I didn't look away from the old woman, even as she turned her back on me, leaving the office in a confident stride.

The temptation to spit where she stood was too great. Bitch.

Taehyung let out a huge sigh, filled with the world's worth of worry and stress and agitation.

I turned around, seeing him slumped back in his chair. "I should be the one moping around."

He opened one eye to lock with my own, then closed it right back.

"Goddammit," he got out, gripping the arms of his chair. "I told you not to get her into your head."

"What could I do?" I demanded, crossing my arms. "She was throwing all this shit at my face! Did you really expect me to keep quiet?"

The man sighed again, sitting up straighter. "I love a headstrong woman, but she was snapping at you on purpose." He locked his hands together. "Obviously she knew how much you cared, and played with it."

The thought of her toying with me like that had me huffing in disbelief. "What is her problem?" I muttered.

Taehyung quirked his mouth to the side, flicking his fingers on his chin. "I don't actually know this time. She never exactly gave a shit over who I dated, but suddenly she's running from Daegu to piss you off..."

He shrugged. "I don't know. It just doesn't make any sense."

"I'm sorry, Taehyung, but how did you cope with a mother like that?"

Scoffing, he said, "She wasn't too bad when I was young."

"Things were...rocky between her and dad, but I guess his death did shake her a bit."

I fidgeted under Taehyung's hard gaze. His father...he never really talks about him. Nor his mother.

I looked down at my hands. Bad relationships? Didn't seem like it with the former, but again, he barely talks about his family.

I barely know the man behind the flashy blouses, the designer dresses.

"Sora?"

My eyes flickered to the man in front.

His ash grey curls slithered to the side as he tilted his head in an interrogative stance. "What's wrong?"

"I..." biting my lip, I continued, "I may still be pissed with her and all, but your mom's right."

Taehyung quirked a brow, barely visible beneath his locks. "About what?"

"You know," I started, locking my hands and unlocking them in a nervous rhythm, "When she said that it's the 'little things' that matter."

Taehyung gave me a look. "She's in your head again! See what I mean?"

"No, really," I insisted. "She's...damn it I hate to say this, but she's right.

"Besides from your birthday, I know barely anything about you." My eyes were on him. "When she spat all those things to me, it did somehow hit me. I should know what your favourite food is. I should know the place which fills you up with pleasant memories you don't ever want to let go off."

I looked away. "I should know the man behind that charisma you mask yourself in. Because although I only may have seen him a few times for a few seconds, it's the same man I want to fall for a thousand years."

A shuddering breath escaped me.

God knows where all of that came from. Maybe my only worries after that hag left, but they had to be said.

I mean, who else would I say it to than to a man I'd trust my heart with?

I heard Taehyung stand up, his chair creaking behind him.

Light footsteps approached me, calm and collected.

The sudden action wasn't, as one minute I was standing alone, and the next I was engulfed in Taehyung's arms.

He radiated warmth as his hands slid around my waist and onto my back, welcoming me his melt-worthy body against mine.

My own arms were trapped at my sides, my face against the wall of his muscled chest, covered with silk.

His breath fanned my ear, his hair, drooping close enough to tickle my neck.

All of this, and the fact he smelt like heaven made it all the better.

"Sora."

My name. I seem to adore my name much more now.

His whispers seduced me, saying, "I think myself a great man, Sora. A man who thinks he deserves the fame, the wealth, the power I now hold in this city, this country.

"But what I know for certain is I never did anything great enough to deserve a woman like you."

My blush became a regular visitor, practically inhabiting my cheeks as they tinged them a dark pink.

I wriggled my arms free, wrapping them around his neck and pulling him closer to me.

This. This is what I needed. This is what I'm fighting the old bitch for.

We both were so wrapped up in our embrace, in each other's company that we didn't notice a certain redhead bursting through the door.

"Taehyuuunng-"

The man and I jumped, breaking our hug instantly and took a step away from each other.

The disappointment on Hoseok's face was unbelievable. The type of sadness a child would reveal when promised to go to Disneyland but gets pranked, lied to.

"Guys!" He exclaimed, gripping his clipboard tighter. "I was getting my phone out as well!"

"Can't you come at a better time, shitface?" Taehyung snarled, stealing glances at me.

"I came at the best time," he countered, ruffling his wavy hair. "Gosh, maybe I should make a fan account of you two."

"Hoseok!" I mocked a gasp. "I had the tickets to Paris all booked as well!"

"Shh!" The boy pressed a finger to his lips. "Don't want that old grump over here knowing, do we?"

Taehyung crossed his arms. "Why do I feel like a third-wheel?"

I patted his arm, lips tugging upwards in a cheeky smile. "The player finally tastes reality."

His answering grin had my knees wobbling. "That's not all what this player will taste when you stay over at his tonight."

I was surprised I was still standing straight.

