Parfait

Chapter Forty-Nine

The pack's calendar that had been so shockingly empty was suddenly full again. Hana and her alphas had to make time to meet with realtors, contractors, interior designers, and security technicians. They did it without complaint, because they were eager to have a home, but it was still stressful.

So it was a welcome comfort when Jungkook appeared behind Hana while she had paint chips spread out across the table and wrapped his strong arms around her shoulders, careful not to lean too heavily upon her. And it was a pleasant surprise when he said, "Noona, let's go on a date tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?" she repeated, having to quickly sort through her memory before committing. There were a few things planned, but other pack members had volunteered to take them on. It didn't make sense to have eight people try to show up for every meeting after all. "Okay, Kookie, that sounds great."

"Great!" She could feel his smile where their cheeks were pressed together, though he quickly removed it so that he could kiss her temple instead. "I'll go make sure everything is ready!"

When he dashed off she had a momentary regret about how quickly she had agreed. If she had taken longer to think about it, his cuddles would have continued. With a weary sigh, she returned to the paint chips.

Suddenly Jungkook zipped back into the room. "I forgot something really important," he confessed, and Hana tilted her head slightly as she wondered what it could be. He took one last stride to close the distance between them and cupped her face in his hands, capturing her lips in a long, slow kiss. "That's better," he murmured before giving her one final peck for good measure. "Now I can focus."

Hana knew she could, too. Hurrying to choose wall colors was no burden when her lips tasted of pomegranate, a reminder of the alpha who had been waiting the longest. She was eager to build their home.

~~~

"Where are we going?"

Hana was clueless about the plan for their date, her alpha having done it all in delighted secrecy. They had taken Jungkook's car, so there had been no need to tell a driver their destination, dashing her one hope of finding out before they arrived. But the anticipation was making her nervous. She finally felt the need to ask, and when she did, he grinned mischievously back at her. "I told you it's a surprise, Noona."

Then he saw the trepidation on her face, and dialed back his mischief ever so slightly. "Would it help if I told you where, even if I kept the reason why a secret?" he asked. She gave a quiet noise of affirmation. "We're going to a little bakery and cafe. The one that we ordered the cakes from when we celebrated your first week with us."

"Oh, I love that place!" she exclaimed, delight softening the edges of her worry. "Doesn't it always stay crowded, though?"

"Don't worry, I've rented out a space they use away from the main cafe. It will be safe, and private. I took care of everything." His smile this time was just as wide and bright, but his eyes were softer, sparkling with affection instead of playful teasing. Hana knew that she could trust him, and she settled back for the remainder of the ride, feeling happy.

They parked in a back lot and were greeted at the back door by a single employee. Jungkook's walk became bouncier once they were inside and on the way to their reserved space. Hana had assumed he meant a private dining room, so it was a surprise when the employee opened the door to something that looked like a cross between a kitchen and a classroom. "The chef will be with you shortly," the employee said. "Please put on the de-scenting spray and the aprons that we have provided at your station in the meantime. "

"Are we cooking?" Hana guessed, looking around at the room until she found the station in question. Not only were they in a kitchen, but she knew that chefs often used de-scenting sprays to keep their own heavy scent from affecting their work. It was a step most people skipped at home, but especially with a scent as light as hers.