Chapter 48

Marley POV

I smoothed my dress down for the 18th time and Tae, took my hand, bringing it to his lips. "You look beautiful aein, try not to worry." His eyes were calm and I breathed in a few times as I sunk into their depth, allowing my shoulders to relax."Just remember, it doesn't matter what country anyone is from, parents just want their child to be happy. And I am, very happy."

Leaning over to kiss my cheek, he settled his arm around the back of the couch, far too relaxed for brunch with his family considering he was introducing us for the first time. At least I hadn't had to cook anything, Tae had taken care of that, ordering in. I didn't want to prepare food incorrectly and embarrass myself from the first day.

And then the doorbell rang and my heart started to gallop as he got up, squeezing my hand as he did, almost skipping over to the door in his excitement. 'Here we go,' I thought, taking several deep breaths and rising from the couch.

As it turned out, they put me at ease very quickly, his Eomma taking my hand as I bowed deeply to them both. Sophia was the one who really broke the ice though, skipping through the house and coming to an abrupt stop in front of them. She looked up at Eomma, turned to Appa and back to Eomma before saying, "oh, nice people." Tae translated straight away for them and they were as captivated by her as most were within a few minutes.

As we sat to eat, I had to remind Sophia not to chatter quite so much, she was dominating the conversation. But when Tae had explained to his parents they laughed, reminding him he was just the same as a child and that he often fell back into that habit even now when he was excited.

I tried to remember all the things I'd been told and had seen online; turning away to drink, even though it was just juice, letting the adults start their food first however there seemed to be no real formalities and I quickly fell into watching how they interacted together and joining in when I could. It was clear Tae adored them and they were reserved but love shone out of all their eyes. This was a family that was close.

I went to stand to clear the plates afterwards and Tae did as well but Eomma took my hand and made me stay seated as Appa, joined Tae instead, clapping his hand on Tae's shoulder as they walked into the kitchen. Turning to me, she took a breath and spoke in careful, soft English. "You love Taehyung?" Her eyes sought mine and held them as she asked and I nodded.

"Yes, I love him with my whole heart," using a little sign language, hoping I'd be able to convey how huge my feelings were in such a small sentence. I think the tears that rose in my eyes explained it more than my words and I blinked them away as she smiled at me, capturing my hands in her small ones.

"Good. Yes, Taehyung will be happy."

I choked up, wanting to say so much and just ending up with what felt like a weird smile instead but she didn't seem to mind, patting my cheek as she stood up. "Sophia," she called, going to find my daughter. They had already hit it off, even without really any language skills, play being the ultimate in bonding as I walked in a few minutes later to find Eomma sitting on the floor, crown perched on her head, holding a pretend cup of tea. Sophia was babbling away in her normal broken English and Eomma was answering in Korean and somehow they seemed to understand each other.

Stepping away, I walked backwards into Tae where he was watching the scene over my shoulder and he steadied me, turning me into his arms. I glanced around, unsure if we should be hugging in front of his parents but taking his lead, especially as they weren't in sight. Kissing the tip of my nose, he pulled me into a hug. "Appa thinks you're delightful and he can see why I called him months ago when we had only just met to tell him all about you."

"Your mother and Sophia are already friends too," I answered, holding his words about his Appa close to my heart, needing his parents approval more than I realised.

"Of course, she is just like her mother, loveable, beautiful and one day she will be a heartbreaker too."

"Oh, lets not go there. She's three, I can't look that far into the future."

"Ah, but I can and I do," he answered, a small smile on his lips as he took my hand to lead me back into the living area my mind a mist of thoughts at the word future.

As we stood at the door to say goodbye, I bowed again, his Appa taking my hand and holding it for a few moments as he smiled at me, his Eomma giving me a hug. As they hugged Tae, each spoke quickly and in Korean, too fast to pick up anything but a few of the basic words I was beginning to recognise. He was smiling so big by the time we had finished waving them off that his cheeks were perched just under his eyes, high and cute, where they stayed while we walked hand in hand to the couch.

"They both really like you," he said, gazing at me before kissing my upturned mouth which was waiting for him.

"Thank goodness," I breathed out, feeling the last bit of tension escape from my body as I relaxed against him.

"Appa said I should hold anyone close that makes me smile this way and Eomma thinks both you and Sophia are who I've been waiting for."

I gasped at his words, my eyes growing huge. He laughed at my reaction. "I told you they liked you."

