| Stages of Love | KTH

9 | Beauty with perfection

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"I don't care about myself, but I won't let anything happen to you princess. I'll protect you."

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[Taehyung's POV]

Chaos and confusion filled in the air as soon as somebody yelled that we were under attack. People started to run towards the exit to escape from here. The eve which began so beautifully had continued to be mesmerizing until now.

I felt the anger build up inside me and my jaw tightened at the scene. I stood straight and still while my insides were burning. Who even dared to ruin my day? Who had the audacity to attack us? It surely must be a plan to destroy my image. Whoever was behind this, I took an oath to not only make him pay the price, but also every penny. I looked straight and took long steps towards the secret exit. As I was just about to hold the knob, I realized that I wasn't alone.

Y/n...

I turned around and hastily searched for her, but when I did, I felt a pang in my chest. Y/n was at the same place where we were dancing, but now curled up in a ball. She was crouching down and her hands were above her head, shielding herself. Even in the commotion, I could see her frame shaking vigorously. People were running past her to save themselves but amidst all of this, I could only see Y/n.

I ran towards her and crouched down beside her. "Y/n! Y/n look at me!" She didn't pay any heed to my calls. She wasn't raising her face and wasn't even responding to me. Was she having a panic attack? Worry and concern filled me up as I used some force. I forcefully pulled her and made her stand. She was shaking in fear and what broke me was her tears. Till yesterday, I was the one who gave her tears and it never affected me the way it was affecting me then. Her eyes were closed and she was trying her best to detach her hands from my hold. "Leave me please leave me..." She was crying and begging me to leave her, but something in me told me that it wasn't me who she was imagining... She was thinking of someone else.

"Y/n! It's me! It's me Taehyung! Stop moving!" My words were having no effect on her and it was scaring me too. I looked around and the hall was almost empty. I needed to get her out of here or she might lose her senses. I placed my palm on her cheeks and forced her to look at me. "Princess!" I patted her cheeks and softly yelled at her and to my surprise and relief, she stopped resisting. She slowly opened her eyes and as soon as her eyes met mine, more tears rolled down her cheeks.

"T-Taehyung... Am I going to d-die?..."

She asked me in a timid voice. She was still shaking, and fear was visible in her eyes. I shook my head and wiped her tears. Wrapping my arms around her, I brought her closer to myself, assuring her that she was safe. I rubbed her back with one hand, while the other rested protectively on the back of her head. She didn't hug me but started to sob before burying her face in my chest. "Princess..." I said softly. "Don't be scared, I'm here with you. Just stay beside me. I don't care about myself, but I won't let anything happen to you princess. I'll protect you."

She slowly broke the hug and looked up at me. Under the faint moonlight, she looked so ethereal. I never saw beauty with perfection, but here was my princess who was both beautiful and perfect.

I wiped her tears and wrapped my hands around her waist. Her breath hitched when my hands found their way to the ties of her corset. I quickly untied it and removed it before throwing it aside to let her breath freely. I rubbed her back a bit to ease her since she was still breathing heavily. I sat down on one knee and picked her gown up a bit and removed her heels from her feet. She let me do my work without interrupting me, and it somewhat made me happy knowing that she trusted me.