❈ corporate building

@✾ ⋰ xiaoting s. as taehyung observed her delicately shedding her robe, his heart, unbeknownst to her, was in tumultuous disarray. he couldn't help but admire the ethereal beauty that unfolded in the dimly lit room, a sight that left an indelible mark on his soul. her silhouette, bathed in the soft play of light and shadow, was a mesmerizing display of vulnerability, and it was all he could do to keep his emotions in check. for him, the feelings he harbored for her were a forbidden garden, an oasis in a desert of monotonous existence. taehyung had known from the very beginning that his emotions were spiraling into uncharted territory, dangerous waters. his loyalty was tethered to a loveless marriage, symbolized by the ring that lay encased on her vanity, a painful reminder of the choices he had made.

yet, even as he was acutely aware of the complications and potential consequences, his heart had betrayed him. it had surrendered to the captivating woman before him, a woman who had learned the art of emotional detachment, a necessary defense mechanism in her line of work. for her, love was the ultimate vulnerability, a folly she couldn't afford to entertain. in her eyes, these men, no matter how much they showered her with affection, could never truly love her.

the thoughts in taehyung's mind were a storm of emotions, torn between his undeniable feelings for the pearl and the reality of the life he was bound to. he knew he was just another man in her life, a client who had hired her for companionship. the voice of reason, even if it was faint, reminded him of the complexities and boundaries they had set for themselves.

"thank you," her soft murmur pulled him from his contemplation. she stepped away, creating a physical distance between them as she placed her white silk robe on the bed, revealing herself in the dim light. taehyung's gaze lingered, her delicate figure adorned only by a pair of black, lacy that hinted at her vulnerability. in that moment, he understood the conflict that must be tearing her apart. she was not just dressing herself; she was assuming a new identity, a role she played for the sake of her clients, a facade that helped her cope with the reality of her profession. he felt a pang of guilt for making her doubt herself, for turning her world upside down.

he watched her, his desire to help, to protect, to comfort her, warring with his commitment to the life he had chosen. It was a battle of the heart versus the mind, and it raged on within him. and yet, as she turned back to him, managing a fragile smile, taehyung saw beyond the pretense, recognizing the vulnerability beneath the surface. her words, "the dress?" hung in the air, a poignant reminder of the dance they had both committed to, the secrets they had chosen to keep.

"the dress," he repeated, his voice a mixture of affection and inner turmoil, as he began to help her into the elegant attire. in that quiet, intimate moment, he wished he could do more, be more, for this woman who had awakened emotions he had long kept dormant. but for now, all he could do was play his part in their intricate dance, masking the feelings that, for both of them, should remain unspoken. taehyung couldn't help but wonder if they were both prisoners of their own design. he wanted to protect her, to be more than just a client, but he was bound by circumstances that kept him from crossing the line. the unspoken words and unfulfilled desires weighed heavily on both of them, a poignant reminder that sometimes, the heart couldn't be silenced no matter how hard one tried.

"there," he whispers, peering over her delicate shoulder and into the mirror. "what do you think?"

@✻ ⋰ taehyung k. His words, spoken so delicately in the fragile space between them, earned a reaction she wanted to ignore, but could not, no matter how hard she tried. For a fluttering heart felt foreign in her body, did she not spend years encasing it in ice and letting it freeze over until it felt dead in the center of her chest. A precaution she made going into this line of work, prohibiting herself from catching feelings for anyone she worked for and with. Falling in love was dangerous for someone like her. It was foolish, and Xiaoting never wanted to make herself a fool. Not when she knew that these men, no matter how much they showered her with affection, could ever love her. And while she trusted that her mind knew better than that, she did not trust her heart, because she knew herself well enough. A lifetime of neglect from her family made her silly little heart a little more inclined to fall too fast for the next person who gave her affection a minute longer than any other person. It had happened before. She would not let it happen again.

