ALWAYS

XXII

A smile crept on her thin lips… as her hand stride a curve pattern… holding on a paint brush, guiding the black line on her chosen path… her mind’s drifting off somewhere… specifically as to every details of what happened last night…

There she is… being surrounded by frames of familiar art works… familiar events that were now caught on a wooden frame… touched with different colors… painted in different angles…

And now, she’s working on something magnificent once again… not minding her now untidy appearance… she’s almost finished… and the thrill inside of her flamed more… and after a couple of strokes… the last detail of her masterpiece was finally executed.

A contented smile curved her lips… looking at the image in front of her… another good memory that she beautifully recorded… there… two figures of a man and a woman… hugging each other under the velvet sky… both backs were facing her.. as if taken by someone who’s watching the two last night.

She glanced on her side and saw the same exact event that she just painted… but both figures were caught, rather painted with a clear view of their faces… she  closed her eyes, trying to remember the feeling of last night… and as she opened her eyes… the same feeling of warmth can be felt on the canvas in front of her…

There were more around the room… she kept it all in there… the feeling of happiness could be felt by each and every piece of her art… she painted them all well and very detailed… afraid that she might forget it… better yet store it on her arts…

Whenever he’s not there… just like today… she would lock up herself to here in this room… more likely the storage room… but she requested for it to be given to her as her personal space… with a key that only she has… that neither him doesn’t have or even know of…

Such a little secret… but definitely a treasure that she’s preserving… she doesn’t know what he’ll do once he sees the contains of this room… but probably he wouldn’t care… much more maybe he’ll think of her as a fool…

She stood up… groaned a bit for she was sitting in there for hours… didn’t even

noticed the time… apart the pain she felt, contentment filled her mind… she brought her completed work beside another frame… allowing it to try itself… she glanced on the line of frames… looked like it was planned to be that way… more of… sequence of familiar events… counted joyful events… and could be seen that every frame has the same figure of a man and a woman… the man that’s bringing coldness as to whoever sees the arts and the woman who gives off the feeling of hope…

There’s a single work wherein a picture of that man was painted in detail… she wiped off her hands first on the apron she’s wearing before tracing the lines of his face on the canvas… mostly touching its lips… the smile of the man that could bring her heart in rejoice… from the day she saw him smiled on his lover… his smile was instantly recorded in her mind…

‘It’s enough to see your smile from afar or even just here… it’s enough for me to hope that one day you’ll smile for me too…’

She thought before drawing off her hand away from the frame…

She took off her apron and cleaned herself a bit… she glanced in the room one last time before going out and locking it… she placed her key back to her necklace and hid it under her clothes…

Maybe the maids are now looking all over for her… she missed lunch… and they will probably scold her if she’ll miss the dinner too… she giggled to herself upon thinking it…

He’s not home… he was summoned by his dad to fix something out of town… another task for their company… he left last night… right after their moment, his father called him… he never spoke to her, he just looked at her… but she knew he must leave… couldn’t read in his eyes if he’s somewhat sorry that he must leave… or probably tired that he must do another responsibility that’s not his…

She prepared his things… he just let her… she bid goodbye but he never replied… he just walked away just like he used to do that she too already got used to… it’s enough for her she told herself again… she must not expect more from him she added… because she’ll just hurt herself once her cruel selfishness hits her… it’s enough because in the first place she was just a task he must abide to…that never she would have a place in his life…

--

He’s still not home the next day… seating on the backseat alone… a smile was still

plastered on her face which made the old driver felt finally relieved to see his Miss not in her usual lonely state… for he too witnessed what happened the other night… first time seeing such affection from his young master towards its wife… in his mind, thanking the little angel that visited their lonely mansion who probably is the reason that made his young master’s cold heart softened a bit…

He watched Rosé through the rear view mirror… didn’t bother ruining her own moment… smiling to himself and just continued driving… the ride was quiet until they reached her campus…

“May you have a good day Miss...”

