vee-elle

[vee-elle]

Lie To Me (Pt.1)

Pairing: Namjoon x Reader (ft. Taehyung) Genre: angst (lots of angst), eventual smut Summary: It has been six months since you broke up with Namjoon and three months since you started dating Taehyung. You meet him again at a banquet and there are lingering feels on both ends, making you question every decision you’ve made. Content: exes!au, implied smut, emotional cheating(?), eventual smut Word: 4.6k

“I saw you looking brand new overnight I caught you looking, too, but you didn’t look twice You look happy” - Lie To Me, 5 Seconds of Summer _________

The spring night was slightly chilly, making you huddle closer to Taehyung with your arm around his. You felt goosebumps slowly form on your exposed shoulder as you pulled on the hem of your strapless body con dress. Initially, you were going to change out of it and opt for another dress that didn’t cling onto your body as tightly but Taehyung insisted that you were overthinking and that the dark teal dress looked “wonderful” on you.

Your grip unconsciously tightened around his arm as you approached the venue. Taehyung glanced at you and softly smiled as you drew in a deep breath and exhaled. You weren’t exactly an introvert, you were quite social, actually- able to strike up and carry a conversation. It was just that tonight was Taehyung’s work dinner banquet and you knew no one except him. There was no doubt in your mind that he’d definitely take good care of you but there was still that inevitable feeling of nervousness since you were in a venue full of strangers. 

Within the short three months you’d been together, Taehyung had shown nothing but absolute adoration for you, yet you were still slightly unsure of your feelings. Although he was caring and a gentleman, you didn’t know if he was truly the one for you and whether you wanted to commit to him, longterm. Plenty of times you had caught him tenderly staring at you, tucking a strand of hair behind your ear while you were sitting together on the couch. In those moments, you held your breath and silently hoped that he wouldn’t open his mouth and say the one word that you dreaded; love. 

“Nervous?” Taehyung chuckled deeply. “I’m right here, don’t worry.” 

You glanced up at him and nodded, leaning forward to peck a soft kiss on his cold cheek. 

As you arrived at the entrance of the venue, the extravagant scenery made you look around in awe. The grand water fountain, right in front of the entrance, was illuminated by bright lights which made the water flowing out sparkle beautifully. The entire front garden was surrounded by beautifully trimmed bushes and a blooming rose bed by the entrance.

“Wow.” you whispered. “I wanna live here.” 

Taehyung chuckled untangled his arm from yours and instead, grabbed onto your cold hand, locking his fingers into yours. Upon entering the foyer, Taehyung was immediately greeted by work colleagues with enthusiastic welcomes and warm handshakes. Each time, he would introduce you as his “beautiful girlfriend”, making heat rise to your cheeks before shaking their hands, also.  Walking further inside, the welcomes did not cease but rather continued even more loudly. Right at the door of the banquet room’s main entrance, Taehyung greeted a taller man quite enthusiastically and you figured that it must have been one of his closer friends. His shoulders were broad and his pink lips were smiling brightly upon seeing Taehyung. You politely smiled at him when his attention turned to you and offered his hand to you. 

“And who is this beautiful lady you’re with, Taehyung?” he smiled, flirtatiously. 

You slowly, almost hesitantly, placed your hand in his as he lifted them to his plump lips before placing a soft kiss on the back of your hand. Slightly taken aback, your gaze darted to Taehyung, who casually laughed it off and shook his head.

“That’s my girlfriend, don’t scare her.” Taehyung playfully slapped his shoulder, before turning his attention to you. “This is Seokjin, who I’m always talking about. 

“Ah.” you nodded. “I’ve heard a lot about you. It’s so great to finally meet you.”

“It’s such a pleasure.” Seokjin said with a smile. “May I be bold and ask if you’ve got a boyfriend yet?” 

“Jin!” Taehyung whined. “Stop.” 