"Well, yes, but I was thinking more along the lines of 'she seems like a nice girl'. They only just met us."

"Yes but they've known me a long time," he grinned. "They both said they've not seen me like this and they can see how happy I am with you. Plus they paid you lots of compliments and Appa said our babies would be very good looking."

"Tae," I started and didn't even know what I needed to say in that moment, settling for his mouth on mine instead as my head and heart lined up. I think I'd been waiting for that meeting, to have his family accept it might be OK for us to be together given our different cultures. It was another piece of the puzzle of our lives that clicked together and now he just had meeting my family to go. But I knew that they'd adore him so I was already sure. I wanted my future to be with him and I hoped, when he looked at me the way he was looking at me now, that he and I were on the same page.

"What are you thinking jagiya," he asked softly, seeing my eyes searching his.

"I'm thinking of love," I replied, just as quietly, the moment feeling weighted.

"Of our love?" I nodded, unable to answer in words and he smiled. "It feels big right now doesn't it? I feel it too, like it just grew even more."

"How is it possible to feel like this? I didn't think I could ever be happy again but I am, I'm so happy and so in love."

He pulled me gently onto his lap, knees either side, dress riding up as I sat facing him. "If I could stop time, it would be now. This feeling." His eyes glistened a little with unshed emotion and I exhaled at the sight, feeling like there was so much being spoken without being said.

Nodding again, still overwhelmed, I leant in to wrap my arms behind his neck, settling my body against his. He held me close, gently tracing one hand down my back while the other rested on my thigh, under my dress.

"Ah, I wish I didn't need to go into work today," he grumbled into my ear.

"Didn't you say it was an earlier one tonight though?"

He pulled back, face lighting up. "Yes Namjoon and Yoongi have to go to some meetings so we are free from 8pm. I meant to say, Eomma said she would come and babysit anytime. She really loved Sophia."

"Do you mean we could do something tonight then," I asked, hopefully.

"Yes, dinner and then... hmmmm. Something private."

I'd had a thought in the back of my mind for a while. "You mentioned you like to play golf, I'd watch you?"

"Would you really? If we went to the driving range?"

"Of course, if you think it's a private place to safely bring me?"

"Yes, they know me well at one and we can book a private tutor and room."

"Shall we order dinner in first then?"

"I'd rather take you out, show you some of my favourite places," he said, nuzzling my neck.

"Is that one of your favourite places," I asked, beginning to feel a little breathless as he continued tasting my skin, hand moving up my thigh.

"On your body? Yes, one of many, many favourite places." His mouth was now heading south and I leaned back a little as he found the V of the front of my dress, pulling it down with his teeth.

"When is the car coming?" My words were a little disjointed, heart escalating.

"Far too soon," he sighed against my chest, stilling his movements.

Sophia ran into the lounge in that moment, climbing up on the sofa next to us and onto my lap. Tae's face ran through an array of expressions as he quickly tried to adjust himself under me, Sophia's little legs sticking out over my hips, blissfully unaware she had interrupted anything. "Where nice people go?"

"They went home Sophia, that was Tae's mum and dad. I'm glad you had a nice time playing with his Eomma. What should she call them Tae, I have no idea?"

"Hmmm. BugBug, do you remember their names."

She wiggled her legs back and forth as she wrapped an arm around both of our necks. Thinking a moment she said, "Oma and Papa," sounding a little unsure.

"I think she heard you saying Eomma and Appa, is that right Sophia Bug," I asked and she nodded along, repeating the words again.

"I think if she wants to call them that, it would be fine. I know there are other words she could use but none of them sound right just now. My parents won't mind." Turning to address Sophia, he spoke again. "Would you like Oma and Papa to come back and look after you so Mum and Tae can go out later?"

"Oh yes. Oma played tea party. Papa like tea?"

"Maybe you can pour him some Soju," he joked and she frowned at him, not understanding. "Of course, Papa will like tea too," and she smiled at him.

"OK, I'll message Eomma now and ask if they can come tonight. Sophia will be in bed when we leave for dinner anyway, maybe they can come a little earlier to see her first? I won't be here then but will that be OK?"

"Now that we've met and you said they like me, I'll be fine."

"Oh, one more thing. I was thinking you might like to go shopping after Sophia wakes up this afternoon. Shall I get Lee Seul-ki to come and take you to some places?"

