ELVEN | K.TH

59

He laughs under his breath.

"I'm sorry."

And I'm about to tell him that it's okay when my words cut off into a soft moan. I rock into his body, and he grasps the curves of my shoulders. I hear him echo a pressed groan, full of pleasure.

He had made a mark.

"Tae!"

"Sorry," He repeats, a little sheepishly. Heat blooms on my cheeks when he tilts his head to the side, showing the tender, golden skin of his neck.

"Your turn?"

I can't believe him.

But then I already find myself leaning forward, palms pressing into his chest and my lips on his throat.

________________________________

I wake up to the slight sensation of the bed shifting.

There's a low gleam of sunlight seeping into the room, lighting the walls a pale gold. My eyelids feel so heavy from last night.

I turn my head lazily, to see Taehyung raising himself from the bed. He has his face turned away from me— instead he's looking towards the window, where the curtains are slightly pulled back. It's showing the sunrise.

A faint, sleepy smile tints my lips.

He's so cute.

"Tae." I murmur to myself as I sit upwards on the edge of the bed. He doesn't seem to notice me at all until I get all the way behind him.

I throw my arms around his neck, burying myself in his chest with a tight hug. Then I press a soft kiss on his cheek before looking up into his eyes.

"Did you sleep we—"

My mouth drops open as the dark, golden eyes that stare back at mine glitter dangerously.

Wait.

This isn't Tae.

This is...

"V?!"

I instantly stumble backwards, flushing a deep scarlet with pure embarrassment as he tilts his head in amusement, brushing his fingertips over the place I'd kissed him.

He looks pleased. Really pleased.

"Good morning, love."

"H-H-How..."

Now I'm wide awake as I point to him in shock. I'd never seen V during this time. It had always been Tae in the mornings like this, after the first gleam of sunrise.

"He took my night, so he let me have his day."

Ohh.

That did make sense.

I laugh awkwardly, clapping my hands together with a wide, forced smile.

I'd just kissed V on the cheek.

"T-That's just terrific." I say, trying to sound excited. "You guys have really become friends now, then! This is really great. Very wonderful."

"Sorry for— for that." I say, waving my hand at his face.

I expect him to smirk. It's usually what he'd do, if something like this happened. But instead he shrugs his shoulders lightly, pressing his lips together and turning towards the door.

"It's fine."

"Enjoy the rest of your morning, Queen."

I blink. "What are you planning to do?"

He hesitates, pausing in his tracks. But he just murmurs an uncertain I don't know, not looking back at me.

It was his first time being out in daylight like this.

"I can show you some wonderful places you can't really see at night," I suggest, thinking of a couple spots already. "Like the marketplace, maybe. There's some great shops—"

"It's fine."

His voice is a little tense. And I sense the coldness in them too— like he was back to the V at the very first night we'd met.

I stutter. "Oh, I mean...okay."

He leaves.

Was he mad at me?

My arms cross together in confusion. I tap my feet against the floor, trying to think of when I could've possibly made V angry.

But I can't really think of anything.

Maybe because of last night?

I sigh heavily.

I didn't know.

_______________________________

It's past noon.

And I know he'd basically told me he didn't want me around.

But how was I supposed to ignore him the way he wanted me to when he was looking all sad and lonely by himself down by the lake? He'd been sitting there since morning, almost motionless against the oak tree he has his back against.

I sigh, pulling at my cloak.

Then I pick up my basket, letting it hang on my forearm. I'd been about to go down to the marketplace, to look around for snacks and cakes for my brother's birthday.

I take another glance at him.

You've got to be joking.

Pursing my lips, I slip the hood of my cloak off. Then I make my way down the grassy hillside, towards the edge of the circular lake. I'm not trying to exactly stay quiet, and he must hear me.

But he doesn't open his eyes until I'm standing right above him.

"Hey."

I tap his shoulder.

A part of me thinks that he'll be Tae again, when he opens his eyes. But the narrow, catlike glance is definitely V, and I sniff quietly.

"Come on."

He breathes.

"...what?"

"Quit moping around." I say, pointing at the sun high in the sky. "You've been sitting here for hours. Get up— you can help me buy some stuff if you're not going to do anything."

He suddenly laughs.

Laughs.

"I don't think you understand."

"I don't need to or want to understand." I snap. Then I grip his sleeve, tugging him up to his feet. He lets me pull him up, after a while of struggling and cursing.

"It's your first daytime."

"Might as well make yourself useful, hm?"