The fourteenth of February.
A day for love. A day for happiness.
A day for.... tears?
"Dadaaaaa!" Onyx's shrilly cries pierce the ears of every adult in the apartment.
He clings to his father's shirt, pulling on the fabric as his grandmother holds him.
"Onyx, we have to go to work." Harper tries to soothe. "We'll be back soon. We'll be home at the same time now."
"Dadaaa!" The infant screams and reaches for his father.
He kicks his legs and continues to cry, not caring to hear what anybody has to say.
Yoongi feels like his heart is going to tear from his chest. Hearing Onyx scream like this hurts so much. He wants to stay home.
Does he have to go to work? He can miss a day, right? How is he supposed to leave with his son screaming for him like this? How does anybody do this? It's impossible.
"I have to go, Onyx." He says softly as he looks at him. "You'll have so much fun, I'll be home before you know it."
Onyx's lip trembles as he huffs. He starts crying again and Yoongi wants to reach for him. He wants to pick him up and hug him and kiss his cheeks. Tell him that everything will be alright. That he'll be right back and everything will be fine.
But he knows that might make it worse. It might give Onyx a false sense of security only for him to put back into the arms of his grandparents.
"It's separation anxiety." Mr. Min tells Harper, who looks pained by her child's screams.
"But he knows you guys." Harper says. "He's seen you all the time. He loves you."
"Yeah but we're not his parents. That's all that he really wants."
"So what am I supposed to do?" Yoongi asks, staring at Onyx as he cries and reaches for him.
"Standing here while he screams for you, believe it or not, is not helping." Mrs. Min says, side eyeing her son as she rocks the baby.
"But he's-."
"Yoongiii."
"Moomm."
"I know. But you and Harper come get your kisses and you go to work. I know that it's hard for the both of you but it's even harder for him. And it's going to be a while but you've got to find ways to make it a little better. That's all that you can do."
"Mama! Maaa!"
"How long is a while?" Harper asks, afraid of what the answer could be.
"This is only the start of it. I can't remember how long that it lasted with Yoongi." She looks to her husband.
"I can't either. That was almost 30 years ago. You both have Taehyung and Hailey to consult. Or call his pediatrician's office to see what will help. I'm sure any of them will be able to give you ways to help."
"Okay." Harper says. "I'm so sorry, Onyx. I love you."
"Mamaaa."
"I love you, I love you, I love you." Harper repeats to him as she walks backward out of the apartment.
Yoongi gives Onyx a kiss on the head, telling him that he loves him as well.
"Thanks, Mom and Dad."
"We love you." Mrs. Min calls.
"We love you, too." He replies as he closes the door behind him.
He and Harper walk down the hall and to their elevator, waiting for it as they hold hands. The guilt of leaving their son weighs heavily onto them. It's dreadful, absolutely awful.
"I'm going to print out the adoption paperwork while I'm at work today." Yoongi tells her. "We can start it tomorrow."
"Okay. How's the house selling going? Have you talked to your realtor?"
"Yes. I told him that this week is a busy week for everybody so we can go out there next Sunday on our day off to get the furniture out of the house. We'll rent a big moving truck to do it. I have to call today to see about renting a storage space big enough for everything."
"Why don't you let your parents have your apartment until they find a house?" Harper suggests as they step into the elevator.
Yoongi bites the inside of his cheek as he looks at her.
"You'd be okay with me living with you?"
"You basically already do, as you told Yeonjun. And with Onyx going through his separation anxiety, this is probably what's best for him."
"That's true. It would only be until I buy a new house anyway. My lease is up before yours and my parents need an in between space so this works."
"You and I can live together until they find a house. But your lease might be up by the time they do find a new house considering how long that it takes.Do you think that it's too soon?" Harper wonders.
"I don't.. think it is. I mean, maybe. It probably would seem like that. But everything is circumstantial right now. It's not like we're doing everything on a whim. There's purpose behind it. I don't think we're moving too fast with anything. And it's not like things that we are doing can't be undone if it really came down to it. I could always find my own apartment if it started to become too much."
"We're homebody people though, Yoongi." Harper says as the elevator dings. "I don't want us to get sick of being around each other so much so soon."
"This is why we'll actually start going out with our friends." He chuckles. "If we live together, we have to see each other at the end of every day. We need friend time, too."
"So maybe once a week or once every other week, we can have friends time? And then we can keep our once a week time for family."
"That sounds good." Yoongi agrees. "So I'll call the storage place today and get things figured out with that. Rent a truck. Next week, we can go out to get the furniture."
"And I'll call Onyx's doctor's office and see what the nurses suggest for separation anxiety." Harper adds.
"Should we schedule an appointment for an evaluation as well?"
Harper inhales as they walk out of the building. She squeezes Yoongi's fingers and he holds hers steady.
"Yeah." She replies quietly. "That might be what's best."
They share a kiss before walking to their separate vehicles. Yoongi lets Harper pull out first and follows her car out of the parking lot.
His car follows hers the entire way to their job.
They park on the third floor of the garage and walk across the bridge together. Harper would be lying if she said that she wasn't a little nervous.
"You'll do great, baby. Just relax." Yoongi kisses her temple before they walk inside. "You've got time to cool off before you go. You have to see Dr. Mitchell first, anyway, don't you?"
"Yeah. I'm going over with you to see her and then go down to the pharmacy."
"What time do you want to go on lunch?" Yoongi wonders.
"Do you want to go together?" Harper asks, looking over at him.
"Yes. We can order some food and eat in my office or go out someplace. Whichever you want."
"Can we order something for a scheduled delivery and have it in your office?"
"Of course. What do you want to eat?"
"Mmm." Harper pushes her lips to the side as she thinks of what's close. "I don't know."
"What are you in the mood for?"
"I don't know." Harper says again and Yoongi laughs.
She smiles at him as he holds the door open for her.
"Is there anything that you do know?" He teases.
"I love you." She says back with an amused raise of her eyebrows.
He closes his mouth with a smile and looks away from her as his cheeks warm.
"I love you, too."
"Good morning Harper, Director Min." They're greeted by Garrett as they walk onto the floor.
Neither of them acknowledge Kyra sitting a little further down at the receptionist's desk. She hears their voices but doesn't turn her head to them. Only listening, she forces indifference to their presence.
"Good morning, Garrett." They reply in unison.
"Harper, you got mail this morning."
"Mail?" Harper's smile falters a bit.
Yoongi looks at her as she walks up to the desk.
"Yep." Garrett scoots his chair back and bends to pick the 'package' up from the floor.
Harper's eyes widen and she draws in a gasp as she sees the bouquet of roses being handed to her. She grabs them from Garrett, scanning for a card.
"Oh my. Wow." She smiles as she looks over to Yoongi.
"Happy Valentine's Day."
Harper's cheeks hurt from how much that she's grinning.
"Thank you."
Yoongi plucks the small card from the side of the bouquet and hands it to her.
"I told you that I didn't forget."
"Mhm. When'd you get the flowers?"
"Scheduled them to be delivered on the 2nd. The day before you accused me of forgetting."
"What else do you have up your sleeve then?" Harper narrows her eyes at him.
"I don't know, Miss Taylor. Maybe read the card you've been handed."
She smiles as he presses a kiss to her cheek.
"I'll see you later for lunch."
