Two Negatives Make a Positive.✅️ KTH

8. loop hole

It had been a month.

Taehyung worked part-time at a café, his hands busy with steaming cups of coffee and the rhythmic clatter of dishes. The Kim couple lived a simple life—waking up to the warmth of each other, sharing quiet meals, and falling asleep in the comfort of their small home.

Yet, beneath that normalcy, something simmered.

Jeongwoo still controlled everything that once belonged to Taehyung—the house, the business, the reputation. Sri never voiced her frustration, but it clawed at her insides like an unrelenting fire. She had left that house with such confidence, with a promise.

"We will return! I will make you pay double for this. Wait until then!" 

Her own words echoed in her mind, burning as fiercely as the injustice she couldn't forget.

It was noon.

Sri sat cross-legged on the worn-out couch, fingers absentmindedly tracing the fabric as the radio crackled to life. She had tuned in for background noise, but the moment she heard the name, her breath stilled.

"We are in front of Mr. Kim Jeongwoo's house. Let's have a short interview with our new business tycoon, Kim Jeongwoo!" The reporter's voice rang out with enthusiasm.

Loud applause followed. Sri could hear the rapid flashes of cameras, the murmur of excited journalists.

Then, the question that made her blood boil.

"This house and business were formerly owned by Kim Taehyung. Why did he give up such a position? Would you like to share something about him?"

There was a brief pause before Jeongwoo's voice oozed through the speakers, sickly sweet, deceitful. "Well... as I've said before, my brother and I share a unique bond. We love each other more than ourselves. He was overwhelmed with business affairs these past three months, and I knew he needed a break. So, he entrusted everything to me and settled abroad with his wife, Mrs. Kim, to live a peaceful life."

Sri's jaw clenched. Her fists curled so tightly that her nails dug into her palms.

LIES.

Every single word dripped with falsehood, each syllable twisting the truth into a fabricated fairytale. She could practically hear the smirk in his voice, and the thought alone sent an unbearable itch crawling up her spine.

 I swear, if I could just land one solid kick in his gut, maybe he'd cough up some truth.  Her seething thoughts were cut short as the radio clicked off.

A silence settled between them before Taehyung's voice broke it—calm yet laced with quiet authority. "You know I don't like this," he said firmly. "I don't want him to be a part of my life anymore."

Sri turned toward him, her emotions unraveling in frustration. "Don't you want your belongings back? Don't you want to punish him for everything he's done?"

For the first time in weeks, her voice held desperation.

Taehyung exhaled softly before cupping her cheeks, his touch warm, grounding. His voice was honey-laced, patient. "Sri... we're happy. That's all I want. Of course, I want him to pay for what he did to you, but not at the cost of our peace."

Sri shook her head. "But I can bring everything back. Believe me, Tae, it won't take away our happiness. It'll only give us the life we owned."

He hesitated, sensing the unwavering determination in her stance. "I know what you're trying to do. But I'm over it—"

"I have a plan."

Her words cut through his protest like a blade.

Taehyung furrowed his brows. "What do you mean?"