delicate | K.TH

29

Just a reference:

English: In Italics
Korean: Regular

__________________________

AMIN

"Can I take your bag, please?"

My brows scrunch. And Taehyung laughs under his breath, lifting my bag off the conveyor.

"He's asking for this."

The States. I hadn't even let Shilla know that I'd arrived yet, because it had been chaotic last night. My brow raises when he replies something back to the man, tilting his head.

"Is that English? When'd you learn that?"

"Noona, I have to be good at it." He murmurs, tucking a lock of my hair over the curve of my ear. Then he looks around, fingertips leaving my face.

"Will you stay here? I'll be back in a second."

"Okay."

And I watch him, hands tucked into the front pocket of his white sweatshirt. It's cold inside the airport, and from the thirteen-hour flight.

Then a man comes up to me.

"Hello, Miss. Your taxi is here for you and Mr. Kim."

I blink.

Trying to hide the panic growing in my chest, I quickly scan my surroundings for Taehyung. But I can't find him, and I struggle to find the words in my head.

I hadn't touched English— ever.

The man starts to look confused at my silence.

"Miss?"

"...um, sorry." I murmur, chewing on my bottom lip. "I— uh..."

I should've learned the basics.

Then a hand suddenly wraps around my shoulder, and I breathe out in relief when Taehyung's voice sounds from above my head.

"She doesn't speak English. Is the taxi here?"

Taxi?

That's the only word I catch from his sentence, and I look up at him blankly. What taxi?

I stand there silently as they talk, for another minute. Then the man leaves, and Taehyung looks down on me playfully.

"Noona, I wouldn't dare to lose you here. You'd be completely lost like a cute sheep."

A what?

"Stop being ridiculous." I mumble under my breath, and he laughs lightly before wrapping an arm around my shoulders. Led by his grip, I let myself get distracted with the views of the States— so different from Korea, in a way.

He gets me in a taxi.

"Where are we going?"

"A hotel." He says. "I'm going to try and figure out what you can do while I'm at work. I don't think they know about you yet."

A smile tints my lips. "Do you need a secretary?"

"Not here." He says softly. Then he points outside the window, at a golden-shaded building.

The hotel. It was much nearer than I'd thought, and so huge. The entire structure is themed with gold and white, shining in the late sun.