Chapter 35

KTH POV

We had about 15 minutes where I wasn't doing anything so I shut myself in the bathroom of my hotel suite and picked up my phone to Facetime with Marley. It wasn't enough but I needed even 5 minutes. I was surprised when it connected not to her beautiful smile but to a scrunched up nose of the cutest little 3yo. "Hello Sophia," I said with a laugh.

She wiped her hand across her mouth. "Hi TaeTae," she answered. "I playing a game."

"Oh? On Mummy's iPad? Is she there?"

"She cleaning."

I could hear a noise in the background, a voice singing along to DNA and I cracked up. This I wanted to see.

"Sophia, can you push the button on the bottom to take a photo for me?"

"Cramra," she asked and I guessed she meant camera.

"Yes, yes, can you do that and show me your Mother?"

She giggled and pushed the button, revealing the kitchen in front of me. All of a sudden it wiggled and moved around and then I caught sight of Marley, vacuuming and dancing while she sang. The short shorts and cropped tshirt were perfect and even the unstable motion of a 3yo holding the phone couldn't disrupt the image for me. I was spellbound and then shook myself out of it long enough to do a screen recording. I definitely wanted to watch this more than once.

Marley POV

A few days out from travelling, I knew I needed to tidy the house ready for the trip. I'd been putting it off, the house was in a state from all my planning and I needed to just get on with it so I had plugged music into my ears and started the vacuuming. Sophia tapped me part way through doing the lounge and asked to use my iPad to do a game. She didn't know it was an early reading app which I'd downloaded on the off chance she might be a child prodigy so I handed it over and went back to the vacuuming. My phone beeped a few times but I ignored it, knowing if I answered the texts, I'd likely get sidetracked so I kept going until the vacuum cleaner was put back away in the cupboard, the lounge straightened and kitchen wiped down.

Flopping onto the couch, I grabbed my phone and noticed I'd missed a text from Tae. Heart fluttering as always, I clicked on the message.

TaeTae

That was very cute dancing, I want to see that again! And you can sing really, really well. Duet?

I was confused for a moment but clicked on the link that took me through to myself, dancing and singing while I vacuumed the lounge. I was mortified, my hair was thrown up in a messy bun but flopping sideways, I was wearing cleaning clothes of old cropped tshirt and shorts and my dance moves weren't exactly up to date. But how did he have that clip? Looking round the lounge, my eyes fell on Sophia, on my ipad where she was still playing.

"Sophia Bug, did TaeTae call while Mummy was cleaning?"

"Mmmhmmmm," she nodded.

"What did he say?"

"Cramra," she giggled.

"Oh, he wanted you to use the camera to show Mummy?"

"TaeTae funny."

"Yes he is," I answered, rolling my eyes at the situation.

Marley

I'm flattered that you think I can sing. I'll sing with you only in my dreams, I'm too embarrassed to do that in person. But I'll dance with you, often, anytime, soon xx

TaeTae

I like all the kinds of 'dancing' we do together and the singing will come too, now that I've had a taste, I want more

Marley

You always want more Tae xx

TaeTae

Yes, yes I do. I'll call later jagiya xx

Some days I was definitely counting down the hours. The afternoon had felt long since I'd finished the chores, his busy day meant we'd barely messaged. And still, every time the phone rang and it was Tae, my heart gave a few extra beats in anticipation of hearing his voice and seeing him again. It was always Tae calling me, I never knew when he was available and most of the time, I could answer when he did have a few free minutes to call. I sent countless texts through the day, some stacking up one after the other until he was free to reply or call. It all meant he was constantly on my mind.

Today, I had him on my mind in a whole new way so when he called, looking like a whole platter full of delicious, I decided to act on it. We'd been making plans for places we wanted to go in Japan and I was very sidetracked by his eyes, losing myself in them and having to shake myself back to the present more than once. He'd had a stressful day, not everything going to plan and was feeling exhausted, telling me how his sleep hadn't been going very well.

"I'll sleep better when you're in my arms again," he said, gazing at me fondly, his eyes heavy with tiredness.
"I'm looking forward to it as much as you are," I answered, thinking, thinking.

"Are you at home?" I asked, heart beating a little quicker than normal.

"In my lounge," he said

"Is anyone else with you? Members? Staff?"

"No, I'm on my own, why?" he asked, his eyebrow going up.

"Definitely alone? You might be upset in a minute if you're not."

"I'm confused Marley, no, there is no-one else here."

Part of me wished there had been so I could cancel, my thoughts of the afternoon culminating in this moment of bravery. But now that it had come, I wanted to back down. Looking at his face, questioning what my words meant, I knew it would be too hard to explain if I didn't carry on so ploughed ahead.

"OK then," and I reached the hem of my top, pulling it up and over my head, revealing nothing underneath.

The screen went wobbly with movement and I could suddenly see wooden flooring and a muffled voice was calling out "Sorry, sorry," before his face appeared back on the screen. "I dropped the phone," he said, swallowing.

"Maybe I should've warned you," I said, running my teeth over my lip.

"Surprise me, always surprise me," he answered quietly, eyes ablaze as he ran a hand through his hair.

My lips were pressed together, only parted enough to let out a small puff of air as my breathing sped up. They felt dry, the look in his eyes sucking the moisture from around me. We both swallowed and I automatically licked my lips, before pressing them together again as his eyes drifted over me.

"So, what is happening here," he asked, clearing his throat.

"You said you were feeling stressed. I thought maybe I could help with that."

He started nodding, big, exaggerated movements as his head bobbed around. "Mmmhhmmmm, I think this could definitely help," smile growing on his face.

