A Year to Change Your Lives

Chapter 32

Reader unbuckled her seatbelt and scooted over to the curb side of the parked car. Hers and the SUV behind her were in the VIP parking zone at Heathrow airport and they were waiting for Tae and his security contingent to arrive from O'Hare in Chicago. His flight had arrived half an hour ago but getting through an airport of this size was always a nightmare, even with only one of the members. Reader hadn't experienced too much of a fuss when she'd come in earlier that morning but one of the boys would always generate more of a buzz than she did. She'd had a text from him when they'd landed, and she knew he'd be escorted through customs and straight to her.

As it was, fans were starting to line the pavement, looking hopefully at the motorcade of parked, discreet, tinted-windowed cars, wondering which of them was here for Tae. Reader had wondered whether to get out and talk to them but thought better of it, worrying that if they knew which car he was getting into, it would make it harder for him to get through. And she was tired. The flight from Seoul had seemed long and boring without seven boisterous men around her and she'd been waiting in the first-class lounge for Tae's flight all morning. But this was nothing to how Tae would be feeling. Over the last three days, he'd been on two long haul and a couple of internal flights, as well as honouring the two appearances with the rest of the group that he'd made the trip to America for.

They'd perform on the show tonight, which was Thursday for airing on Friday. Before they left tomorrow, Tae would spend the morning resting and Reader would make a radio appearance and do a bit of filming in London for the documentary the World Exchange were working towards.

"Oh, this must be him." She said, peering through the window at a crowd who were rolling and growing from the exit of the airport. The fans parted to let him and the security staff through and behind his mask, Reader could see he was smiling with little waves of his hand. She reached across and opened the door, ducking back out of sight to let him step up. The security guys shut the door behind him and ushered the crowd back.

Tae slumped in the seat, looking at Reader, who reached across to hug him.

"Good flight?" she asked, pulling the seatbelt across herself and taking Tae's bag from him so he could do the same.

"Yes. Your flight?" He replied, removing his mask and hat, fanning himself. London was in the middle of a heatwave and while the car was air conditioned, the airport was not.

"Yeah, easy, long." She replied, smiling at him, wishing she could ask him how Jungkook was, but settling instead, "How are the boys?"

"I think they are excited to all be together and to perform in New York."

Reader told him she'd seen the footage of the Chicago performances and that they seemed to have gone very well. V nodded, philosophically and told her about the food he'd been eating while they were away. He asked her about the practicing she'd been doing and they discussed the performance tonight.

Reader had slept on her flight and in the lounge but Tae was reaching his limit so they were headed back to the hotel for a couple of hours to let him rest before making their way to the studio. Their outfits had already been couriered there and everything except for a rehearsal would be done before their arrival so they had a little time that afternoon.

"What will you do?" Asked Tae, as they were checked into their hotel near Regent's Park.

"I think I'm going to wander around the shops." She replied, looking a little guilty. "I haven't spent any money in about six months and I'd like to find something for Laura's birthday."

"It's Noona's birthday?" He asked looking up from him phone and walking towards the lift their entourage was moving towards.

"Yeah, just after we get back. So I'd like to get her something."