At her words Taehyung moved before his brain did.  Wrapping both of his arms tightly around her and pressing his lips onto hers in a much softer motion than he had earlier in the night.  Following the shift between them, and the more he had learnt about her, the more he wanted to be someone she could count on.  Not a desire ridden animal who only wanted one thing. 

He loved how she had kissed him back with the same level of intensity the first time, but he adored how she seemed to melt at his tenderness this time.  Her tiny hands splayed out over his chest to steady herself as he kept her encased in his warmth.  She didn’t fight the tenderness he wanted to give her in her reaction.  Taehyung’s head was spinning with the emotions that cursed through him.  He pulled out of the kiss, briefly meeting her eyes as he rested his forehead on hers, not quite ready to let her go out of the hold he had her in. 

‘I am sorry, for your, losses.’ He whispered unable to think of a better word for what she had told him.  A sigh escaped her, recognizing his compassion for her situation though she didn’t speak immediately.

‘It was all a very long time ago.’ She finally whispered pulling her head backwards to watch him more closely. 

‘There is no one else?’ He asked cautiously.

‘No.’ she answered simply with a shrug, he could see some of her façade was beginning to break down and he found he liked this side of her just as much as her y confident side.

She untangled herself from him breaking their momentary intimacy.  He frowned in his embarrassment, feeling he might have crossed a line. 

‘Let’s get something to eat.’ She said suddenly pulling at his hand forcing him to look up at her.  How could someone be so strong when they were all alone in the world.  How could they allude the confidence he had first seen in her at the fan meet when her life had been one trauma after another.  Allowing her to pull him forward he tormented himself with these questions in contemplative silence. 

They had walked a little when something suddenly dawned on Taehyung.  

‘How old are you?’ he asked her raising and eyebrow at her.  She was 19 when she went to China, she spent 6 years there making her 25 when she left.  He didn’t know how long she was in any other country, but it was feasible to say at least a year.  Either way she was older than he was. 

She stopped and surveyed him, evidently deciding if she should just answer him directly or not.  Her eyes glimmered though and told him, ‘I’m 29.’

His mouth dropped open in shock.  ’29?’ he repeated back at her.  He surely wouldn’t have guessed it from her looks and though his logical mind seemed confused, it made her seem in some way more exciting that she was so much older than him.

There was no worry in her face as she took in his reaction, and he wondered if all older women just had that kind of confidence about them.  There was a line of thought that worried him he was too immature for this, too out of his depth.  He couldn’t help but override that thought with how she had made him feel.  He hadn’t once felt too young, too out of his depth.  She had somehow managed to make him feel like a king amongst men, and even now, he still felt like he could take care of her despite the difference in their age.

‘You are older than me.’ He stated as he found his voice to speak again. 

‘I know.’ She grinned, like it didn’t matter a single amount.  ‘Is it a problem?’ she asked.

‘No.’ he answered immediately knowing it was true. There was some kind of equal understanding between them that he had never felt anywhere else and age wasn’t going to ruin that.

‘Good.’ She answered as if it was final.  She looked out down the pathway of the river side and pointed.  ‘There’s a small café there, the food is good.  You see?’

Taehyung slowly followed her finger and could make out the lights in the distance for the café, he turned and nodded at her his expression neutral.

‘Race.’ She whispered leaning into him before she shot off at an astonishing pace.  It took Taehyung a second to realise what had happened, staring in the wake of her running wildly, her hair flailing behind her.  He took his time, giving her a second before putting his full force into running after her finding as he moved, and the salty air of the river ran through his lungs the exhilaration became overpowering, yelling to her and laughing as he caught up to her. 

The rush between them was evident in their grins.  Taehyung wrapped his arm around her as he came close to her, slowing her down.  She twisted in his grip, then grabbed his bicep, hard, as if to steady herself.  He stopped moving, looking down at her, she had bent herself in half, one hand on her head.

‘Are you ok?’ He asked, concerned at how a second ago she seemed ok.

‘Yeah I just lost my balance.’ She said pulling herself upright and shaking her head as if it was nothing.

‘Let’s eat.’ She pulled him towards the café forcefully.  His eyes darted around, afraid he would be recognised, but the café was near empty, an old man running things, instantly he relaxed knowing no one here would pay him much attention.

Jacqueline took the lead, sitting him down and ordering for them both.  It didn’t cross his mind that she hadn’t asked what he wanted and didn’t care what he would get.  She returned holding a coke out to him which he gratefully accepted, unable to take his eyes off her as she sat down, the warmth of the café making her cheeks turn red.  He had no desire to speak, all he wanted to do was stare at her with awe.  Every movement she made was like a dance, fluid strong and beautiful.  She sat back and watched him equally as enamoured with his eyes as he was hers. 

Leaning forward she wrapped her lips around the straw in her drink, keeping her focus on him as she drank.  Dragging her lips back off the straw she settled herself in the chair and her lips deliciously.  Her eyes flashing with evil.  Taehyung could play this game though, dragging his own tongue over his bottom lip, he bit down while maintaining her dangerous eye contact.  He poked his tongue out, the length of his straw before wrapping his own lips around it and down a gulp.

Satisfied with his performance he leaned back, crossing his arms over his chest hoping to see some reaction from her.  Her eyes narrowed half a millimetre, enough for him to see, enough that he was gratified. 

They continued not to speak and just watch each other as the food arrived, some kind of meat and noodles, some kind of vegetable, Taehyung didn’t really pay attention.  His mind was focused on watching each bite she took.  Stuffing his mouth full he tried a different tact, picking up some of the meat and offering to feed her. As she came closer open, he pulled back, popping it into his already full mouth.  She laughed loudly at the comical look on his face, closing his eyes and trying his best to swallow before the food choked him.  Leaning forward after he had swallowed, he tried the same again, offering to feed her.  With narrowed suspicious eyes she looked between the food and him, keeping his face completely neutral, even softening his eyes in an attempt to show he wanted to make up for his previous mischief. 

She took the bait, leaning forward, just as her lips came close enough to the what appeared to be broccoli, he pulled away, popping it in his own mouth, flashing her an eyebrow raise and a grin. 

Not to be outdone by his ludicrous behaviour she did something he would never have expected.  Placing the chop sticks down, she picked up a piece of chicken, sticky with the sauce and seductively took a bite, her lips as she did.  It had never crossed Taehyungs mind that someone could turn him on by eating like that in front of him before.  As she finished the chicken, all the while keeping her green eyes focused on him she swilled her tongue around her finger tips, ally and somewhat comically off the sauce.  Repeating the same motion, she picked up yet more chicken, this time holding it out for him.  His mouth hung open, with a questioning raise of his eyebrow as she smirked delicately at him. 

He knew she was not going to try his own trick on him, so he took her bait, biting down on the chicken and making a show of eating it, his lips.  He grabbed her hand before she could pull away, though she made no effort to retreat, poking out his tongue he her finger clean.  Smiling wickedly at him, he realised she had intended him to do that, therefore this time the win was hers.

What she did next shocked him even more.  Pulling her hand back, she her own finger, the one he had just engulfed, and sighed satisfied.