He told her once she got out of the car… she quickly flashed the old man a warm smile…

“Thanks Mr. Lee…”

Soon she was alone again… but it didn’t pass a minute for someone to take place as her company…

“Yo…”

She was walking her way inside the building when a familiar voice spoke behind her… she turned around and flashed the man a knowing smile…

At first, Taehyung just looked at her wonderingly… until he just shrugged off the obvious change of mood from Rosé… not really wanting himself to think that something good might happened between the couple after they left the beach that day… feeling a little selfish over her… that he would rather want to see her lonely… most especially alone… so that he could be like her man in shining armor… ready to heed and comfort her… at least she would be able to see him… at least he would be able to claim her for a while…just a time with her is enough to satisfy his hidden desire…

“Good morning…”

She greeted him… which earned a slight nod from him… she’s already used to his snobbish treatment… and feeling grateful that despite his coldness… he could still afford to give her the company she’s needing… never did she know how he’s been suppressing himself not to be vulnerable in front of her… weak when it comes to her… still blaming himself… pounding his own sanity as to why did he fall for her… never did he believed in love at first sight… but she… broke that belief… and now…

even breaking his heart…

They walked together towards their room… he never spoke… she too didn’t bother breaking his preferred atmosphere… the students quieted a bit when they arrived together… eyeing the two when they took their seats besides each other… and back to their own businesses while the two is still caged in their own silence…

After the class dismissed… he left the room without bidding goodbye once again… she sighed… for sure he’ll pop out of nowhere again later…upon leaving the room she hit someone on her way… caused for her books to dropped off from her arms…

The students didn’t even bother helping her… they just pass by her… some just watched… she immediately stoop down to gather her things until someone came to her and helped her… she suddenly heard whisperings from the students around… and she gasped when she turn to the person who just helped her…

“T-…Thank you… Tzuyu-sshi…”

She thanked her once they got up… Tzuyu was a bit surprised that Rosé knows her…even she already knew why…she flashed her, her infamous smile which made the whispers grew louder… she truly can melt anyone’s heart by her smile… she thought… and she on the other hand was starting to feel uncomfortable… why of all people… is this campus not big enough for their ways not to meet…? Trails of thoughts filled her mind.

“You’re welcome…”

Tzuyu said again with a smile… Rosé courteously bowed to her… feeling really shy towards the other, better yet just leave… she could even hear the students mentioning her name… she could hear them saying how nice of a person Tzuyu is… and she could hear them saying how ungrateful of a person she is… and that finally she met the ‘real girl’ of her husband… she started her way and pass by the other…

Tzuyu’s brow raised a bit… she turned to Rosé and followed her… Rosé gasped as she felt someone tugged her wrist… she looked back and saw Tzuyu looking at her with an unreadable expression…

“Rosé-sshi… can we have a talk for a moment…?”

She winced a bit… felt a little pain from Tzuyu’s tight grip… having second thoughts of talking with her… Rosé just nodded… that’s when Tzuyu loosened her

grasp from her… Tzuyu started her way… walking past her… Rosé looked around… finally realized that the people were still watching them… she bowed her head a bit and followed Tzuyu… feeling a little bit uneasy as to what they were going to talk about…

--

“Do you know where Jungkook is…?”

They were on a café outside the campus… Rosé didn’t even bother ordering something while the other casually ordered a drink… she felt really uncomfortable wherein the first place she shouldn’t… after all she’s Jungkook’s wife… but why is it that she feels more mortified than the other…

Hearing Tzuyu asking her, she wondered why she doesn’t know about Jungkook’s work... why didn’t he tell her…? She thought.

“He… he needed to help his father…”

She answered… she saw Tzuyu sighed before slumping on its seat… saw the bothered look on the other’s face…

“He didn’t tell me again… why does he keep on doing this…? he knows I would be more worried if I don’t know where he is…”

She heard Tzuyu mumbling… of course… that’s his reason… for his lover not to worry about him… but somehow she felt a little hurt upon realizing it… Noticing Rosé’s spacing out… Tzuyu looked up.