You bit back a laugh as Seokjin let go of you hand and exaggeratedly winked at you. Taehyung rolled his eyes and grabbed Seokjin’s shoulders before roughly turning him around to face away from you and quickly shoving him away. 

“Get outta here.” he laughed. 

“Okay, okay, I’ll go. Have fun, you two.” Seokjin chuckled, before turning around and brought a hand to his lips, blowing you a kiss. 

You laughed and turned back to Taehyung, feeling most of the tension from earlier disappear. He stepped closer and snaked an arm around your waist before placing a quick peck onto your forehead. 

“I’m sorry that he’s got no shame.” he murmured. 

“No, I think he’s funny.” you said, glancing up at Taehyung as he glanced down at you. 

In moments like that, you were not completely sure of your feelings for him but you were definitely sure that Taehyung was incredibly handsome. His charismatic eyes, tall nose and plump lips enticed you, as well as the fitted suit that he was wearing made it all the harder not to be completely head over heels for him in that moment. 

“You look so beautiful.” he whispered, his voice thick, making goosebumps slowly crawl up your arm despite the warm atmosphere of the party. 

You leaned forward and placed a kiss on Taehyung’s lips as he brought his free hand to tenderly cup your warm cheek. He softly pecked your lips back and you closed your eyes, savouring the kiss as you felt yourself being enveloped by all of Taehyung. His cologne that lingered on your skin, the feeling of his plump lips that were almost dry and the warmth of his hand on your cheek. 

“Should we join the party?” he said softly as you both pulled away. “Or should we just go home, so I can keep kissing you?”

You rolled your eyes playfully and nudged his chest gently with your shoulder before Taehyung began to lead you into the main banquet room, his hand still resting securely around your waist. You followed suit and stared in wonder at the main room. Greeted by the quiet chatter of the banquet guests and a mixture of the soft classical music playing in the background, you observed the incredibly elegant set up. The floors were a slick white marble, a grand chandelier hanging above you and lavish sets of stairs on either ends of the room which lead to an open second floor; overlooking the first. 

As your gaze followed the stairs and scanned the open second level, your eyes landed on him. Those same pair of eyes suddenly met yours from across the room and you felt the heat drain from your body. There was definitely no mistaking it. Those familiar pair of warm eyes seemed to have widened just as you swiftly darted your gaze away before it seemed like you’d been staring for too long. 

What was he doing here?

“Baby.” Taehyung’s voice broke your daze, his hand squeezing yours waist softly. “Are you alright?” 

“Oh, I…“ your mouth was dry. “This place is just so fancy. Just taking it all in.” 

As you continued to follow Taehyung further into the room, towards the bar, you fought the burning urge in the pit of your stomach to turn around and glance at him again. So many thoughts were running through your head but none of the thoughts were comprehendible, all jumbled and entangled together. You mindlessly nodded when Taehyung suggested you a particular drink. You could have been imagining it but there was a strange feeling of heating boring into the back of your head; like someone was staring at you. 

Gone was the soft classical music, playing in the background. Gone was the gentle murmurs of conversations. All that was left was an eery buzz in your ear. Taehyung turned around from the bar and handed you a cocktail glass filled with a light pink drink which you gladly accepted and drank immediately. The immediate sweetness and slight burn of alcohol at the back of your throat was an adequate momentary distraction. You would have much preferred a berry sangria but Taehyung hadn’t been around long enough to know that, yet.

As the taste and sensation of the alcohol subsided, again your mind was plastered with the images of him and what a coincidence it was that you would both meet again at your new boyfriend’s work banquet.  You stared up at Taehyung, as he sipped his red wine, glancing around at the scenery and you swallowed. You were in desperate need of any distraction, so without much thought or control, you reached a hand forward and cupped his cheek. His attention was on you and his eyes softened, eyebrows raised sightly as a way of silently asking you what you wanted. 