"See you." She replies, watching him walk down the hall to the left to his office.
"It's good to see him so happy." Garrett says as he nods. "Well, both of you but I've known him to be more stoic for longer than I've know you."
"Oh, he's a teddy bear. Don't let his mug fool you." Harper says, looking down at the card.
Meet Me in Paradise
Be Ready at 6:30 P.M.
Yours,
Yoongi
Harper drags her teeth against her bottom lip as she reads it twice, eyes locking onto his name. She looks to the left where he disappeared down the hall, trying to fight her smile.
"Dr. Mitchell's office is that way, right?" Harper asks, pointing to the right.
"Yes ma'am. All the way down, make a left. First office on the left."
"Okay, thank you."
"Good luck on your first day!" Garrett calls as she walks.
"Thank you."
"She getting transferred or something?" Kyra asks causally.
It's been several days since she sent that email to H.R.. They emailed her back letting her know that they'd look into it and the proper steps would be taken, if necessary.
"No. Kind of getting a promotion, actually."
"What?" Kyra's neck snaps in his direction.
He goes back to the paperwork on his desktop as he talks.
"Harper's going to be a doctor." Garrett says with a proud smile. "Well, not a doctor, doctor. But a pharmacist doctor."
Kyra scoffs. "Harper's a pharmacist? Then why the hell was she a receptionist? What the hell was the point of that?"
"Isn't that so funny?" Garrett chuckles, feeling her annoyance but not caring. "Director Min always said he could never find the time to date because of his schedule. And then it changes and he meets a woman that gets the same schedule that he has? That's fate. Has to be. That's crazy."
"His schedule didn't just change out of the blue." Kyra informs. "He changed it himself. He stopped working less around the time she started working here."
She puts the pieces together for herself as she speaks. Everything makes more sense for her now.
"Oh." Garrett says. "Well, either way, I'm glad it's working out for him. Means he's found somebody worth adjusting for."
He continues to type with a casual look on his face. From his peripheral, he feels Kyra's annoyed glare. She scoffs under her breath, shaking her head as she turns back to her desktop.
Garrett smiles to himself as he doesn't his paperwork.
Today's going to be a fun day.
######
There's something about the smell of newborn babies that always gets to Hailey.
Maybe it's their natural scent of baby powder. Their organic scent of... baby. She's not sure what it is but it's so addicting. Especially when they're fresh out.
"Okay, so she does need shots today." Hailey says as she looks at the parents holding their precious baby girl.
"Oh, no." The father groans. "I'm going to cry again."
"Ooh, it's okay." Hailey waves him off playfully. "She'll be okay. It's just a couple pokes. It'll be over before you know it and she'll be happy again quickly. She doesn't cry for very long after she gets her shots and she's smiley again not too long after too."
She remembers the last time that the infant was here at the office. She cried for maybe two minutes before she felt okay again. She was sleeping right after that.
"My friend's son, when he gets his shots, he cries and then gives you the stink eye for the rest of the day." Hailey tells the couple.
They laugh with her as she stands up.
"How old is he?"
"He'll be seven months in a week."
"Oh, he's got so much personality then."
"Yes, he does." Hailey agrees.
Onyx could make a grown adult fidget with his side-eye. She knows because she's watched Taehyung do it.
"Alright, I'm going to go. The doctor will be in and then I'll come back after to give the little one her shots."
"Okay. Thank you."
"Of course. See you in a bit." Hailey smiles, waving to the baby.
She exits the room and closes the door behind her before walking out to the floor.
"Any concerns?" Taehyung asks as he looks over the paperwork that was filled out.
"Nope. Dad's looking a little squeamish at the thought of the needles."
"It's always so funny when they act like that. Like they're the ones being poked."
"His wife said that he passed out seeing the epidural needle so I'm very unsurprised."
Taehyung chuckles deeply. "Men are so weak."
"Oh, please. Like you could stay up seeing it inserted into somebody's back."
"I'm a man, am I not?" He says in a 'duh' tone.
Hailey deadpans and flicks him in the arm.
"I better get an invite to the wedding as much as I have to witness this angst." Nurse Kaiti says as she walks by them with paperwork.
Hailey and Taehyung's mouths both fall open as they watch her walk past.
"It's your fault that she knows." Hailey whispers to him aggressively.
"How is it my fault?" He looks bewildered. "I don't make it obvious."
"She caught you looking at my ass last week."
"What does that even-?"
"And you give me googly eyes every time you look at me." She points an accusatory finger.
"I can't help that. What am I supposed to to do? Stop being in love with you or something?"
"No. But make it less.... obvious. I don't know. I know you saw that email H.R. sent out. The email about the workplace relationships."
"Oh, who cares?" Taehyung rolls his eyes. "I'm not your boss. They can't do anything about that. I have no leverage in anything that you do."
"They want us to tell our director about it. They said that they got an anonymous tip from somebody and were 'just reminding everybody'." Hailey puts air quotes around the words.
"Anonymous, my ass. Come on. Seriously? Do you know how many people in this building have had sex with each other and we've never gotten an email about it?"
"I don't care about everybody else." Hailey scrunches her nose. "I care about us, Harper and Yoongi."
"Good thing Harper's a pharmacy technician starting today, huh?" Taehyung flashes a smile and Hailey remembers.
"Oh yeah. I totally forgot. That is today. Then it doesn't even apply. She's in the clear. We, however... might not be."
"We'll be fine. Don't worry about it. We can talk about it later. I gotta go in."
"Okay. I'm going on lunch after we're done with them."
"I know. I'll be right behind you." Taehyung replies as they walk in two separately directions.
Hailey walks to get the shots ready for the baby. Her phone buzzes in her pocket as she does so.
The sound that it makes isn't a text tone, but rather a notification noise. The only people that have contacted her via a social media app are her father and her sister.
Hearing the noise makes Hailey's heart beat a little faster. She doesn't know what the message could possibly say. There's literally nothing that she can do at this point in time.
Nothing but wait the 90 days until the FDA deems her well enough qualified to save her own father's life.
Hailey's phone notifies her again.. and again... annoying her to the point where she takes the damned thing out of her pocket and turns the vibrating off.
Her screen wakes as she does it and she sees that her sister messaged her multiple times. She skims the three messages, heart lumping adrenaline through her with each new word that she reads.
The first message starts out by saying that they've possibly found someone else to help their father with his liver. Noelle tells her that they may not need her help anymore.
And because they may not need her help anymore, she can 'tell her how she really feels'.
Hailey reads the messages as her sister tells her just how much she hates the fact that they even had to get in contact with her in the first place. Noelle wanted it to be 'Judas' but they couldn't get in contact with him. They couldn't find him anywhere.
At the end of the final message, Noelle tells Hailey that she needs to 'just act normal' until they confirm that they don't need her.
It's the least that you could do after putting him through so much hell. If we'd have known he was this high on the donor's list, we'd have never spoken to you in the first place. You weren't even any help with this.
Hailey stares at the messages before swiping them away. Her face blanks and she inhales deeply as she locks her phone. She puts it back into her pocket and swallows the forming lump in her throat.
Just get through the rest of the shift, Hailey. Just get through the rest of your shift.
Hailey gets the two shots ready for the baby, setting them on a tray with an alcohol wipe and three circular band-aids. Sometimes the babies are squirmy and she has a hard time getting one of the band-aids on correctly. So, in that case, she needs an extra one.
