*Taehyung's birthday*

I don't really read news articles, especially if they are printed under my country's label because most of the time it's rumors spiced up to an extent where they sound so true that it leads to trolling the innocent.

However there's nothing wrong in reading birthday articles, right? These are the most innocent articles, no matter how much the reporters hated to write them and sugarcoated things under the biggest "Happy birthday" sticker, they still bring the best of the celebrities. These articles are so harmless that they make readers jealous.

I was reading Taehyung's birthday article. This is the 25th one I'm reading now, same biography in different fonts and words but I was enjoying reading them. The reporters did a good job writing about him, the biography, the compliments, his best pictures from magazine photoshoots, the sweet comments, the likes and shares show how much he is known and respected. Well, there were a few hate comments which made me want to sue those people but I showed some mercy and just reported them instead, I'm sure they will be deleted.

As I scrolled the articles my eyes examined his pictures for Vogue and other magazines...

"THE YOUNGEST CEO AND WISE-CHAIRMAN OF KIM EMPIRE TAKING OVER THE INDUSTRY"

"BUSINESS MAN OF THE YEAR"

...and so many such titles under his name. His photos were so mesmerizing, he posed so effortlessly that it made me question if he's even real, like he doesn't even try to look the most handsome, he is the most handsome man without even trying. I adored the pics like an idiot, the way he stared at the camera I'm sure it would've made the camera person nervous, his devilish smirk can make anyone weak. He looked so good and so young, perhaps this picture was taken a few years ago when he might be a green horn in the industry, still the most chic and stylish.

I blushed stroking my finger tips over his picture on the screen. I can't believe I married him, or better, I can't believe he married me. I stand nowhere infront of him neither in business nor in beauty. How did I never know about him before? These articles were everywhere, so how did I never find him on the internet or in parties?

Only if you looked out for any other guy than Min yoongi...my internal voice said.

"Reading my birthday articles?" his asked with a nonchalant chuckle as he sat next to me over the stairs.

My breaths hitched by his uninvited, sudden entry as my reflexes made my fingers immediately push the lockscreen icon and toss it on the side. "Uh- " I stuttered, the embarrassment of being caught up taking over my ability to speak so I just chuckled awkwardly while fidgeting my fingers. "...yeah..." I slightly nodded.

He nodded nonchalantly, understanding my embarrassment as he played with the pomegranate he held in his hands. He turned his head to look at me now, "Wouldn't you wish me then?" he sneered, a hint of tease in his expression as he studied my face.

My eyebrows shoot up at his reminder, making me feel more awkward now that he made me realise that I didn't wish him even when I knew it was his birthday. I bit my lower lip nervously as I exhaled a deep disappointed breath, this wasn't the way I wanted him to find out that I knew.

"Sorry..." a sad smile plastered on my face as I looked at his face, studying it deeply to see if he was disappointed or enjoying this banter. "Happy birthday, Taehyung" my lips stretched, grinning as I completed. Well, the idea of keeping it from him all day and then wishing him directly during the evening surprise party was quite childish anyway.

He nodded, his eyes again going to the pomegranate as he said, "Thanks" just that, 'thanks' with a small smile.

"Having pomegranate?" I asked to keep the conversation go on.

He nodded again, "Yeah" and sighed "..but I'm too lazy to peel it"

I grasped the pomegranate from his grip, "I'll do it for you" I said. "Go and bring a bowl"

His gaze was intense and intimidating as he watched me peel the pomegranate, my heart pumped rapidly due to his heating gaze. I couldn't dare to look up at him to check if he was actually staring at my face or the pomegranate under my eyes which was being peeled. I gulped, as I tried my best to keep myself together.

The pieces kept falling down in the plate as I grazed my thumb over the juicy, pink fruit gently.

"Wait..." his soft command made me stop at once, I didn't look up at him though. "Is this part...rotten" he gently took a hold of my palm bringing it closer under his gaze as I tried to function properly in the meantime.

"Yaah! Kim Taehyung!" my grandma's sudden loud voice made me flinch and the pomegranate in my palm shoved into Taehyung's eye. We both gasped dramatically in unison, the pomegranate in my hand fell on the floor as my eyes bore at him in concern.

"Tae- " I extended my hand to check on him when he pulled his face up, the purple and pink of the pomegranate seeds painted over his right eye and he huffed, he seemed so done with my clumsiness yet so calm as if he's used. I pursed my lips, I'm always so clumsy around him without even trying.

"Sorry..." I mumbled anxiously.

"It's......" he sighed as he shook his head wiping his shut eye with his fingers, "...fine"

He was not. He was just being nice.

"Grandma, you were saying- " he simply turned to face my grandma like nothing bad happened at all.

