It was the weekend again, and Taehyung agreed to meet with Ji Young and Jiah in the morning.

He had been begging Jiah to let him play basketball with her brother ever since he found out that he played, and she finally was going to allow it for the day.

She knew how competitive they both were and didn't want to give it any medium, but they were both asking for it, so she caved.

The doorbell rang, and that was the cue for Jiah to wake up.

"Good morning!" she heard a familiar voice cheer, and she realised Ji Young had opened the door for him. Rubbing her eyes, she threw the blanket off her and sauntered to her bedroom door.

Clicking it open, she popped her head through it, and there Taehyung was, wearing a pair of grey sweats and a simple white top.

But how did the view look like a sculpture? How did he just look so opulent?

The sound of the door opening made the two men spin to face her, both facing her with polar opposite reactions.

"Ew, noona, can you change," Ji Young shook his head as he walked back into his bedroom, closing the door as he continued to yell through it, "You look gross!"

Taehyung, on the other hand, seemed like he was watching the Mona Lisa. He was taking in every bit of her like she was about to disappear any second.

In his stillness, Jiah finally got a good look at him, and she realised how much she missed him.

His hair glowed like mahogany. It ran down in rivers of reds and browns as each rivulet shone intensely, each individual strand like a soft feather falling. It was like he was reminding everyone of autumn, of better times.

His skin was a soft golden and looked like butterflies fluttered wings of glitter across it for it to glisten as it did.

And she would never forget his eyes. Her favourite part of his appearance; her own eyes of diamond. Everything about him was beautiful, priceless, but his eyes itself carried his price tag.

"Good morning," she breathed, regaining her composure, watching as he tried to do the same.

"Good morning, sweetheart," he held up his hands, in which he was holding two plastic containers, "I bought breakfast on the way!"

She smiled, "How was your sleep?"

Putting the food down, he turned back to her, opening his arms. Walking into them, she let him rest his hands on her waist.

"Would have been better if you were there," he shrugged, "But it was okay; I had Jimin."

Looking up, she caught his eyes, and man was she glad he was there to steady her.

His gaze not only made her speechless, but it made her weightless.

She could fly when she looked at him. She could do anything.

"I'm glad Jimin can take my place," she laughed, "I should probably get dressed for your basketball date with my brother," craning her neck up, she pecked him on the lips.

But before she could back away, his arms hugged her waist closer, kissing her again.

If they weren't careful, their raging hearts would jump out of their chests, and they wouldn't even notice.

"Did you need help with that?" he smirked against her lips, as they walked step by step back into her bedroom.

"With what?" she hummed, "Getting changed?"

"Mhm," he nodded, opening the door behind her shut it once they got inside.

"I'm not five, you know, I can change my own clothes," she said playfully, and he shook his head.

"I don't know, sweetheart, It doesn't seem to me that you can," his lips left hers, travelling down to her jaw.

His kisses wandered down to the base of her neck before he tugged on her top with his fingers. The touch was so soft, and Jiah couldn't help but purr at the feeling.

He continued to pull it up while his mouth proceeded to her ear, allowing him to pluck the clothing over her head in a second.

Their breathing grew heavy as they tore away from each other to look into the other's eyes.

The smile flourishing on their faces never faltered. Even if the roof collapsed over them, they were safe in each other's eyes.

Taehyung's fingers danced from her shoulders, spinning in circles down to the small of her back as he clutched the elastic of her sweats.

The grin on his face was getting bigger and bigger to the point where he was aware of how foolishly happy he was to have her.

To be able to hold this beautiful, strong woman and call her his lover.

She clicked her tongue as he tried to play with her trousers, shaking her head.

"I'm going to change, and we're leaving, Taehyung," her voice was raspy, "Remember, my brother's here too."

He groaned, stepping away from her reluctantly, "Yeah, yeah, whatever."

"Jungkook's coming back tonight so," she shrugged, "I'm all yours then."

Taehyung's back straightened immediately, "Ji Young, are you ready? Let's get going!"

--

The day didn't go too fast, and they were all thankful for that. Taehyung and Ji Young had a few competitive matches, and neither one of them lost more than the other (although Taehyung would keep insisting to himself - and to Jiah - that he let Ji Young win).

Jiah joined a few times when it came to playing, and it only led to hysterical laughter.

