Closer than Ever

Chapter 19 - Pajama Party

As the elevator doors open, I holler, "Honey, I'm home!" like a 1950s sitcom dad. Tae pokes his head around the corner from the dining room and raises his eyebrows quizzically.

"What?"

I smile, and translate my remark, expecting him to laugh. Instead, he gives me a really intense look that lasts at least ten seconds. I don't know what is going through his mind, so finally I have to ask. "Tae, what are you thinking?"

"I'm thinking that this place really feels like home when you're here," he says earnestly.

I walk over and hug him, and he holds me tightly. "Where did you learn to say such sweet things?" I ask him, kissing his chest.

"I just told you what I was thinking," he replies, nuzzling the top of my head.

I lean my head way back to look up at him. "You are the sweetest." I smile and stare deep into his eyes, then sing his own lyrics to him: 'I just want to be where you are...'"

"Exactly, Birdie."

"OK, so you missed me while I was gone for 90 minutes. I missed you, too. I was chatting with my little sister for most of that time. Oh, and Lulu says hi." 

He grins at me. "What is your sister's name again?"

"Emily."

"Ah, yes. Emily," he says, smiling. "You two are close?"

"We really are, yes. Caleb is the outcast." I laugh.

Taehyung winces. "Caleb is your brother?"

"Um-hm. He's not really the outcast, though, I'm just joking. I like to tease him because he doesn't keep in touch as well as Emily does. I'm lucky if he calls once every two months."

I notice that Tae looks a little sad. "What about your brother and sister?" I ask. "You don't talk about them often."

"We're not as close as I want to be," he says, sighing deeply. I squeeze him a little harder.

"I'm sorry, love. Do you want Caleb? I will donate him to you as an extra brother. He's pretty fun."

He looks down at me. "I would love to meet him and Emily, someday," he says.

A tiny wavelet of panic rushes through me, but I just smile at him and say, "You would all get along well, I'm sure." I give him one more hug and walk into the dining area. "Oh, you cleaned up our pizza mess. Did you bleach the table and the kitchen island? I heard a rumor that someone's bare ass was on them recently."

Taehyung throws his head back and laughs. "Yes, I used disinfecting wipes on all the surfaces."

I chuckle. "It's hard to believe that anyone would be rude enough to put their bare bottom on your dining table and your nice marble island," I say, shaking my head mournfully as I walk into the kitchen for a glass of water.

"Yes, that person should be punished," he answers, grabbing a kitchen towel and swatting my behind with it.

I open my eyes really wide at him and say, "Oooh, kinky!" Just as I expected, he blushes bright pink, and I laugh heartily.

I look at the clock on the stove. It's 10:58 p.m. "You know, I thought that I would be completely exhausted by now, but I actually feel really good. How are you doing, sweet man?"

"I feel great, too. I could run a marathon right now." 

I grin at him. "You could, or we could do something else, instead." He raises an eyebrow at me, and I lightly slap his shoulder. "Not that! I was thinking about a movie or karaoke or something."