HEARTSTRINGS

a storm was set to fall.

heart on her mouth, lips quivering and panic immediately enveloping her system, the courage she had before, now slowly disippated into thin dust at the sight that unfold upon her eyes.

why—why is he here?

Is this some kind of joke?

eyes meeting the man she had not wanted to see at the moment, as if on cue tears started prickling in the corner of her eyes. jiho felt her weak self resurface once more as the moment she and her boss entered the vicinity, the person he had least wanted to see was right there, seated on the black long table together with an undeniably beautiful woman.

jeon jeongguk and a beautiful woman.

eyes trailing on the woman seated dangerously close beside him, it finally clicked on her — the other woman.

in this room, trapped in the four corners of the wall, the legal woman and mistress met, how fucking briliant of jeon jeongguk.

i want the floor to eat me up.

eyes turning glossy before it trailed back to her husband, the moment their eyes met once more, she saw the way jeongguk tensed up and moved a feet away from the woman.

why are you so obvious? why must you do this to me?

why must you hurt me?

feet stuck on the ground and head hanging low, she tried so hard to avert her gaze anywhere but the two, her body couldn't help but tremble. wanting to run so much, she was this close to turn on her heels and touch the knob of the door until—

"jiho?"

deep, husky and caring tone, jiho's head sprung up and she locked gazes with the brown orbs of her worried boss. he was a few feet away from her but when he noticed her stuck on her place, the man traced her steps back to jiho.

"you okay?" his voice was soft, soothing even, jiho wanted to scream how much she's feeling not okay and how her feelings are starting to choke her up.

"i—s—sir—" choking on her words, taehyung suddenly held her hands, before soothingly caressing it as their eyes were locked. "breathe, i'm with you"

with those simple words, she found herself calming.

"good morning, mister—?" taehyung's voice trailed as he dragged jiho, their hands still unnoticably laced on one another. the said man's voice was tinged with wonder and mischief as they sat. jiho sensed the questioning look of her boss and without even looking at his facial expression, she could imagine the way his right brow lifted.

i can do this, be professional.

breathing in and keeping her eyes stuck on the papers, she felt taehyung let go of her hand. "good morning, i'm jeon jeongguk mister kim taehyung and miss kim j—" she had heard his husband spoke and noticed the way he used miss, it hurt more than she could bare.

miss? so, we're really done for?

"excuse me" taehyung suddenly butts in before lacing his hand in jiho's trembling ones which were hidden under the long desk. "it's mrs. kim jiho, mister jeon."

"i—" jungkook clears his throat, eyes widened in shock. "i'm sorry, mister jeon if i may appear strict, but i'm really keen with the proper honorifics with my workers. i'm very specific with respect"

respect?

respect? jiho echoed inside her mind. the word was stressedas if taehyung wanted to say something more than what he had just spoken.

jiho's eyes trailed on her boss and she didn't know what the man was pulling off, their company is the one who asked for partnership and what taehyung was doing right now, could blew their chance.

"oh, um, then — pardon me, mister kim taehyung and mis—i mean, mrs. kim jiho" hearing her name roll in the tips of his tongue made her feel conflicted. "i'm jeon jeongguk and this is my secretary, yoon lilia"

lilia? a pretty name for a beautiful woman, her name is like a beautiful flower.

"so, you're here for the partnership, mister jeon?" teahyung's hand squeezed jiho's.

"yes. i'm very sorry sir namjoon couldn't come, he had an appointment at the hospital cause he broke his arm but, we would like to give you the affirmation of our agreement. these are the signed papers which contains the terms and conditions of the company for the partnership. we're willing to make a partnership with the VANTE corporation, it would be our biggest honor" jeongguk's secretary handed the documents to jiho and for a moment, their eyes met — it was enough to make her feel insecure once more.

she's so beautiful, youthful and amazing. no wonder jeongguk liked her.

she's so beautiful, long eyelashes, perfectly defined cheeks and those doll like features — i am no compare to her. head hanging low once more, the insecurities she had long forgotten a while ago seemed to haunt her once more.

"that's good to hear, we'll give the signed documents back to RUNCHA RANDA corporation as soon as we've read your terms and conditions. we'll make sure to meet namjoon at that moment, right jiho?"

i came to love someone else. the words he used to tore her heart echoed inside her head as her eyes instantly became glossy, she didn't even hear taehyung speak, too occupied with her own conflicting thoughts.

"jiho?" pulling the woman from self-pity, another squeeze in her hand from taehyung seemed to wake her up. jiho suddenly flinched before abruptly snapping her head on her boss as she unconsciously spoke.

"yes, sir?"

"hmm?" taehyung's amused yet worried eyes locked with hers as he hummed with his unusual warm tone, a knowing small smile appeared on his face as he tightened the grip on her hand.

oh my holy mother of unicorns.

eyes widening at the sight, she couldn't help but blink twice as taehyung rarely smiled.

"focus, jiho" the man leaned close to her ear before pulling away and weirdly erupting into laughter. embarrassmentrunning on jiho's nerves, her cheeks couldn't help but be painted with the red hue.

at that moment, it was the first time she saw her boss smile that way and she couldn't help but laugh, too. almost immediately, forgetting the fact that they weren't alone, she found a release as if her cheating husband and her mistress wasn't infront of her.

she couldn't stop laughing but, as soon as her boss stopped wheezing and laughing like a walrus, the man cleared his throat before turning serious once more as if nothing happened. "e—excuse us"

"n—no, it's fine" jeongguk's voice came out a little bitter but jiho didn't seem to notice his tone as she still couldn't wipe the smile on her face.

"thank you for the partnership" taehyung held jeongguk's hand as jiho and lilia bowed on one another.

that went okay, thanks to sir.

the duo led jeongguk and lilia out of the building. on their way out, as jeongguk and taehyung seemed busy discussing about the company, the two woman at the back walked awkwardly side by side.

"sign the divorce papers, leech"

heart dropping on the floor, an enormous amount of lump started to form in her throat as she immediately found it so hard to breathe. jiho snapped her head to the other woman as she lifted her eyes, trailing on the woman beside her.

"the sooner you sign the divorce papers, the sooner jeongguk would be free. you're only pulling him back"

how—how dare—. tongue tied and clearly upset, jiho's tears dropped on the corners of her eyes.

"he doesn't love you anymore so let him go. let him be happy with me"

with that being said, lilia stormed off to jeongguk's side before intentionally throwing herself on him, wrapping her arms on jeongguk's waist – clearly making sure that jiho could see them.

"thank you for your cooperation, i'm looking forward to this partnership" jiho delicately wiped the tears on her eyes as she mustered all her courage to march and stand beside taehyung as he spoke those words, bidding farewell to her cheating husband and leech mistress.

i've had enough

pulling off the best smile ever, she pinched her thigh before muttering the words. "take care ms. yoon and mr. jeon"

jeongguk and jiho's eyes met, the man pulled away from his secretary. jiho couldn't help but feel conflicted but she still had her best smile. "you two look together, mister jeon. a match made in heaven" she muttered before leaning close to jeongguk.

"i bet you, your wife would really be delighted to see you. cause truth be told, it feels as if her heart was stabbed by million spears and she's smiling right now because she's so damn happy, cheater."