While she was extremely agile and had incredible aim when it came to using a gun, a basketball and a hoop was a concept that was much too hard.

Ji Young and Taehyung could bond over how dorky she looked when it came to shooting the ball, and while she let her brother do so, she kept sending Taehyung the evil eye.

I'm going to deal with you later.

Soon enough, the sun was setting over the horizon, and Ji Young was splayed across the floor while Taehyung was panting, doubled over with his hands on his knees.

"You're not too bad, hyung," Ji Young said, and Taehyung's head snapped up. He was still not used to him calling him that.

"You're not too bad yourself," he walked over to him and held his hand out to help him on his feet again. "What's say we call it a day? I'm so smelly right now I think your sister might break up with me if I played any longer. She already looks like she can't stand the smell," with his hands on his hips he turned to see her sitting on the bench, one leg crossed over the other with her arms folded over her chest.

"I reckon it's because we laughed at her when she tried to shoot earlier. God, I'm lucky she can't disown me, but be careful she really might just break up with you for that."

"Thanks for the heads up," Taehyung nodded, his gaze staring dreamily after the little boy.

Ji Young really did remind him of his younger self. Full of spirit despite everything going on around him. He put all his energy and effort into his hobbies, academics, and people (even those who never returned the favour).

Taehyung had such an urge to protect the boy, to remind him that even when it feels like the world's abandoned you, never lose sight of your own beauty.

Instead, he settled for an arm over his shoulder as they walked to Jiah at the bench, whispering a few words into his ear.

A few words that he hoped Ji Young would remember forever.

--

Taehyung had dropped Ji Young off at home, Jungkook seeing them off with a frown and a shake of his head. But that only made Jiah laugh because she knew he was just pretending to be the father she missed dearly.

"Where are we going now?" Jiah's voice was light, and Taehyung had to keep reminding himself that he was driving.

For he wanted just to close his eyes and bask in her voice.

Her voice wasn't his type; like that autumn breeze that played with his hair before letting it fall back, or the gust that brushed past his ears in a whisper and then just faded away; it claimed his attention before just sitting in the air.

But he grew to love it so.

"Is there any place you want to go specifically?" he asked, "I don't really have anywhere in mind."

"I kinda just want to go home and watch a movie, really," she turned to him, bringing her legs up and hugging them in her seat, "I'm too tired to do anything."

Home.

The word coming from her mouth seemed so different.

It didn't seem like the place he had been living alone (save for Jimin's constant barge-ins) for over five years. Or the place where he'd had countless women over, making empty love.

It seemed like a home. A real home.

Where he wasn't alone. Where he had someone who it was safe to be vulnerable with.

Where he loved and loved and loved the same amazing woman. The only woman he could ever imagine to be with now.

Anything else would just be wrong.

Plain wrong.

"How do you make me feel like I want to tell you everything?" his thoughts were raging in his head, waiting to be heard, "I always have trouble opening up to people, making myself vulnerable, I would never. But then there's you, the epitome of trouble, yet I want to show my everything to you."

She shifted slightly to him, resting her shoulder and head on the seat to look at him properly.

"Don't think you're the only one," her voice could calm thunder, "I swear my heart was built in cement. I made sure of it. But you, oh God, you make me feel so vulnerable, and it's not scary anymore. It's you, so I adore the feeling. It really doesn't feel like me, but it's the truth."

"You know I love you right?" he asked, those words being the only ones he could muster after what she had said.

It just made him realise he wanted to do anything and everything to keep reminding her of the fact.

"And I, you."

--

Once they were home, they ordered food from their favourite Korean takeaway and were in Taehyung's bed after they had both showered and changed.

A shirt and a pair of his boxers were now her staple outfit at his house. Neither one of them complained.

Backs against the frame, plastic containers in hand and the TV playing Crash Landing on You, they ate their dinner.

He wasn't very welcoming to the idea of eating on his bed, for he was some sort of a clean freak. But she somehow convinced him that it would be cozier than the couch - or was it he really would just agree to anything she said? Even if she asked him to walk off the end of a cliff, his shameless response would be an enthusiastic nod.

"You know he's pretty freaking hot for a thirty-seven-year-old, damn," Jiah couldn't help but say as she watched Hyun Bin on screen.

