Body And Soul

34. Familiarity

They had kissed until they were breathless, and even then - after taking a moment to breathe - their lips would soon fuse back together. Laylin had no idea how long she kissed Jungkook. All she knew was that when she was done, she felt complete. She stayed seated the way she was on his lap; resting her cheek against his shoulder. Her face laid sideways so that she could look at his neck. Her eyes stared at his neck for a moment before turning her gaze up to look at his face as he looked lovingly at her.

"I feel like you were out having kissing lessons on all those nights you'd come home late to our apartment," she said.

A small grin spread across his face as he leaned to press a kiss to top of her head.

"Was it that good then?" asked Jungkook.

She chuckled as she responded in the affirmative by placing a gentle kiss against his jawline.

"Wasn't it good for you too?" asked Laylin.

"Good is a weak word to describe it," said Jungkook. "I'm just trying not to be weirded out by the fact that I just had that moment while in someone else's body."

Laylin didn't say anything. She didn't know what she was supposed to say to that, so instead she stayed silent. She enjoyed lying up against his chest as she sat there; her pulsing heart rate creating a rhythm with his. Her fingers were still tangled in the back of the homemade sweater he was wearing as if that grounded her and helped her to remember this was all real. Jungkook turned his head back to look at the water as he let one hand absentmindedly run up and down her back.

"I love you, but I can't be doing this in someone else's body," said Jungkook finally. "I'm sure there will be times where I can't help but to kiss you of course, but I want to be something with you. I want us to be a couple. Can you wait for me to get my body back?"

"That's a silly question, Kookie," said Laylin. "Of course I can. I'm here for the long haul, and if you don't get your body back - if you and Taehyung are stuck like this - I will still love you. You and I can just run off together somewhere and disappear from the rest of the world."

"Easier said than done," said Jungkook. "You forget about people like Jimin."

Laylin chuckled, nosing his jawline as she whispered against it, "Just keep in mind that - no matter what - I love you for your beautiful soul."

He smiled at that, turning his head to capture her lips before she could pull away. He kissed her sweetly yet lovingly for a moment before pulling back with a smirk.

"You're going to make this waiting thing really difficult on me if you keep acting like this."

"Don't pretend that upsets you," said Laylin as she matched his smirk.

- - -

"It's a mess though, Taehyung. An absolute mess."

Taehyung had picked his way among the trees as Jimin yammered on and on in his ear about how awful dinner last night had been with his parents. Eventually Taehyung found a semi-secluded spot among the trees where he took a seat on a tree trunk while he tried to think of how to best respond.

"He got to get out of their free of the tirade that was unleashed on Hobi and I," continued Jimin. "I thought we might have just convinced your mother that we had the new album under control, but now she is demanding that the label send in reinforcements."

"Reinforcements?" asked Taehyung as he brought one leg up onto his knee, swatting at a fly that buzzed around his head with his free hand.

"Yes. Reinforcements. The dude they are sending is practically a man of myth. Hobi and I hear his name whispered about the company, but have never actually met him. It seems like he is the grim reaper of lazy, unproductive souls."