(Guide Us to) A Million Stars

19🔥

The doorbell rang. I flew out of my chair to answer it, butterflies fluttering in my stomach knowing it would be Tae, back from his trip. It was almost midnight, way past my usual bedtime, but the drive from his parents' house took longer than planned. I threw open my front door to find Chan standing there.

"Chan?" I asked, confused.

"Come with me if you want to see Tae," he said, unemotional as usual.

I put on my new Adidas sneakers, a gift from Tae that arrived while he was gone, and followed him to the elevator. I tried smiling at him and making small talk but he was in full bodyguard mode. Maybe he was tired of seeing me so often and doing favors for Tae. When the doors opened on the 21st floor, he lead me to a metal staircase and pointed upwards toward a steel door. The sign next to it said "rooftop terrace" in Korean. The thrill of the unknown made me fly up the stairs and yell "thank you!" as I passed Chan.

It was a modernly decorated terrace with luxurious outdoor furniture, metal chairs and tables, wicker sofas and armchairs with padded seating and several cantilever umbrellas. And standing by the empty bar area was Tae. Lovely, Tae. A sight for sore "haven't-seen-each-other-in-seven-days" eyes.

"I didn't know this complex had a rooftop terrace!" I exclaimed as I walked/skipped up to him. "It's beautiful."

He gave me a bear hug, picked me up, my feet lifting off the ground, and put me down. A tiny squeal escaped me as I held onto him. His warmth added to the summer night's air. Ever since our first time being intimate, I felt a desire I had never had for a man. The passion to be romantic and feel closer to him increased with every day that passed by without him.

"You know what is also beautiful?" he asked, leaning closer to me.

"This view?" I looked around, taking in the 360 degree panoramic view of Seoul bordering the Han River.

He nuzzled my nose and gave me a kiss. The sensual feeling I had been missing for a week exploded throughout my nervous system. "You," he grinned.

I blushed. "Aren't you the sweetest thing?" I said, draping my arms around his neck and shoulders. "How's the family?"

"Good." He leaned back. He looked tired from all that driving but still gave me a dazzling smile. "But I almost did not see them."

"Oh? What happened?"

"After 'In the Soop' ended...I almost wanted to come back here. To see you."

"But...you planned..."

There was a twinkle in his eye. He covered his face with one hand, smiling behind it and acting shy. "I almost...forgot my family so I could see you instead. That is when I know. Suni...I..."

He looked like something just came to him so he took out his phone. He sang in his angelic voice, "'Sesangeun aju jamkkan sumeul chama...'" Then he showed me the time on his screen, it was midnight, 12:00. "'Zero o'clock...'"

I sang back to him with a smile. "'Turn this all around...When everything is new, zero o'clock.'"

Finally, he took a deep breath, ready to tell me something. The suspense was killing me. I searched his face as he stumbled on his words. What was my boyfriend about to say?

"Suni...saranghae."

I gasped. I wasn't expecting that. What a special place this was to tell me he loved me. He is such a romantic!

Was it too soon to say "I love you" back to him? I had heard him say these words numerous times to ARMY in videos. I had even heard him say this to the members of BTS. I could say it to him in Korean, but in my mother tongue? I thought I should wait.