Taehyung arrived bright and early the following day, shooting Y/N a quick text to say he was waiting outside her apartment complex.

"Hey beautiful." He smiled, leaning across to kiss those sinful lips as she got settled into the passenger seat.

"You excited?" Y/N beamed, eyes wide and filled with rapture.

"Of course, we've been looking forward to this for weeks now." Taehyung was excited, of course he was.....but there was also a small part of him that was still extremely nervous, hoping the surprise that awaited Y/N at the exhibition would go to plan and more importantly that she would like it.

Come to think of it, he hadn't slept properly all night.

"You've got the invitations right? Bag too?" Y/N quizzed him as she clicked her seatbelt into place.

"Yes, tickets are in my bag which is packed and ready to go." Taehyung smirked, finding her concern for him downright adorable. "What about you? All set?"

Y/N gave a nod, lips curling up into the most breathtaking of smiles.

"Got my bag, have the cupcakes for your parents too."

"Baby you really didn't need to go to the trouble of baking for them, trust me....my mum will have a ridiculous amount of food prepared already."

"I know but.....cupcakes are our thing and they've got strawberry frosting too. I didn't want to show up empty handed, especially as this is my first time meeting your parents."

Taehyung couldn't help but smile, heart soaring high.

Fuck she was cute.

"I'm sure they'll love them, not as much as they'll love you though."

Y/N chuckled, rolling her eyes playfully as Taehyung pulled away from the curb.

"Oh, did you remember the suit Luo-Yong allowed you to borrow?" Y/N asked as Taehyung followed the route on his sat nav.

"Yeah, had it cleaned and pressed yesterday." He motioned behind them.

"I'm impressed, you're really prepared for this aren't you?"

"Did you doubt me?" Taehyung feigned outrage, eyes dramatically wide.

"I would never." Y/N chuckled in response, heat rushing to the apples of her cheeks as Taehyung reached across to gently squeeze her thigh.

"So, what do I need to know about your parents? Any dos or don'ts? A certain way I need to greet them?"

Taehyung mulled over his answer, eyes on the road.

"They're pretty relaxed, both retired now. My mum loves to cook, she's always looking up new recipes to try and has her own herb garden which she loves to tend. My mum and Jin are....were so similar, he loved to cook too and the two of them have....had this bright aura around them. Like.....you instantly feel relaxed around them. They share....shared the same smile and quick wit, you'll see so much of Jin in my mum. I'm more like my dad, got my creativity from him and people say my smile too. Don't worry about meeting them, just relax and be yourself baby....they'll love you."

Y/N does relax somewhat after hearing Taehyung talk about his family, she desperately wants to make a good first impression and lately first impressions haven't exactly been her forte.

The Korean bbq incident shortly followed by her meltdown before getting the tattoo.....so yeah, safe to say she was incredibly nervous.

The rest of the journey went smoothly, the two chatting about the exhibition before Y/N took a few minutes to sleep.

Taehyung appreciated the peace and quiet for a moment, allowing himself to run through the many reasons he was still nervous.

The surprise for Y/N at the exhibition.

The trip back home....his first one since Jin passed away.

He just couldn't face it, didn't want to be reminded of so many memories....some good and sadly some bad.

So much happiness.

So much pain.

There was so much waiting there for him, promises to his brother he still hasn't fulfilled.

Flashback.

"You have to promise something." Jin broke the silence, shuffling in bed to push himself up against the headboard.

"Promise you what hyung?" Taehyung whispered from beside him, the two sharing Taehyung's larger bed after watching a movie together.

"When you finally find the one....the one you want to bring home to meet the family please show her our treehouse."

Taehyung felt his heart constrict, hell no would he show anyone their treehouse....it was full of memories, of their memories as brothers and he would never ruin that by sharing it with someone else.

"Out of the question."

"Tae stop, just listen to me." Jin rolled his eyes, totally exasperated by his younger brother. So stubborn but damn he loved him, loved him with every beat of his weakening heart.

"The treehouse is our place I know this....but that's why it's so important to me that you show her. It's where we have so many fond, happy memories, moments that I know I'll take with me when I'm gone and I want you to be able to share them with someone else when I'm not physically here anymore."

Taehyung felt his eyes burn, traitorous damn emotions creeping up on him....he was sick of crying, sick of how hopeless he felt.

"Fine, I promise but....." Taehyung turns, eyes on his brother who smiles.

"But it doesn't matter if I promise or not because I'll never find the one anyway."

Taehyung turns around, curling up as small as humanly possible....don't cry, don't fucking cry.

He never notices Jin's smile widen.

Never hears the words "I think you will Tae, I really do." As he succumbs to the clutches of sleep.

End of flashback.

Taehyung pulls up outside the gallery, allowing Y/N a few more minutes of sleep.

Will he keep his promise?

Is he truly ready to share those memories with someone who isn't Jin?

"Tae, you okay?" Y/N mumbles, lips forming a pout as she rubs the sleep from her eyes.

It's in that moment that he thinks.....yes.

I've met the one.

I'm ready.

((What's up with me and the emotion today, damn 😫🤣 I hope you guys enjoyed, hit that star button if you did and please leave your thoughts. Soooooo many more updates for this story and all the other to come over the next few days as I'm off!!! Love you guys 💜💜))