“Oh… sorry about that…”

Rosé quickly woke up from her trance… welcomed by Tzuyu’s sweet smile…she awkwardly smiled towards the other… how could Tzuyu be so comfortable around her…

“Rosé-sshi… don’t you have anyone you love…?”

[Rosé’s POV]

I was taken aback… why is she asking me this…? I stayed stiff on my seat while she leaned towards me… I just saw her brow raised…? Why is she staring at me like this…? I don’t know but the way she looks at me… I feel like suffocating…

I opened my mouth only to close it after… what should I tell her…? Would it be such a shame if I tell her that I never experienced love…? I bowed a bit and when I looked up I saw a slight smile on her lips as she looked away from me…

“I guess you don’t have… since what’s the use right…? Rich people like you are bound to arrange marriages after all…”

Yes…she’s right… such a pity to have my life planned that way… I never asked for wealth… yet my life had given me that gift with a greater exchange… even that my own freedom was at stake… She sipped on her drink before turning to me…

“And unfortunately for us… Jungkook was one of those rich people…”

Her voice trailed off… I know she’s suppressing herself to express her sadness in front of me…

“But I never regret loving him… being with him is one of the greatest times in my life… I know he just agreed to get married because he doesn’t want me to get more hurt… I know he’s just protecting me…”

My mind suddenly stopped… I could see her lips moving but I can’t hear any more sound coming from it… what she just told me was like a dagger that been plunged to me… I know what she said was true… Jungkook really married me for his lover’s sake… but why does it feel painful to hear it especially from others…? Rubbing it to my face over and over again…

Am I that unwanted…? My family gave me away just to save our wealth… and my husband of all people would probably be the first one to claim hate against me… where should I put my self…? I kept on tossing around like a ball… but no one… ever wanted me to stay… Maybe this is my punishment for ruining his life… and now here I am in front of his lover… taking more painful punishments…

“Rosé-shi…”

Tzuyu’s voice suddenly sounded serious… that’s when I woke up again from my trance… I still stayed silent… I felt numb… for I don’t even know what to say…

“I envy you…”

Did I hear her right…? She envies me…? But why…? Why would she be…? I should be the one to envy her… what should be envied from me…? I was nothing but an unwanted person… my life is a ball of torment…

“For in reality… you have him… in the eyes of everyone… I’m nothing but an obstruction in your marriage… if only I don’t love him… but I really do… I know it’s wrong… I know I should stop seeing him now… but I can’t… I’m sorry I can’t…”

I could see that her eyes are starting to tear… it pains me to see someone hurting like this… she’s not the obstruction… but I am… I broke them apart… I don’t deserve her apology… here I am feeling so happy whenever I’m having a moment with her love… while I know that both of them are having this kind of torment that I brought them… since when did I became this selfish…?

“I… I’m sorry…”

That was the only thing I could tell her… I saw a glimpse of her smile… maybe telling me that it’s okay… if only I could turn back time…

--

“Hey… where did you go…?”

Taehyung called her once she went back to their campus… the once happy state she had when she went to the campus early this morning was completely got replaced by her sadness again… Everyone was right… Tzuyu was nothing but a good person… she really loves Jungkook and it pains her to see someone like Tzuyu suffering because of her… guilt is slowly swallowing her whole…

‘I know someday… Jungkook and I will still be together…’

That was the last statement that marked in her… she never thought about it… too absorbed in being a good wife… but now realized that Tzuyu’s probably right… ‘she’ could never be with Jungkook forever… she doesn’t own him… so much for trying to make their marriage work… for in the end they will surely break apart… but   why… does it feel painful thinking about it…? she thought….

Taehyung noticed her sudden change… she wasn’t in their usual place earlier at lunch… he looked for her everywhere but then he failed to see her… and now she came back with a blank expression on her face…

He knew Jungkook wasn’t there because of work… and just from a bit far… he saw Tzuyu entering the campus too… being welcomed by her other friends… and upon seeing him and Rosé together she quickly looked away… his brow raised a bit… wondering why he get that kind of reaction from Tzuyu…

He shrugged it off… focused on the girl in front of him… he went closer to Rosé and tapped its shoulder to gain her attention… it seemed like she’s been spacing out since she came back from somewhere… after a while she looked up to him but her eyes isn’t looking directly at him…

“What happened…?”

