The Stockholm Syndrome

Honest Feelings...

As soon as Sohyun's agency opened the conference hall, the reporters who were chitchatting in the waiting area rushed in like a swarm of flies. Under a complete camouflage among the crowd, under masks and cap, Taehyung took a side track and met with the bodyguard who was on his duty, eyeing every reporter's move from the corner of the hall. On seeing Taehyung, the ever-composed bodyguard flustered. As the words struck, his widened eyes expressed his shock.

"How is she, hyung?", Taehyung asked casually with his head bent down to veil his face under the cap and hiding half of him behind bodyguard's tall stature.

"Why are you here? How did you enter here?", bodyguard uttered whispering, while, still keeping an eye on the reporters and fans.

"Needless to say, I wasn't invited..."

"Obviously!", he uttered under his breath at his pointless confession.

"Did she cry? Is she okay?", Taehyung whispered under his mask.

"I did you a favor, because my girlfriend asked me so... Other than retrieving your iPod from her, I can't help you anymore. Go. Back. Now!", he murmured stressing every word.

"Thank you helping me, hyung. I'm not here to disturb you by asking favors... just here to observe the press conference, so don't worry!", Taehyung spoke in whispers.

"WHAT?! You're gonna stay here?", bodyguard asked out loud.

"Shhh!", Taehyung hushed him and hid behind him to escape the attention. Thankfully there weren't many eyes that were interested in them. "Looks like you'll beat the paparazzi in selling me out!"

"Fine, since you're insisting on staying... Give me one reason... just one solid reason why?"

"I love her", he told him genuinely. He paused for a moment before he continued, "I need to be here, by her side, for her struggles... I want to see her face"

It looked like his words convinced him, because, the bodyguard never said another word and used his 6' 5" body to cover him, without making it obvious. After he got notified about Sohyun's arrival in his ear piece receiver, he informed Taehyung, "Sohyun-sshi will be here in 5 minutes..."

Taehyung nodded in response. He adjusted his Tee and up-swept his fringes, thus preparing himself for her appearance.

Noticing Taehyung who had been putting efforts to present himself better, he asked, "By the way, did you see the pics of them?" He questioned since the photo seemed too convincing.

"Yeah, why?"

"I feel this is hara-kiri! Coming here on your own to hear that she has a boyfriend!"

Angered by his words, he called, "Hyu-", Taehyung's sentence was interrupted by the fuss at Sohyun's arrival. On looking at her walking towards the podium, he whispered, "She looks sad... I think I should interfere and calm her down... should I?"

"Hey!", he panicked at his utterance. And soon, he got calmed on realizing that Taehyung was just thinking out aloud.

On hearing the series of questions and answers related to the MV and Kwak Dongyeon, Taehyung spoke his thoughts again, "If she was compelled to accept the rumour and if everyone pushes them together as a couple... Shall I raise my hand and object to their relationship as an audience? It will help her, right?"

"Raise your hand? Object? Taehyung-sshi, it's not a wedding! Nowadays, even in a wedding, they never ask the audience's opinion!"

"They don't?", Taehyung asked seriously.

"Did he get the part that this is not a wedding", he murmured to himself while nodding his head answering his questions.

Taehyung's eyes which was fixated on Sohyun, widened at the mention of the date near Han River, "Hyung, Hyung...", he exclaimed, "That wasn't Kwak Dongyeon! That was me!"