i hate u, i love u (Taehyung ff)

Exposed

Taehyung's POV
"Sajangnim. Sajangnim? Ehmm.. Sajangnim!"
"Huh?" Taehyung looked up & found five pairs of eyes staring at him.
"Our presentation is over. What do you think?" One of the employees whose name he didn't even remember asked.
"Umm.." He stalled. None of the presentation content registered in his brain.
"Send me the powerpoint file. I need to review it one more time. Good job everyone. The meeting's dismissed." He tidied up his things & exited the room.
"Shit, I left my phone charging in the meeting room." He suddenly remembered on the way back to his office room.
As he pushed the meeting room door, he heard his staffs talking about him.
"Don't you think our sajangnim is a bit weird these days? He spaces out all the time. Anyone knows what's going on?" Someone said.
"Yeah, I notice that too. I bumped into him yesterday in the hallway. Usually, he would flash his signature mean stare & say something like 'What's the point of having eyes if you can't even see where you're going?', but he did none of that. He even said sorry!" Another person said.
"Maybe he's in love. Being in love tends to do that to a person." Yet another person said.
"In love? Haha! I don't think he's capable of loving anyone. The only one he loves is himself. You know-" That was definitely his project manager.
Taehyung couldn't stand listening to them gossiping about him anymore, so he cleared his throat loudly before pushing the door wide open.
All the people in the room frantically straightened themselves & bowed at him.
"What are you still doing here? Do I pay you to sit around & gossip?" Taehyung scolded them.
"I'm sorry sajangnim. We'll get going now." They immediately scurried out of the room.
He heaved a deep sigh as he unplugged his phone.
7 days.
It had been exactly a week since he last saw Yebin & he missed her like crazy, especially after he'd found out that she was his.
They were right. I can't function properly these days because my brain is filled with Y/n & Yebin.
He unlocked his phone & looked for one particular number. Yours, which he got from the preschool file.
Those nine digits, he'd known them by heart already.
Not a single day went by without him trying to dial your number. So far, though, he hadn't mustered up enough courage to do so.
What the fuck Kim Taehyung?! Just do it & get it over with.
His thumb hovered over the green button & his eyes stared at it like his life depended on it.
Fuck, I can't.
He locked his phone & slammed it onto the table. What if she takes Yebin away & hides her from me? What if she thinks that I have a bad intention for approaching Yebin? What if.. she still hates me?
He shook his head to clear his chaotic mind, and then walked back to his office.
The clock ticked away & soon it was already 5 pm.
Time to get off work, the most dreaded time of day for him because he had no one to come home too.
Huhhh.. I'll just stay here a bit longer.
He exhaled heavily & continued working.
Right then, his mobile phone rang loudly, making him jump off his seat.
"The preschool?" He looked at the caller ID in confusion.
Did something happen to Yebin?
"Yes?" He answered right away. Worry filled his voice.
"Sajangnim, I'm very sorry to bother you, but I don't know who else to call." The lady on the other end hesitantly said.
"What's wrong?"
"It's about student Kim Yebin. Her mother was supposed to pick her up at 3pm, but she hasn't come yet until now & it's time for the school to close. We tried calling her & the other guardian's numbers, but they didn't pick up. So, I thought.. maybe.. I should call you."
Jesus, Y/n. What the hell are you doing?
"Ok, I'll be there in 15minutes. Wait for me."