Making Taehyung almost choke on his noodles.

"Excuse me?" his voice was muffled by the food in his mouth, but Jiah only shrugged.

"I mean, am I wrong?"

Taehyung turned to the screen, drooping his shoulders, "No, you're not."

The pair continued to watch around two episodes before his eyelids started drooping to a close. Her smile grew when she saw him in the corner of her eye try to force himself awake, but it really wasn't working.

She took the container from his hand as well as the chopsticks, shaking her head when he murmured something along the lines of 'No, I'll put them away', knowing he was just seconds from falling asleep.

After placing a quick peck on his forehead, she took the rubbish to the kitchen and threw it all away.

She joined him again, finding his eyes follow her as she lifted the duvet and slipped in next to him, welcoming her with a smile. Oh goodness, when Taehyung was half asleep, his smile was more dreamy than it ever was before.

"Today was amazing," he hummed, "Thank you for spending the day with me, and for trusting me enough to let me in with your brother."

"Honestly, I think my brother might like you more than me now," she pouted, "I don't know why I allowed that."

Maybe it was because he was exhausted. Maybe it was because his eyes were almost closing. Or maybe it was just the effect she had on him.

But for all he knew, when he looked in front of him right now, he didn't see another person. No, it couldn't have been.

Jiah was more, she was so much more.

"You're so beautiful, Jiah," he whispered.

This made her frown, and he tried not to let himself mirror it. Knocking the wrinkles that had formed between her eyebrows, he waited for them to crease.

"Do you not believe me?"

"I'm not, Taehyung, I'm nothing li-"

"You are," he cut her off, "And I'm not talking about just your appearance. Your heart, it's magical, and you need to know that."

"It's not," a frown threatened to fall upon her face again, but he tapped her forehead.

"I know you don't think it, but I see so much more when I look at you. I know you've said you've done so much in the past, but I truly don't believe you did it because you wanted to hurt people. I'm not excusing what you've done, but you deserve a second chance. Can't you see your heart is begging you for a second chance?"

She hated to admit that he was right. She'd often thought that was why she fell so hard for this man, why she fell so fast for him when she'd never had such feelings for anyone else before.

Maybe her heart wanted a break.

Maybe her heart wanted a new start.

"I'm too broken, Taehyung," chocolate was her eyes, melting and seeping down her cheeks in colourless form.

It was his turn to frown, lifting his thumb to wipe the tears before resting his hand on her cheek.

"I'm sick of my broken glass, Tae-" she hiccuped, the sobs growing a little stronger.

"Just because your glass is broken doesn't mean you can't love," he whispered, pushing himself up from his spot on the bed to kiss her cheeks, tasting the salt.

He saw her begging him;

Don't tell me the moon is shining; show me the glint of light on broken glass.

And so he did just that, he showed her that she was capable of loving, she was capable of feeling just as beautiful as she made him feel.

His soft kisses on her cheeks followed to her ear. Looking back at her skin, he thought of a shooting star, flying through the midnight sky, leaving a trail of glowing light at its tail.

"I love you," he breathed into her ear, the feeling tickling her that she gasped, twitching into herself.

But to her, they weren't just words. Because to her, he was breathing life into her.

He was finding beauty in the shards of glass holed up in the pit of her rib cage.

Shards that she thought were beyond fixable.

And maybe they were. Perhaps they couldn't be fixed.

But he was showing her that a broken heart didn't have to be perfected to love again.

It merely needs to be healed.

Through the mist of her eyes, she could catch his gaze as he bore his own orbs into hers. Only with the most gentle expression.

And all she could think was about how they started. How she knew from their first meeting that he was so much more to her.

She wished she could ask her mother if she knew she loved her father the moment they met.

If looking into his eyes were like looking into the stars, and holding his hands were like holding the universe.

If loving him felt like she knew him for infinities and embracing him was like embracing all the stars and moons combined.

If he was her galaxy, like how Taehyung was Jiah's. 

Hey loves! How was that chapter? Not too sure if you've realised what I'm doing but maybe you'll see if you have another look back at the aesthetics chapter and the lil quotes I have with each member :)

I hope you're all having a great day/night! Please don't forget to drink water and don't skip your meals!

Love you all so dearly and am so so thankful that you're still reading this story despite it being so long :/

Let me know what you think!