Waiting for Taehyung to finish, she zones in and out of her own mind. She's trying to force herself back into clarity but she knows it won't last very long. She needs a break.
She needs her lunch to hurry up and come. She wants a breath of fresh air, she needs to clear her mind from the buzzing.
"Nurse Hailey?"
An Australian accent pulls her from the sinking.
"Hm? Yeah?" She looks over to Dr. Yu.
"Are you alright?" He asks. "You look like you were a bit lost there for a second."
"No, I'm fine. There's just been a lot going on. I'm thinking about a lot."
"You got the H.R. email too, then?"
"I think everyone did. The whole medical building. Probably the hospital staff did, too."
"You know, if it ever comes down to it, you're certified to be a nurse anywhere in the building. Anywhere in the hospital as well."
He's not totally unaware of the relationship of his fellow colleagues. Although he minds his business and sticks mostly to himself, he doesn't miss the passing glances that Taehyung and Hailey give one another.
It never interferes with their work. They never bring home to work. But he can still tell.
"I know." Hailey confirms. "But I really like it here. And I shouldn't have to move because of that. He isn't my boss and I don't really report to him for anything. He's not in a position to fire me or promote me. He's not the director. We barely see her."
"I agree that you shouldn't have to move. And I know that you two probably want to keep things private. But it's better for them to hear it from your mouth rather than they be told in an accusatory type of situation. Then they'll really have to act accordingly."
"I know. I just... it's not anyone's business."
"Would you rather have the director on your side for this or in the dark and clueless, though?" Dr. Yu asks.
Hailey sighs and puts her head back, staring at the ceiling.
"Why does everything have to be complicated?"
"You work in the medical field." Dr. Yu reminds. "Nothing is going to be easy."
"Yeah, I know. Alright, let me go confirm these shots with the system before I go in there."
"See you later, Nurse Hailey."
"See you later, Doc."
Hailey confirms that the shots she's giving the infant are the correct ones, in the proper doses. Several minutes later, Taehyung comes around the bend.
"I'm getting baby fever again, Hailey."
"You were spit up on this morning by a two month old."
"Anndd it's gone. Thank you."
"Just doing my job." Hailey says with a smile.
"Alright. Get in there and get the shots over with so we can go eat. I'm starving." Taehyung puts his hand on his stomach dramatically.
Hailey smiles at him until she feels her phone buzz again. That familiar pattern. Taehyung watches the smile twitch.
"What?"
"Nothing. I'll go in and give the shots now." Hailey forces the smile back up onto her face as she walks away.
Taehyung is suspicious but he can't stop her in the middle of the office and make her tell him anything. He wouldn't do that. Especially not while she's assigned to patients.
So he'll withhold the questions until later. He doesn't want to ruin the Valentine's Day mood for her. But the look that she gave him is concerning.
Valentine's Day will still be here after they talk. It'll still be here after she's expressed herself and he comforts her. But the holiday can also wait.
Hailey's emotional state is more important to him than anything he's got planned for the night.
######
5:00 P.M
The clock strikes five and the well-prepared staff of the pediatric unit take their leave. The ones that have finished all of their paperwork before their shift ended. The ones who are eager to get home and enjoy the rest of their night.
Taehyung Kim and Hailey Peters included.
"Have a good night, Nurse Hailey." Nurse Kaiti calls to her as they leave the building.
"You too! Thank you." Hailey walks out into the parking lot and to her boyfriend's car.
She gets into the passenger seat and sighs heavily.
"Got everything?" Taehyung asks.
"Yeah." She takes her phone out and sets it into the cup holder. The screen doesn't wake at all letting him know that she's turned it off.
Taehyung pulls out of the spot and Hailey looks out of the window as he drives. He passes the expressway that he would take to get home and she looks at him.
"Where are we going?" She asks with a groan. "Taehyung, I'm tired."
"I know. Just trust me for a minute, alright. I want this to be authentic."
"What to be authentic?"
"Wait and you'll see."
Hailey pokes her lip out as she frowns. She crosses her arms against her chest but obliges.
She continues to look out of the window, watching the buildings pass. Watching the restaurants on the strip go by.
Taehyung passes all of them until he reaches a Starbucks. It's just on the border of the suburban area, out of the way of most things.
The only people that come this way are those that work early morning on construction and home building sites or the Home Depot employees that assist them at their store.
Out this way is where most of the real estate companies are, the storage places, the car dealership lots, the car rental places.
They're scattered through the city, of course. But down this way, they've taken up a much larger portion of the area.
Taehyung parks in the Starbucks lot and takes his seatbelt off.
"Why did we come all the way out here for Starbucks? We passed two on the way." Hailey inquires as she gets out of the car.
"I said that I wanted this to be authentic, remember?"
Taehyung gets out of the car and holds his hand out for hers.
"Authentic?" She repeats his words, asking him again what he means by that.
He only smiles and intertwines their fingers. They walk toward the building together and he grabs the door, holding it open for her.
As Hailey steps inside, the smell of ground coffee beans hits her nose. It's an overwhelming smell that triggers a plethora of overwhelming emotions.
She swallows thickly as she looks around the cafe.
Not much has changed. They've moved some of the idle tables around but the booths are all the same. The decoration on the menu has been changed since the last time that she was here.
Granted, it's been almost three and a half years. Of course it's been changed.
Hailey looks over to the booth section, eyes locking onto one in particular. One where she sat after one of her first shifts at St. Juniper's hospital.
Where she called her father countless times, where she called her sister countless times...
"We're sorry. But the number that you've dialed has been disconnected or is no longer in service. Please check the number and try again."
Hailey sniffles, wiping her eyes as she takes the phone from her ear. She stares at the contact in her call log.
Daddy<3 (13)
Rubbing her forehead, she closes her eyes as the tears roll down her cheeks.
She has no one else to call. No one else to go to. She's distraught. Almost nothing is going to plan she's got no one else to turn to.
She doesn't understand what could be wrong. The number that she just dialed was active a few days ago.
Just three when she sent her father money to help pay for the rest of her sister's rent. They both said that she'd have it back today. That they'd send it to her account today.
It's a tight time frame but she didn't hesitate to risk it. They're her family. Why would she?
But the morning has come and gone.
The time that she was supposed to meet with her new landlord has come and gone. And she's still $650 short for her first month's rent.
In order to allow Hailey to sign the lease, he needs the full payment. And she'd have had it... had her family had any intent of giving it back to her.
With a sigh, Hailey sets her phone on the table. She wipes her tired eyes and bites her lip to keep herself from sobbing.
She sees the dark makeup that's gotten onto her fingers from her eyes and feel the urge to cry harder. No doubt, it's smeared all over her eyes.
She probably looks a mess on top of crying in a public cafe.
But she's got nothing else to do but cry.
Almost literally.
She doesn't have much to her name except a storage space, her car, a phone and a new hire handbook and folder from her job.
Grabbing her phone back up, she puts it into her coat pocket. She keeps her head down as she walks toward the back hall.
The 'restrooms' sign is shown with an arrow pointing down the hall. She stops as she stands in between them.
With the men's restroom to her left and the women's to her right, she feels torn in between them. She's a woman. She knows that. She feels that.
But why does she feel so distraught about it?
