For: Kurayami95

Partner: BTS's V

Hope you like it!

Denise set the groceries down on the counter and immediately got to work. She would be making kimchi fried rice.

The front door opened and closed. "Denise? You're here again." Taehyung's mom set her briefcase down and walked into the kitchen.

Denise turned around and smiled, "I'm making your favorite, mom. So go wash up and I'll set the table." Denise went back to the rice.

Taehyung's mom sighed before heading to her room.

The two sat at the dinner table. Denise beamed, "Do you like it?"

Mrs. Kim ate a spoonful and smiled, "It's delicious, Denise. Thank you."

Denise swatted her hand in the air. "No need to thank me, mom. I'm just making food for my favorite person in the world."

Mrs. Kim genuienly smiled. "Where are your parents?" Denise shrugged, "You know how they are. Always traveling the world to meet new people for their company."

Mrs. Kim pitied Denise as she kept on eating. Denise was never close with her family so she would always stay over at Taehyung's house until....

"You know you don't have to come here anymore." Denise stopped eating and kept her eyes on the food.

Mrs. Kim put her spoon down and held her hand across the table. "You can move on, Denise. I can take care of myself. I don't want to be a burden, especially after Taehyung's death."

Denise's heart hurt at those two words. Mrs. Kim squeezed her hand, making her look up.

She looked into her eyes, "You can move on, Denise. No. You have to move on. Forget about him and live your life."

Denise stared back for a while before plastering a small smile on her face. "I'm doing this because I want to, mom. Don't feel burdened. I'm going to continue coming whether you like it or not."

Mrs. Kim sighed and ate again. She'll have to try again some other time.

Denise went home that night and took a long bath. She sat in the tub and thought about Taehyung's last words to her. 

"Take care of my mom for me. I love you." 

After that short message, Taehyung went missing. A few days later, he was claimed dead by the police.

Mrs. Kim broke down. Her son, the only family she had left, was killed in a fire at his work.

Bull.

Denise knew it wasn't true because she knew something no one else knew about Taehyung.

Taehyung was part of a gang. He only pretended to work at a bank to cover his identity and please his mom.

When Denise heard the news, she didn't break down. She didn't shed a single tear. Because she knew he was still alive.

She knew that he was out there somewhere living right now. Denise just wondered what happened to him, and she vowed to find out.

After her bath, she contacted one of Taehyung's best friends. The only other person who knew about Taehyung's other identity.

"Hello?"

"Did you find anything out yet?"

The person on the other line sighed, "No, not yet. I hacked all the sites and tried to track him down but there's nothing."

Denise ran her fingers through her hair and sighed. "Okay, thanks Jimin. Call me if you find anything."

The call ended and Denise was alone again. She curled up in her bed and pulled the covered over her body.

Denise knew he was still alive. But she couldn't help but feel like maybe he was really gone.

Maybe he did really die in that fire. Maybe something happened during one of his missions. Maybe-

The phone rang again. "Hello?"

"I found him."

Denise lowered her cap as the car stopped in front of a building.

"Are you sure you want to go in there alone?" Jimin looked concerned.

Denise flashed a quick smile, "I'll be back." Jimin firmly nodded. "If you need help, just yell. I'll be right there."

Denise took small, quiet steps toward the ragged building. Did anyone even live here? Denise couldn't possibly think of it.

She entered the buidling and immediately scrunched her nose up. The musty smell lingered as she made her way up the stairs.

The elevators were broken. Just how old was this place?

Denise made her way to each floor and checked the rooms until she came to the tenth floor, the last floor.

If Taehyung wasn't here, then Jimin would have to track him down again.

Denise tried to open one of the doors and luckily it was unlocked. Denise stepped in and coughed as the dust rose.

She looked around and gasped when she saw Taehyung's jacket on the worn out bed.

"Denise?" A voice called from behind.

Denise spun around and the tears she kept in came flowing out. She ran over and hugged him tight.

"You jerk. You just left me like that for months. Do you know how hard I tried to look for you? Why isn't your phone working? Why'd you leave?"

Her tears soaked his shirt. Taehyung wanted to hold her too but pulled away from her. "You have to go."

Denise's face fell at his words. "What? I came all the way here to look for you and you're telling me to leave?" Tears kept running down her face.

Taehyung looked away. "It's not safe for you here. You have to leave."

He walked to the bed to get his jacket. He gasped when he felt her arms securely wrap around him from behind.

"No. I'm not leaving. Not like this. I don't care if it's not safe. I don't care if I get hurt. I don't care. I just want to stay with you."

She sniffled, "I'm not letting you go again."

Taehyung sighed at her stubborn nature. He abruptly turned around.

"Don't you get it? You can't be here, Denise. I'm supposed to be dead. I ran away from the gang. If they find me, you're going to get hurt. I don't want anything happening to you. So please, just. Just leave!"

Taehyung huffed and took short breaths.

He sighed and lowered his voice to a whisper, "I don't want you getting hurt."

Denise just looked at him with teary eyes. "I'll be fine. If you're on the run, if you're hiding, I want to be there with you."

Taehyung thought for a couple of seconds before sighing. "Promise me you'll stay right by my side."

Denise broke into a smile and nodded. He hugged her and caressed her hair. "I missed you."

"I missed you too, Tae." Taehyung kissed her hair and breathed in her scent that he longed for. "I won't leave again."