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     chapter thirty-two      reunited with the gang.

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After they had claimed their baggage, Taehyung and Arang walked out of the airport, with the boy leading the way and their hands still meshed together. Ever since they boarded the plane from Phuket, Taehyung hasn't let go of the girl. As ridiculous as this might sound, he was afraid of losing her even though they were well over a thousand feet in the air and the only way that would've happened was if she decided to put everyone on the flight at risk and jumped out of an open door. Yes, So Arang may be a lot of things, but one thing she was certainly not was someone who was fond of extreme sports.

She could be adventurous when she wanted to be, but she would never do something which could possibly result in extensive bone damage, if not her imminent and untimely death. She's not that adventurous. You'd think Arang would have found his actions to be childish but, to her, it was a rather endearing gesture. It showed her just how much she meant to him. And to mean so much to another person felt... nice.

Honestly, Arang really felt special knowing she, out of all people, could have such an effect on Kim Taehyung. With his handsome looks, status as one of this year's most promising idols and, let's not forget, his winsome yet hidden personality, which took her quite a while to uncover, it's no surprise that he could land any girl he wanted. And apparently, as he so boldly declared earlier, she was the girl he wanted and you know what? Arang was proud.

Because their delayed arrival to Japan hadn't been disclosed to the public, there were no fans lurking about, screaming and shouting at the top of their lungs, confessing their undying love for him. Thank god. Could you imagine the murderous look in their eyes if they saw Arang holding hands with the source of their affection? This was supposed to be a little getaway from all of the stress she's been under lately. Sure, people threw quizzical glances at them in the airport since they were both wearing masks and sunglasses indoors, however, nobody approached them directly and to that they were grateful.

While they were standing by the curb, waiting for their ride, Arang's eyes flitted down to their entangled fingers. She couldn't help but think about the day she graduated from high school, which seemed like ages ago, and the words of her former classmates. There was definitely nothing dull and boring about her life and Arang wondered if she had jinxed herself. Her heart was stuttering over and over again, like a song stuck on replay thrumming loudly in her ears. And you know what, she enjoyed holding his hand, just as she fancied kissing him.

His touch was filled with nothing but warmth and comfort. Then, Arang recalled the day of the big press conference where he had also held her hand, along with the time at the police station. Both times he had instilled her with courage and strength, assuring her that everything would be all right and, without being aware of it, the corners of the girl's lips twitched upward at the memories.

His touch made her feel safe. He made her feel safe and that's all she's really ever wanted, especially after she found out that there was a psychotic stalker targeting her because of her relationship with Taehyung. Yet, despite knowing that the decision she had made probably put her in more danger than before, Arang was not bestowed with the same fear she had when she thought she was alone. Why, because she had Taehyung to protect her and she realized she didn't have to go through this all by herself. The reality was finally settling in. The two of them might have been a fake couple at the beginning of this whole thing but Arang can assure you that was no longer the case now. All it took was a mere nod of her head for their relationship as boyfriend and girlfriend to become real.

Thinking about it though, Arang was still having a rather difficult time grappling onto the idea of the two of them actually dating but it wasn't necessarily a bad thing. Less than three months ago they couldn't even be in the same room without having the urge to rip each other's throats out gnawing at the back of their minds. They had certainly come a long way and Arang was grateful she had gotten the opportunity to get to know the real Kim Taehyung.

He might be arrogant, he might be rude but that was only one side of him. He didn't receive the nickname 4D Prince of BTS for no good reason. First impressions weren't everything and, as you might recall, theirs wasn't particularly ideal but at least they could say it was a memorable and impactful one.

A black van proceeded to pull up in front of them, snapping the girl out of her daze. The door slid open and they were greeted with a few familiar faces, which were, of course, sporting various expressions. "It's about time the two of you got here." Yoongi grinned as he glanced at their hands. He sent the girl a wink and she rolled her eyes playfully, aware that he was teasing them. Out of the other members, she'd have to admit Yoongi was probably the most childish but that was his charm. Arang has gotten accustomed to his antics and has even become quite fond of him as well.