Maybe it's the width of her shoulders. Maybe it's the sex on her identification card that she had to give to H.R. today. Maybe it's the way that she had to explain and validate herself to them because of the obvious contrast in the word 'male' and her appearance.
It isn't that they weren't accepting. They were. They just thought that she had given them the wrong ID. Or that she was the wrong person. The name on the application was a man's name and yet, there she was. A woman.
The fact that she had to go down to H.R. and request that her badge have her preferred name rather than her legal felt like a drag against hot asphalt on her bare skin.
Or maybe her sudden dysphoria comes from the fact that the genitals that she has don't belong in the women's bathroom. Imagine the uproar that this would cause. Would it make the other women in the bathroom uncomfortable if they knew? Would they shy their children away from her?
How would they look at her? With shame? With pity? With disgust?
Hailey abruptly turns left into the bathroom and does a quick scan of the area. Seeing no one, she walks to the sink and turns the water on.
A quiet sob leaves her mouth as she begins to feel uncomfortable. The air is uncomfortable. Her clothes are uncomfortable. The feeling of her own skin is uncomfortable as she stands in the men's bathroom.
Pumping soap into her hands, she scrubs them together. Washing the filth from her hands, the taint from her skin.
Hailey closes her eyes so she doesn't have to look at herself in the mirror. So she doesn't have to see the urinals in the reflection.
She rinses her hands clean of the soap suds and leans down to scrub her face with the water.
The sound of the faucet running drowns out the unlocking of a stall door.
A man walks out as he fixes the belt snug around his waist. He frowns at the sight of the urinals before walking to the sinks. He pumps some soap into his hands and puts them under the water.
As he washes his hands, he double takes at the sight next to him. His eyebrows furrow a little seeing the length and color of the hair.
He's sure he saw it earlier that day. Absolutely positive, actually. He could stop staring at it. The color is beautiful and he wonders whether it's dyed or not.
It's highlighted, that's obvious. But the orangish-brown tone could be natural for all he knows.
He wonders if she knows that she's in the men's bathroom or not.
Hailey picks her head up as Taehyung outs his hands under the paper towel dispenser. She freezes, staring at the faucet in front of her. She can see him out of her peripheral but doesn't dare turn her head all the way to look.
"You know you're in the men's bathroom, right?"
Hailey hears the familiar depth of his voice. It's been in her mind for the last couple of days. Since her first day at the job just two days ago, it's been there.
She's heard deep voices before but she's never heard anything like his.
It's sultry. Beckoning. Dangerous.
Hailey slowly turns her head to look at him and he sees the bloodshot color of her eyes. The darkened area under her eyes. They stress that's made itself known in her face.
"Are you okay?" He asks, forgetting everything else.
"Dr. Kim." She says, in disbelief that she's seeing him here.
It's so out of the way of everything. The hospital that they work is almost 20 minutes back the other way. How is he out here? Why is he out here?
Her heart skips in her chest, beating maniacally as she stares at him.
This is it. She thinks. I'm done. If I wasn't outed before, I definitely am now. He'll know. He'll tell everyone. Everyone will know.
"Have you been crying?" He asks, ignoring the look of stupor on her face.
He chucks it up to her realizing that she's, in fact, not in the women's bathroom.
"Your makeup's all ruined." Taehyung grabs a paper towel and runs it under some water.
He walks over to her and she takes a step back. He stops moving and they stare at each other for a few seconds.
"Here you go." He holds the wet towel out for her. "It's in the corners. And some of it's still on your eyelid a little."
Hailey stands there frozen, fight or flight not wanting to work for her at this moment.
When she doesn't move, Taehyung takes another cautious step.
"I'm just going to help you wipe the makeup off. Alright?"
Hailey doesn't move. Her mouth opens but her throat has run too dry to speak. So instead, she just nods. If something does happen to her, if anything happens at all, she knows who he is.
She knows where he works. She knows his name, the department, the hospital. She has all of the information to file a police report if need be.
Taehyung folds the paper towel and raises his hand gently. As his knuckle touches the skin of her cheek to wipe the mascara, Hailey puts a flat hand against his stomach.
He wipes the makeup from her skin, feeling the tension in her aura. He can see it in her body language.
Hailey tries to stare at anything but him. He's not even looking at her, he's looking at the damned cut. Why does she feel so nervous about his proximity?
Is it because she'll be found out? Is it because she's fearful of his reaction?
The danger surrounding all of this is too much.
"Thank you." Hailey quietly expresses her gratitude.
"You're welcome." He replies equally as quiet.
With the makeup cleaned from her face, he can see the small moles just next to her right eye. They're brown, closer to the tone of her skin.
Her eyes are almond shaped, holding beautiful brown irises behind them. Everything about her is so brown. Her eyes, her hair, her aura.
It's all so peaceful. Beautiful.
Hailey makes eye contact with him and blanks. She's never been this close to a guy in a way that wasn't aggressive. Well, she has but never for very long.
As soon as things start to take a more sensual turn, she becomes the target of their negative abuse. She becomes the target of their harmful words and behavior. The only thing that protects her from getting outed is the embarrassment and shaming that being involved with her might bring them.
The door to the bathroom opens, breaking both of them from their trance.
Hailey's eyes widen as she gasps quietly. She turns to away from the mirror, not wanting her reflection to be seen by anybody else. She holds a hand up to the side of her face, preventing the man entering from seeing her.
He walks right into the stall and Hailey runs out of the bathroom. Taehyung walks out after her, not really placing any thought into his actions.
Hailey quickly grabs her things from the table and hurries toward the door.
"Hey, wait!" He calls to Hailey as he holds the door open.
She turns to him as she reaches her car, terrified and in a state of shock.
"Are you going to be okay? You didn't finish eating any of your food." He gestures into the building.
He saw her when he first walked into the cafe. She was more focused on her phone than her food. She seemed busy so he didn't want to be rude and interrupt.
"It's fine. I don't need it. I'm not hungry anymore."
"Are you sure? This place is really expensive. You should take a breather before you go, anyway. It wouldn't be good to drive like this."
His words aren't inherently threatening at all. But due to Hailey's previous experience with men, she hears a warning in his words that isn't there.
If she doesn't sit in to finish her food, then what? If this is his way of forcing her to speak to him and she doesn't, then what will he do? Did he take her being in the men's bathroom as a sign of blatant promiscuity?
Fearful, Hailey walks back into the building. She sits in the booth and Taehyung stands there awkwardly for a moment.
"Is it okay if I sit here?" He asks. "I'm waiting for my car to finish its servicing at the dealership. Kind of have a thing with being in public by myself." He rubs his fingers together in his pockets.
"Sure." She responds softly, moving her things to give him some space in front of where he's sitting.
"Okay." He brightens up, smiling at her. "I'm going to go get a coffee. Do you want anything?"
"Mmm." Hailey shakes her head. "I'm not really a fan of coffee."
"Oh. Okay. What about some tea, then?"
"They have tea here?"
"I don't know. I think so." Taehyung says, looking at the menu from where he's standing. His nose scrunches as he squints. "Yeah..."
He looks to Hailey with a nod.
"Yeah, they have tea."
"Why don't you put your glasses on so you can see better?" She remembers that he wears them. Or at least the times that she's seen him prior, he has.
"I forgot them at the office. Very common occurrence."