"I don't even need to buy anything, I'd just love to explore," I answered, excited at the thought I would be able to head out into Seoul and see a few places.

"OK, I'll send all those messages now. I'm glad you can do something fun while I'm at work this afternoon. Sorry you have had to stay inside so much."

"It's fine Tae, you more than make up for that when you come home each night." I smirked at him and he silenced me with his next words.

"And most mornings," and I blushed, thinking of how he'd woken me that morning, mouth already on my skin as I surfaced from sleep. "Yes, I can't forget the mornings," I answered, lowering my eyelashes as I remembered the sounds we'd made, stifled as we tried not to wake Sophia.

Clearing my throat, I spoke. "OK Sophia, shall we give Tae time to make some calls and we can read some books?"

"Da animals," she asked, climbing onto the couch, hand resting on Tae's shoulder as he smiled at us both. "I like dat book," she answered.

"Sure," knowing she meant a book Tae had bought her that was animals in Korean. It was good for me too, learning a few more words that I attempted to secure into my memory.

"I want a goyangi," she said, jumping down and I took her hand as we wandered through the apartment into her bedroom.

"Yeontan might not like it if we had a cat Sophia, but we'll see," I answered, not even really surprised she was starting to sprinkle Korean words in with her sentences. For her, this life she was currently living was just how life was and I was grateful she was taking it all in her stride.

KTH POV

I don't think she even notice she had talked as if we might be bringing a cat home to my apartment rather than her house back in New Zealand and it warmed the whole of me to think she was thinking of things as us and we instead of her and them. As they disappeared round the corner, I couldn't help but put my hand on my heart because it felt so full and I wanted to stop it from spilling out.

Eomma had already replied to say Appa couldn't come tonight as he had plans but she'd love to come look after Sophia. I was waiting for Lee Seul-Ki to reply about whether she could come and be a guide to Marley and next would be where to go for dinner and booking the golf session. While I was trying to decide about what food I felt like for dinner, I thought back to what my parents had said. I hadn't lied to Marley, I just hadn't told her everything that had been said. She was already too overwhelmed.

"When are you going to marry her,"Appa had asked as we stacked plates on the kitchen counter.

I'd turned to him, surprised at his words. "Nae adeul," he continued, "you are meant to be together. I whispered it to your Eomma earlier and she agreed. There is so much love in both your eyes but also care. You care deeply about each other."

"I do care for her so much and I'm in love with her but it's a bit soon for that. She hasn't been without her husband that long and I want it to be the right time when I do ask her."

"You'll know when it is right then," he said putting both hands on my shoulders and smiling at me. I had stepped forward, wrapping him in a tight hug, so grateful to have him to help guide me.

Now as I thought about it, marrying her, I knew it was in my plans because I never wanted to be without her. I would be without her when I went to serve, should I propose before I went so she'd wait for me or was that unfair in case she realised it wasn't what she wanted while we were apart? I shook my head. Those were thoughts for another day. Just now I wanted to make plans for today so we could live in this moment.

Marley POV

Lee Seul-Ki had arrived at the apartment while Sophia was still sleeping and we'd sat together, sipping tea while planning the afternoon.

"I don't really need anything, I just want to explore," I said as she talked about the places we should go.

"Tae has given me a credit card and instructions. We met briefly at the offices and he wants you to get anything and everything you like."

"Of course he did," I said, rolling me eyes and she laughed, a pretty, sweet sound.

"If you don't mind me saying Miss Marley, you make him happy and he wants to buy you things to make you happy too. You have to come home with a few bags today, he said he wants to see you in them later."

I blushed and looked sideways at her, seeing her stare down at her tea with a smile on her face. "Well, we'll see, and just Marley," I answered, not committing to anything and she laughed again.

"I also think he likes that you're a challenge Miss, I mean, Marley. I've known them all for years. Taehyungie has had some heartache over the years, not in relationships. I mean from the media but he has always really been a happy person. With you, the happiness is bigger somehow. We can all see it."

I was embarrassed to think people were talking about me behind the scenes but reminded myself they were all like a huge family. "Thank you, I do just want him to be happy. He gives so much of himself to the world, he deserves to have it back ten times over."

