Since Taehyung had done all of the cooking, the two of them had managed to reach a fair compromise which was why Arang was cleaning up the chaos he had created in the kitchen. She returned all of the ingredients he had used back to their original shelves and cupboards, disposed of any trash lying around, wiped the counters down and washed the utensils, cutting board and pot they had used. Once she had turned the faucet off, she dried her hands with the small striped towel dangling on the oven handle. "Okay, now it's really time for you to go." She declared as she walked over to the boy who was resting comfortably on the couch.

"I will. I just want my stomach to properly digest first." He reasoned as he patted his tummy.

"It had fifteen minutes to properly digest. That should be plenty of time. Besides, it's not like you're going out to run a marathon. You won't suddenly cramp up and die while you're walking around. Seriously, get out of my house before someone else comes back. If they see you, I'm going to say that you barged in here own your accord without my permission and refused to leave." Technically, that was the truth. Sure it sounded highly suspicious but if Arang had to take a polygraph test to prove to everyone that she was being two hundred and ten percent honest, then she would.

"Is this how you repay someone who saved you from starvation?" Taehyung scoffed indignantly. "The least you could do is give me a simple, well-deserved thank—" He wasn't able to complete his statement due to the fact that his phone had chirped, notifying him that he had just received a text message from his mother. His mouth dropped down to the floor as soon as he had finished reading over the contents.

"What's wrong with you now?" Arang frowned. Curious, she leaned down and peered over his shoulder. Her eyes proceeded to widen in shock while she gulped like a fish out of water. "You've got to be kidding me," she murmured in disbelief after she had gathered her scattered thoughts back together.

"I guess we both have to leave now." Taehyung announced as he tucked his phone back into his pocket. Abruptly he turned to the left, underestimating the proximity they were sharing. For a moment, he was completely stunned. They were so close that he was able to catch a whiff of her shampoo which seemed to be a mixture of coconut and a hint of vanilla. Realizing that the space between their bodies was way too minimal Taehyung reacted almost immediately by jumping up and away from the girl.

Arang nonchalantly straightened her posture and cocked her head to the side, sending him an estranged look. "What's wrong with you?"

"What's wrong with me? What's wrong with you?!" He shot back defensively, jabbing an accusatory finger at her. "Haven't you heard of a personal bubble before?" With his arms, he drew an imaginary circle around his body. "You shouldn't invade somebody else's space unless they tell you otherwise."

"That's rich coming from you," Arang snorted as she rolled her eyes and shook her head. "Stop being a hypocrite. You didn't have a problem rummaging through my room while I was absent."

"That's different!" He cried out.

"Please do explain." She prodded.

Taehyung had his lips pried apart yet no words were escaping from them. She was right, there wasn't a difference between what she had done and what he had done earlier. Actually, there was but Taehyung had failed to figure that out. You see, the critical difference between their actions would be that Arang had invaded his personal bubble unintentionally. Taehyung, on the other hand, rifled through her belongings on purpose. So the one who should be condemned is him. He was lucky Arang hadn't broken any of his teeth. She hated when people touched her things. It was one out of the many pet peeves she carried.

While he was stuck in a stupor, Arang went to grab her bag and phone. She made sure she had everything before she walked over to the door and put her black Converses on. "Yah, aren't you going to come? Your mom wants us to meet her up." She reminded Taehyung who then snapped out of his thoughts.

The two of them were sitting on the bus, heading toward the address Director Wan had sent to Taehyung. They didn't really talk to each other but man were they getting a lot of stares. Arang blamed it on Taehyung's poor disguise that made him stand out. It was summer for crying out loud. It was obvious he was a celebrity because there was no sane person who'd dress the way he did in this kind of humid weather.

The vehicle came to a jerky stop and two elderly men with canes boarded. Again, nobody offered them their seats so Arang took initiative like she often did. She stood up and waved them over. "We have some seats for you." She looked down at Taehyung, prepared to order him to get his ass up but surprisingly enough he had climbed to his feet on his own. Of course she was dumbfounded. The first time they had crossed paths he was stubborn and refused to cooperate with her. She had to drag him out of the seat but what was this?

"Ah thank you, kids." The grandpa with the huge spectacles smiled, revealing his perfect dentures. "Your parents taught you well."

Arang and Taehyung hopped off at the next stop. More blatant and scrutinizing gazes greeted them on the streets but they both ignored those prying eyes. Finally they had arrived at their destination. It was a small salon. They glanced at each other before entering the facility. It was empty with the exception of the employees and Director Wan. "That was faster than I expected." She stated with arched brows.

"We were already together," Taehyung coughed.

