I nodded, smiling happily at the thought of spending another evening with him, this time maybe not in the dark.

~♡~

Taehyungs POV

I made my way to the showers, my only thought being that I wanted to hurry up, and get cleaned up, so I could go get Delaney, and get out of here.

She made me smile, every time I saw her. I don't know what it was, but something just drew me to her. She was cute, especially when she smiled, and kind of quiet. I liked that about her.

I walked into the locker room to see it empty already, except for Jungkook.

"Hey Tae, what are you doing tonight? Wanna go to Hongdae playground with me later?" He asked, pulling his shirt off over his head.

"Nope, I already have plans, but thanks anyway."

"Oh yeah, what kind of plans?" He smirked, sitting to untie his boots.

"Delaney and I are grabbing dinner from Yukjeon Sikdang  and taking it back to her place."

His eyebrows went up. "Really? That's great Tae, she seems really sweet. How did you luck out and get the stylist that isn't married anyway?"

I shrugged. "It's only because Min Jee has to take care of her mom. I don't even know if she'll be here long, Min Jee never gave any indication as to whether she was coming back or not."

"Oh. Well that would suck. Doesn't Laney know how long she'll be here for? You'd think they would have told her."

"She hasn't said anything, so I don't know." I frowned. "I'm kind of afraid to ask her, because I don't wanna find out that the position is temporary."

"You really like her, don't you?" He glanced at me, pulling his boots off and sticking them under the bench.

I nodded. "I do, I've already asked her to be my girlfriend."

"Woah! When did that happen? Isn't this, like, her third day here?"

"Last night. It kind of just happened. We left here yesterday and went to get lunch across the street. Nari waited on us, and Delaney told me that Nari liked me, that she could tell. I told her that Nari was 16, and that I would never date her. She said that a lot of young girls dream about being my girlfriend, so to let her dream."

"She's probably not wrong."

I shrugged. "Maybe. I don't know. Anyway, we were waiting for the bill, and I don't even know why I said it, I didn't plan it or anything, but I asked her if she had ever dreamed about being my girlfriend."

He laughed, grabbing his towel from the bench next to him, and standing up. "I can pretty much figure out the rest. Good for you though. I think you two are cute together. I hope it works out how you want it to."

"Thanks Kook, me too."

"Well, I'm gonna get my shower, and get going. See you tomorrow Tae. Enjoy your evening, and don't do anything I wouldn't do." He saluted me with two fingers, and started to walk away.

"That leaves me so many options..." I mumbled. I heard him laugh loudly as he disappeared around the corner.

I smiled and grabbed my own towel, making my way to the showers. I could hear the other showers running, since they'd all beat me here. I shed my clothes, and stepped into an empty stall, turning the water on and waiting for it to get hot.

As I washed the sweat from my body, I heard all the other showers turn off, one by one, until mine was the only one left running. I was rinsing the shampoo from my hair when I heard Jungkook holler.

"Have fun tonight Tae Tae."

And then it was silent, except for my shower running.

I smiled. I planned to have fun. I wasn't sure what the night would bring, but I did know that I wanted to kiss her again. So much.

**********

I had gone to the lounge to wait like Tae had told me to do. I'd ended up getting a coke, and was taking a drink when the door opened and Jungkook came in, fresh from his shower.

"Hi Laney, you're waiting for Taehyung, right?"

"Uh, yeah."

"He shouldn't be much longer. I think he was just finishing when I left the showers."

"Oh. Ok, thanks."

He smiled at me, his nose scrunching up cutely, and I looked at the coke in my hand, as I knew it would affect me less.

"Tae told me that he asked you to be his girlfriend."

My head popped up, my eyes meeting his, and he was still smiling.

"H-he did?"

"Yep. I think it's great." He nodded, absentmindedly picking at a piece of lint on his sleeve.

"Y-you do?"

"Of course, why wouldn't I?" He looked at me again, frowning cutely.

"I...I don't know. I mean, aren't you guys not supposed to be dating? Especially your stylists?" I knew what the girls had said, but I still wondered.

He laughed lightly. "You don't honestly think that we follow that rule, do you? I mean, it's not really enforced, It's kind of more to keep the fans at bay. They never really did much about it if they found out we were seeing someone. Our stylists are married so that we can't get involved with them." He shrugged. "We really don't have time to get into a serious relationship anyway. But you and Tae, I mean, you'll see each other every day, so I could see it working out long term, if you both wanted it to."

I inhaled deeply. How I wished it was something that could be long term. I could say with 100% certainty that this was both the best thing and the worst thing to ever happen to me.  

"So, is this a permanent position, or is Min Jee coming back at some point? I know she's taking care of her mom who's sick, right?"

"Um, yeah, she is. I'm not sure if she's coming back, and I don't really know if my position is permanent, but I'm assuming it's not."

"Oh? Why is that?" He seemed surprised.

I wasn't sure why he was asking me this, and I also didn't know how to answer him.

"It's just a feeling I get. I'd love if it was, but I'm not even from here, so I have to assume that I'm just filling in for Min Jee until she's able to return to work."

He nodded his head once, and suddenly looked serious.

