Take My Hand

21. Where the Heart is

I feel like I'm dreaming. Or dead. I'm not sure.

"Jungkook, what...what are you saying?" I ask him. I'm still hanging on his neck and struggling to stay on my feet, but thankfully he's strong enough to hold me up.

"I'm saying I don't want to hide you anymore. I don't want you to leave me, and I don't want to leave you. I'm sick of all of these rules and I hate how much I have to do just to go on a normal date with you. I want the world to know that you're mine and there's nothing they can do about it."

"Kookie, are you...proposing to me?"

"I...I don't know what I'm doing. I just know I love you and I never want to let you go." He looks unsure of himself, like he's in disbelief that's he's said what he's said. It's then that I start to realize this confession wasn't exactly part of his plan for the night. One thing I can tell for certain though is that he means what he's saying.

"I love you too," I say cupping his cheek in my hand. "I love you so much. There's nowhere I'd rather be than with you." If he could wait just one more week he'd really see that I mean that. I'd reveal to him that I've moved to Seoul for good.

"Stay with me," he says.

"Of course. I'll always stay with you."

"Forever?"

"Forever."

He steps back and holds my left hand out.

"I've gotten you a necklace, bracelet, and earrings." He kisses my hand then looks back into my eyes. "I promise the ring will come next."

I smile and nod as tears well in my eyes. I can't believe what's happening right now. It feels so surreal that I'm in the middle of Paris listening to Jeon Jungkook tell me that he wants to spend the rest of his life with me. What did I do in my life to deserve any of this?

Nothing feels real anymore. Everything is a dreamy haze that I'm only mindlessly floating through. The meal we had was the greatest meal I've ever eaten in my life, but I barely remember it. The remaining week in Paris feels like it didn't even happen. Everywhere I had gone and the places I saw are barely memorable. The entire flight back to Seoul went by in a flash. The chaos at the airport with the press and fans awaiting the boys' arrival may as well have not even happened in my mind.

The love of my life wants to spend the rest of his life with me and that's the only thing I can think of. I'm so lost in that blind bliss that I almost forget that I'll be seeing my new place for the first time. Since it's so close to where the guys are staying Joonie suggests I ride with them.

I thought they would drop me off first, but the driver pulls into the parking garage of their building instead. Jin says they'll just drop off their things and he'll take me to my new place. He assured me that his friend let him know that all of my things arrived safely and will be waiting for me when I get there.

We all pile into the elevator and Jin presses the button for the 4th floor. I know it's been a while since I've been here, but I could've sworn they lived on the 5th floor. I follow them down the hall, all the while Jungkook has his arm around my waist guiding me along.

We get to the door and I realize this is definitely not their place. Joonie opens the door and we all walk into an apartment I've never seen before, but it actually looks familiar. It's clearly not their place though.

"Wait a minute." I'm trying to figure out if my eyes are deceiving me. The things in the apartment are my things. I realize the familiarity I felt when I first stepped in was because of the pictures Joonie sent me before. He really put me in the same building as them! I quickly turn towards him. "Joonie, what is this?"