"Oh..."
"What kind of tea do you like?" Taehyung asks.
"What kind do they have?"
"Uh..." Taehyung turns to the menu and quints at it again.
"Never mind." Hailey says as she stands up. "We can just go look together."
She and Taehyung walk to the counter together, looking at the menu as they get closer.
"You really can't see a thing, can you?"
Taehyung's neck heats at her quiet comment.
"I have really bad astigmatism. I used to use light up toys from McDonald's to try to read my Harry Potter books when I was a kid."
Hailey huffs out a laugh but quickly covers her mouth as her eyes widen.
"I am so sorry."
"No, it's okay. You can laugh. My parents thought it was pretty funny too when I told the eye doctor. Then my mom pestered me when I got back in the car after the appointment. Her and my Dad took me to the home store to get a night lamp that day."
"I haven't read a single Harry Potter book."
"You're kidding."
"I am not." She shakes her head.
"What?" Taehyung is in disbelief. "Have you seen any of the movies at least?"
"Nope."
He gasps, half dramatically, half genuinely concerned.
"How do you have any fun? Sheesh."
"I like candles." She says.
It feels like a random admittance but it's relevant to the conversation.
"Candles?" Taehyung asks with a raised eyebrow. "I can see that."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"I don't know.." Taehyung shrugs. "You just look like you like candles."
Hailey side eyes him as he starts to order what he wants. She still doesn't understand how someone can look like they like something. But she digresses.
She orders a jade citrus mint brewed tea and Taehyung pays for it. She's grateful for it, thanking him more than once. He doesn't know that she's only got 200 dollars to her name but he doesn't care.
He'd have paid regardless.
"I still can't believe you got me to start drinking this stuff." Taehyung comments as he looks into his cup of jade citrus mint tea. "It tastes weird."
"But you get it every time." Hailey rebuttals. "You don't even get coffee when we come to Starbucks anymore. Just your tea."
"I was spot on with the candle thing." He smiles at her.
"I didn't collect them back then. I just liked them. It's your fault that I started collecting them."
"It was very well worth it if you ask me."
"That was my first birthday gift in years." Hailey remembers.
"I didn't know that then. Well, obviously. But I just wanted to get you a house warming gift. I wanted you to be comfortable in the house and all I knew was that you liked was candles." He laughs as he thinks about it.
"That's fair. I mean it definitely doesn't top me taking you to Universal Studios for the Harry Potter thing but it's still definitely something." Hailey jokes.
"Okay, okay. Hold on." Taehyung holds his hands up. "First of all, you did that because you wanted to get out of town while it was cold here and you're from New Mexico."
"And I could have chosen anywhere but I chose where you would have nerdy fun."
"You had fun, too Don't be dramatic."
"You know that every time I walk past the bookshelf in the living room, I picture you using McDonald's toys to read in the dark?"
"Ha Ha. So funny. You sniff candles for fun. I would tread lightly if I were you. Very lightly." Taehyung raises an eyebrow taking a sip of his tea.
"You're literally blind because you wanted to see in the dark to read. Please be quiet. You had to ask your mother to come drive your car from the dealership that day because you forgot your glasses at work."
"Well, it'll never happen again because I wear contacts now."
"That you make me help you put in every morning."
Taehyung runs his tongue along the front of his teeth, blinking at his girlfriend.
"You know what? Dinner on you since you want to be a bully so bad."
"Aht, wait!" Hailey says as she starts laughing. She grabs Taehyung's arm as he stands up from the booth.
"I can't pay for dinner. I forgot my wallet." She laughs as she stands up with him.
"Of course you did." Taehyung says as he tries not to laugh himself. "You only carry two things with you. Your brain and your Yankee Candle keychain."
Hailey gasps slowly and Taheyung doubles over at the look on her face.
"You said you liked my keychain."
That makes him laughs harder as he grabs her hand. She intertwines their fingers and he grabs his cup of tea. She grabs hers as they head for the door of the cafe.
"You're mean." Hailey says as they walk to the car.
"I love you."
"That does not exempt you, sir."
"Oh, come on. It was a joke. I love the candle. The label's printed a little funny, but it's cute."
Hailey pokes the side of her cheek with her tongue as she looks at her boyfriend. He pulls her closer before she reaches the door handle.
"You know you don't touch door handles while we're on dates. What're you doing?" Taehyung's voice is less joking and a little more serious.
"I was just thinking about getting into the car. It's cold."
Hailey wraps her arms around his torso, lifting her head to look at him.
"Don't be pouty with me." She pushes his hair back from his forehead.
"Fine. But no more touching doors. Come on. We have a reservation to get to?"
"Ou, at Luca's?"
"Of course. Do you think I'd pay anybody else in the city for good steak?"
"You're not paying him at all, are you?"
"Of course, I am." Taehyung opens the door for his girlfriend. "Is he going to refund me my money as soon as he recognizes my name? Probably."
Hailey laughs as she gets into the car.
Luca has probably already let the staff know not to charge them for anything knowing him.
######
6:30 P.M.
'Paradise'
Harper looks around the luxurious building, eyes focused on finding her date.
This is the time that he told her to meet him. And she double checked that this was the address on the card before pulling off from the house.
It's a beautiful, grandiose restaurant. Everything about the place screams expensive. The light fixtures, the furniture, the centerpieces. The high windows and thick paned glass.
She would say that she feels underdressed to be there but Yoongi made sure that she wouldn't. It was as if he could read her mind before she even had the thought in her head.
He knows her so well.
He had a dress already waiting for her. It was delivered at around 5:40 after they got home. They got ready in the separate apartments so there would be no distractions.
The dress that Yoongi picked for her is something well within her range but not something that she'd have ever felt confident enough to wear on her own.
"Good evening, madam." The hostess greets her with a polite smile. "How can I help you?"
"Uhm, I believe there's a reservation." Harper says as she looks into the dining room.
"What's the name?"
"Yoongi. Yoongi Min."
"Mmm." The woman hums as she looks. "And what's your name?"
"Harper Taylor."
"Ah, okay. I found it. Come on back this way with me." She grab a menu and starts to walks into the dining room.
Harper follows her, eyes darting around as she looks for Yoongi. The more she looks, the more she notices that people are looking back.
They're making their gazes obvious and their stares clear. They're not judging at all. She's just become the the target for their sudden fixated adoration.
The hostess shows her to the table and Yoongi stands when he sees her. The same look that everyone else has on their faces, he's got on his."
"I made a good pick." He says as he takes in the dress that she's wearing. "You look beautiful."
"Everyone's staring at us." Harper says, anxiety creeping into her skin.
"They're staring at you." Yoongi corrects.
"I think they're staring at the both of you." The hostess says. "You both look very lovely." She smiles at them.
"Thank you." Harper says quietly as she sits down.
Yoongi walks around and pushes her chair in. She thanks him and gives him a quick kiss on his lips. He rounds the table back to his seat and sits across from her.
"Here is your menu. Would you like a minute to look through our appetizers?"
"Yes, please." Harper smiles at her.
"And for you, sir?"
"I'll wait until she's ready to order mine. But I will have a bottle of wine. Louis Latour. Château Corton Grancey, if you have it."
"We do, actually! I'll be right back with that. Two wine glasses?" The hostess asks, just to be sure.