I paused a minute, chewing my lip. The plan I had in my mind was seamless and didn't involve a phone being dropped to break the moment. Whether we could save it was yet to be seen. I also cleared my throat. "So, where were we?"

"Well you had just delighted me with a surprise and I'm not sure what was coming next," he said, leaning closer, his face filling the screen with an expression that somehow managed to be cute and intense at the same time.

"I wasn't intending either of us to be fully dressed by the end of the call," I answered and he stood up from where he was sitting, shirt up and over his head before sitting straight back down again. I cracked up and his smile was huge in return.

"Continue," he said, teeth attached to his bottom lip, smile still very much present on his features.

"Do you have any massage oil? Although, baby oil has also proven to be an option," I teased.

"I do have some massage oil. Do you want me to go get it?" he asked, already rising from his seat.

"Yes, I think that would be a very good..."

And then the connection cut out and I realised my phone had died. Grabbing my top to put it back on, I jumped up and ran through the house, looking for my charger. Plugging it back in, it seemed to take forever to start up again and then messages came flooding in.

TaeTae

No No No No!

What happened?"

I'm sitting here frustrated as hell right now!"

Marley?"

I shot off a quick text, eager to let him know what had happened.

Marley

Sorry! My phone died, it's been doing that a bit. I've just plugged it back in but there isn't enough battery to video chat right now.

TaeTae

OK, you need a new phone, that CAN NOT happen again. What am I going to do now?

Marley

Don't you have some photos on your phone?

TaeTae

Definitely not the same baby!

Marley

I know, sorry! Raincheck?

TaeTae

Yes

TaeTae

I'm grumpy

Marley

Is grumpy better than stressed?

TaeTae

I'm now both

I laughed out loud before replying.

Marley

I can feel the pout. I'll definitely make it up to you in Japan

TaeTae

Suddenly I'm not so grumpy. And I am looking at photos of you but not in that way just because looking at you calms be down. Love you aein. Thank you for trying to surprise me xx

Marley

I want to help make your days better

TaeTae

You do, you really do

"Is your phone fully charged?" he asked the next morning, a pout on his face, the first words spoken when the video connected.

"Sorry about that," I said, laughing at his expression.

"Not as much as me," he replied, still pouting.

"You'll see all of me in less than a week."

He blinked a few times and gave a small laugh. "I know but that was quite the surprise."

"It will be a little harder to have time alone with Sophia there, our time will be spent differently."

"I've booked a suite with two bedrooms but if she'd rather sleep in our room, that's OK with me."

"I'd rather she didn't," I said with a smile. "I still have plans for us that don't involve her."

"But she'll be right there in the next room?"

"And she's a heavy sleeper, it will be OK."

"Well, I'm not going to argue with you about that," he said with a smirk. "I am counting down to seeing you both."

"Part of me can't believe I get to be with you in just a few sleeps."

"Believe it baby!" he exclaimed, voice deep and excited. "I'm on that plane in a few days, out of here."

"And you're travelling with security?" I'd seen the mobbing at the airport, I wanted to know he'd be safe.

"I should be at the airport at a quiet time but security will be on site there to help if needed and Choi Ji-ho is coming with me, in case he's needed in Japan."

I felt an element of relief that it was a familiar face coming to help. Knowing that he had children too meant he might be another comfortable face for Sophia."Oh good, I like him," I replied.

"Do I need to bring someone else then?" he asked, frowning.

"Are you jealous?"

"No not really," he said, pouting. "Well, maybe a little."

"You know it's not that kind of like. There's only one person that makes my heart explode Tae."

"OK, I think I knew that."

"I'd hope you'd know that by now. I love you Tae."

He gave an audible sigh, his eyes brimming with contentment. "I do, I can feel it. The next few days can't go fast enough."

He broke out in a string of fast moving Korean. I'd gotten so used to him speaking in English that I was barely ever using the translator app anymore but I quickly clicked it on, only catching the end of what he was saying. "so that's what I really want."

"I missed most of that sorry Tae."

"I know, I was just thinking out loud."

"It sounded like a lot."

"I'll definitely say it all again when the time is right."

I smiled at his expression, the contentment replaced by a quiet burning that made me swallow. "I miss you."

"Hangsang jagiya. But it doesn't hurt as much knowing I can see you both soon. There will be a car waiting at the airport in Japan and I'll be waiting at the hotel for you."

"I can't believe I'm finally going to go to Japan Tae. Thank you for bringing us over."

"I will bring you anywhere, do anything for you Marley, always."

"I know and I haven't been this happy in a long time. Thank you for going on a walk to our park that day."

"It was meant to be nae sarang. When I walked that day, I just followed my feet. I didn't know I was also following my heart."

I took a breath and held it in before smiling, my cheeks as high as they could be and I was sure my dimples were showing. "You have the most beautiful way of saying things oppa."

"I still have to think all the time with my English but you make me want to learn more."

"Gamsahabnida Tae. I'll definitely have to sign Sophia and I up for Korean lessons."

"You'd learn more if you came here and stayed for a while," he said, scrunching his nose cutely.

I laughed. "I know and it's definitely on my plan soon."

"Yes when you're ready and that's OK. I can wait. I need to go, we have a lot of meetings today. Until next time aein."

"Until next time oppa which is thankfully really soon."

"Not soon enough but yes and that makes me happy every time I think of it."

"Ditto Tae, saranghae."

Well, Japan is just around the corner and this story is about 3/4 finished. I'm also hoping to start putting up my oneshots with different BTS members and also some shipping which are called Chance Encounters so stay tuned. Thanks for reading :)

Also, I'm away and reception isn't great here so I'll try to update again on the weekend but it won't be at my regular time, thanks!