"Wow, that third-wheel changed real fast," Hoseok whistled, fanning himself with his clipboard.

"Why are you here again?" Taehyung demanded.

"Two things," Hoseok said, reading the papers clipped on the board. "One, I need another order of foundation. The models use a shit load, even when I tell them they don't need to.

"Two," he continued, looking up at us. "Cruella de Vil stopped by my room. She said to give Taehyung a message."

Him and I exchanged looks. "What did she say to you that she couldn't say to her son an hour ago?" I asked.

"Well, she said she was in a hurry, so she told me to tell Taehyung-" a look thrown towards him-"To meet him at Grand Seoul Hotel today at 6. She needs to speak to him."

Taehyung frowned, but nodded. "I wonder what she's got up her sleeve now."

"Let's hope it's not worth much worrying about," I said.

The man at my side passed me a grave look. "Trust me, Sora darling, when my mother's involved, it's best to worry about it."

-

After a few photoshoots Taehyung and I parted ways, he going to the hotel, and I back home to see my sister after more than a whole day.

Not even a second after my first knock the door flung open, revealing Somi's lit up smile.

That smile. An action so wide and so real I couldn't help but return it.

It was a nice surprise, seeing my sister truly do something so simple to others yet was so hard for herself. Chanyeok sucked the life out of her, but now, being behind bars, it seemed Yoon Somi had finally loosened up.

"Sora!" she exclaimed. Pulling me into a hug, she pushed the door close with her foot.

I hugged her back, laughing. "Hello to you too, sis."

She let me go at arm's length, I catching the ghost of malice on her face. "Got tangled up so much it took you a day to get out?"

My cheeks started heating up. "Oh, stop it you," I said.

"Ah, but I'm so happy for you!"

"Happy?"

"Why are you happy for Anni?"

I smiled even wider at the voices.

Looked down to see the two girls who possessed them, confusion wavering their little faces.

I dropped on my knees, wrapping one arm around each niece. "Chanja, Chanmi," I cooed, kissing them both on the cheek.

"Anni Sora, where were you?" Chanja asked.

"Yah, I was getting bored with Momma," Chanmi drawled.

"Hey!"

Chuckling, I pulled the two girls in closer. "Well, your Anni is back, babies, so get ready for some fun!"

The children squealed in excitement, both running in their rooms to prepare for a girls' night.

Watching them, I shook my head, a smile still lingering as I turned to Somi. "I got so much to tell, sis."

She only led me to the couch, opening the bucket of popcorn that sat next to it. "Fire away."

-

Through the whole evening, we had dinner at my room, as it could fill all four of us in the bed.

Watching Barbie's Dreamhouse, courtesy of Chanmi, much to Chanja's horror, Somi clicked her tongue over my story.

"That mother of his is a real piece of work," she started, turning the volume down slightly.

"Tell me about it," I said, popping a chocolate ball in my mouth. The substance melted in my mouth, and I just stopped talking to appreciate the luscious feeling.

If only food were people. I'd have a hard time choosing between them and Taehyung.

As if by a miracle, my phone started ringing, the man mentioned's face flaring on the screen.

"I'll be back," I assured them all, and grabbed my phone, heaving out of bed and eventually the room.

I answered the phone. "Taehyung?"

"Sora," he started, voice rough on the line. "I just left the hotel after talking to mom. I've got good news and bad news."

Great. "Tell me the good news first."

"First answer me this question. Do you want to know more about me?"

I didn't hesitate at all. "Of course."

I could feel his smile against the phone. "Well, the good news is that in Daegu, the place I grew up in still stands, and we can go there if you wish." A pause. "I...I think it holds all you want to know about little old me."

I had the biggest urge to kiss him then. "That's wonderful."

"Now, the bad news."

Fuck. I could already feel my heartbeat racing.

"Now, you see, I don't own that place. My mom does."

A heavy exhale. "And she said that we can only go if we take her with us."

I hissed a curse. Bitch, just has to make things harder.

What did you expect, Sora? You made a deal with her, and she's obviously gonna give you a hard time.

My eyes drifted to the floor-to-ceiling window, the lights flickering everywhere in the buildings, camouflaged by the night. You can't let the old hag win this.

"Fine," I declared. "Tell her she can come. I'm only going for you after all."

"Okay then," Taehyung said. "Good night, sweetheart. I'll see you tomorrow."

The call ended, my eyes gazing into the eyes of his contact picture.

I want to know more, Taehyung. And a skank like your mother isn't going to stop me.

-

Hey guys! Fuck, I literally wrote this all in one go *puts on shades*

A filler, I guess? Sorry, I just get carried away with the fluff and banter :')

Thank you for over 85K. I can't comprehend any of this, like I'm shitting myself here omfG

Anyway, please do give this chapter a sweet little vote, and do tell me your opinions! They shall be greatly appreciated :)