the relationship [sequel]

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I felt like I had done this thing so many times before - this falling back into Namjoon's life without really knowing where it would lead me to. But I was ready to make that jump of faith again if it meant that I could finally access happiness. Unlike the times before, I felt ready for this now.

We were still forced to meet in private, a testament to the world around us that we had to hide from. However, I made an effort to dress as casually as I could. I didn't want to place any romantic expectations or pressures onto us anymore. I just wanted the chance for us to be together without the world watching.

When I walked into the dorm, it was like walking into a war zone. The kitchen was a mess as Namjoon desperately tried to salvage whatever he was cooking, and Jin watched on with his head in his hands and tears in his eyes. Noticing the fact that I had walked in without him realising, Namjoon looked at me with the same expression as a child who has been caught doing something forbidden.

"Shall we just get takeaway?" I asked, and he gave a sigh of relief, dropping his cooking utensils and leaving whatever it was that he had tried to cook behind.

That was how we found our way to the couch where we ate takeaway Chinese food as we laughed about stupid things. He told me about the things that had happened on tour, about the games and pranks they had all played on each other.

The fact that everything was so carefree made me feel safe. We didn't need to have the biggest or the most intense conversations to validate the fact that we were together. We didn't need a label on us to know how we felt. It was slightly strange to have such deep feelings for one another and yet still treat each other with the slight distance that small talk provides.

Neither of us were ready to fall straight back into a relationship however.

"I like this," Namjoon whispered as the room darkened by the waning sun, "This just being near each other without any pressure on us. It feels healthier than anything we've done before."

"We've done a lot of growing," I replied, snuggling into his side as the room felt more and more cozy.

I had no idea where we were headed from here, but for once I didn't care. I had come to realise that the destination wasn't the objective anymore, but the journey was the part that mattered. It was the part to focus on, and more importantly the part that needed working on.

Looking up at him, our eyes smiled at each other (if eyes can smile), and I felt the overpowering need to kiss him. Readjusting my position so that we were now facing each other, we could both sense the change in electricity between us.

Our faces moved closer together with the hesitancy of two teenagers having their first kiss. The first contact was exhilarating, my heart beating faster than I could remember it doing. Cupping his face with my hands, I allowed myself to get lost in the feeling of his lips against mine because in that moment it was just the two of us that existed.

Circling my waist with his hands, I finally felt like we had found the missing piece of us. This felt more natural than breathing, and that was something we had lacked without realising. We couldn't survive in the high-pressure environment of before, but surrounded by takeaway boxes we seemed to have found our paradise.

"You're like my soulmate in progress," he whispered as he broke away from the kiss, "I know that you are the person I love, but we're working on it. It's like when you have the perfect image in your head that you want to paint, but it's the actual act of painting that makes you appreciate it all the more."

"I like that label much more than girlfriend - soulmate in progress," I replied through giggles, kissing his cheek.

It fitted more than he would ever understand. Because we were a work in progress, and we were still learning. But I felt like we had finally overcome our biggest hurdle - miscommunication. And from here we could do nothing but grow and grow as both people but also as a couple.

"Was that song about me? The one you released on tour?" I asked, batting my eyelids which made him scoff and push me jokingly away from him.

"Now you're just fishing for compliments," he mumbled, "Who else would it be about?"

We continued to banter and laugh with each other until the early hours of the morning when we found ourselves laying in Namjoon's bedroom talking about aliens. Classic.

"I'm just saying, I think we should go to Area 51-"

"We're not going to Area 51!" I replied, hitting him playfully with a pillow and we erupted into yet more giggles.

Our laughing was cut short by a sharp knocking on the door, and a disgruntled Jimin stormed into the room.

"Look I'm really happy for both of you that you're back on track, but can you please shut the fuck up!"

He slammed the door as he exited the room, and we both had to the bury our faces in the pillows to stop ourselves shrieking with laughter. Yeah, this was it. Crying from laughter was much better than crying from sadness.

Who knew that the most adult thing we could do was act like children? Who knew that laughter could mend a broken heart?

-

the fluff has returned - thank the lords I was tired of all that angst.

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