"Well, maybe they could keep you around to fill in, ya know, give the noona's each a day off every once in awhile. You like it here, right?"

I smiled at his sweet thought. "Yeah, maybe. Who knows, right? Guess I could always ask. I do like it here, very much."

Just then, the door opened and Taehyung walked in wearing black track pants and a red hoodie, his hair still damp from his shower. My heart jumped in my chest, and I wondered how this man could look so hot. All. The. Time.  

He flashed me a smile.

"You're still here, Kook?"

"Just leaving. See you both tomorrow." He waved, and disappeared out the door.

"What were you guys talking about?" He looked at me, eyebrows raised in question.

"Nothing, really. He was just asking me if I liked it here."

"Do you?"

"Of course I do."

"Good. Lets go get dinner. I'm starving." He grabbed my hand, and out the door we went, crossing the main room and exiting, heading for the elevator. We rode down, getting off in the lobby and leaving the building, turning right and walking several buildings down.

We entered a restaurant, and Tae talked to the man at the counter, who left and came back less than a minute later with a large bag, handing it to him. Tae pulled out a card, giving it to the man, who handed it back seconds later, with a pen and a slip for him to sign.

We were back outside heading in the direction we'd come from less than 5 minutes after entering the establishment. Tae carried the bag in one hand, holding my hand in his other. Soon enough we were entering my building.  I pushed the button for the elevator, and we waited for the doors to open.

I found it odd that I'd never seen anyone else in the building, anywhere. Not in the elevator, or the hallway. I couldn't be the only one living in this building. There were several other doors on my floor, and I was on the 5th floor. There were four floors below me.

But at the moment, I wasn't going to question it. I just wanted to enjoy the evening with Taehyung.

We rode up to the 5th floor, and I pulled my key out of my pocket as we got to my door. I unlocked it, and we stepped inside, Tae setting the bag down on the small table in the kitchen.

"Are you hungry, Delaney?"

"I'm starving." It was cute that he was calling me Delaney. Very few people did, although I didn't mind at all. "I'm going to use the bathroom first, then I'll be ready to eat."

"Mmhm, should we sit at the table, or would you rather sit on the couch?"

"The couch, I think."

"Kay."

I disappeared into the bathroom as he took the bag into the living room area. A few minutes later, I came out to see everything on the table that was in front of the couch.

I made my way over, sitting opposite him, and watched him opening containers. He handed me a fork, but then with his chopsticks, he grabbed a bite of something that I couldn't name, and moved it towards my mouth, offering me a bite first.

It was delicious, whatever it was. I decided there was no sense asking, because I would never remember anyway.

He took a bite, chewing in a way that would have caused me to tell my kids to chew with their mouths closed, but when he did it, it was somehow cute, and I smiled.

We ate in silence for a few minutes, then he suddenly put his chopsticks down and reached into the bag, pulling out two cans of soda, handing one to me.

"Thank you."

He nodded, popping his can opened and taking a drink, before finding an empty spot on the table to set it.

"So, did Min Jee mention to you whether or not she was coming back to work, like, after she's done helping her mom with her dr. appointments and stuff?

This again.

"Uh, no, actually she didn't. I have no idea. I assumed you would know that, since she's your stylist."

He let out a breath. "She never said. It kind of happened suddenly. I don't really know what's wrong with her mom, but I'm assuming she's going to get better, and not need Min Jee to take care of her every day at some point, so I was just curious."

"Hm, well, I don't know, honestly."

"Then no one ever told you if your job here was permanent?"

First Jungkook, and now Taehyung. Why were they suddenly so curious about my job here?

"No, I've heard nothing one way or the other, but I have to assume it's temporary, until Min Jee is able to return to work, and then I would most likely go back home."

I could have just told him it was temporary, but I didn't want to do that. Not right now. I wanted the chance to explain why one day I would just be...gone.

I saw his adams apple bob as he swallowed, my eyes dropping, looking at nothing in particular as my thoughts wandered.

"Delaney..."

I looked up at him, our eyes meeting, and I had never seen him look so serious before.

"I don't want you to leave."

I didn't want to leave. Ever.

I knew it made me a horrible person. A horrible wife, and mother...but I knew I would be lying if I said I wouldn't choose to stay if given the opportunity. If God appeared before me right now, and gave me the option of staying here as my 20 year old self, or returning to my life, my husband, my kids, my home, my friends...so help me, I wouldn't hesitate to choose to stay right where I was.

"Even if the job is temporary, you can still stay in Seoul. I'll help you."

Oh God, this isn't suppose to be happening. What should I say?

"Uh, yeah, maybe. I'd have to think about it. I mean, if I don't have a job, how would I get by?"

"I could help you find a job. I'm sure you could get a job as a stylist someplace, or maybe stay at BigHit as a fill in, in case one of the others isn't feeling well. I'll talk to Pd Nim, there's gotta be something here that you could do if Min Jee comes back."

My hand came up to cover my mouth, my eyes closing so I could keep him from seeing the tears building. I didn't expect this at all. I never expected this to be so hard. The fact that he wanted me to stay so badly was breaking my heart.