A smirk appeared on the older woman's face as she eyed her son and then Arang. They were hanging out without her having to tell them to? What in the world was going on? Whatever it was, Director Wan wanted it to keep happening because these two really needed to learn how to play nice with each other. And for once, she was beginning to see some real progress between them.

"Very well. I presume you kids know why you're here. The agency will be holding a press conference in less than three hours from now. It was very last minute but with all of the pressure we've been receiving, the chairman wanted us to get this matter under control as soon as possible. We've managed to garner some of the most popular reporters and journalists so we have to make sure this conference succeeds without a hitch."

"We've already gone over our cover story. We'll be prepared for whatever questions they'll have for us." Taehyung declared with confidence.

"You mean I'll be prepared." Arang muttered. "Is that all you needed to tell us? You could have called and saved us the trip. It's like the Sahara Desert out there."

"No that's not all." Director Wan sniggered playfully. She had gotten accustomed to Arang's sarcasm and sharp-tongue and figured the only method to beat the girl was to fight fire with fire. "We're here to get you kids ready." She clapped her hands and two women appeared.

"Please come this way." They ushered Taehyung and Arang to the sinks and began the long process.

Arang had never been to a salon like this before. Her mother usually cut her hair in order to save money. Therefore it was rather uncomfortable for her to have to sit through this while a stranger massaged her scalp with shampoo and conditioner. She was able to get a glimpse of Taehyung who was playing with his phone. How could she forget? This was basically his life style. It made sense that he was used to all of this. "Is this really necessary?" She questioned, staring up at the ceiling.

"You're going to be on television for thousands of people to see. So yes, it is necessary." Director Wan answered as she flipped through a random fashion magazine. "After your hair is finished, we will work on your makeup and then I'm going to have you change into the outfit I've already picked out beforehand."

"This seems a bit over the top. I don't like wearing makeup and I have my own clothes." Arang frowned. In her opinion all of this was definitely a waste of money.

"Would it kill you to get pampered every now and then?" Taehyung scoffed.

"I'm sorry that I'm not like you. Not everyone wants to be treated like a princess." Arang sneered. Her snide remark caused the hairdressers to giggle and Taehyung's cheeks to flush red in embarrassment. After that, he didn't dare to utter another word to Arang.

Some time had passed and although Taehyung's hair was all done, that was not the case for the girl. Her hair had been blow-dried and the ends were still getting curled. If it wasn't for all of the tugging, Arang was positive that she would have fallen asleep by now.  How did people do this? Didn't they find it boring? There was some more tugging and when the woman announced that she was finished, Arang's eyes shot open. She stared at the mirror in disbelief.

A whole hour and a half and this was the result? She could have done this herself! Her hair was nothing special. The ends were curled, gathered over her left shoulder and tied into a simple side ponytail! A makeup kit was placed in front of the mirror and Arang closed her eyes and inhaled deeply before she exhaled.

"Please use neutral colors on her. I want her to look as natural as possible. Also, I'd like it if her lips were tinted peach. It'd compliment her skin tone nicely." Director Wan declared. Arang could feel the various creams being applied to her face and neck. Soon after soft bristles, which she assumed were from brushes, tickled her skin. Something cold in the form of liquid was placed over her eyelids and she guessed it was eyeliner. Next foundation and lip-gloss were smeared onto her mouth. Her lashes were curled and after what felt like a century, Arang's makeup was completed. Taehyung was too busy getting ready himself that he didn't pay attention to her at all.

The last thing she had to do was change into the outfit the director had selected for her. She went into the bathroom and did as she was told. "Come out when you're ready." Director Wan mandated. The door to the bathroom creaked open and Arang stepped out.

She was wearing a mint colored dress that stopped an inch or so above her knees. There were no sleeves and it had a crew cut neckline. There was a sheer second layer that felt like silk when it was touched and a cool design stitched at the top. The dress hugged her figure like a glove, displaying her slim waistline. It definitely made Arang look a bit more feminine.

Only one thing was missing now. "You look great. Come sit, you have to put these on." Director Wan removed the lid from the box, showing Arang the pair of beige wedges she had purchased for her. There were straps around the ankles and although Arang wasn't the biggest fan of anything related to heels, wedges were probably the most tolerable. She stared at her Converses before she removed them and slipped into her new shoes. "Now stand up and spin for me."

Hesitantly, Arang turned around slowly, the dress billowing a little because of the momentum. "I'm done." Taehyung hollered as he exited the second bathroom, adjusting the cuffs on his white button up. His shirt was tucked neatly into a pair of khakis with a black belt securing everything in place. His hair was pushed up, out of his face and he was now wearing white Vans. Arang furrowed her brows and Taehyung, who remembered her presence, eyed her up and down. Soon after he broke out into a boisterous laughter. "Oh my god. What are you wearing? You look horrendous. That girly style does not suit you at all!"

