Chapter 4
Marley POV
I negotiated getting Sophia dressed while butterflies fluttered in my stomach. Dressing a wiggly preschooler was enough to distract me from what was about to happen but only for a few minutes. As soon as her clothes were on, she wanted to go back to cartoons and normally she didn't watch this much TV, but today was the exception. I had too much on my mind. But I busied myself by doing a few chores, making a snack for Sophia, and before I knew it, it was time to load into the car and set out to meet him.
Half of me felt ready, the other half of me was terrified. Not because he was a celebrity. I'd met him when I didn't know so I felt like we'd already gotten over that and been able to talk a little without that hanging over our heads. But I felt nervous, worried and excited at the thought someone wanted to spend time with me again. Matty was my everything through high school and I hadn't really looked at other boys. Here was a man and my heart was fluttering like a teenager again. The only problem was, that he was who he was and I was me. I sighed, trying to ignore the thoughts ticking through my brain. "Let's just go and have a nice time and see what happens," I thought as I buckled Sophia in and turned the engine on.
20 minutes later, we pulled up and I turned the car off, walking around to open the back door and unbuckle Sophia. The park-like setting stretched out in front of us and in both directions, vacant land of houses that had long ago disappeared and was now deemed heritage land. Trees were scattered making many tiny little places to while away the afternoon in almost seclusion. People walked dogs here but not very often, you could find fruit trees left to grow unattended and forage to your hearts content. I knew it would be fairly private for us to enjoy for however long we had together. Grabbing the picnic rug from my car, we walked towards the trees.
A few minutes later a black SUV pulled up next to my car and the back door opened. I wondered if the driver, and I guessed there was likely security, would come too but only one figure started to walk towards me and my heart sped up. Dressed in a baseball cap, white branded t-shirt, grey track pants, and carrying a large basket, he was the very description of low-key and boyfriend rolled into one. Apart from the fact he could devastate you with a look, he could pass for someone out for some exercise but I found it quite sexy, especially the way he strode. He was looking at the ground, maybe in an attempt to stay undercover but when he was close enough to make out his facial features, he looked up and when our eyes met, his seemed to come to life, his smile stretching out across his cheeks. My smile in return was automatic and it felt amazing to do that so freely not to mention to see him again.
Sophia stood at my side, grabbing my top and watching as he arrived next to us. "Hello again," he said greeting her first.
"Hello man," she replied, earning a huge laugh from V.
"You can call me Tae," he said, tousling her hair and looking at me with an expression I couldn't read. "And hello again Marley. I am very happy we could do this today. You look beautiful."
I blushed at his compliment having not heard that from a man in what felt like a long time."It's a very nice surprise for us too. Shall I call you Tae as well then, even though you introduced yourself to me as V yesterday?" I asked as we spread the picnic rug out on the ground, placing the basket on top.
He indicated a place to sit on the rug, reaching for my hand to guide me down next to him. As I settled on the rug, he squeezed my hand briefly before letting go, the ripple effect spreading through my chest so that I had to take a deep breath.
"V is my stage name, Kim Taehyung is my full name, Tae is who I am to friends. You can call me any of those but I like Tae," he answered carefully, beginning to unpack the basket. I realised what a chore it was to choose his English words and wondered how long he had been learning.
I helped him spread everything out, enjoying the selection of cheeses, crackers, breads and fruit along with some kind of meats. Soft drinks and small juice boxes followed and I smiled thinking he had considered Sophia as well when having the picnic packed. "Please begin," he said indicating the food and for me to go first.
Food was a draw card for Sophia who plonked herself down on the mat, pointing to the things she wanted to try. Thankfully, she'd never been a fussy child, we had a "let's try everything" rule in our family and it meant she could go from spicy to plain food quite easily. Putting together a plate for her, she started picking at them with her fingers, happily munching away while Tae handed me a plate too. I felt a bit awkward, I was feeling a little hungry but eating in front of people for the first time wasn't my favourite thing to do. Some guys could judge you if you ate too much of the wrong thing but my feelings were put to ease as he loaded his plate with meats and cheese and tossed them into his mouth without a care, munching away like a chipmunk, so I put a few delicious looking options on my plate and nibbled too.
As she ate her fill, Sophia signed to me that she was done and I signed back to ask if she wanted a drink. Tae watched with interest and commented, asking what we were saying.
"When she was born, we read a book about communicating with babies. They cry and can't tell you why so we started using baby signs when she was little so she could tell us she wanted food or drink, that she was finished, tired or sad. For example, she signed to me before that she was full but thirsty. Then, as she got older, we added real signs in and she knows a few. We have someone in our world who is hard of hearing so the sign language comes in useful."