"Yes, please." Yoongi replies politely.
"Okay. I'll be right back with that."
Harper watches as she walks away before looking at Yoongi.
"I drove here."
"I know. But we're not driving to the next destination. Valet will move your car for you and we can pick it up in the morning."
"Next destination? Just what do you have planned for the night?"
"A little of everything." He says casually, checking the time on his watch.
Harper finds that attractive in ways that she can't even explain. The way his wrist flicks, the lick of his lips, the focus in his brows.
"So where are we going after this?"
"To Paradise."
Harper narrows an eye and tilts her head, a little confused by his words. Surely, they're not staying in this restaurant. They can't be. Especially not when he specified 'next destination'.
Yoongi smiles at her visible confusion.
"I thought that this was Paradise."
"Mhm." He hums with no further elaboration.
"You're being very secretive today." She points out.
"Are you not as well?" Yoongi counters.
Harper raises her eyebrows in amusement.
"I don't know what you mean."
"Oohhh, I'm with you every day, Harper. I know you like the back of my hand."
"Same could be said for me with you, Director Min." Harper sips from the glass of water placed at her eating space.
Yoongi watches at the liquid wets her lips. She swallows once, twice, three times hydrating her throat and quenching her thirst.
"So when do you plan on coughing up the goods then?" He asks, looking her in the eyes.
"Soon as you cough up yours."
They hold eye contact for several seconds, making no effort to mask their sly smirks.
"You look handsome tonight." Harper compliments. "You smell really good, too."
"Thank you. It's yours."
"Yes, I noticed." Harper says, as she starts to laugh.
"It smells so good." Yoongi says. "It's like I'm addicted to the scent now. Yours and the favorite one of mine are the only two that I've been wearing. That necklace looks good on you, Miss Taylor."
"Thank you. It's beautiful."
"It's yours. This is the Min family version of a promise ring. My mother gave it to me when I was 16 or 17, I think."
"Has anybody worn it before me?" Harper asks curiously.
The words are out of her mouth before she can think about them. The question was sitting in her mind but she hadn't intended for them to come out of her mouth.
"No." Yoongi informs. "Adaya came close but." He shakes his head. "Something was different with her than it is with you. Obviously, but even before she told me how she really felt about med school. I don't know. It just felt like... I don't know. Like I was being mirrored or something. I don't know. I can't explain it."
"Yeah... that's kind of how it was with.. you know."
"Mhm." Yoongi nods.
"I mean it took me forever to realize it but after everything happened, I just kept asking myself how I could be manipulated like that. Like how I could be so.. stu..."
She starts the word but the look on Yoongi's face doesn't allow her to finish it. He's told her time and time again that she isn't stupid. She wasn't stupid before. She's never been stupid.
"Don't set yourself up like this, Taylor." The look in his eyes is a little dangerous. A little raw. A little... tense.
"Here's that wine for you two." The hostess sets the glasses on the table. She opens the wine bottle and fills the glasses to half.
"Ready to order?"
"What do you want, baby?"
"Uh.." Harper quickly looks through the appetizers. "For appetizers, can we have the garlic knots with the cheese inside, please? And some garlic bread and butter as well?"
"Of course."
"Do you want anything else?" Harper looks to Yoongi.
"No. You got my cheesy garlic knots. I'm good."
"And do you know what your entrees will be? Or do you need more time for those?"
"I'll have the grilled marinated ribeye." Yoongi states. "A side caesar salad and some skillet sea scallops as well."
"And for you, Miss?"
"Uhm." Harper glances at Yoongi before she looks at the menu.
"Don't look at the prices, Harper."
"Yeah, that's kinda..." Her eyes scan down the numbers. "Crazy for you to say. Have you looked at them?"
"Harper."
"Oh, I'm sorry." Harper says, looking back up at him. "I forgot which degree sits behind your desk."
He smiles shyly as he looks away from her. His cheeks are set ablaze as he takes sudden interest in the design on the walls.
"I'll have the buttered lobster tail for my main dish and the au gratin potatoes for a side, please." She says politely with a smile.
"Of course."
"And could I get an extra side of butter as well? I don't know if it will come with or not."
"Of course. Anything else for the two of you?"
"No, I'm good."
"Me, too." Yoongi replies.
"Alright. I'll take your menus. I'll get your orders in and be back with your appetizers shortly."
"Thank you." Harper and Young both speak.
When the waiter goes away, Harper sighs.
"I don't think I want to look at that damn bill when he brings it."
"Who said that you were going to?"
"Your birthday's coming up soon." Harper tells him, ignoring his egging question.
"Yes, I know. I have to work."
"But it's on a Thursday so we could always do the bigger celebration the day before and then a smaller one on the day of. Is there anything that you really want to do? I'll add it to the itinerary."
Yoongi raises an eyebrow. "What do you mean? What itinerary?"
Harper presses her lips closed and Yoongi narrows his eyes at her. "You're being sneaky, aren't you?"
"Weren't you with all this?" Harper gestures to the restaurant. "And the flowers? And this dress?"
"All this and we haven't even gotten to best part of the night yet."
"It gets better?" Harper asks, with a raise of her brow.
"Of course it does." Yoongi picks his glass up, taking a sip of his wine.
"Only the best for you."
######
One Hour Later
"So, what's in store for us at Paradise?" Harper wonders as they get into the backseat of a valet car.
"A few things." Yoongi replies.
"Such aasss..."
"You'll see when we get there. It isn't called Paradise for nothing." He rests his hand on her thigh.
"All set?" The driver asks.
"Yes." Yoongi replies.
The driver rolls the partition and Harper looks at her boyfriend.
"I really wouldn't know. I've never been before. For drinks, I have but never to stay for anything." She informs.
"Me neither. The hospital hosted an event here once but I've never been as a paying customer or anything. My first time actually seeing the place was when I came to book things for us."
"You can't do that online?"
"I can but I wanted to see everything in person first. I wanted to make sure that what I was booking was exactly what I wanted."
"And what did you book?" Harper asks, sliding her hand onto his thigh. "It isn't going to take too long, is it?"
She squeezes gently and he smirks at her hand. Her manicured fingers gripping his thigh is a sight for sure. It sends tingles from her touch straight to the muscle resting in between his thighs.
Yoongi licks his lips as he looks at her. The fact that she could look so casual about what she's done is beyond him.
It's as if she isn't the direct cause of the spandex on underwear getting tighter around him.
"Why?" Yoongi asks, voice dropping an octave. "Are you feeling eager?"
"Eager, impatient.." Harper shrugs as she leans over. "Whatever you want to call it."
She puts her hand flat in between his legs and he stiffens as she presses her chest against his arm. He licks his lips as his eyes drop to her breasts.
The dress she's in gives her more cleavage than she's have on a regular day. And Yoongi is falling short from feeling patient today himself.
His teeth sink into bottom lip and he drags them against it. His mouth waters and he slowly closes his eyes. Taking breaths, he wills himself to be calm.
"Just gimme a minute, baby. Please?" He begs as he opens his eyes. "Wait until we get upstairs. Then everything is yours."
"Everything?" Harper repeats.
"Everything." Yoongi kisses her and she smiles into it.
The rest of the ride to Paradise is quiet, a little tense but not awkward. When they arrive, the valet opens the door for Harper and Yoongi steps out of the car himself. He waits for Harper's hand before tipping the valet and walking with her into building.