"How come he gets to dress up casually and I have to wear all of this?" Arang whined, gesturing to herself. This time she had to agree with Taehyung, not with the part about her being horrendous though because frankly, she could care less about what he thought about her. But this kind of style seriously did not fit her image at all. If Byunghyun saw her right now, he'd probably faint, if not die, at the absurdity in front of his eyes.

"For most girls your age, this is considered casual. I like it. Taehyung has poor taste in fashion. He doesn't know what he's talking about. Ignore him." The older woman smiled and stood up. "Since we're all ready, let's get going. The conference is going to be held at the agency in the main lobby. Let's get going. There might be a lot of traffic on the drive there."

Arang made sure to thank the employees for their services, even though she thought they weren't needed, as she left the salon. A black company van was parked outside waiting for them. Taehyung fell into step beside her and nudged her arm. "Are you hurt?" He smirked smugly.

"Why would I be hurt?" She asked.

"Because I said you looked ugly." Taehyung replied. Didn't girls hate it when boys told them they weren't attractive?

Just before she got into the van, Arang peered back at him. "Sorry to break it to you but I don't give a crap about what you think of me. So no, to answer your question, I'm not hurt by what you said to me in there. But if it makes you feel better, I think you're ugly too." No that statement did not make him feel better. If anything, Taehyung actually felt kind of sad about it. How could she think that he was ugly? If he was ugly he wouldn't have been able to become an idol! Was there something wrong with her eyes? Could she not see how gorgeous he was? If she thought he was ugly, Taehyung wondered what she would consider handsome.

As the director had predicted, there was a ton of traffic on the trip toward the agency. A crowd was surrounding the entrance of the building, mainly school girls. Security was patrolling the area, making sure that only those with legitimate passes and badges were able to cross the threshold. Vans from various channels were parked on the street and some reporters were already filming. "When questions are asked, do not answer unless I give you the okay. All you kids have to do for now is sit there and be quiet. Let the adults do all of the talking. Is that clear?" Arang and Taehyung nodded.

They parked in the garage and exited the vehicle. Director Wan was leading the way. The closer they got, the louder the chattering became. "Hold hands when we enter. From here on out everyone will be watching you two like hawks." Arang didn't want to admit it but she was starting to become anxious. She thought she could handle all of this but she was wrong. Reality was finally hitting her and boy, was it hitting her hard. Her heart was pounding against her chest and her nerves were starting to get the best of her. She had never been in this kind of situation before and she had a hunch that she wasn't going to like it all that much.

The strong and opinionated Arang was cowering away, nowhere to be found. How could she go on national television and lie to thousands of people? She didn't like lying. She really didn't but sometimes in order to survive you had to take extreme measures, even if they went against your moral beliefs. That's what Arang had to do and it worried her. She wanted to throw up!

Yes, she was a popular blogger with thousands of readers but that's all she was. Voicing your opinion online to strangers with your identity concealed was completely different from going on national television, revealing your face to the public and deceiving everyone.

She took slow and small steps. Suddenly a warm hand slipped into hers, catching her by surprise. She traced the limb and realized it belonged to Taehyung who had his eyes trained straight ahead. Their fingers intertwined and to her astonishment, holding him like this made her feel somewhat relieved because she was reminded that she was not alone, at least not anymore.

Unconsciously, she squeezed his hand. Taehyung felt the pressure she exerted and for a brief second his eyebrows knitted together. Why did she do that? Was she trying to crush his bones? No, that couldn't be it because if that was her plan, she would have done it by now.

He noticed that Arang's hand was getting hot and sweaty as they drew closer to the lobby. That was when his mind registered the situation. Was the almighty So Arang scared? Being as discreet as he could, Taehyung stole a glimpse of her and saw how pale she looked. And here he thought she was invincible.

Normally he would tease her but for some reason, he felt like it was not the appropriate time for mockery. Holding a press conference was no joke. Anybody inexperienced would be nervous, hell! Even he was nervous! However, right now, Arang needed someone to lean on. She needed someone to protect her. For now Taehyung was willing to be that person for her.

The flashes from the cameras went off like bombs as the three of them walked onto the scene. Everyone was buzzing with anticipation. Arang didn't have the courage to look at anyone and kept her eyes fixated on the waxed floor beneath her feet. Thankfully, Taehyung was guiding her so she was able to avoid any collisions and mishaps.

