✅Behind the smile || Kim Taehyung X Readers

1 | Behind the Smile

Author's note -

Thank you for choosing to read this book . I hope you will enjoy your time while reading it .

Certain parts of this book contains triggering moments. It's based on romance and crime theme . I'm keeping this warning at the beginning so that it won't be too much/startling for anyone who's sensitive about triggering moments.

Lastly, it's kind of weird to ask for the obvious but I would really appreciate if you can leave a vote as you read the book . Thank you so much 💜

Enjoy reading ~~

Taehyung's POV

Another day....another attempt to bring life to the fake grin I had developed on my face. Pushing the side of my lips and letting it stretch up, building a smile which others would believe to be true . My cheekbones had already started to hurt , afterall how long can one keep up with his facade ?

This single gesture which I had taught myself , helped me hide my real life from the rest of the world. I had always preferred it that way , to never let anyone know what laid behind the mask I had built up.

I looked back at the mirror where I had been practicing my grin once again , eyes gracing over how my eyes had left the crinkle and lips had lost their curve. It was again that suffocating frown...inhaling a long breath , I managed to look away from my reflection and quickly grabbed my backpack.

First day of University after a summer break , that was the only good thing on this sullen day. Without bothering to have breakfast , I quickly took hasty steps towards the exit. I put on my shoes and finally reached out to leave the strangling silence of my house.

Keeping my pace at a medium speed , it took me some fifteen minutes to reach out on the pathway with public presence and it took another ten minutes for me to reach the bus stand . As I neared my temporary destination , my eyes could already figure out familiar figures. Watching them my brain warned me only one thing , to put on my mask of smile . I did so.

"Taehyung! We thought you would miss the first bus to university today." Jimin came trotting towards me before flinging his arm around my shoulder. I let out a breathy chuckle in return to his gesture. " You know , I'm never late." That sounded quite prideful and thankfully my friends didn't have a reason to deny .

" Why are you suddenly so tall ? " Yoongi retorted as I took the seat beside him. I nudged his shoulder and replied to his question. " I was always tall , you forgot to notice just like you forget your notes." Listening to my words , the aforementioned guy seemed to have paled .

" Sh*t ! I think I really did forget to bring the science notes. " A gush of laughter took over as Yoongi represented his forgetful self yet again. "Yoongi, you better run and grab them. Miss Kang will surely give you a seat outside the class otherwise. " Jin spoke , half wheezing and half speaking.

"Ehh, who will run back a twenty minutes path for that science note ? I'd rather spend my time at the library. " I shook my head listening to their banter . This at least felt far better than the devouring silence at my house .

"By the way , what about Namjoon , Jungkook and Hoseok ?" I asked once the opportunity came , which was surely after Yoongi and Jin were done with their silly talks. " I was wondering the same. They said that they will be here within ten minutes." Jimin let out while scrolling through his call logs to call one of them.

" You know rich kids need more time to get their a$$es ready. " Jin shrugged and the reply to his words was a flying shoe which successfully hit his wide shoulders. " And that's what you get for your nonsense." It was hard to fake out a laugh but I did somehow as the other three boys joined us . So much to make people believe that you are doing fine.

I wasn't void of emotions , the remorse could be felt by me but each time I failed to register happiness within my system. One part of me denied me to feel it, saying I was just not made to deserve it , and one part of me couldn't express it even when I felt the glee within. This years of facade had pushed away my ability to express the truth of what I felt.

In a simpler way , the emotions which normal people conveyed were hard for me to bring out. I was more liable on my act than to rather feel it and then show.

"Hello ! Earth to Taehyung!" I was snapped out of my trail of thoughts by Hoseok. Quickly taking a glance of my surroundings , which included Jungkook and Jin bickering cause apparently the younger was the one to throw his shoe at Jin , I showed a small grin at Hoseok while mouthing a " hi "

"Get ready bros , our bus is here! Be ready to push and pull. Those seven seats are for us!" Taking a good look around and watching the shocked and displeased faces of the public around us on hearing Namjoon , I stood up from my seat. And as Namjoon said it was indeed push and pull and finally I was sitting on a seat by the window with Jimin beside me.

The other guys were on different seats but we seven did succeed to get us what we wanted. "Everything is alright , Taehyung ? You seem a bit off since morning.." the voice coming from beside me , made my eyes travel to fall on a concerned Jimin. Yet again with a build up smile I nodded my head.

"Everything is fine. It's just the lack of sleep." I lied so well and so honestly that Jimin ended up trusting me , like he always did. I looked outside the window yet again as a sigh soon escaped my gape. I wasn't even aware of what I was feeling to reply to that question in the first place. I was captured in my own oblivion of emotions and forged reactions.

*******

Stepping inside the university , the first thing to receive was the immense attention. Our group of seven was quite famous there . People were drawn towards our looks more than our deeds. Nothing new to observe.

I wasn't a great fan of the attention we got though. More attention meant more interactions, and more attention meant more acts. I didn't want to slip out of this world I was responsible to create around me , where everyone believed I was happy . The fear of being pitied , looked down to , getting hit on my weakest point , I was scared. I would never slip to show anyone the real me.

Distant whispers and a nudge from beside had brought me back from the trance. "What were you saying ?" I asked Jimin not sure whether he actually said anything or not. He eyed me with a totally done face. "I was speaking about my dark fantasy and kinks and how h*rny i feel right now." My lips puckered to form an "o" after listening to him , with a disinterested look.

"Seriously Taehyung ? I was talking about the new girl. There." He pointed his index finger to the front right . My eyes travelled the direction his fingers had pointed and then my eyes landed on the unfamiliar figure , standing quite a few steps away , conversing with our maths professor. I didn't really notice anything rather than how her smile was genuinely reaching her eyes. Her glimmering eyes seemed to be filled with soulful glee .

An unfamiliar feeling settled in my heart , I wasn't sure what to call it . I wanted to look away but at the same time it was difficult to. Somewhere beneath , within my trampled emotions , I felt the want to have what she had. A precious meaningful grin... .

Still trying to look away , my attempts soon after withered when those shimmery eyes looked directly at me. For a moment all I could do was admire and the next moment I was looking away , walking towards our class along with my friends tagging along. Whatever it was, I didn't want to face it again.

And that was all about the first chapter. It's been a while that I have written a long series and so here I am. What are you views on the first part ? Don't forget to vote 💜

Trailer made by tenderashley