***

How clumsy do you have to be to stab someone with a pomegranate in their eye, on their birthday at that? I sighed.

Taehyung was too nice to me, overly nice actually. Had it been someone else instead of him, for example, my own grandma would've given me a good scolding for such a stupid move. But Taehyung didn't say a word, he said it was fine and showed no signs of anger or annoyance, which made me feel more bad. He just accepted his fate, like he accepted me. I'm the worst, he don't deserve me.

As for right now he was standing infront of the gate with a grocery bag in one hand and a list of things he needs to get in the other hand, as he looked at me and my grandma with an anxious face.

He stood there like a lost child, his face screaming "Ain't I too naive for the world to be left alone all by myself?" His innocent and sad eyes pleaded my grandma to stop forcing him to go to get the groceries alone.

"Should I go with him?!" I raised my voice for my poor husband, Taehyung's face lit up at the idea of me joining him and he shifted his pleading eyes to my grandma to hear a 'yes'.

"No!" she snapped showing me her big eyes, his face got dull again as he sighed looking at the ground.

"But he's never done this before!" I protested.

"When will he learn then?!" she snapped at me again. "Go!" she commanded him as she pointed her finger towards the street that leaded to the grocery store.

As he left with his shoulders slagging due to the thought of talking to different people and surviving between the crowd, I turned to my grandma with a huff,  folding my hands over my chest.

"Why would you do that to him on his birthday?!" I asked, my voice a bit loud and clear as I spoke for him.

"Don't you want to prepare for his birthday? Huh?! Brat" she snapped back raising her brows, I took aback in defense. She moved back into the house.

Oh yes! I gotta prepare for his birthday celebration in the backyard! How can I ignore the fact that I wouldn't have been able to do that in Taehyung's presence? God! Grandma really saved me there.

I chuckled, getting to work.

***

Everything was done by 7:30 pm as Taehyung's and my parents with Jimin and his wife helped me with the decor as soon as they arrived. Grandma took Taehyung to the groceries again as he came back just after 2-3 hours and the work was still incomplete. She scolded him for being scammed, well, he was actually scammed so to teach him to bargain and also to buy us some more time she took him to the groceries again.

I still felt bad though, he's been working all day even on his birthday but we had no better way to work this out. I'm sure he'll be happy when he comes back home all tired, and gets surprised by this small but beautiful birthday party. I really hope he likes it, his parents said that he never celebrates his birthday so I hope this won't irritate him more. I took care that there shouldn't be any loud noises tonight or any other person involved except his one friend and family.

As his footsteps approached the backyard area in utter darkness, I held my breaths in. I told grandma to tell him to fix the lights as the switches were in the backyard and so were we, so that he could come here without any doubts.

As he entered the room, Jimin turned on the lights and our parents pulled the party crackers. He was caught off-guard for a second, however he took his time to realise that we just surprised him with a birthday party.

"Happy birthday!" they all wished in unison.

I made my way to him with the cake, taking his attention, his gaze only fixed on me. "Happiest birthday, Taehyung!" I giggled, showing him the tiramisu cake in my hands.

"Taehyung, I know you don't like to celebrate your birthday but... I just... I just wanted to make it special and something you can remember forever... I'm sorry if you don't— " I tried to explain my best with a smile until he cut me off.

"—It's the best" he mumbled looking around before passing me a reassuring smile. "Thank you, I couldn't have a better birthday than this" his smile just widened.

"Really?"

He nodded grinning at me.

***

"He was never this happier" his mom said smiling at Taehyung across the room when everyone was talking after the cake cutting. I followed her gaze as she lovingly gwaked at her son who was talking with his and my dad with a glass of champagne.

"Huh?" I let off a confused response to her sudden change in topic.

"I never saw him smile like that in a long-long time, I even forgot he could smile like that" she let out a shaky breath as she got emotional over how happy Taehyung was. "You made him smile like that" she patted my shoulder.

Me? I gave her a small smile before looking down at my shoes. I made him smile?  My heart felt heavy, this one sentence overwhelmed me with joy and guilt. I was too messy for someone as perfect as him, he was the one who kept up with me, my stupid bragging and clumsiness. I never thought I was perfect for him yet she said that I brought out the happiness in him, but how true is that?

Did I bring the happiness out of him or did he bring the happiness out of me?

I pulled my head up only to look at him across the room when our eyes met. My brows shot up, I didn't expect him to look back. He raised his glass of champagne making me raise my orange juice as well, but he cracked up at my innocence and I rolled my eyes accompanying with a soft chuckle. At this moment, I couldn't see anyone but him as if he was alone in the room with me, our gesture talk was louder than the chatter around. He slowly made his way to me by excusing himself from others. I swear, this intimacy will kill me someday.