She certainly could not let it happen with a man who was still bound to another woman in marriage, whose ring sat on her vanity encased safely in a pretty little box. Xiaoting knew where he stood. And even if her foolish heart decided that the words he spoke were worth its attention, she knew better than to fall for it. He was just a man—a client who hired a girl to give him company. Xiaoting had to remind herself of that. She had been needing to remind herself more and more, lately.

"Thank you," she murmured, breaking out of her thoughts and away from his gaze, which she had centered herself upon for far longer than she should have permitted. She peeled herself away from him and put distance between them by standing by her bed, where she laid her white silk robe after slipping it off her slender frame. She wore nothing beneath it, save for a black, lacy pair of that sat right above her hipbones. Her gaze elevated to the mirror beside her bed, and she bit her lip, suddenly feeling a bit self conscious leaving herself bear for him to dress. She hadn't let anyone dress her before. Not especially in a dress she would wear for the people in his life to see. The people he worked with.

At this moment, she realized what she was doing: posing as someone else. Pretending to be someone she was not. A person of prestige; someone with money and enough status to be with a man like Taehyung. But she was not. She was nothing more than what she always thought she was—a . A e who was nothing more than the little money she made, giving her body up to anyone who would pay for it.

She would not be fooling anybody, out there.

Suddenly hating her reflection, she tore her gaze from the mirror and drew in a deep breath. She gathered her composure, internally reprimanding herself for being a fool, then managed a smile as she turned to her client. "The dress?"

@✾ ⋰ xiaoting s. in her embrace, taehyung couldn't help but feel a warmth that transcended the roles they played. as he leaned in for a kiss, he couldn't help but feel a surge of warmth within when he noticed her smile. her bedroom had become almost a second home to him, a place where he felt a sense of belonging like no other, and a place that provided him something to look forward to - that kept him coming back.

although she declined his gratitude gracefully whilst he handed her the ring, her reassurance melted any hesitation that he may have had. he caught in her peripherals as she set the ring aside, her eyes never leaving his face and his eyes never leaving hers. he was content to stand there, the ring now resting on the table, forgotten for the moment. as she gently ran her fingers through his hair, he closed his eyes briefly, savoring her touch. considering the circumstances of the upcoming event, taehyung had made an extra effort tonight, and her notice didn't go unnoticed. he simply nodded in response to her unspoken question about his grooming.

her compliment made his heart swell with pride, and he chuckled at her endearing absentmindedness. he cherished these moments of vulnerability regardless of the fear accompanying it, moments when they revealed their true selves to each other. with her soft laughter, their intimacy felt unbreakable. he was captivated by her charm, and the blush on her cheeks only made her more endearing in his eyes. her humility tugged at his heartstrings as she admitted he spoiled her more than she thought she deserved and he understood the unspoken thoughts behind her words but respected her too much to bring them to light. Instead, he mirrored her radiant smile, his own eyes filled with affection.

"you deserve the world, my dear," he whispered softly, his fingers brushing a loose strand of her hair away from her face.

her request for assistance was met with a warm nod from him, his gaze unwavering. "of course, id be delighted to help you get dressed," he replied, his voice laced with sincerity as he stepped closer, their connection deeper than the roles society had assigned them. "how about you get those off, and l'll get these ready for you?" he suggests in a murmur, plucking the dry cleaned dress still in the plastic wrap from the box. it's hung up nearby and he removes it from the plastic wrap, then laying all accessories on the table for convenience.

@✻ ⋰ taehyung k. The Pearl did not mind that her client practically ignored what she called him. In fact, it completely flew over her head and was left forgotten when the man distracted her with a kiss and a compliment in its stead. In return, her lips curled at the corners, a pleasant smile ading her features as she watched him enter her bedroom and take up space as if it were his own. Which, it might as well have been. He had visited her and spent the night more often than her other clients and, quite frankly, she favored him the most out of all of them. He had doted on her, spoiled her, and given her more than anyone else she had served. If she belonged to any one of her clients, it would be him. Perhaps it was fitting that he brought her a ring.