You brought his face closer to yours and placed small pecks on his plumped lips. You heard Taehyung’s low chuckle and felt the vibration on your lips as he kissed you back and again, you were distracted from your thoughts. But he pulled away, much to your dismay, leaving a slight lingering taste of red wine on your lips and softly planted a kiss on your forehead.  

“Taehyung.”

A voice called from behind. You froze, feeling heat rise up your whole body and making your legs almost tremble. You stood completely still, thinking that maybe if you ignored that familiar voice, it would eventually disappear. 

“Oh, Namjoon.” Taehyung smiled. 

Seeing that he had been acknowledged and there was no escaping the situation, you took a shaky breath through your nose and turned around to face him. The two men briefly shook hands before Taehyung’s arm was around your waist again. 

“Babe, this is Namjoon, he started working in my department a few months ago.” Taehyung said. “Namjoon, this is my girlfriend.” 

For the first time in six months, you got to take a good look at him. His golden skin, incredibly warm eyes and full lips were still the way you remembered. His simple black suit showcased his proportions perfectly, displaying his wide shoulders and highlighting the length of his legs. Namjoon’s hair was shorter though, dark brown and style up. Of course, he’d only cut his hair short after you broke up, you thought. Even though almost half of your relationship consisted of you nagging him to shorten his hair, to which he’d stubbornly disagree. 

“It’s so good to see you, again.” Namjoon smiled. “You look beautiful, tonight.”

He offered his hand and you, almost like you were in a trance, absentmindedly took it. The hand shake left your skin burning afterwards as you clenched your fist tightly by your side. 

“Oh, did you guys know each other?” Taehyung asked, looking between you and Namjoon.

Namjoon’s mouth opened slightly but he chose not to answer. Instead, his stare on you softened and smiled ever so slightly, indicating that he was giving you a chance to come up with an answer that you thought was suitable for Taehyung.

“We’re old friends from a while back.” you cleared your throat. “It’s great to see you, Namjoon.” 

“Really? That’s great, baby. What a small world, right?” Taehyung smiled genuinely, before pulling you closer by the waist and kissing the top of your head. 

Namjoon swallowed dryly and diverted his gaze from you to the glass of champagne in his hands. You caught the sight of his jaw clench and nearly squirmed away from Taehyung’s touch. You found it so strange that you were almost uncomfortable with his affection in the presence of Namjoon, although Taehyung was your boyfriend. You shifted slightly for some distance and pretending to be occupied with sipping your cocktail.

“I do hope we can get back in touch.” Namjoon cleared his throat, eyes back on you before momentarily darting to your boyfriend. “If that’s alright with Taehyung, of course.”

You smile politely at him before Taehyung chimes in, in agreement while gently squeezing your hips. You nodded along to the conversation that followed about their work while sipping your drink, considering on grabbing another one after, just so you could feel less tense. As Namjoon raised his glass of champagne, you gaze unconsciously fell to his full lips, smiling at something Taehyung had said, before placing the glass between his lips. You tried to swallowed but almost choked when his eyes met yours. Embarrassed that you had been caught staring, you quickly diverted your gaze to your wristwatch, pretending to check the time. 

“Namjoon!”

Your eyes followed the high pitched voice to a figure that was quickly approaching you. It was a woman. She was slender and tall, her long hair pulled back into a high ponytail that swayed as she walked. She was dressed in a simple sparkling, two-strap black dress that rested at her upper thighs, slowly inching up with every step. You almost felt like you were supposed to look away as her dress continued to inch higher and she still didn’t seem to notice. 

“There you are.” she giggled as she approached, grabbing onto Namjoon’s free hand. 

“Hey.” Namjoon said softly, looking at her. 

The word somehow made all the hairs at the back of your neck stand up and you felt your arms being scattered with goosebumps. It sounded so familiar, yet so foreign. Familiar in that you’d always used to hear it when Namjoon walked through your front door. Or when he’d pick up the phone whenever you called late at night just to talk. Yet, it was foreign in that it wasn’t to you, anymore.  

