Chapter 3

Marley POV

The sounds of Sophia waking greeted me just before 7 am and I stretched, realising I'd slept the night on the sofa. Again. Since Matty, the bed felt lonely and I ended up falling asleep in front of the TV more than half the time. I sat up and wiped the sleep from my eyes. Sophia ran out, holding her blanket, falling into my lap for a cuddle. "Mummy, mummy, mummy" she sang, as always awake and ready to go from the moment her eyes popped open. "Sophia Sophia Sophia girl," I replied in a sleepy, sing-song voice. "Breakfast time?" Nodding she jumped up and ran to the kitchen, our normal routine beginning as she helped me pour the cereal into a bowl. Breakfast, getting her dressed and cartoons were the normal way we started most days with just the two of us. It felt comfortable to have a routine when our world had been so crazy the last year and so I switched into morning mummy mode and the time ticked by until 9 am when the doorbell rang.

Furrowing my brow, I walked towards the peephole and looked out. Standing slightly back from the door was a well-built guy in sunglasses holding an envelope. Nope, wasn't opening the door. "Ummmm, yes, can I help you?"

"Delivery for Miss Marley," he replied.

"Sure, just leave it on the doorstep, thank you," I answered.

"Miss Marley, V would prefer I handed you the envelope so he knows you got it," and I took a step back from the door. V? Had an envelope for me? Delivered to my house? How? What? Why? A zillion emotions flicked through my head while my heart started to gallop. "Miss Marley?" he asked again and I realised I hadn't said anything for almost a minute.

"Sorry, sorry, let me unlock the door." As I pulled the door open, he bowed slightly, handing the envelope across the threshold. "Ah, thank you?" I said, still feeling incredibly confused. He nodded then turned, walking back to the car I saw parked just up the road. Was V inside the car watching the exchange? Suddenly embarrassed, I tugged at the clothes I was wearing, literally the same I was wearing the last time he saw me as I had fallen asleep in them. "Ah, excuse me, sir," and Mr. Muscles turned. "Can you please say Thank you to V. He's not... here is he?"

"No Miss, he's practicing at the moment until 930am."

"OK, thank you again," I replied and closed the door after I watched him get in the car and drive away.

My hand was shaking a little as I walked the envelope in and put it on the kitchen bench. I glanced at Sophia, noticing she was engrossed in Cocomelon and then I stared back at the envelope. White, small, my name scrawled across the front. Taking a deep breath, I slit it open and pulled out a single white sheet of folded paper. Opening it up I read "Do you like picnics? Would you like to come have one with me today? V". It was written on hotel letterhead and at the bottom were enough digits to make a phone number. I dropped it back on the counter, hand to my forehead. Yes, the temperature was definitely going up and I fanned my cheeks, flustered.

Did I want to go on a picnic with V? Yes, yes I did, I didn't even need to think about it. Yesterday had felt like a big shift in my life and somehow it felt like he was part of it. I looked at my cellphone and saw it was 912am. If he had practice until 930am, should I call him at like 945am and see what was going on? That left me half an hour to shower and change into something other than what I was wearing so I double-checked the doors were all locked and bolted, called out to Sophia that I was going to take a shower and then gathered my things together. With only me in the house now, some things had needed adapting. Now I left the bathroom door open while I showered so I had a clear view of the hallway and could hear if Sophia called out. Privacy didn't exist but it was usually the only way to get anything done. Washing down with my favourite shower gel, I left the cubicle smelling like cucumber and with freshly smooth legs, preparing myself for the date. And then I stopped. "Did I just call this picnic a date?" I wondered. I mean, we were hanging out together but Sophia would be there. Was I even thinking about it that way, was he? So many questions and my brain was starting to hurt so I wrapped in a towel, noting Sophia hadn't moved from her spot on the sofa.

Walking into my bedroom, I opened the closet and stared. What did one wear to a picnic with a celebrity? The day was beautiful, blue skies and an unseasonably warm breeze. I was trying really hard not to overthink it, what would I wear to a picnic with just Sophia and I? Probably leggings and a long sweatshirt, my mummy uniform. Somehow that didn't seem like something I'd want to be caught wearing today. Flicking through, I settled on a pair of dark blue skinny jeans and a loose-fitting white shirt. As I buttoned it up, I noticed how it didn't sit the same as it did a year ago. I had lost weight with the stress of losing Matty, everything sat differently than before, some of my feminine curves had disappeared but it still looked OK, and OK was all I had to work with at such short notice.

At 945am I picked up my phone and stared at it, taking a deep breath. My fingers were shaking a little as I punched in the numbers and waited as I heard it dial. He picked up after only a few rings.

"Hello," came his deep voice down the line.

"Hi, it's Marley," I replied, nervously.

"Ah Marley, thank you for ringing me. I'm glad you got my envelope."

"Yes, unexpected," I replied.

"Unexpected? Wait please," and I could hear a quiet conversation in the background.

"Ah, unexpected, I see. Good or bad unexpected?"

"Well, definitely good but very surprising."

There was a pause and then he asked "And would you like to picnic?"

I smiled at his phrasing. "Yes, we would."

"Oh, good, I am free from 11 am until 2 pm, what time would you like?"

"Shall we do 1130am? What shall I bring?"

"Oh no, no, I will get the hotel to prepare it for us but can you please say where to go? Not where we went yesterday. Too many people will know that place now."

