Chapter 31 – Namjoon’s plan

After they left it was really weird. My nice hotel room was still booked for 2 more days, but what was I gonna do in this foreign city without my baby boy? And just like the rest of ARMY, I was mourning. Unlike the rest of ARMY though, I did happen to have some inside information, which made me feel a little better, but still... So after saying goodbye to the giant bath tub, and incredibly soft, comfy bed, I packed all my things and went back home.

From what Tae told me afterwards, the doctors in Korea had said they were perfectly fine; and so, they resumed their RUN promotions just as planned. Apparently, Yoongi was really pissed that they had been shipped off home without finishing the concerts, but I do think that they probably really needed the rest.

As usual during promos, they were inhumanly busy and I hardly heard from Tae except a text here, a selca there, or a phone call in the middle of the night. He was adamant though, every time we talked, that I don’t forget the promise that I’d made to him on Christmas night. And that alone made my boring days go by a little faster.

*

A few days later, I was surprised when my phone rang and it was a familiar, but highly unexpected, voice on the other end of the line.

“Hey, Emma?” Namjoon’s low, deep voice called my name, as if testing that he hadn’t gotten the wrong number.

“Namjoon?!” I replied, just as tentatively.

“Heeey…” he said, in a smiley voice, glad that he hadn’t messed up.

I waited for him to say why he was calling, and didn’t have to wait long before he unfolded that, since Tae’s birthday was coming up, he’d thought it’d be nice if I came over to surprise him.

“But aren’t you guys like crazy busy now?” I asked, not wanting my visit to be wasted.

“Well, yes…” he answered, trailing off oddly before adding “but not me.”

“Eh? Why not?”

“I managed to hurt my back during rehearsals today…” he went on and I could imagine him smiling embarrassedly as he said that, “So management have put me on probation before I kill myself…”

“What?! You too??!!” I exclaimed, in shock, “Damn, what is up with Bangtan luck these days?! Did someone put a hex on you or something??” I muttered and he laughed.

“It’s not really bad… they’re just overreacting,” he waved me off, “and our promos will end in a couple of days too… you’re on vacation now, right?” he switched the subject on me before I could berate him more.

“Well yes, but I don’t have tons of money saved up for an impromptu trip abroad…” I argued, “Especially with… ah, well, hum…” I cut myself off suddenly, not knowing how much of Tae’s plan to bring me to Korea had been revealed to the others.

“Don’t worry about that. Just leave the details up to me…” he assured.

I was somewhat suspicious, but it wasn’t like I had anything else to do, and I’d never turn down a free opportunity to see Taehyung, so I listened quietly as he proceeded to explain his plan to me.

*

Namjoon booked a plane ticket for me, but I ended up taking care of my own accommodations. It had been a while, but I ended up booking the same AirBnB guesthouse where I had stayed on that first fateful trip to Seoul, almost a year ago. Even though I had no particular attachment to the place, a weird wave of nostalgia washed over me as I settled into the tiny shared room; even more so as I passed by the convenience store where I’d met Tae for the first time. I couldn’t help walking inside and poking around, buying a drink for no reason at all, and grinning like an idiot.

It was December 30^th, and my baby boy had apologetically told me that morning that he didn’t have any free time until 1am that night for a skype call, because his day was fully booked. Namjoon on the other hand, had no such restrictions. He told me to come over to the dorm and chill with him until the boys came home, at which time I would pop out of the kitchen, screaming “Surpriiiiise!!” at Taehyung, and he would be ecstatic and spin me in his arms, before planting a big passionate kiss on me. Actually that was the revised version. Namjoon’s original plan involved me waiting on Taehyung’s bed, wearing very little and surprising him in a much different manner. But since Tae shared a room with both Hobi and Jimin, that plan got shot down (and earned Namjoon a swift smack in the face) pretty quick. In the end, neither of those things happened.

“Oh!” I exclaimed as my phone started buzzing. “They’re doing a V app live!”

It was around midnight and Namjoon and I were sitting around the coffee table in their living room. He was trying to teach me this Korean card game that I wasn’t familiar with and we’d totally lost track of time.

In one swift move, he pulled his phone out of his pocket – which had a bigger screen than mine – and we started watching as the 5 other boys approached Tae with a cake singing him happy birthday, while he grinned his idiotic smile.

“You should go” said Namjoon, not taking his eyes away from the screen. “They’re at the office, it’s like 5 blocks down. You should go.” he repeated, turning to look at me.

“But I dunno the way…” I protested weakly, “And what if they don’t let me in?”

The Korean boy grabbed my phone and started inputting a trajectory into naver maps. “here.” he said, handing it back to me, “and I’ll call the front and make sure they let you in. Go.” he finished, giving me a little shove.

“But…”

“Go!” he shoved harder and I ended up getting up.

I gave him an uncertain glance, and he smiled widely at me, giving me the thumbs up with his good hand. Slowly, I smiled back, gave him a little nod and ran out the door.