***

*time skip, January*

I increased the AC temperature as it just got colder even inside the living room. This sudden rain really helped in freezing the damn out of everyone, it was already the coldest month and this heavy rain just made it worse!

I couldn't help but worry about Taehyung as I looked out at the heavy shower which had no plans to stop anytime soon. I turned on the tv to distract myself but nothing helped as I glanced at the big, round watch again and again. It was past 12 now and I was too scared to sleep because of the loud and bright thunders which passed chills down my spine. He didn't pick my call when I called him half an hour ago which made me more concerned.

"He might be stuck in the office" I said to myself, and right then I heard the loud honk of his car from outside. I immediately ran to open the door before he even rang the bell.

He got out of the drivers seat, a little bit soaked as he sighed due to exhaustion and weariness, his strong shoulders slagging as if even carrying the suitcase was a big deal.

Wait, did he drive himself? Why didn't the driver bring him home as usual ?

I waited at the door for him, my eyes observed his crumbled up face as he walked towards the door without an umbrella, intentionally getting soaked under the heavy shower. My heart dropped at his condition. Didn't he hate rain the most? Is he ok?

He stumbled on the stairs, my breath caught up in my throat as I immediately held him from falling down.

"Taehyung!" I helped him stand straight, his body was cold as ice. He sighed deeply, unbothered and unfazed, not even looking up at me as he just walked inside.

As he came in I instantly ran across the hall to get him a towel. He sat on the sofa, his hands propped up as he buried  his face in his palms, his fingers massaging his temples gently. I wrapped a towel around his body when he looked up at me with a cold gaze, his chest rising and falling as he tried to breathe. I kept my hand over his forehead to check his temperature, he hissed not expecting my touch.

His temperature was as normal as mine that means he didn't have a fever, but his uneasiness and unreadable condition made me more concerned. What was happening to him if he was not sick?

I was about to help him dry his hair when he snatched the towel from me and helped himself.

"Let me- " I extended my hands but he raised his one hand in defence as he leaned away from me.

I didn't know what to do now, this is the first time something like this is happening to him in my presence and his constant rejection to my help was breaking my heart.

My breaths shaky when I dared to ask him, "Taehyung, are you okay?"

"I'm fine" he grumbled, his voice hoarse.

"You don't look fine"

"Then stop looking at me!"

***

Epilogue:-  (birthday party continued....)

He approached me, a playful smirk prepping up on his face as he towered over me. I waited for him to start, my eyes scanning his to read his mind, what was he thinking just looking down at me? My heart pumped faster, the silence just added fuel to this close proximity causing me to turn red under his soft yet intimidating eyes.

"Would you like to dance with me, Y/n?" he asked, keeping his glass on the table behind me, his smirk slowly melting into an upside down smile, he raised his eyebrows in response to his ask-out. I placed my glass on the table before facing him again.

"Yes" I nodded, my hands tightly interjoined together at my back, falling cold because of both, excitement and nervousness. He extended his arm to me, I exhaled drowning myself into his eyes as I passed my cold palm over his warm one. He gently grasped it, his eyes never leaving mine as he took me to the centre of the party hall. His one hand rested on my lower back and the other intercoiled with my fingers as we danced to the melody of the bgm.

"Bad manners, Y/n"

He spoke out of blue. Did he catch me? I blinked bewildered, trying to find his face and grab the situation.

He scoffed, catching me again, so confused and unsure about what he meant.

"Don't we usually give gifts on birthdays?"

Oh, that's what he meant. I chuckled in relief.

"Hm I updated your wardrobe" I smiled awkwardly.

"Updated my wardrobe...?" he raised a brow at me, puzzled and curious to know more.

I nodded, "You didn't have a lot of casual clothes, right? I added everything you might need in your casual collection, from clothes to accessories, everything!"

He just gwaked at me, and I hate how unreadable his face is. Did he not like my gift?

I tried to lift up the tension in my chest, "Uh... I know it was kind of a dumb idea to gift clothes, and I don't know what you like or dislike so I couldn't think of anything that you could want or need at this moment and— "

"—You"

Did he just say "you" or am I hearing things that I want to hear from him?

"Huh?" my eyes widened, I could hear my beats in my ears. Did he actually say "you" as in, he wanted me???

Did he mean he wanted me as a gift or am I again being delusional??!!

"You...r's is the best one" he said, as if remaking the sentence, leaning closer to my face. "I'm already loving your gift" he whispered in my ear, and leaned away with a playful smirk and the most innocent face like his deep, low voice and hot breaths that fanned over my neck a second ago didn't have the hardest effect on me right now.

The way he makes my heart drop in a second, and the next second teases me, I swear, this man will take my life someday. Intentionally or unintentionally, me drives me crazy!

****

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