He asked her didn’t even bother if his voice sounded so worried… finally she looked at him and realized the worry in his voice… she immediately shook her head and tried to smile on front of him…

“Nothing Taehyung-sshi..”

He looked at her for a moment… his brows slowly meeting for he knows she’s hiding something… he sighed… before his expression went calm again…

“Have you already eaten lunch…?”

Her eyes widen a bit… she forgot about lunch… and there isn’t much time left to eat…

“You still didn’t…? Where did you go in the first place…? You shouldn’t skip lunch just so you can play around…”

He started scolding her… which made her taken aback… not because of the fact that he’s scolding her but because he’s talking to her nonstop now… the loneliness that she’s feeling was once again got replaced my happiness and amazement, thanks to her friend… her lips slowly curved into a wide smile… that’s when he stopped   from talking…

Realizing what he just did… he blushed and looked away….and to hide his embarrassment… he cleared off his throat… he grabbed her wrist and dragged her somewhere…

“Taehyung-sshi… where are you going to take me…?”

She asked but he didn’t reply… instead he looked for somewhere they could sit… he sighted a bench and went there… pulling her to sit down with him, he pulled out something from the paper bag he was holding since earlier…

“Eat…”

He gave her the sandwich he bought for himself earlier… he too hasn’t had his lunch because he was looking all over for her…

“Eh…? But…” “Just eat…”
He coldly said… she slowly got the sandwich from his hand. “How about you…?”
“I already ate…”

He lied… he watched her through the side of his eyes… at first she pouted then he heard her sighed.

“Thanks…”

He looked at her and nodded a bit before looking ahead again… he waited for her… didn’t quite feel the hunger for he’s satisfied being beside her right now… he wanted to ask her what happened as to why she was gone but preferred to skip that part for he knows it’ll just bring back the sad atmosphere.

Rosé then told him about her niece’s departure… mixed surprise and sadness came to him… he would surely miss the child’s adorableness… thanking the child that at least somehow he was able to spend time with Rosé even just for a while because of her… felt so happy when Rosé told him that her niece’s asking them to visit her sometimes in abroad…

--

“Thanks again for the sandwich Taehyung-sshi…”

She bowed to him… he slipped his hands inside his pocket and scoffed… she looked up and pouted a wonderingly…

“You owe me again…” He seriously said… “Eh…?”

He rolled his eyes… why should she be this clueless yet so cute… “Forget it… don’t skip lunch again…”
He said before turning back and headed towards the other building… “I’ll treat you sometimes Taehyung-sshi…”
She yelled and waved goodbye to him… he just smiled to himself… seeing her smiling to him… having the accomplishment to make her happy… is really enough to complete his day…

Upon walking towards his room he saw Tzuyu once again with her friends along the hallway, laughing with them… it was natural to see them like that but hearing Rosé’s raised curiosity in him… he went towards the group and upon seeing that   he’s coming, her friends quickly went away, leaving Tzuyu and Taehyung…

“Oppa…”

She innocently greeted him… flashing yet again her infamous sweet smile “Don’t you have a class…?”
“Oh… I have… well… I better go now…”

He felt that she’s somewhat staying away from him… before she could go to the opposite direction, he grabbed her wrist to make her stop… Tzuyu was a bit taken aback…

“Tzuyu-ah… what were you girls talking about earlier…?”

Her eyes widen a bit… but she maintained to act cool…

“Nothing oppa… some girl stuffs… I’m going to be late for my next class… let’s just talk about this sometimes neh…?”

Taehyung observed her for a moment before he let go of her… Tzuyu managed to let out one last smile before leaving him… Taehyung surely is now having suspicion against Tzuyu’s behavior… and if it involves Rosé… he would surely not let Tzuyu have her way that easily even if she’s his best friend’s girl.