“This is Lily,” he said as he turned back, but only looking at Taehyung. “My date, tonight.” 

You and Taehyung greeted her as she let out an almost shrill giggle and you found yourself holding back a grimace. You were gonna need a lot more alcohol if you wanted to get through the night, you thought as you brought your drink up and finished the last gulp. 

As Lily gushed about how grand the party was, how beautiful the venue was and how she had begged for Namjoon to bring her along, you saw him smile tightly at his feet. Their hands were entwined but you felt that there was an undeniable distance between them. Although Lily was giddy with joy, a smile stretched wide across her lips, you couldn’t say the same for Namjoon- his aura was off, almost solemn.  

She wasn’t his type, you nearly chuckled out loud. She was too chirpy and in a strange way, almost too childish for Namjoon. Her laughs and giggles resembled one of a lovestruck teenager and her longing glances at him only further confirmed that. But then again, what did you know about Namjoon’s type? You also were not his type, seeing that you guys were no longer together. 

“We should leave you guys to enjoy the party.” Taehyung smiled, removing his hand from your waist to pat Namjoon’s shoulder. 

Namjoon nodded, letting his gaze drift to you and you didn’t miss how his eyes briefly scanned your features. You almost nervously lifted your cocktail glass to your lips to disguise your tension before realising that it had long been emptied and stopped yourself. He lifted his champagne glass and gestured at Taehyung. Their glasses met with a clink and Namjoon emptied his glass in one final gulp. You watched in awe at how is Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed, how the golden skin of his neck seemed to glisten under the chandelier light. 

“It was great seeing you again.” Namjoon smiled casually, turning to you. “Hope we can see each other again soon.”

That statement sounded too casual, very matter-of-fact and you didn’t know why but it irked you. It was like you were any other acquaintance in the room that he could lightly say that to. But then again, there was nothing more between the two of you, at that point. Two people whose paths crossed briefly and not exactly friends anymore, either. 

Before you could think of something just as causal and lighthearted to say to him, his eyes darted to your empty glass. 

“Looks like you’ve finished your drink.” he nodded at your glass. “Did you want me to grab us some more drinks?” 

He raised his empty glass before his warm eyes gazed into yours expectingly. His hopeful smile was gentle and made warmth swim in your stomach. It almost felt like he was finding a way to stick around, not wanting to leave you, just yet.

“Maybe a berry sangria?” he continued, the smallest smile tugged on his lips.

He remembered, you thought. Not only did he remember but he wanted to remind you that he remembered your favourite drink. Your mind raced in that split second, debating on whether to let him grab you a drink or cut the encounter short. With all the thoughts jumbled and running, you finally decided that there would be no benefits to either of you if you dragged it out. 

“No, thank you, Namjoon.” you smiled softly, tucking a hair a loose strand of hair behind your ear. “I think I’m gonna take it easy tonight.”

Namjoon nodded knowingly, almost like he was expecting that response and you didn’t miss the way his shoulders deflated. Lily was by his side, wrapping her arms around his and clinging to him. 

You leaned into Taehyung’s frame and watched silently as Namjoon bid his final goodbyes, Lily doing the same. She waved a chirpy goodbye at you before turning and walking away with Namjoon while still clung tightly to his arm. As their backs turned to you, you saw him untangle their arms and gently rest his hand on the small of Lily’s back, guiding her through the crowd. Taehyung murmured something next to you and you absentmindedly nodded along as you continued to stare at Namjoon’s faded figure, disappearing into the crowd. 

“They look cute together.” Taehyung chuckled. “Don’t you think?”

The gentle squeeze of your hip brought your attention back to him and you glanced up. Taehyung’s warm orbs met yours and you were hit with how breathtakingly beautiful they were. Beautiful in that they were dazzling but sadly, you felt your stomach sink, they weren’t the same as Namjoon’s.