The couple walks past the counter, and down to the elevators. The step past the regular set of elevators and Harper looks at Yoongi.
"Where are we going?"
Yoongi takes a key out of his pocket and shows it to her.
"But don't we need to take the elevator?"
"Yes." Yoongi says as they approach another set of golden doors.
Yoongi inserts the elevator key and Harper is surprised as she hears the familiar ding of an elevator. He pushes the up button and the doors open for them.
"Oh... this is fancy."
"Mhm." He pulls her onto the elevator and she smiles as he wraps his arms around her.
He puts his head into her neck, lightly kissing the skin. She puts her head and closes her eyes as she hugs him. The lift goes up and Yoongi whispers against her skin.
"I've got another surprise for you. A couple of them."
"What are they?"
"Massage therapy's the first."
Harper gasps and squeals quietly. Yoongi laughs at her excitement.
"Can I give you your massage first?" She asks quietly.
"If you want to. I don't mind. Whatever you want to do is fine with me."
"Whatever?"
"Yes, whatever."
"I've got some ideas."
"I bet you do."
The elevator dings again and the doors open. They step out to find themselves inside of a spacious penthouse suite. It's luxurious on every sense of the word and Harper can't figure out what to focus on first.
She scopes out the entire place while Yoongi sets stuff up in the bedroom. Both of them end up in the bathroom to brush their teeth before they officially go to their room.
Harper slips out of her dress and smiles as Yoongi watches her.
"What are you doing, Mr. Min? Your session starts soon. You should probably strip and get on the bed."
Yoongi keeps his eyes locked on hers as he unbuckles his belt with one hand. He unzips his dress pants and unbuttons his shirt, pulling it from his arms.
"I don't know how I feel about this, Miss Taylor. You sure you're a trained professional?" Yoongi plays into her character, teasing her in the process.
He takes his pants and boxers off, causing Harper to stare at him.
"It's not hard to release tension when you need to. You just need a little help. Does that require training that I don't know about?"
"Allow me to rephrase." Yoongi says as he lies on the bed. He grabs the towel, folding it and putting it over his hips.
"I don't know if you're capable of helping me."
Harper raises an eyebrow as she takes her panties off. She flings them at him with her index and he smiles at her.
She walks over without another word and straddles his waist, putting herself right on top of the towel. Yoongi watches her as she feels up his chest.
"Your skin is always so soft." She says quietly. "I love it."
She reaches for the eye mask on the nightstand and looks at Yoongi.
"Lift your head for me."
He does as he's told and she places the eye mask on him. She makes sure that he can't see her before grabbing the oil.
She pours it into her hand and lets it drip onto his skin. The cool, smooth feeling of it gives him chills.
"It smells good." He comments.
"It does." Harper rubs the oil into his chest, massaging his pecs and shoulders.
She feels the tension in them loosen as he relaxes on the bed. His skin is glistening from the oil, having a light tint from the moonlight shining through the window.
Leaning forward, Harper brushes her nose with his. On instinct, Yoongi's hands go to her waist. She hovers her lips over his and he tilts head up, ready to connect the kiss.
She smiles as he tongue darts out to wet his lips.
"Now who's eager?" She whispers against his mouth.
Yoongi smirks as she presses a kiss to his jaw. She's such a tease, he swears. She's so shy sometimes when he flirts with her and other times, she's unpredictable with her affection.
He really never knows what he's going to get out of her.
Placing soft kisses down the front of his throat, Harper takes her time making sure that he feels every bit of her lips against his skin. She kisses down his torso, right above where the towel is.
Harper can feel the stiffness under it. The firm placement only riles her up more.
She kisses her hip as she slides her hand up his thigh, under the towel. She massages his skin and he sighs through his nose.
I am so fucked. He thinks as she kisses his length through the towel.
"Can I take this off?"
"Mhm." He hums, fearful of what his voice will sound like.
"Hm?" Harper tilts her head, wanting to hear him speak his consent.
"Yes."
Harper slides the towel off him and watches as he rises to his full glory.
"You're so tense here." Harper says, feeling the weight of him in her hands. "Or maybe it's just heavy."
She lightly kisses the base, letting him feel the moisture of her lips. She leaves open mouthed kisses around the length of him and he lets out a shaky breath.
He stretches his fingers and hands out at his sides and licks his dry lips. Gulping, he relieves his throat of the suddenly dry ache.
"It's so pretty, baby." Harper says for him to hear.
Flicking her tongue out, she uses the underside to lick around the head. Yoongi lets out a sigh and relaxes further into the bed.
Harper sucks the head, running her tongue against the slit. Using the oil that's on her hands, she massages his balls as she takes him into her mouth.
"Oh, fuck." Yoongi's dick jumps as soon as it's surrounded by the warm moisture of her mouth.
She closes her eyes as she takes him in further, enjoying the way that his breathing changes. He goes from fully composed to quietly gasping and moaning.
Harper's cheeks suck against him as her slick hands massage what her mouth can't reach.
Yoongi's stiff fingers move to her hair, needing to touch some part of her. It's bad enough that he can't see her, he needs something.
Just imagine how pretty she looks like this. Mouth full of the only dick she'll have for the rest of her life. Gagging as if she'd rather die than get off of it. She'd rather suck me for everything I've got than breathe. How beautiful can she be?
How much sexier can one woman get? How much longer until she has on my knees for her? I'd beg her for anything. I'd plead for anything.
To have her like this, to have her want me like this, for her to want to talk care of me like this, I would do anything for her.
Harper feels his thighs tense up and she hums in satisfaction. She's proud of herself, truly. Cocky, she is.
To have Yoongi Min so chaotic under her. To have him so desperate to cum for her. To have him so eager to make her cum for him.
She can't wait to feel him stretch her out again. To test the limits of just how much pleasure she can take. To make her forget the name of every man but his.
"I'm gonna cum." He warns but Harper doesn't move.
She doesn't care.
Yoongi realizes and smirks, biting down on his lip. He pushes his dick into her, fucking her face as she moans. Tears brim her eyes as she closes them.
"Fuck, you wanted this so bad, didn't you?" He growls.
Harper whines as her fingers grip his toned thighs.
Yoongi cums, spurting onto her tongue and down her throat. She holds it there as he softens, falling from her mouth.
He pulls the blindfold off and grabs her jaw. She's smiling up at him with shining eyes. He pulls her up to him and brushes his mouth against hers.
"Swallow."
Harper swallows once, twice... before licking her lips. Yoongi kisses her and pulls her closer, feeling her breasts against his oiled chest.
"I want your pussy on my face. Come sit."
He taps her thighs and she looks down at him.
He pushes them and she takes the hint to move. She gets on her tips toes, putting her feet on either side of his head.
"Do mean hover or...?"
"Did I say hover?" Yoongi asks, hooking his hands around her thighs. "Or did I say sit?"
He pulls her down and closes his mouth on her pussy. It takes Harper by surprise and she gasps, winded by the pleasure.
"Oh-.." she grabs pillows around his head as he eats her out.
In this position, everything feels more... vulnerable. She feels more open, she feels more seen.
"Fuck. Yoongi." Harper whines as she puts her head back.
She feels so much more sensitive to him this way. She could cry with how well he's enjoying his meal. It's as if he's enjoying the pure pleasure he's giving her.
