Pied Piper

9. Book Debate

"So, how was the dragon slayer?"

Kora - who had previously been debating whether to have Frosted Flakes or Mini Wheats - looked away from the hotel's breakfast spread at Eve who stood beside her. Kora felt a blush heating up her cheeks as Eve continued to stare at her as she waited for a response. Kora obviously knew why Eve was asking her question. When Kora had woken up this morning, she had been trapped under one of Taehyung's arms and had consequently been pressed up against his chest. Taehyung had been just as startled to wake up in that position as she had been, leaping out of the bed to go take a shower almost immediately as if he had to wash the scent of her off him.

"We just debated the book I'm reading together," said Kora. "That's all we did."

"Sure. Okay," Eve said with a chuckle as she grabbed a container of Froot Loops; Kora's cheeks flushing even more.

"Debating a book is not code for anything so stop trying to insinuate things!" said Kora as she decided on the Frosted Flakes.

Adelaide - who had already gotten her breakfast and was eating her bagel with Taehyung at a nearby table - could clearly see that Eve was giving Kora a hard time about waking up in the arms of Taehyung that morning. Taehyung was watching the news on the television above Adelaide's head as she excused herself to walk over to Eve and Kora.

"Stop giving her a hard time about Taehyung. I saw them. They didn't do anything last night," said Adelaide.

"You saw them?" asked Eve as she turned to look at Adelaide. "You saw them interacting and didn't wake me up?"

"Oh my word you two. I'm not some TLC show! Taehyung and I are just...acquaintances. That's it!" stated Kora, not able to believe her two best friends.

Adelaide could see that Eve wanted to say something more, but Adelaide elbowed her in the side to keep her from saying it. Kora moved away from the two of them to the table where Taehyung sat still watching the television. Even though she knew that Taehyung realized she was there, he wasn't breaking his gaze with the morning news to look at her. As it was, he had hardly eaten the breakfast in front of him; the bagel only having one or two bites out of it. Kora sank into a seat at the table, ripping the lid off her cereal before pouring some milk onto it that she had gotten from the dispenser. If Taehyung wanted to starve, that was on him.

'The most pressing news that is facing the bay area this morning is the attack on Hotel Champagne that happened yesterday afternoon...'

Kora lifted her eyes to look at the television screen to see that the news reporter was standing in front of what remained of the hotel she, Adelaide and Eve had been staying at the previous day. There were several officers walking all about the ruins who were looking for evidence of what had occurred.

'...Authorities are currently looking for this man. They believe he may hold some answers as to the attack that took place.'

Kora froze with fear as grainy security footage of Taehyung was displayed. Thankfully his face was turned off to the side with his long hair hiding most of it. The picture was a still of him running through the lobby with his weapon.

'...Anyone that sees this man is asked to call authorities. This is Katina Summers. Bay Area Newswatch.'

"Why do you look like you've just seen a ghost?" asked Adelaide as she plopped down beside Kora.

Kora turned her eyes away from the television that was now playing some sort of advertisement to look over at Adelaide. Her and Eve had joined the two of them after having had a talk by the breakfast bar and Adelaide could clearly see that something was bothering Kora. Adelaide tried to put two-and-two together for herself by looking up at the television but with the ad on, she was having a hard time filling in the blanks.

"We need to get out of here," said Kora in a soft whisper to not be accidentally overheard by anyone. "They are looking for him."

"Oh," said Adelaide, looking over at Taehyung.

"We need to get completely out of the area sooner rather than later," said Kora.

Kora didn't know why she was so bent on helping and protecting this man before her. She watched as Taehyung took another bite or two of his bagel before she dug out her cell phone from her purse.

"I'll call and rent us a car," continued Kora. "You two enjoy the rest of your vacation and I'll..."

"Wait, you don't seriously think that we're both gonna just stay here and let you two trek off on this quest alone, do you?" asked Adelaide.

Kora looked up from her phone and over at Adelaide who was fixing her with an 'are-you-absolutely-out-of-your-mind' look.

"But you guys are here for vacation..."

"Yeah and to get to know each other better. What better way than with a road trip!" added Eve.

Taehyung stopped eating his bagel again as he listened to the debate going on.

"Do I get a say?" ventured Taehyung; immediately getting shut down with a resounding 'no' from all the women as they spoke in unison.

"Look, I get you might want to get away with your new man on your own..." started Eve before freezing when Adelaide shot her a look.

"What did we just talk about, Eve?" asked Adelaide; Kora and Taehyung both blushing as they made eye contact with one another before looking away.

"Do what you want," said Kora as she moved to stand up. "I'm going to call for a rental vehicle."

Kora walked out into the hallway to place her call, having managed to look up a place nearby on her phone. As she was placed on hold by an automatic answering machine, she turned her head to the side to see that Taehyung was walking her way. He was still dressed in the same clothes that she had bought him the day before; a few strands of his hair sticking up from how he'd slept last night. Kora found herself fighting off the blush again, thinking about how they had woken up that morning once more.

"So, you're calling for a car? What's that exactly?"

Kora forgot that Taehyung was still getting used to things in the world. It amazed her that he didn't know about simple things like that.

"It's like those things in the parking lot outside," said Kora as she nodded her head towards a window in front of them that looked out at the parking lot where a few cars were.

"You mean those mechanical monsters?"

Kora chuckled, rolling her eyes.

"They aren't monsters. They are transportation."

Taehyung nodded his head as Kora began to talk to a person that had finally picked up on the other end of the line. She arranged for a car for them that would take them the distance they needed. By the time she hung up, she noticed that Taehyung had walked closer to the window to have a better view of what was outside.

'What am I going to do about you?' Kora thought for more than one reason.