*

I made sure that the V app broadcast had gone offline before pushing the door to their practice room open slowly. The main hall had been pretty much deserted, but I had run into one of their managers on the way, and after his initial surprise, he’d smiled and agreed to lead me where the boys where. (he was one of the nice ones.)

The door opened soundlessly and I saw all the boys massed together in a corner around the cake, chatting loudly, shaking my boy, smearing icing over his cheek, and just in general good spirit. I watched the scene with a fond smile on my face, not wanting to interrupt it.

It was Jungkook who noticed me first.

“Oh!” he made this tiny sound, his head perking up like a bird and his big round eyes fixating on me in surprise.

Within seconds they had all turned around to see what he was looking at, and Tae was actually the last to look up and stare. His mouth dropped open, in dumb shock, and stayed like that for a moment, as if his brain couldn’t comprehend the signals his eyes were sending, and then, split into a huge smile, lighting up his whole face. He literally jumped up from his seat to run towards me, shouting my name in delighted disbelief.

“What are you doing here?!?!” he grabbed me by the shoulders, shaking me a little as if he couldn’t believe this was real.

“This was Namjoon’s plan, so you can thank him later.” I shrugged, laughing at the same time.

He didn’t bother replying but pulled me into a huge embrace. I melted into his arms and breathed in the scent of him. It felt so familiar, and warm, and safe. After a moment, he pulled away and looked down at me with sparkling eyes, before bending down and blessing me with the most magnificent kiss. He didn’t bend me over, like in one of my and Namjoon’s ridiculous scenarios, but it was still one of the most passionate kisses I’ve ever received in my life and took my breath away.

Immediately, there was a crowd of cheers and boos, and coughing sounds that could be heard from the back of the room. I remembered that we were on display and went bright red as soon as Taehyung pulled away. He however had no such qualms and promptly gave them the finger, before pulling on my hand and dragging me out of the room.

***

Sometimes, I suspect Namjoon to have invited me over not for Tae’s sake, but for his own. Technically, he was pretty much fine, but he had hurt his back slipping on a patch of ice outside the KBS building after a practice, and since he already had one hand in a cast, the doctor had put him on house arrest before he could hurt himself any further; or anybody else... Our Rapmonie, unfortunately, did not deal well with being cooped up indoors. So even though I had booked by own accommodations, I spent most of my trip at the dorm, playing assistant manager/nurse/slave to the group’s leader, to the great dismay of my adorable boyfriend who was stuck actually working.

“KIM NAMJOON!!!!!!!!” I shouted, pulling his attention away from the movie we were both watching. He turned to look at me, phone in my hand, and burst out laughing; immediately guessing what I was angry about.

“Your boyfriend jealous?” he asked, innocently, a hint of laughter still coating his words.

I used my foot to shove him on the shoulder from my spot on the couch, and he moaned, ing that I was brutalizing a sick man, and had I no shame?

“You send him a pic like that again and you can get your own damn coffee from now on!” I snapped at him.

I wasn’t really angry; more like extremely irritated. I had just discovered that Namjoon had apparently been snapping pictures of me throughout the day, as I took care of him. He’d been sending them to TaeTae, going on and on about what a kind nurse I was, and now that the object of my affection had gotten his first break of the day, he’d thrown a hissy fit at the sight of the pictures, warning me that he was the only boy I was allowed to play nurse to. I had to coddle him over the phone for half an hour (which had Namjoon was gwaffing in the back) before he stopped threatening to murder him.

“That’s not funny you know.” I told him flatly, though he was still chuckling. The movie was still playing in the background, but neither of us was really paying attention to it.

“Sorry, I can’t help it. He’s usually the one pulling tricks on everyone, so it’s nice to get him back for once.” he shrugged, with a lippy smile on his face.

A little smile poked at the corner of my own lips.

“I’ve never seen him get this jealous either.” he went on, “He must really love you.”

It was just a casual comment but it made me blush into my coffee cup.

Namjoon smirked at me and we both returned our attention to the movie; or at least, he did. My mind kept churning. When you stopped to think about it, it was so weird to just be sitting alone with him like this: spending our days together, speaking English and just having fun while the other boys were away. Namjoon was charming, adorkable, and definitely a great conversation partner, and the old me would have flipped her about being able to do all those things with the boy who used to be my 2^nd bias. But in that moment, thinking about how cutely jealous my being with him made Tae, and how that in turn made me feel kinda giddy and guilty at the same time, made me realize that all those fangirl feelings were completely gone. There was only Taehyung. There would only ever be Taehyung.

“I’m glad, you know.” Namjoon said suddenly, pulling me out of my thoughts.

“Huh?”

“I’m glad that it ended up working out for the both of you.” he said, belatedly turning his head towards me, and I grinned stupidly again.

“I think it’s great you’re moving here, too.” he added, focusing on the TV once more, “It’ll make him happy.”

“He told you?” I asked, surprised, and then not really.

Namjoon nodded. “It might not look like it, but me and the kid are really close.” he went on, on a whispery, half joking tone, giving me a cheeky little wink.