Now, we were travelling to the 4th and final destination, the afternoon disappearing in a whirlwind of shops, changing rooms, snacks for Sophia and a few items that I liked enough to buy. Lee Seul-Ki turned the tags away on the clothes when I tried to glance at the prices, I could tell from most of the shops we went into that they would never be somewhere I would be able to afford to shop. "The price doesn't matter Marley," she whispered and I nodded, not comfortable with it but not wanting to embarrass her by talking about it with people nearby. She had also disapproved of how few things we'd bought but I was only buying things I'd actually wear not that I just liked the look of. I knew she was determined to change that in the last shop, she'd said as much as we pulled up.

It looked even more up market than the last places we'd been and I looked at Sophia who was now looking a little worse for wear, even after I had wiped her face and hands from the stickiness of her eating. Pulling my mask back up and tucking my hair back into it's baseball cap, I reached for Sophia's hand as we walked into the shop, Seul-Ki next to us.

Straight away I didn't feel comfortable there. There were too few items in the shop and I was concerned Sophia would knock over the very precise display of handbags near the middle of the shop as we walked in. There were two ladies serving and they looked at us entering, looking me up and down before glancing back to each other. Did I see an eyeroll too? Clearing my throat I whispered to Seul-Ki, "I don't think this is where I'll find anything,". Keeping a tight grip on Sophia's hand, I looked at the stands of beautifully tailored clothes and back to her again. "I mean, I really don't think I'll find something here."

"This is one of Taehyung's favourite stores and he mentioned it specifically when we talked about where to go."

Sighing, I walked over to a rack as Seul-Ki took Sophia into her arms, grateful the two had bonded over the afternoon as it freed me up to try things on. As I flipped through a few items, one lady walked over and this time I saw for sure that she looked me up and down.

"Can I help you," she asked in Korean, her tone sounding bored. I didn't know exactly what she was asking and Seul-Ki was just out of earshot at the moment so I did my best asking in slow Korean if she spoke English, I phrase that was proving useful to know.

She sighed. "A little. Can I help you?"

"I'm not sure what I'm wanting to buy. Maybe a skirt? Or top?"

"This one and this one," she said, pulling them off the rack and handing them to me before pointing me in the direction of the changing room. I looked at them, thinking they weren't my style but maybe they'd look nice on. I dropped my head as I walked away, her tone was dismissive and I felt a little uncomfortable but I knew tone could be misinterpreted so I carried them through and tried them on. Peeking out the door a few minutes later, I beckoned her over. "Ah, they're too big, can I have a smaller size?"

She raised her eyebrows, clearly surprised. I was wearing oversized clothes as part of my attempt at a disguise but it was clear I wasn't the size she'd pulled for me to try on and it felt like an intentional slight. She turned on her heels, heading to the racks and grabbed more, handing them through the curtain for me before walking away without any words.

I looked around at the huge, plush curtains, opulent, velvet and thick, shutting me away from the world. At the clothes I had in my hands, not something I would choose to wear and which now felt horrible to touch and I put them down on the arm chair inside the room, quickly getting dressed. I didn't want to be here, I didn't want to be judged, I just wanted to go leave.

Exiting the changing rooms, I walked over to Lee Seul-Ki and Sophia, grabbing her arm. "I want to go home now," I said and she startled, surprised to see me back so quickly. Taking in my expression, she frowned.

"Are you OK Marley?"

"Yes, please, I just want to go," I said again, my eyes filling with tears.

She glanced over at where the two women were watching us, clearly commenting on my quick exit and she narrowed her eyes. "That's fine Marley, the car is parked right out front," and I walked out, grateful to be able to focus on buckling Sophia in.

"I'll be right back," Seul-Ki said and I turned in my seat to watch through the tinted windows as she walked back into the shop, determined strides as she went right up to where the women were standing. I couldn't hear what was said but it was short and to the point, both heads pivoting in unison to the car and then bowing as she walked away before looking at each other. She climbed in, putting her seatbelt on and sitting back with an aggressive sigh.

"Ah, is everything OK," I asked tentatively, my tears having already subsided while I focused on Sophia.

"I just said a few things that needed to be said," she said, pushing the words out through her teeth as she asked the driver to take us back to Tae's place.

I didn't ask anymore questions, I didn't want to dwell on their rudeness or how it made me feel. Until then, we had been having a nice time and they weren't going to ruin it.

"Well, I feel like ice cream now," I said out loud and she laughed.

"Oh, I do too."

"Sophia loves ice cream," a little voice called out, loudly.

"Ice cream it is then," Seul-Ki said, relaying that to the driver and reaching for my hand with a squeeze, a moment of connection and solidarity and I was grateful.