As if he's having fun hearing her curse and feeling her arousal on his tongue.
Yoongi is genuinely enjoying the power of making Harper cum for him. What an ego boost. He's never been a narcissist but this has enough potential to give him a god complex.
It's all too easy.
I make it all too easy for him. But I can't help it. The things I'd let him do to me. The ways I'd let him ruin me. The vulgarity that would leave my mouth. The sin that would need to be cleansed from this room.
All for the feeling of him making love to me like this. All for the gratification of making him feel like he's high with no outside substance.
Harper's legs tremble as she squeezes the pillows around Yoongi's head.
"I'm gonna cum. I'm gonna cum." She whines.
Harper's stomach caves as she clenches her jaw. She groans as she cums. Her pussy drips onto his chin and neck and coats his lips as he makes a mess of her.
She attempts to get up but Yoongi keeps her still, continuing to eat. Harper quickly grows over sensitive, cumming again in under a minute.
Yoongi kisses her pussy as her legs grow tired. They tremble under his touch and he smiles up at her.
"I could eat you all day."
Harper says nothing, blushing at the bluntness of his words. She looks away from him and that gives him just enough to pick her up and lay her on her back.
He does it effortlessly and all too quickly. She giggles as she bounces.
"I didn't think that you'd bounce this much." He laughs as he hovers over her.
"There's good springs in this bed." Harper says. "We should ask them what kind it is."
"I'll buy one for our house. King sized with memory foam."
Harper wraps her arms around his neck and pulls him down to kiss him.
"So we can be more comfortable after we put each other to sleep?"
Yoongi laughs as he kisses her back.
"Something like that."
Harper's chest warms in adoration at his deep chuckles. She never thought she'd find herself herself laughing in the heat of a sensual night yet here she is.
"Get the condom before the air hits you." She stifles her laugh. Yoongi's mouth falls open and he runs his tongue along the inside of his cheek.
"You're not funny."
But he gets up anyway and grabs a condom from the nightstand. He tears it open with his teeth and takes it out of the package.
As he's rolling it onto himself, Harper watches the way that he does it. He's so smooth with it. Everything that he does is attractive to her at this point.
Once the condom is on securely, Yoongi hovers over Harper again. His eyes catch hers as she looks at him. Their chests bloom with warmth and they both feel terribly shy about the sudden interaction.
Harper feels like she wants to hide away with how vulnerable she feels. Knowing that she has nowhere else to look, Yoongi puts his gentle hand around her throat.
As he pushes into her, he tilts her head back, coaxing her to look up at the ceiling.
Harper moans as she follows his silent command. Her eyes flutter and he watches as she slowly opens them.
Through the window on the ceiling, she can see what she hadn't quite payed full attention to before.
It's tinted on the outside but she can see out of it with 100% clarity.
In various sizes speckled across the night sky, as if a brush was dipped into paint and flicked across a dark canvas; the stars are effervescent against the silence of space.
There is nothing in between the planets for it travel through. There's nothing for sound waves bounce off of. The stars in between can never be invited to the parties of the dancing planets, spinning to the sound of their own tune but all following the beat of the same drum.
The stars are forced to life of seclusion. Dancing in place, rarely getting the opportunity to come in contact with those of whom they'd bond with.
For when they do, they outshine the planets.
So instead, the stars live a life of solitude. They learn to embrace themselves, learn to find peace in the silence around them.
To find peace under the blanket of darkness.
Because one day, when their time in that form is up, all of the joy they've learned to have, all of the happiness that they've accumulated, will allow them to become something more.
Something even greater than they could have hoped to be. They don't cease to exist. They just become... bigger, brighter, more mature.
Supernovas.
The slow explosion of a star is a chrysalis stage for a supernova. Everything must break to be built anew.
"So beautiful..." Harper tries to keep her eyes open as Yoongi kisses her neck.
"As soon as I saw this room, I thought of you."
Her eyes are curious on him and he elaborates what he meant.
"There are dozens of stars up there, aren't there?" He questions.
"Yes."
"And yet, you're fixated on one, aren't you?"
Stunned, it takes her a few seconds to gather her thoughts.
"Was it because of me? Or because of your North Star?" She asks back.
Yoongi looks at her as his eyebrows twitch. His lips part as is he wants to say something. He drags in a breath and she smiles at him.
"How'd you guess that?"
"I know you well." She says softly, threading her fingers through his hair.
"You're private in life but open with your displays of affection. You don't want anybody to know our business but you know how that could feel for anybody. So you compensate with physical touch and acts of service. Lingering touches and frequent kisses."
Yoongi blinks slowly at her, not sure how far she'll be able to go. Unsure of how much she'll be able to say.
Just how much will she be able to tell him about himself? How much could she have possibly seen him?
He's usually the one with the gift of sight. Seeing those who are often overlooked, those who everyone sees but they never feel seen. He's often drawn to those that feel like outliers despite everyone around them being content with being in their presence.
But only when they see fit. It's often unreciprocated so they make it up for it in what?
Being people pleasers. Overcompensating with acts of service. Fearful that, even though they know the people around don't always have their best interest in mind, they're scared to lose them anyway.
Why?
Because then they'll lose a relationship that only they value or they'll be alone.
And nobody likes alone.
Many could prefer it from time to time. Some will stand on the fact that they're content like that.
But isn't it just a mechanism?
Used to deflect the pain they've felt of being betrayed, abandoned?
"Many would prefer to be alone." Harper says. "You preferred to be alone.... But only to avoid your one fear."
Yoongi's eyebrows slowly knit together as his eyes begin to gloss.
"You like collecting watches." She tells him. "You have a fixation on compasses. Everyone knows that you love them. But they represent something more for you, don't they?"
Harper wipes the tear from his eye before it falls. Yoongi nods as he stares at his girlfriend.
So much time that he spent crying. All those nights that he stayed up wondering what life could have been. All those times that he doubted himself, wishing for do-overs with time.
Always feeling like he was running out of it, that there was never enough. But not wanting to live with any regrets.
All of the inner conflict, all of the turmoil... gone.
Harper is his proof he's done everything right. She is his proof that his heart has never failed him. His mind has never failed him.
His compass has never failed him.
"I love you." Yoongi whispers.
"I love you." Harper replies in the same quiet manner.
Yoongi kisses her as his hips move languidly into hers. She holds him close, wanting to feel every available piece of him while he makes love to her.
Nothing could replace this moment. Nothing could compensate for it if it were ever lost.
They need this. They need each other.
Open in mind, vulnerable in heart, willing in nature.
Everything that they need to thrive, they have writhing each other. They'd be fools to ever let it go.
Harper holds onto him tighter, feeling guilty that she'd ever thought he'd leave her. Feeling the weight of everything he's ever told her.
How could she ever doubt that? How could she have ever doubted him?
Neither of them are going anywhere.
And that's been made clear in this room of Paradise.
A|N
#I started writing this chapter on the 16th.... It took a while. But y'all now have some insight on Hailey and Tae. Don't worry, there will be more
#Quarter for your thoughts?
#Also, if you have an Inkitt account, I'll be backing up this book as well as my other completed ones there. (Same username) Too many of my favorite authors' books have been getting deleted by WP and I'll be damned if I don't have a backup somewhere