-•-

When he got to the preschool, it was very quiet & most of the lights had been turned off.
"Sajangnim.." The lady who called him instantly stood up when she saw him walking through the door.
"Is her guardian here yet?"
"Not yet. She's waiting inside her classroom."
"Ok. You may go now. Just tell the security that we're still inside." He dismissed the staff.
"Nee sajangnim. Have a good evening." She bowed at him.
He was about to step away when he recalled something his employees said about him.
"Wait. Thank you for calling me. I really appreciate it." He forced an awkward smile on his lips.
"Nee sajangnim. You're welcome." She bowed again & beamed in surprise at his show of gratitude.
Well, that wasn't so bad. He smiled inwardly to himself.
"Yebin ah?" He popped his head into Yebin's classroom & the scene in front of him broke his heart.
Yebin was sitting on the floor with her backpack on her back. Her tiny shoulders slumped forward, but they perked right up when she heard his voice.
"Ajusshi!!" She got up & ran right into his arms.
"Annyeong. How are you Yebin ah?" Warmth spread through his heart as he hugged his little girl.
"I miss you. I miss you so much. Where did you go?" She cried into his chest, wetting his white shirt.
"Mian (sorry), I was a bit busy with work. Shhh.. don't cry." He gently stroke her hair & hugged her tight.
"I thought- I thought you wouldn't come to see me ever again. I thought you'd left." She sobbed.
"No no, I won't ever leave you."
"Promise?" She looked up at him through teary eyes.
"Promise. But please stop crying ok?" He wiped away the tears on her cheeks with his thumbs.
"Ok." Finally, a smile spread across her lips.
"What are you doing?" The sound of door opening startled them.
That voice.
He slowly turned around & there you were, the subject of his nightmare & sweet dreams.
Although he'd seen you once before from afar, looking at you from such close distance made him realize that you hadn't only changed physically, but emotionally as well.
Your eyes, which were wide open in shock as you began to grasp who the person standing in front of you was, were no longer filled with cheerful warmth. Instead, they were laden with bitter melancholy.
Frown lines had developed in between your brows, evidence of your difficult life these past four years.
Gone was the youthful innocent you, replaced by a mature you toughened up by the hardships you'd experienced.
Did I do this to her?
"K-Kim Taehyung?" You stuttered & stepped backwards.
"Eommaaa! I've been waiting for you." Yebin released him & dashed towards you.
"Yebin ah, let's go." You hurriedly pulled her out the door to flee.
"Y/n wait! Please. Can we talk?" He grabbed hold of your arm & turned you back around.
"Let go of me. There's nothing to talk about between us." You said without daring to look straight at him.
"Oh really? You're going to keep hiding from me for the rest of your life? I have rights too! I know that she's my-" He frustratedly exclaimed, but you stopped him before he could finish his sentence.
"Kim Taehyung!" You yelled at him. Then, he realized that he almost blurted out the truth in front of Yebin, so he shut his mouth.
"Eomma? Why are you so angry? Ajusshi has been very nice to me." Yebin timidly tugged at your sleeve, tears were starting to well in her eyes.
"Yebin ah, didn't I tell you not to talk to strangers? Let's go home. You must be very tired." You knelt down in front of her & gave her a tired smile.
"Y/n ah, please.." He pleaded.
Ignoring him, you stood up & took Yebin's hand.
"Let's go Yebin ah." You pulled her away without turning back.
Yebin, on the other hand, turned her head around one last time & waved at him while mouthing 'Annyeong'.
He raised his hand & waved back at her with a sad smile on his lips.
Please don't disappear again.

Y/n's POV
You mindlessly slammed the door to your apartment. Taehyung's face was still haunting you.
Unlike you, he hadn't changed much. He was still the same rich, handsome, almighty Kim Taehyung & that somehow pissed you off.
It seemed like our divorce meant nothing to him.
"Eomma." Yebin's call broke your daze.
"Oh? You're hungry, aren't you? Mian (sorry), there was an emergency at the restaurant so I was late. What do you want to eat? Gyeran mari (rolled egg)? Kimbap?" You immediately took off your coat & walked towards the kitchen.
"Eomma, please sit here." She pulled your hand & sat you down on the sofa.
"What's wrong?" You cupped her little face & smiled.
"Eomma, why were you angry earlier? Did ajusshi do  something wrong?" Yebin asked.
"Oh. Uhm.. I just-" You struggled to form a plausible reply. Yebin was a smart girl, you knew that she'd immediately see through your lie if it was too obvious.
"Ajusshi is my appa, isn't he?" She innocently stared at you.
Your heart stopped hearing her statement.
How- how did she-
"D-did ajusshi tell you that?" You stammered.
"No." She shook her head.
"Then, how- I mean, who told you that? It's ok, you can be honest with me."
"No one told me. I saw you crying as you stared at your phone one day. Then, the doorbell rang & you rushed to answer it, leaving your phone on the table. I sneaked in & saw a picture of Taehyung ajusshi on the screen. I'm sorry eomma, I know I wasn't supposed to look into your stuffs, but I wanted to know what made you sad all the time. I'm sorry for not telling you earlier about what I did, because I was afraid that you'd be sadder if I asked." Yebin said with head lowered, tears rolled down her pink cheeks.
Listening to her explanation, you felt extremely ashamed for being so immature about the whole situation.
She'd guessed it all along, yet she never mentioned anything just to protect my feelings.
"Yebin ah, you did nothing wrong. Eomma was the one who let you suffer due to my own mistakes. I'm sorry." You wrapped your arms around her & tearfully said.
"No eomma, don't say that. You've worked so hard for me. It's ok if I don't see appa anymore, as long as I still have you." She sobbed on your shoulders.
It felt like someone wrenched your heart when she said that. Pain & guilt washed over you like rolling waves.
"Yebin ah.. do you- do you like appa?" You still couldn't bring yourself to say Taehyung's name in front of her.
"Yes. He has been very nice to me. That teddy bear that I love so much was a gift from him." She pointed at the bear.
"Oh, I see." You still had a lot of questions to ask, but you figured Yebin might not be the best person to get all the answers from.
"Yebin ah.. Would you like it if you meet appa from time to time?" You pushed her slightly away & asked.
"Yes! I mean, yes but only if you allow me to." Her expression swiftly changed from ecstatic to hesitant in a split second.
"Ok. I'll think about it. Now shall we eat dinner? Eomma is starving." You exaggeratedly rubbed your stomach.
"Yes!" She wiped away her tears & grinned widely.
Thank you Yebin ah. I'm so blessed to have you in my life.