"That's so interesting. I know a little in international sign language, I wonder if it is the same here or if you have your own signs here too."
"I know ours is different from sign language in USA. I think each country adapts it to suit their people. It's one of our 3 languages but not that many people are fluent in it, I'm definitely not but it's useful to be able to sign without speaking sometimes." I thought of the secret signs Matty and I had to say things like I love you and I blinked for a moment remembering before tucking those memories away again inside the part I kept locked up for only me. Tae noticed that I seemed to zone out for a few seconds and I smiled at him shyly as I nibbled a little more.
Soon, Sophia was refreshed with food and ready to play so she took off running across the open grass. "Stay close Sophia bug," I called and turned to see Tae was staring at me. He seemed to be tracing my face and the intense way he was looking made it feel like he was doing it with his fingers and not just with his eyes. When he moved from my lips to meeting my eyes he seemed to snap out of it with a shy smile, looking away. I looked away too, wondering what was going on. I felt flustered but strangely comfortable, relaxed but more than a little confused.
I glanced at the sky to avoid dealing with my emotions, noticing a few clouds scattered across the blue. "Oh, a flower," I said, pointing up at one of the clouds.
"Ah, I see it, beautiful," he answered, "what else can we see?" He lay back staring at the sky, encouraging me to do the same with a gesture of his hand. I followed him, laying back, feeling the loose bun at the base of my neck getting in the way of laying down. I wriggled as I tried to find a spot to stretch out.
"You need a pillow," he said, indicating his stomach. "Come rest here," like it was the most natural thing in the world after meeting only yesterday. And I couldn't understand why but it actually felt that way, so I turned, resting my head on him as we both stared up at the sky. I could feel his breathing in and out from how I rested and his stomach wasn't exactly a pillow, hard beneath my head making my mind drift.
"Oh, oh, dog head," he said, startling me out of my thoughts about his abs, pointing. I laughed, thinking it was a stretch to call the cloud blob a dog head but happy to be relaxing together.
I glanced sideways to see Sophia running towards us, holding small flowers in her hands. "Mummy, daisy chain?" she asked, dropping all the flowers on the rug next to me.
"I am good at flower chains Sophia," Tae said as we both sat up. "Can I help?"
She nodded enthusiastically and he rolled onto his stomach, taking a couple to thread together. She kept handing him new ones to add to the ever-growing chain and Tae was concentrating like it was the most important thing he had ever done, threading each new flower carefully to the next. When it was long enough to fit around her head, he wove them together and placed it on his head like a crown to show her what it looked like, causing her to giggle and reach out, asking for it to be on her head instead which he did carefully resting it on her head, adjusting her hair to settle back around her shoulders, now a flower princess.
The delicate way he treated her, endeared him more to me. And the relaxed way he lay on the ground, feet crossed at the ankles, surprised me. Like, wasn't this one of the most boring things a celebrity could be doing? I'm sure there were people to see or places in the city he would rather be. But he seemed happy, now playing a clapping game with her before she dissolved into fits of giggles, Tae laughing along. The sound made my heart flutter a little as I watched them have fun together. Tae glanced my way from time to time, our eyes meeting in a hesitant way but always with a smile.
Then she was off again, distracted as 3y olds often are. He sat up, leaning back on his arms and smiling at me as we both watched her take her doll for a walk amongst the trees. "She is a delight," he said, turning his focus back to me. I couldn't take him looking at me for too long without my body temperature changing and so I glanced away, broaching a new subject. "This tour, have you been to a lot of places?"
"USA, parts of Europe, Asia, and now here. We have Australia after this and then home for a few months before we travel again."
"I love to travel," I replied, closing my eyes as I remembered the trips I'd taken over the years. "My favourite place so far has to be Italy. Everything so rich in history."
"Yes, travel when we get to see things is amazing. It is much harder now to go places without people seeing us but we have had amazing adventures over the years. I have strong memories in parts of USA and Paris was all I wanted it to be but my favourite place is right now," and he smiled in the most endearing way.
I blinked multiple times and gulped, then bubbled over with laughter unable to contain my varying emotions. "You are smooth," I giggled and he joined in with my laughter, his deep as he sent a boxy smile my way and rested his teeth against his bottom lip. I had to look away.
"So where else do you want to go?" he asked, picking at the grass around the edge of the blanket.
"I learned a little Japanese and German at high school so I'd love to go to Japan, especially in Spring, and also to places in Germany that have a lot of history. And somewhere warm to relax, I'm not even bothered where, somewhere with beaches and sand. What about you?"
"I like places that are cold so I can dress warm. Maybe Antarctica?" he said with a laugh.
"Well, you seem to be very skilled at getting what you set your heart on so I'm sure you'll make it to Antarctica one day."