Walking to the window and pulling the curtains aside slightly as we talked, I noticed that he was right. The park across from my house seemed busier than it had in a long time. Could people have tracked down the location from the photos? There were definitely armchair internet sleuths that could easily do that. "Don't worry, I know a place that is quiet and I don't think people would find you there."

There was a moment of silence. "Do you know who I am then?"

"I do now," I answered quietly. "I saw the pictures you posted."

"I'm sorry, I needed to, they were a beautiful moment."

"I'm not upset, I'm just... surprised," I answered, a small blush on my cheeks. Why was I feeling like this, heart beating a little too fast, dry lips?

"Why surprised? You were a part of a very good day."

"I'm glad," I said, feeling a warmth radiate across my body.

"Yes, so I could not stop at just the park. I wanted another good day to see you but today, longer."

This time the warm feeling spread to my face and I touched a hand to my cheek.

"I enjoyed meeting you too. A picnic to talk again would be nice." How lame nice sounded when it left my lips but I was in my head a lot, trying not to say the wrong thing and also trying not to overthink it.

"Shall I text you the address of where to go?"

"Yes please," he answered. "I can send a car for you? Too many people might see if I come to pick you up myself."

"No, no, we can drive, my car is set up for Sophia. And V?"

"Yes Marley?"

"I was thinking, even though it's not a place many ever go, do you think you can dress down?"

"Dress down. What do you mean?"

"Well, you're very noticeable. I mean, very. You're..." I couldn't finish the sentence right away. I wanted to say handsome and beautiful and a whole lot of other words that were stuck on my tongue but my guess was he heard those all the time. So I settled for "you're you. So can you maybe wear some jeans and a sweatshirt, or something equally casual so you don't stand out quite so much?"

There was a moment of silence and I wondered if I had offended him. Hopefully I'd spoken slowly enough that he got everything I said and that I didn't come across as bossy. I mean, who was I really to tell this man what to wear when it seemed designer clothes were his thing.

"Of course, if I have not the right thing, my Hyung will have. I will do that Marley."

"Thank you, I think it will make it easier for everyone. So, I'll see you at 1130am?"

"It will be what I look forward to today the most."

I just about fell off my chair, the charm of this guy. I gave a small laugh back as I replied "me too," and we disconnected, my heartbeat taking a while to return to normal.

KTH POV

I'd been waiting for the call, at least I'd been hoping for it. Once the staff got back and said she'd received the note and had asked what time I finished up, I was watching the clock. So when the phone rang, I cleared my throat and looked at Namjoon. He'd offered to translate if needed as I was feeling nervous and he nodded encouragingly at me to answer the phone. Her voice at the other end made me think of sunshine and I spoke to her for a few moments, just happy she'd said she wanted to go with me. When she used a word I didn't understand, I asked her to wait and turned to Namjoon. "Unexpected?" He whispered quietly, explaining what it meant and I went back to the call thinking to myself that I also thought that all of this was unexpected but just as it should be.

We talked for a few more minutes and my excitement levels started to rise as I thought about seeing her and Sophia soon. She had already made an impression on my heart and I wasn't sure why. She was very beautiful, I'd been looking at the photos since I took them and was captivated by her. Not my normal type but I was struck by her anyway. Namjoon was on his phone, looking up every now and again but I'd wandered away from him, surprisingly comfortable with how we were able to communicate.

It didn't take long for me to realise she knew who I was now. And it didn't seem to change the way she spoke to me. It was refreshing to meet real people, I knew that a lot of the people who I saw in my work wanted something from me. It seemed like Marley wanted simply some company and dare I hope, some connection with me?

Having decided on a place to have the picnic, we planned for a few more minutes, and then she surprised me by asking me to dress down. I repeated that back to her and Namjoon looked up, translating that she meant to be casual even while Marley tried to find the words to say the same thing. In that moment, I realised she was trying to protect me, to find a place and a way of us being together that would enable me to have a relaxed time and that made me want to get to know her even more. I knew between the hyung and I, we'd find something to wear and told her so.

When she confirmed she'd see me at 1130am, I looked at the clock, only 90 minutes until then and my heart felt happy. "It will be what I look forward to today the most," I said and heard her give a little laugh as she said "me too," and we hung up.

Holding the phone to my chest, even after the call was disconnected, I stared into space for a few minutes before I realised Namjoon was clearing his throat, an amused look on his face.

"Smitten are we?"

"I'm not sure what I am," I replied, running my hands through my hair. "Apart from excited to see her again."

"You've been smiling the entire phone call, I'd say you're smitten."

I felt my cheeks where they stretched out widely, the smile still there, and laughed. "I know it's kind of crazy but it is what it is."

"Yes crazy." He became serious for a moment. "Taehyung, you know this would be really complicated if something came of it."

"I know that. Even a relationship back home is hard to keep secret. I can't imagine a long-distance relationship. But I feel like we're skipping ahead too far, can't I just enjoy what it is in the moment?"

He nodded. "I know you and you don't do casual relationships so I'm sure you'll work out pretty quickly where you want to go with this one."

I nodded as he spoke the truth. I was in it for the long haul when I fell for someone until it wasn't right anymore. Not that I'd had much of a chance for that to happen in my line of work. It was always difficult to juggle work, life, and love. But I brushed all of that away for now and picked up the phone to dial the kitchen. I had a picnic to organise.