“Yeah.” you smiled dryly. “Super cute.”

————— 

As the night carried on, you met more of Taehyung’s colleagues. He would introduce you and then you would engage in a small conversation before he bumped into someone else and repeated the whole process. You had answered the same questions to different people the entire night. You then met a few of his closer friends at work and they were incredibly welcoming, easing your tension throughout the night. 

You stood in a little huddled group on the open second floor with Taehyung, Jungkook and Jimin along side their girlfriends. You absentmindedly swirled the new glass of red wine in your hand, strangely refusing to order a berry sangria. Jungkook was telling a funny story about him moving into his new apartment and his girlfriend chimed in humorously which made your boyfriend chuckle lowly.  Taehyung’s hand was entwined with your free one, squeezing it every now and then, out of habit. 

The wine and previous cocktail had made your face start to heat up and your ears to pulse a little. You really were lightweight, you laughed inwardly. The party’s warm atmosphere didn’t help much and you felt heat rise to your cheeks and neck. Letting go of Taehyung’s hand, you touched your cheek with the back of your hand and weren’t surprise to feel the warmth that radiated off your skin. 

“Tae.” you whispered, turning your attention to him. “I’m a bit warm.” 

“Baby, ” he met your gaze and chuckled. “Your cheeks are so red.” 

Heat rose to your face but you weren’t sure if it was from the alcohol or from the embarrassment of him pointing out your rosy complexion.  

“I know.” you smiled shyly. “I think I’m gonna go outside and get some air.” 

“I’ll come with you.” his hand rested on the small of your back. 

“No, you stay with your friends.” you smiled, squeezing his arm before turning to the group. “Excuse me, guys. I’m gonna go get some air.” 

You turned and pecked Taehyung’s cheek quickly as the group waved you goodbye. You swiftly walked towards the open balcony, taking another small sip of your wine. As you set foot outside, the cool night breeze greeted your exposed shoulders. The balcony was long, stretching along the perimeter of the venue with sets of tables and chairs scattered around. You walked towards the balcony rail and rest your hand on it, feeling the contrast of the cool silver on your warmed skin. 

The view of the balcony had you looking over a beautiful garden that was neatly trimmed with plenty of flowers. You admired the garden as the dark night made it look beautifully mysterious and the flowers’ distinct colours still illuminated in the cover of the night. You breathed in a breath of fresh air and caught a hint of what smelt like jasmine, probably planted in the garden

Maybe you should have come out here with Taehyung, you thought to yourself. It would have been incredibly romantic. 

“Hey.” you heard. 

You froze and stood rigid in your place. The hairs on the back of your neck stood up and you felt the warmth drain from your cheeks. It was then replaced with cold sweats as you stood there not sure if you should turn around or not. 

Finally coming to a decision, you plastered a small smile on your lips tightly before taking a breath and turned around to face him.

“Namjoon.” you nodded, casually. 

“Why are you out here alone?” he said softly, taking a step closer to you. “Not enjoying the party?” 

You stared wordlessly at him as he slowly continued stepping closer. Another champagne glass in hand and the other planted in his pocket. You swallowed and felt your throat go dry as you clawed inside your mind for a minimalistic answer to give to him. 

“Just getting some air.” you shrugged before raising your wine glass and taking a sip. 

“Is the alcohol making you warm?” he chuckled softly, nodding at your glass . 

You almost scoffed out loud. It sort of annoyed you; the fact that Namjoon knew you so well. Your favourite drink, your less than impressive tolerance for alcohol and the fact that he could recall all that off the top of his head. How he could effortlessly remind you that he was a great boyfriend. But you left. And he was no longer yours.

