Book 3 of the undone series. Kim Taehyung is the best , the best at his job at head of security for the Kim SongDae startup, best at seduction. But a forced vacation leaves him adrift and questioning his life choices and direction. Then he stumble...
اوووه! هذه الصورة لا تتبع إرشادات المحتوى الخاصة بنا. لمتابعة النشر، يرجى إزالتها أو تحميل صورة أخرى.
The trio made the rounds of the show, admiring the art of the students. It was easy to see how well liked and respected Tae was as friends stopped him and asked his opinion or congratulated him on his piece in the show. Dae was so proud of him, so confident that he would be successful with his skills.
Finally, they arrived at Tae's piece. Jimin and Dae both stood for long minutes just taking it in. Tae was evident in every brushstroke. He was in the vibrant colors. His passion and creativity spilled out across the canvas. A bit of Kim Taehyung had settled deep into the fibers and paint.
Dae looked at her dearest friend with tears in her eyes. She was so proud of him!! He nodded and hugged her. No words were needed.
They stood back and watched as Tae answered questions about the piece. A small crowd had gathered to admire and listen as he spoke.
Dae noticed a shift in his attitude as a group approached. She recognized the group of judges from the preliminary exhibit. The crowd drifted away as the men stood critically observing the work.
Tae was confidently answering their questions when she heard him make a small stumble. About the same time, she heard Jimin utter a curse and she was immediately on alert. Jimin took her hand and held onto her tightly as she began to looked around.
Dr. Oh was here and she was headed Tae's direction.
Aside from the first lurch of his heart, Tae found that he was strangely detached from the scene as he watched Caro approach his exhibit. She could not longer hurt him emotionally. He would deal with those emotions later.
The question was what she would now do to his work, his completion of the requirements for graduation.
Tae watched as she glided to a stop in front of the judges. She immediately had their attention.
“We think this young man has extraordinary talent,” one of them said. Her response was the slightest nod. Several more interactions like that had the judges concerned.
“Dr. Oh, you seemed to have reservations about this student’s work. If so, you should state them,” the head judge finally said, wondering what flaw she saw that they had not.
The woman moved next to Tae and Jimin dragged Dae back to his side when she saw Tae flinch from the contact.
“This is his fight,” he whispered and she nodded, planning how to best stomp Caroline Oh into the ground and get away with it.
Caroline looked critically at the painting for several minutes and then sighed as she stated, “Not reservations precisely, but observations. He lacks maturity. He tends to act impulsively. He is very easily…..” she paused, glancing into Tae's flushed face, “ easily distracted.” She finished with a throaty laugh.
The oldest judge gave her an assessing look and then laughed at her.
“That's it?” he asked, “you just described 90 % of successful artists. This man clearly has potential and incredible talent. As his teacher you should have fostered that rather than finding flaws. You wasted a fantastic opportunity.”
He turned his back to her and the others followed suit, leaving her livid and Tae next to her looking like a classic sculpture carved in stone.
The judges gave Tae one more round of congratulations before moving away.
Dae moved to slip her arm through his before Caroline turned back toward him. When she did, she saw Dae wrapped around Taehyung and her face flushed an unbecoming color.
Dae recognized the malice rising in the older woman as she looked at her. She intertwined her fingers with Tae's and smiled her brightest smile, openly cataloging Caroline’s every wrinkle and blemish. It did not go un noticed.
“So…..Taehyung. Is this your girlfriend? Does she know…..” she let the sentence hang in the air, “ why you have been so busy this semester?”
“What you mean to ask is does she know my professor has been fucking me all semester,” he said, his tone ice.
She was shocked at his bluntness and her face registered it immediately. Tae watched as she struggled to compose herself.
“What you should be asking is if she, no if they, know you have been fucking many students,” he said his deep voice rumbling in the quiet.
“Shut up!!” she hissed, “shut up! Are you so stupid as to discuss that here? In this room where your work is being judged?”
She stepped closer to Taehyung, but he grabbed her arm and held her away from him.
“Say something you stupid ….you worthless boy,” she whispered, noting the flare of hurt in his eyes. That always got them. “Tell someone. Then your work, your grade, hell…even your selection into the internship competition will be called into question because everyone will know you fucked your way into it.”
She stepped back with a vicious look on her face to survey the damage she had wrought.
Anger and frustration roared in her as she got no rise, no response from him.
Before she could continue, they were interrupted by the dean of the College of Art.
“Pardon me for interrupting, but I need to speak to Dr. Oh on an urgent private matter,” he said.
She took a deep breath before turning to him with a fake smile.
“Of course, Student Kim and I will finish this discussion later.”
Before leaving she looked at Tae from the tip of his Gucci loafers to his messy curls, eyes lingering in ways and places to stimulate or intimidate, or both.
Before leaving she said “I will see you in my office tomorrow. I am not finished with you yet.”
Jimin stepped behind Tae to support him as his shaky legs finally buckled watching her walk away.
Before either of his friends could say anything, he cursed and they shifted focus from his face to the scene unfolding at the far end of the gallery.
“It's him,” Tae whispered, as they watched a young man speaking to University officials, “the one she was with today.”
The scene unfolded like a movie as the professor moved to slap the boy, but was stopped. One of the officials pointed to the ceiling.
“Security cameras,” Jimin whispered.
Tae felt a strange peace settle over him as she was led away before she could cause a scene. He would deal with his crushed heart later.