The stage that had been set up with chairs, microphones, a table and a podium. Arang and Taehyung sent everyone a small bow before they took their seats, their hands still meshed together. The sea of reporters silenced as Director Wan stood in front of the podium. "Hello, I am Director Wan of Big Hit Entertainment. First off, I would like to extend my gratitude to everyone for attending this press conference.

After the several photos of them went viral, along with the egging incident in front of our building, our agency has been flooded with dozens of questions. Today, we have gathered you all here to give you our statement and to answer any inquiries you may have. Kim Taehyung, a member of our new boy-band, Bangtan Sonyeondan, is indeed in a relationship. His partner and the mystery girl in the pictures with him is his girlfriend, Ms. So Arang."

The lobby erupted with noise again and more flashes went off. All eyes were now on them. Subconsciously Arang tightened her grasp on Taehyung's hand as she tried her best to appear calm and collected. This was too much but in the end this was what she had signed up for. There was no backing out now. It was too late for that, it was no longer an option. She had to suck it up and deal with it. "Taehyung, how did you meet Ms. Arang?" A reporter inquired, holding out his recorder.

"Well," he got the okay from his mom and glanced at Arang before he returned his attention to the man. "It was about two years ago when I had first met my girlfriend. I had just finished practicing and decided to go out for some fresh air. This was all before I debuted and when I was still a trainee. While I was out riding my bike by the Han River, I pedaled passed a girl who seemed to be experiencing some problems with her own bicycle. The sun was beginning to set but because it was a weekday, not many people were around. When I came back, she was still there so I figured I'd be a Good Samaritan and lend her a helping hand. Apparently her chain had fallen out and she was having a hard time getting it back into place. Once I fixed it, she thanked me and we parted ways."

"But if that happened, how did you two end up dating?" A woman interrupted.

He smiled, "That's not the end of our story. After that meeting I started riding my bike more often and soon enough I ran into Arang again. She didn't seem to remember me though so of course my feelings were hurt. I mean I practically saved her life. How could she forget me so easily?" The crowd laughed and Taehyung continued.

"After I reminded her of the incident, we began to ride around together and slowly we started to become more familiar with one another. What happened after that is pretty self-explanatory, right?" Arang looked at Taehyung impressed. He was a really good actor, she'd give him that. What would have happened if he wasn't here with her?

Another man raised his arm and Taehyung allowed him to speak. "I have a few questions for Ms. Arang. What does your family do? How do they feel about all of this? Do they approve of your relationship with an idol? Because some parents don't like it due to all of the attention."

Arang grew perplexed. How was she supposed to answer this? Wasn't he supposed to ask her about her relationship with Taehyung? Why was he bringing her family into this? She didn't want them to get involved. This was her fight, not theirs.

Taehyung came to her rescue once he took notice of her dilemma. "I'm sorry, sir, but my girlfriend is actually a very private person. I kindly request that nothing involving her family is brought up. This conference was held because we wanted to share our relationship with the public and ask for everyone's blessings. Therefore please try to focus on us and nothing else."

The press conference had come to a conclusion after an hour or so. Taehyung and his mother had done most of the talking and Arang was immensely grateful. She had to flash a few smiles to convince the audience she was happy to be there and they were fast with snapping some more photos of her. The lobby was being cleared by the staff and Director Wan had left to make a call to the chairman. She wanted to inform him that the conference was successful and the feedback they were getting was for the most part positive.

Taehyung gazed at their connected limbs and then at the girl who was spaced out sitting beside him. Maybe Arang wasn't as strong and brave as she wanted the world to believe and as strange as it might sound, he was glad she wasn't. That meant he could be there to support her when she needed it. He wanted to get to know the real So Arang because it was clear to him that there was more to her than what met the eye.

He had lied earlier.

Arang didn't look horrendous. She was actually very pretty and at this moment, she was absolutely beautiful to him. It was not the makeup nor the dress nor the hair but it was the way she depended on him that made her glow. No one had ever relied on him the way she did and it felt nice to be able to support somebody. To be the reason that they felt safe. A small smile was swinging on his lips as he drew circles on the back of her hand with his thumb. Now there was no chance of Taehyung ever leaving her alone.

She was stuck with him and he did not mind it at all.

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author's note

» gahhhhhhhhhhh, they're so cute! nhfahsoidfhioashfoihai. i just can't! and the song for this chapter tooo! and then how taehyung was jumping in to save her and his thoughts at the end! frozen frames here are them holding hands, arang looking at taehyung while he was talking to the press and taehyung looking at arang with a smile on his face at the end! Please leave your thoughts! but have you seen the dope mv? nbowjdhgoawdhngijawigjasg