“There’s no need to thank me.” She shook her head and gave him a reassuring smile, her eyes alight with warmth as she stepped forward and into his space, curling her arms around his neck to pull him close. She took the box he extended out to her and set it back down on the table, inside the box he pulled it out from. All the while he kept her eyes on his handsome face, that looked a little less rugged tonight. He looked a lot cleaner in general and a little more polished. She wondered if he had indulged before he came over.

“I should thank you,” she continued after the moment of silence she allowed herself. Eliciting a soft sigh, she lifted a gentle hand to comb through the loose strands of hair that couldn’t quite stay in place with the others, pushing them out of his face and giving up only when she realized they would fall back to his brows. Amused, she chuckled, floating her hands back down to his broad shoulders.

“You are so handsome,” she murmured, smoothing her hands over his chest, then back up to his shoulders. “What was I saying? Right.” She laughed at her own absentmindedness, cheeks flushing a faint shade of pink underneath her thin layer of tinted moisturizer. “I should thank you. For sharing this moment with me. You could have chosen anyone, but you decided to take me with you. You spoil me rotten, you know? More than I deserve.”

‘More than a deserves,’ she thought. But she didn’t say it out loud. The last thing she wanted was pity from him, or for her to ruin his night before it even started with such a crass remark. Instead, she flashed him a bright, toothy smile, that didn’t quite reach her eyes, but was convincing nonetheless. “I should get dressed, shouldn’t I? Will you help me?"

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@✾ ⋰ xiaoting s. the door opens and suddenly, taehyung feels utterly exposed for complete reasons of the unknown. his heart thrums in his chest at a quickening pace and gently, he collects his lower tier between his pearly whites as the corners twitch into a smile. "hey, you." the greeting is followed by his upper body leaning forward, pressing a kiss upon her right cheek and then her left. "looking beautiful as always, i see. i have goodies for you."

although it was quite strange to hear a woman call him 'husband' once more, he'd pretty quickly shaken it off. to be honest, the happiness meant to be emphasized with the nickname felt like it'd been completely robbed from him, like the title meant absolutely nothing to his wife -- "wife". so, he hopes cherry doesn't take it personally when he doesn't return the nickname, wanting to savor it for the right person and the right time with the joy that the title deserved. "may i come in?" he questions, but by the time he's done, he's already stepping into the bedroom that he'd became all too familiar with. ironically, this was probably the place that taehyung felt most at home with the best company that he knew of. he was happy here, and was ignorant to the fact that he hated that other men and women came in here, touched her. touched his cherry.

"listen, i really appreciate you doing this for me. i know how strange it is and it's... wrong to ask." he shakes his head and leans forward to set down the box, slowly removing the top before leaning back against the table, both palms curving around the edge. "but my coworkers wouldn't let it down if they knew i was married and failing at all attempts to get a divorce. i would much rather just get all of this over with, and well.. your company is just helpful anyway." it was true, and how silly and naive it was for him to feel this way for her. he shouldn't, and unfortunately, he was all too aware. he brings an arm to adjust one of his sleeves, hiding his heart beneath it.

"c'mere, take a look. here's all of your accessories and the dress. i hope you like it. you'll look beautiful in anything anyway."

sheepish, taehyung's head is tilted downward as he sinks a hand into the box, pulling out the smaller foldable box that carried the ring that used to fit like a glove upon his wife's hand. it wasn't her dream ring, not even close, but it was a ring he'd always dreamed of getting this ring for the woman he would love for the rest of his life. that dream partially came true. someone may question his decision to give it away, but it was just laying around anyway. plus, upon leaving for her rendezvous abroad, she'd taken the wrong ring with her. perhaps the biggest red flag that'd stuck out to taehyung. he tilts his head back up to look at the other woman, extending the box in between them.

"for you, darling."

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@✻ ⋰ taehyung k. It was odd how little she cared about the unethical nature of the job she agreed to partaking in tonight, when she normally would have strong opinions about marital infidelity. True, she had taken part in various affairs as the woman who stole a wife's husband, but the difference between her and other women was that she was compensated for it, and had no choice otherwise. Refusing a client would be breaking the rules, and the last thing any Pearl wanted was to lose a client, let alone and especially one of her regulars.