"I get everything I set my heart on? I hope so," he replied and I met his eyes again as he reached for my hand, briefly running his thumb across the top before resting it on top and interlocking our fingers. I forgot how to breathe, looking down at our hands. His felt warm in mine, his fingers long and somehow elegant but strong.
Sophia ran over to us breaking the moment which was a relief, I couldn't process my feelings in that moment. I'd need to have some time to think about how overwhelming this all was before I could really understand what was happening.
Sophia was starting to get sleepy, rubbing her eyes and putting her thumb in her mouth. She still had a nap most days and if she didn't, everyone knew about it. "Come lay down on the mat baby," I said and she came over, drowsy and ready to rest. Tae was lying on his back again, eyes closed against the sun and soon both were breathing deeply in sleep. I watched them for a few minutes. My baby girl was curled up on her side, her tiny eyes scrunched closed. Taehyung was lying close to her, one hand resting on his stomach and the other tucked behind his head. I took in all of him with my eyes now that his were closed, how handsome he looked even while sleeping, how big his hands were where they rested. His t-shirt was riding up a little in sleep and I got a glimpse of his skin, trying not to linger on that for too long. How his lips were slightly parted and looking very full and inviting. I gulped and tried to blink away the feelings churning in my stomach as it felt too soon.
The warmth of the sun and the food in my belly meant that when I lay down with them, my eyes wanted to close too. I curled near them both, holding Sophia's hand, resting against Tae's leg and sleep came almost straight away.
Who knows how long passed before I felt a shadow fall across my face, losing the warmth of the sun and I opened my eyes to see some men gently waking Tae. He rubbed his eyes as he woke, listening as they spoke in low tones. Nodding he turned as they walked back to the car, quickly and quietly gathering the picnic remnants as they left. "Security came to tell me it was almost time to go. I think I slept for quite a while."
"We all did," I replied, stretching and pointing at the still sleeping Sophia.
"I don't want to go but I must," he said, beginning to stand up. And then he paused, staring at me before speaking again. "I have a concert tonight which is short to tell you about but tomorrow there is our last one here. Would you like tickets to come?"
"Oh wow, that would be amazing, I'd love that."
He smiled broadly, his eyes lighting up. "Oh good. Sophia too?"
"She loves music and dancing so yes if that's ok?"
"Of course, you will have good seats, I will make sure and you will be there as my guests."
"I'd really like that Tae." We were both standing now, close enough to almost touch but we didn't. Still, there was some kind of charge between us which I could feel, and as he looked at me, it felt like he could too. It started earlier when he held my hand, something I'd be thinking of all night. He licked his lips a few times, like he was trying to find the words he wanted to say. And then he made eye contact before bowing slightly. "I would like to see you more today but I will go on Instagram tonight, live during the concert and say hello to you. Not in words but hopefully you will know. And then, tomorrow."
I turned my head to the side, looking at his face, surprised and flattered that he wanted to send a message to me during the concert. He was beautiful and I'd never really described a man like that before. He was handsome too but in that moment, he looked a little shy, his features soft rather than sharp and strong. I swallowed and let out a small breath because what I wanted in that moment was to hug him and I couldn't describe why. He was attractive, fun to talk to, easy to relax with but there was a soft vulnerability about him too.
I realised I'd been staring and he'd noticed so I smiled at him, trying not to look embarrassed and finally replied, "Tomorrow sounds amazing and I'll check in on Instagram tonight to see you."
We stood there for a moment longer, a little awkwardly. Were we meant to hug, shake hands? He solved this for us by reaching out for my hand and kissing the back of it while he bowed and gave it a squeeze as he released it afterward. "Today was another beautiful day. Have a good afternoon Marley," he said as he walked backward for a moment. "I'll think of our picnic until I see you again in person."
I blushed and raised my hand to wave goodbye and he smiled as he turned to head back to the car. I watched him walk away, a fluttery feeling following after him. When the car door opened for him he stopped and leaned on it for a few moments looking at me, then waved his hand before climbing inside.
My heart raced, I was grinning and I couldn't help myself. As the engine of his car began to purr, I started to spin, just as Sophia had the day before. My arms were out feeling the warm air, slight breeze, the freedom of possibilities. I didn't care if he saw and thought I was weird, he had begun to awaken the parts of me that had been gone for more than a year. The parts where I wanted to find a connection with someone who could feel your soul. I didn't know if that could be Tae but he had opened me up to thinking about it again and I felt happy. Out of breath I sunk lightly down next to the still sleeping Sophia and watched his car drive away. Definitely glad I went to the park yesterday and said yes to the picnic today. This wasn't all happening by chance and I thought I might actually be ready for it.