Closer than Ever

Chapter 41 - California Dreaming

It looks like the guys' performances in front of live audiences in Los Angeles next month and into December are actually going to happen; they've been preparing hard, but I think we've all been afraid to get our hopes up too far after the number of times that shows have been scheduled and then canceled due to corona.

The plan is that BTS will fly out to LA a week and a half or two weeks early to attend the American Music Awards, where they will get to perform for a live audience for the first time in two years. Then the following week, on the Friday and Saturday after American Thanksgiving, they will do shows at Los Angeles's NFL stadium. They will film videos and do some collaborations with American artists during the days in-between, do two more Sofi Stadium shows on the first two days of December, and then do a couple of songs on December 3 for the IHeartRadio JingleBall.

Taehyung tells me all of this with an air of barely suppressed excitement, mixed with quite a bit of apprehension.

"So, you'll be in the US for two weeks, then?" I ask.

"Well, actually... My parents and Hobi-hyung's parents are friends now, and we've been talking about taking a family trip to Hawaii for a couple of years now. So we might go there together for five or six days after the last concert." Tae watches my face carefully. "Birdie, will you come to the States this time? I will probably be gone for more than three weeks, and that's just too long to not see you!"

I look at him thoughtfully. "I would like to do that. Is there any chance I can see some of the shows? And you guys will be staying in a hotel, right? How would we be able to see each other?"

Taehyung puts his arms around my waist. "I'm sure I can get you an audience pass for the AMAs, and we'll get you tickets for the Sofi shows, too. Do you want to come to all of them?"

"What are the dates, again?"

He tells me, and I do some mental math.

"How would you feel about me going up to Oregon to spend Thanksgiving with my family, after the AMAs, and then coming back for the second show on the 28th? It would be nice to spend four or five days with them. And I can't really come to Hawaii, obviously, since your family doesn't know we're together, so maybe I would go out to North Carolina to see Caleb for a few days during that time. I think he doesn't have enough time off work to come across the country for Thanksgiving."

"That's still a lot of time apart. Birdie, could you... Could you come back for the night before the first Sofi show? I am going to be really nervous, I think, and I will need you. It's been so long since we did a real show!"

"So four days with my parents and Emily, and then back on the 26th? That works. But you still haven't said how we are going to see each other, love." I tuck my hands into the back pockets of his jeans and smile up at him.

"Well, I have a spy in the logistics office who can tell us which hotel we'll stay at in LA, once it's booked. As soon as she does, we can check for another hotel that's close by, and get you a room there. Then I'll just duck out the back door with my hat and mask on and come to your hotel!" He grins at me, obviously looking forward to sneaking out. I laugh at him.

"Huh, well, they will put you guys in a nice neighborhood, right? There are a lot of parts of LA that I would NOT want you to be roaming around after dark without your bodyguards, love. In fact... should we just tell your bodyguards what's going on between us, so they can come with you? I mean, they would probably have to report it to PD Bang. I might get fired. But I want you to be safe..." I frown up at him, suddenly very worried.

"I'm sure we'll be in a good neighborhood. They aren't going to put us somewhere sketchy! And hopefully your place will only be a block or two away, so it will be fine."