Not that Xiaoting would refuse Taehyung. He was, by far, her favorite client. He spoiled her with affection, clothing, and jewels—all of which he should be reserving for his wife. But as far as the Pearl understood, her client did not love his wife, and she was in no position to refuse a client who made her job a lot more glamorous than what it actually was. And so she agreed on this little task he gave her, with the promise of a new dress, a new pair of shoes, and a ring she would wear around her finger. A ring that she would wear on the finger wedding bands were typically supposed to go, because tonight, she would be posing as Kim Taehyung's wife at a formal event for work.

Perhaps that was where she should be drawing the line when she should start feeling guilty for the things she committed herself to. Because tonight, they would be taking her client's fantasy of being another woman from the bedroom, to his professional workspace. Dozens of people would be there. Many would meet her under the impression that she was the woman their coworker shared his life with. That she was the woman he was in love with. Tonight, they would be playing all of these people for a fool.

Perhaps she should hate herself for it. Perhaps she should feel terrible. But she didn't.

It was not her fault that this man favored a over his wife. It was not her fault that this man gave her the validation she needed to feel like she was worth something. It was not her fault that he stood in front of her door, looking like the most handsome man she had ever laid her eyes upon. And god, as soon as her eyes met his, she swore her heart fluttered in her chest.

Was she in love with him? Certainly not. She was not an idiot. But she certainly fell in love with what he had given her thus far, and with the delusion that he cared for her enough to present her to his world as his prized possession.

"Husband." She was a performer, after all. If he wanted her as his wife for the night, she was determined to fulfill that role. And she would do it well. "Don't you look dashing?"

@✾ ⋰ xiaoting s. the layers of disguise that typically drapes taehyung’s figure upon entry to the lounge were left behind on this particular night simply because of the event that his attendance was anticipated at. it felt unsafe to enter the building like this, compared to what he was used to. his head is tilted downward in case he passed anyone remotely familiar or might even recognize him, and it remained downward even at the desk of the concierge where he handed over his cell phone in order for the approval to continue onward. he had called in yesterday to reserve this time with cherry – he was nervous enough at the thought of the entirety of this event, he couldn’t risk not being able to have his wife at his side last minute. he’d been chalking her up to his co-workers, only because he doesn’t know when to shut his damn mouth when he’s nervous, and this event made him nervous.

ironically, taehyung was a huge introvert in places that he felt uncomfortable and the thought of being the center of attention when accepting this award tonight had been weighing on his conscious for weeks since it had been announced. it’s not like he didn’t think he deserved it – he was a hard worker, he managed to set aside his problems outside of work to get his job done, because he was passionate about it. he wanted the public to learn about space and be in touch with the reality of it all, and he wanted to be a part of something huge. this job was a great opportunity for that, and this award…. this award was huge. honestly, he wished he could have had his fix prior to leaving his home, but that wasn’t possible because he was out.

a hand raises to rub at his nose before reaching out to knock at her door, one that he had become all too familiar with. there was so much racing through his mind that he hadn’t even realized he reached her so soon. his dressed nicer than usual, standing before the door in a fitted black tuxedo with engraved initials on his sleeve cuffs and both hands are occupied with the large box set atop of them. the box was filled with a fashion-lovers dream – the backless black dress, matching black Louboutin stilettos, gold accessories and a small box with a 3 carat, 24k gold diamond oval ring to pull it together. it was funny, because his actual wife would never wear anything like this.

his wife was lazy and comfortable, never caring too much about her appearance outside of their house, which was unacceptable in his culture. his culture heavily believed you should wear your athletic clothing to the gym, dry your hair before you leave the house, and try to make a good appearance no matter where you go. she embarrassed him, but it was more embarrassing he’d fallen for her game and found himself stuck in it. so, this is what he would do instead. and tonight? he wouldn’t be embarrassed.