You shrugged wordlessly and turned away from him, once again facing the garden, resting a hand on the balcony railing. As you pretended to be admiring the vibrant flowers and neatly trimmed hedges, you couldn’t shake away the feeling of his stare at the back of your head. You cleared your throat nervously and tried taking in a deep breath, craving the subtle scent of jasmine coming from the garden. Instead, what you got was an incredibly familiar aroma. Only then, did you realise Namjoon was next to you, against the balcony also admiring the garden. His scent almost more intoxicating that the glass of red wine in your hand. 

“So,” he sighed softly. “Taehyung, huh?” 

You furrowed your brows and turned to Namjoon. His expression was neutral, no particular emotion as he continued to stare down at the garden, raising his glass of champagne and taking a rather large sip. He turned and faced you, the slightest smile pulling on his full lips.

“Have you already forgotten me?” he whispered. 

You felt your breath hitch as his straightforward question caught you off guard. You looked into his eyes, bewildered as you opened your mouth but struggled to form a coherent sound. Namjoon’s warm eyes continued to softly stare at you, before taking a small step towards you. His scent become more obvious as he stepped closer and you had to force yourself to tear your eyes from his. 

“That’s what you’re supposed to do after a breakup, Namjoon.” you faked a scoff. 

“You know that wasn’t what I wanted.” he countered softly, taking another small step towards you.

You knew. You knew exactly what he had wanted. But you were too afraid to commit and you chose to leave. You had learnt the hard way in the past- the deeper you love someone, the more it’d hurt when you ultimately parted ways. 

“You can’t keep running away when things feel right.” he said, his voice almost pleading at you to look at him.

Your eyes meet again and you were surprised to see his normally sparkling, warm gaze had been replaced with something that almost looked like hurt. You wanted to reach up and place a hand on his cheek, run your thumb over his cheekbone but you didn’t. He wasn’t yours anymore and that was the decision you had made six months ago. 

“Namjoon…” you whispered, unable to find anything else to say. 

“You should be happy when things feel right.” he smiled ever so slightly, placing his free hand over yours, against the railing. “We felt right.” 

Gasping softly, you roughly ripped your hand away from his, no matter how warm and familiar it felt. You took a hurried step backwards to create some distance between your bodies and saw his eyes gloss over with defeat. The once cool air suddenly became incredibly warm and almost too thick to breathe in as you turned your heels and began to walk away. 

“Are you happy with him?” Namjoon called after you. 

The clicking of your heels stopped abruptly as you almost made it halfway to the opened door. You turned and faced his tall figure, the darkness of the night making him look mysteriously handsome, more so than he already was.

Were you happy with Taehyung? You were content that he was a sweet guy and treated you well. You were content that you had someone in your life. But were you truly happy?

‘I don’t know,’ rested at the tip of your tongue, threatening to spill over. 

“Yes.” 

Taking one last look into him and his deflated, tall figure, you turned and hurriedly walked back to join the almost-ending banquet. 

You found Taehyung still encircled by his close friends, laughing at something Jimin had just said. Approaching him softly, you linked your arms with him before sliding your hand down and finding his  slender fingers, entwining them in yours. While greeting everyone else again,  you tried to remain composed and not act like Namjoon had just held your hand out on the balcony.

“Missed you.” Taehyung whispered huskily, before planting a kiss on your hair.  

Smiling coyly at him, you squeezed his hand before leaning closer to brush your lips against the cold shell of his ear. 

“Should we get out of here?” you whispered, suggestively. “I can show you that I missed you more.” 

Taehyung stiffened and narrowed his eyes on you, his stare glazed over darkly. You batted your lashes and smiled shyly, feigning innocence before shrugging your shoulders. He turned to his friends and bid everyone a quick goodbye, as you did the same, before swiftly leading you out of the venue. 

You didn’t care that he may have been in the middle of a conversation with his friends. You didn’t care that Jimin may have been telling the funniest story ever. You wanted him. No; needed him. You needed him to make you forget about the whole event of the banquet. But most of all, you needed him to make you forget about the tall man with golden skin and warm eyes, who used to be yours.