Billionaire's Bargain || Kim Taehyung

Coincide

There was immense sense of fear in his eyes as he looked at the two elegant men in suits. He took a step back but his legs were still trembling. He knew he messed up and messing up was as good as digging one's own grave.

"I- I can ex-explain." He stuttered miserable. There was a look of disgust on one while the other simply looked annoyed.

"You.... will explain?" Laughed Jungkook. "To whom?"

"If I can only get one chance..." He tried, his lips were quivering badly.

Taehyung took a deep breath. "Do you know how much loss you made... with that 'tiny' mistake of yours? Not that I care much about money. I care about certain rules and standards. And some people tend to count on us. This will make a bad impression." He gritted his teeth.

"Maybe I can try to make it up... somehow... I can..." The young man's voice was cracking.

"Oh? You think you can pay back that much? Are you that rich? Or do you mean that you can fuck up again?" Jungkook spat.

"Everyone makes mistakes, just please-"

Taehyung smiled at the sight of the man. He came closer to him and tugged gently on his collar. The man shivered.

"You see that's the problem." His hand slowly snaked up to the young man's neck.

"We..." He grabbed his neck.

"Cannot..." His grip tightened.

"Afford..." The man whimpered, desperately flailing his limbs.

"To make..." His voice was hoarse and he gasped desperately for air.

"Mistakes." Taehyung's hand was as steady as a rock. He held the man by his neck as if holding onto a dead fish.

Jungkook stood there, his eyes showing no ounce of emotion. He idly played with his coat in boredom.

As the moment got intense, Taehyung's phone rang, breaking the muffled cry in the room. His right hand still held on to the neck while he took out his phone with the other. He was expecting and dreading a caller but fortunately for the desperate man, it read Minjee.

"Please.... Mercy...." The man tried to whisper clutching onto Taehyung's hand. Taehyung's grip loosened as he pushed the man away. It was indeed his lucky day. The young man got up and ran for his life. Both the men looked at him without surprise. The only sound left in the room was the loud ringing of the phone.

"Hello?" a familiar voice spoke as he pressed the phone to his ear. "Am I interrupting something? I can all you later." She said hesitantly.

"No, I must say you called at the right time." Smiled Taehyung. As if breaking out of a trance, the moment of anger dissipated along with it. Jungkook merely chuckled.

***

Kira rubbed her gloved palms again and breathed out a puff of cold air. She stood by the balcony and stared at the endless white. Hoseok, Jin and Kira had already reached the resort; they were expecting two more people: Kim Taehyung and Jeon Jungkook.

Jin and Hoseok weren't too keen on it, but they didn't bother protesting against it either. In the impulse of a moment, she had invited Taehyung over, seeing how that it would be awkward for him with two of her friends; she decided to invite Jungkook too.

Kira's mind was restless; it barely managed to capture the beauty of winter around her. She did the one thing she was dreading to do, allowing her thoughts to go rampant. She had picked up the habit of talking to herself when she was young; somehow it helped her listen to her rational self. It was funny how she considered herself the worst-best therapist. Gradually, she let herself ask questions and she herself had to find the answers.

'What are you doing?' She asked herself.

'Enjoying the view?'

'You know that's not what I mean. How did you end up...here? What are you doing with this whole Taehyung thing?' Her mind chided.

Kira sighed inwardly. 'I don't know.' She admitted.

'Let's take it slow, then. What do you feel about him?'

'I hated him at first. I thought it was all a game and I was playing along.'

'Go on.'

'Now, I see this- this different version of him that makes me question myself a lot.'

Kira was struck at how her mind had transitioned from hating him to tolerating him to kind of wanting to be with him. She was a little furious with herself. If she had an unwilling change of heart, it meant that she failed at judging someone and she sorely hated it when she failed at something she thought she was good at.

'So, what are you going to do about it?'

'I... don't know.'

'Come on Kira, I know you have the answers. You're just too stubborn to admit it.'

'I am going to give it a try. Something about the way he talks, the way he looks at me when he smiles foolishly at his own joke, the way he allows himself to be this other person that completely disregards how people think he actually is... it's mesmerising. I feel like I don't have to pretend in front of him.'

'Do you think it's a bad idea?'

Kira laughed. 'Probably. But I don't care at this point anymore. How long am I going to stay terrified of what I feel? How long am I going to let my past decide my future?'

'What if you regret it in the future?' 

Kira thought again for a while. 'What if I regret never giving it a try?'

'I guess you have found an answer.'

"Kira! I made hot chocolate! Hurry up!" Jin's yell pulled her out of her trance. She hurriedly ran back inside and let the warmness of the room comfort her. A slow smile played on her lips, it's been a while since she gave herself a challenge. It was unusually.... exciting. 

A/N: Don't forget to take breaks in between all the theory-hunt and have a good day!