Auden showed Jimin around her town the next day. Though Jimin had to wear his beanie low on his head and a mask to make sure he wasn't recognized, their touring went rather smoothly.
She showed him where she went to high school, and the park where her and Emmie used to hang out. They wandered the shops downtown and even stopped to take a few pictures together on the beach front.
It felt monumental for some reason. Taking pictures for the first time. She was feeling an overwhelming desire to put her favorite one as her screensaver but didn't know if that was too much too soon. But when he flashed his screen to her, already having put the image as his background and Auden's doubts washed away.
"We look cute in this," Jimin said, admiring the photo with a huge smile on his face.
After that comment, she made it her screensaver too.
Auden was enjoying the normalcy with him. Forgetting for a moment that he was a famous idol as they held hands and traveled around her hometown. It was nice to be just the two of them. Simply Jimin and Auden.
But their time together couldn't last forever and soon the sun was setting after they'd had dinner together at her favorite restaurant in town. Jimin was a good sport about all the southern food. He'd seemed to enjoy everything they got, and she couldn't help but find him utterly adorable when he ate.
Stuffed and more than satisfied they returned home to her house and began preparing to head to the airport to board their flight to Seattle.
Her mother was surprisingly teary eyed when they prepared to leave. She hugged Auden fiercely and her father gave her an equally enthusiastic hug. Auden found herself getting emotional as well.
"Come visit again soon, honey," her mother said, sniffling.
"I will, Mom. I promise," Auden assured her.
Her mother pulled away and then quickly pulled Jimin into a hug as well.
"Take care of my girl," she said to him.
"I will," Jimin assured her, and she released him quite reluctantly. It seemed Auden wasn't the only one that wanted to hang onto Jimin forever.
Jimin took her suitcase then, and began loading it into the back of the car.
"Be safe on the road, and have fun," her father said, pulling her mother into his side as they both watched them go.
Jimin opened the passenger side door for her, and Auden waved as he shut it behind her.
Auden gazed out the tinted glass at her parents standing on the circle drive of her childhood home. And she continued to wave even when Jimin started driving away. She craned her neck until the beautiful white house and her parents vanished from sight.
***
The drive to the airport was quiet. Neither of them had really said a word since leaving her parents house, and they were the only ones on the road because they were driving so late. Auden couldn't help but feel a bit nervous. Everything was becoming real. The world tour and her relationship with Jimin. She was really following him around the world.
She looked over at him, he had one hand on the wheel, while the other rested gently on her thigh.
"What are you thinking about?" he asked. He must've felt her gaze on him.
"I'm nervous, for the tour," she admitted.
"It's understandable," he assured her, his thumb moving back and forth soothingly across her jean shorts. "This is all new for you."
"Are you sure you want me to come with you?" she asked, biting her lip. She couldn't help but feel a little bit unsure still. Even after they'd said they loved each other.
"Auden, I love you," he said it in English, and her entire body felt the sincerity of his words. "I want you with me forever."
Auden looked at him, trying to figure out how she got lucky enough to have him.
"I love you too," she whispered, and he smiled. The sweetest smile in the world.
They stopped at a stop light, and he leaned in, about to take her lips in a kiss when his phone suddenly rang.
He mumbled something under his breathe that may or may not have been a curse word in Korean, she didn't know. And then he pulled the phone out of his pocket, and Namjoon's contact appeared on the screen.
"Annyeong," Jimin answered, putting the phone on speaker for Auden to hear.
"Hey, J.M. Are you on your way to the airport?" Namjoon's deep voice sounded through the receiver.
"Yeah, we're headed there now."
"How was visiting Auden's parents?"
Jimin glanced at Auden, a smile teasing the corner of his mouth as he answered. "It was good. I think they liked me."
"They loved him," Auden answered, and Namjoon chuckled.
"Worked your charms on them did you, Jimin? I'm not surprised. Well, did it go better than you thought it would, Auden?"
She was surprised when he asked her, not really thinking he'd care. But she was starting to realize that Namjoon was just that type of person. Encouraging, empathetic, and someone that made sure everyone else was okay. She was touched that he thought to even check in on her.
"Much better thanks to Jimin. Turns out all I needed to do was date a famous pop star for them to accept my career choices."
Namjoon chuckled. "Thank goodness you picked the career you did. We're going to need you with all the solo albums we're going to be producing this year."
"The other's are doing their own albums too?"
"Turns out Bang Si-hyuk loved Jimin's solo album so much he wants all of us to do one as well. In-between concerts we will be recording and then releasing the albums throughout the year."
"That's so exciting," Auden said, finding herself beaming at the phone screen.
"We're going to need your skills, Auden."
"It feels good to be needed."
"Well see you two in Seattle soon?"
"I'll text you when we land," Jimin said, and the two said goodbye then hung up the phone.
***
Just when they flew over Seattle the morning sun began to peek above the horizon, waking up Auden from where her head was resting on Jimin's shoulder.
They'd flown through the night, and she'd fallen asleep. Jimin's eyes were still closed, and Auden smiled at how cute he looked when sleeping— his mouth slightly open while he breathed deeply.
She turned her gaze to the window, admiring the greenery and the large buildings below that looked so small they resembled a toy city.
She hated waking him, but couldn't help but think he'd want to see the view.
"Jimin, look. We're in Seattle," she whispered softly, gently shaking the sleeping angel beside her.
His eyes fluttered open, and his deep brown depths took in his surroundings, as if trying to remember where he was.
"We're here already?" he asked, yawning. And then he leaned over her lap a tad to see the view. "It's beautiful," he said and Auden couldn't have agreed more.
She loved the feeling in her chest at that moment. Seeing a new place, with Jimin by her side. She could definitely get used to experiencing things like this with him.
The pilot came over the speaker informing them they were preparing to land.
"Please fasten your seatbelts and prepare for landing. We have reached our final destination and will descend shortly."
There was a brief pause.
"Hope you enjoyed your flight today, and Welcome to Seattle."
A\N:
I know these updates are short, but I think for sure the next several chapters will be much longer. More intense scenes to come as the ending comes around.
Can't wait for the book to be complete!
If you enjoyed this chapter don't forget to vote! And as always thank you so much for the love and support <3
~Sasha