21. Healing

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When the lanterns had turned to dots of light in the sky, Dae Eun's guests started gathering around her to say good night and give their well wishes again. Dae Eun chatted with each family and Taehyung took the opportunity to slip into the cottage to change. His Do-Hyun hyung had brought his bag and it was lying on a chair beside the restroom. Taehyung knocked first and asked if he was in there.

"Just a minute, Taehyung-ah."

From the sound of his driver, he seemed to have taken more than just a sip of makgeolli. Taehyung thought that he may need to be the one to drive them home to Seoul tonight. It was okay with him, but he would need to get some shuteye before he could take the wheel. Maybe they could park at a gas station first.

Since Do-Hyun could not yet come out, Taehyung took off Hyung-Sik's royal robes and folded it carefully on the small table beside his bag. Then he sat on the long, soft couch in the cozy living room. He leaned his head on the backrest for a moment while waiting for Do-Hyun.

It was past 10 PM when Dae Eun had spoken to all her guests and walked with them to the top of the steps. Then she finally turned back to the empty tables and looked for Taehyung. He must have gone inside, she thought. She helped the remaining workers clear the tables before heading into the cottage to look for her oppa. When she found him, she felt her heart soften. He had fallen asleep on the living room couch, clutching a throw pillow to his chest. Do-Hyun was seated on an arm chair beside him, his eyes closed too.

"They both look pretty tired," Baek-Hyeon whispered from behind her

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"They both look pretty tired," Baek-Hyeon whispered from behind her.

Dae Eun wondered if Taehyung had time to rest before he came over. She asked Baek-Hyeon to prepare the adjacent rooms so they could sleep more comfortably. Baek-Hyeon gently nudged Do-Hyun awake and asked him to transfer to the room. When he opened his eyes and realized he had fallen asleep, he apologized sincerely.

"I'm sorry, Dae Eun-nim. I shouldn't have drunk the makgeolli, but it tasted so good, unlike anything I've ever had," Do-Hyun whispered. Baek-hyun smiled at the compliment to their brewing skills.

"Taehyung-ssi has been up for more than 36 hours. He had to finish shooting all his scenes so he could make it tonight." Do-Hyun felt he had to explain, or they may get offended.

"Both of you should sleep over. You can't drive to Seoul in this state, it's not safe." Nana entered the living room from the kitchen and gave Baek-Hyeon and Do-Hyun instructions to carefully move Taehyung so that he could lie on the couch stretched out more comfortably on his back. Nana thought that he must have been so tired, because he didn't wake up when they moved him.

Do-Hyun rearranged the pillows, placing a larger one under Taehyung's head and the other he secured to his chest beneath his arm. "He can't sleep without cuddling something," he explained.

Do-Hyun followed Baek-Hyeon to the room and Nana went back to the kitchen to clean up. Dae Eun took a blanket from a nearby closet and covered Taehyung with it, carefully tucking him in. Then she sat on the floor close to him and just watched him sleep and breathe softly in and out. Could this day be any more special, she thought to herself, struggling to calm her heartbeat as she looked at him up close. She marvelled at his thick eyebrows and long lashes, his high-bridged nose, his clear and luminous skin. When her eyes finally rested on his lips, she felt her cheeks burning again.

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