The Light of Dead Stars | KSJ

59

Waking up and seeing Jin's face first thing in the morning is one of your favorite ways to start your day. You remember the first time in his family's holiday home in France when you felt blindsided with just how beautiful he really is, and even after falling in love, you can say that feeling hasn't changed much.

Being greeted by his tender, sleeping face warms your heart. Aside from knowing he gets his rest because he's no longer waking up before his alarm rings, you just feel a sense of calm because throughout the night, he got to breathe.

That hasn't been the case for a while though. Other than seeing his tense face and furrowed brows, he's mostly been falling asleep either curled against your body or hugging you from behind. You'd wake up to a mop of hair or his warm breath against your skin. He holds onto you like his life depends on it, as if he'd fall away if he didn't have you in his arms, as is the case this morning, as you lay on your back while he's on his side, his face anchored on the crook of your neck.

"Hmm, good morning," he mumbles after you kiss his forehead.

"Good morning, love. Guess who was snoring last night," you tease, turning to face him.

"I did it again? Shit, all the stress is making me less perfect," he groans.

You chuckle at his statement, but you know he doesn't mean it completely as a joke. He's been complaining about how the tiniest wrinkles have been forming on his forehead and under his eyes. It's all the thinking and frowning he's been doing, you've told him, and his exhaustion and decreased time in the gym have also affected his sleep.

"It's okay, you're still handsome," you wink, kissing his lips before attempting to get off the bed, but he pulls you back down before you even get up, tucking you against his bare chest and wrapping his limbs around your body.

"Five minutes," he says. "Let me be the clingy one today."

You indulge him and extend it to 10, causing both of you to rush getting ready to head down for breakfast with Yoongi, Taehyung, and the senior directors. You spend much of the day back in the suite, and you manage to convince all of them to have dinner at a restaurant downtown, so they could at least feel the Toronto air.

Everyone is in high spirits at the end of the evening, feeling ready and prepared for the next two days. They have their game plan, especially if any of the board members asks about the scandal. You all hope they won't, but Jin is confident that there's enough good news to make that bump in the road less significant.

The day finally comes, and you bury away the nervousness so Jin could hold onto you for support. It starts out well, despite Jin's father - who joins virtually - barely saying a word to you two. But your husband seems to be shrugging it off, proceeding with what he came to do and doing it well.

During board meetings, it's just the senior directors and the chief financial officer who join Jin and Taehyung to report and discuss updates, strategy, and policy direction. You're used to people presenting to Jin; you do that yourself.

And while you've seen him make speeches, this is the first time you're seeing him take the stage and direct the show, and you swear you catch the moan in your throat when he plays a short clip, that you don't watch because you're busy watching him stand there looking immaculate in his black suit with his hands casually in his pockets.

He looks calm, confident, and someone who knows his wife is in the audience as he presents the updates and status from each unit and department. You make a mental note to tell him about it tonight.

Later in the afternoon, Director Oh presents your department's accomplishments, and when asked about new products in development, she calls you and you present the plans, as well as the new ideas that were inspired by your recent trips. It's your first time speaking to the Board in this capacity and this extent, and you have to say - they seem quite impressed.