I alone with only the heavy air between us. The clinking of glasses and mindless chatter of the restaurant's patrons was a solace, filling the silence that fell upon us. I wasn't sure what I wanted to ask him to clear up first. Why he'd left in the first place? Or why he'd hugged me like his entire being depended on it just days ago? It felt like I'd traveled down this road before and every time I did, I ended up more and more confused.

Finally, I gained the courage to begin our conversation, "This is the last chance I will offer you to be forthright with me."

His eyes shifted down to the table, a hint of sadness behind them. "I know."

"Please, just tell me what happened."

"Back then, your father called me over to your family estate," Jungkook looked up at me. "He had pictures of us together, clearly romantic in nature. He demanded that I end things with you."

"So, you did as you were commanded?" I gritted my teeth.

"Your father threatened to take the CEO title away from you and force the role onto Jimin instead." Jungkook rubbed his forehead, his voice wavering. "I couldn't make you choose between me and your brother."

Hearing his words, it felt as if my heart was shattering all over again. He hadn't left of his own volition. He left to spare me from the choice of hurting him or hurting Jimin- one that would have left me devastated and broken. And I'd painted him as a monster for it. Why had everyone around me sacrificed themselves for me? I felt helpless. I'd never been a damsel in distress, someone who needed saving. So, why did everyone jump to protect me?

I wanted to know more, needed to know more, but hot tears were threatening to erupt from my eyes and the only thing I could think to do was get out of there. I heard both Jimin and Taehyung calling after me as I rushed out of the front door and took off down the street, but I ignored their cries. My feet were in excruciating pain, the heels of my shoes catching on the uneven pavement and causing blisters. Still, that pain was nothing compared to the torrent raging in my heart. I didn't have a destination in mind as I ran, I just couldn't be there.