unrivaled

Tae had received YoonGi's text, “he knows" and spent the next several hours in preparation.

Finally, all details settled, he called Dae.
He woke her from sleep in the early morning hours of Paris.

She jolted awake, worried something had happened.  He took several minutes to assure her everyone was alright.  Then, as he saw she had calmed down, he told her.

“Dae, it's time to come home.  Jin knows about the contract.” He explained.

Dae had dozens of questions form at once, but Taehyung was not the one to answer them.  She nodded, giving in, seeking the answer she needed most to hear. 

“Is he furious?” she asked.

Tae had to be honest, “I don’t know. YoonGi just said he demanded to know where you were.  We thought you would rather control the meeting.”

“Yes,” she whispered, suddenly unsure of what she was going to do.

She listened as Tae outlined her flight details.  She silently packed and headed to the airport.  She spent her entire flight going over her options and praying one of them led her to Jin.

She made her way out of the airport, texting Tae she had arrived, looking for her car.

She recognized the driver and car as she approached.  Tae would be waiting inside for her.  So far it appeared she had missed any reporters.  She didn’t want Jin finding out she was home that way again.

She slid into the car, eager to see Tae. Her eyes widened as they fell on the man waiting for her there. 

He smiled his slow smile, offering her a delicate bouquet and reached to help her with her seat belt.

“Dae, I have missed you so much,” He whispered.  She blinked back tears; she was not ready for this.

“I missed you too Jimin,” she said, her voice breaking on his name.

Jimin watched as her eyes fell from his and her head dropped.  His heart squeezed in his chest.  He wanted to run away and never hear her answer to the questions he had to ask.

He called her name and lifted her chin, forcing her to meet his eyes.  In them he only saw confirmation.

“Dae….” He began.

“Jimin,” she said, clutching his hands, “I love you….”

He squeezed her hand tightly and bent to kiss her cheek.  When he drew back, his eyes glittered. 

The thought that she made him cry crushed her. She tried to speak again, trying to explain her thoughts, trying to salvage his feelings.

He stopped her with a shake of his head.

“I love you too Dae.  Please don’t finish that sentence.  I know, always have I guess.” He sighed.

Seeing the questions in her eyes, he cupped her face in his warm hands and smiled.

“You forget.  I can read you.  I know your moods better than I know my own.  You were expecting Tae to be in the car, you were wishing it was Jin. You were disappointed it was me,” he said sadly.

“Nooo!” she cried,” not disappointed!  I swear!! I panicked. I was not ready to ….. I mean….”

“Shhh….I know what you mean,” he soothed. “I knew we would not have much of a chance to be alone later.  I would have done this differently, taken you somewhere romantic, tried one more time to seduce you,” he told her, his heart in his hands.

She kissed his cheek and held his face in her hands. “You know that temptation would have been great.  I have struggled with it since the first time I fell at your feet.”

He nodded, she needed to finish this.

“But Tae made me see I was wrong in holding onto you.” She saw a flash of anger and confusion at that.

“I should thank him to keep his mouth shut next time,” he muttered.

“Jimin, he is right.  You have always told me how “safe", you feel with me, right? That I made you feel comfortable. But you deserve so much more than that.”

“We were both playing it safe. You were using me to keep from risking anything in a relationship and I held you as my safety net.”

“I know you will always be there for me, but not in “that" way,” she paused, drawing a shakey breath.

He nodded.  He did not want to hear how she loved Jin in “that way", not just yet.

“I think a lot about what you told me as I left the Gala that night. Remember?”  she could tell by the flare in his eyes that he remembered everything about that night.

“You told me you wanted someone to look at you like you were fire and she was about to drown you in gasoline.”

He nodded, laughing at himself that he thought he could change her mind that night.

“You don’t need safe," she whispered,
"You need someone who scares the hell out of you, someone who torments your dreams.  Her flame will be white hot and YOU will be her gasoline.”

Jimin thought for a moment about what she was saying.  He finally acknowledged the truth. 

He had been hiding. It would take some time, but Dae was right, he had to find the one that made taking the risk worthwhile.

“I don’t like it “he told her, “but I guess you are right.  I’ll think about what you said. But for us, nothing really changes right?  I can’t lose you.” She heard the fear creep in his voice.

“Nothing changes. You are still my best friend.  I can’t get by without you.  Especially now that I am going in to face both Jin and NamJoon,” she confessed.

He gently touched her face, swiping away a tear.

“I'll always be right here,” he promised. “You can use me to make him jealous anytime you want.  And you have to let me hate him, for just a little while.”

There, he had made both of them laugh.  They would be ok.

A corner of his heart fluttered in anticipation. Somewhere out there was a woman who could imagine only him for the rest of her life. 

The rest of the ride in they caught up on the gossip and what Jimin knew about why Dae had returned. 

He could not tell her much, but that her father had demanded they bring her straight from the airport and he had arranged a meeting.

Dae gasped, looking down at her wrinkled travel suit and Jimin laughed at her!

“How do you think I managed to take Tae's spot in this car? I told him I would take you by my private office suite where he and GiGi could fuss and pamper you all you wanted until you decided you were ready for the meeting,” he confided.

“No…no…no!! Don’t cry!! He'll kill me!! Here,” he handed her his silk handkerchief to dry her eyes.

She laughed at him through her tears.
“How lucky am I?” she asked.

“Damn right!” he answered, taking her hand as they arrived at his office complex. 

“Ready?” he asked.

“Ready,” she answered, praying with her whole heart that she was.

Jimin stopped outside the private suite and gave her a brief hug.  He searched her face for several minutes. 

Finally, he nodded and turned and left her without another word. 

Her heart ached as she watched him retreat, the sensual roll of his hips causing stares down the entire hall.

At the elevator he turned to wink at her.  Three women rushed to board with him, all desperately trying to get his attention.  He smiled and shrugged at Dae as the doors closed, carrying him away from her. 

She sighed deeply.  He would be alright. And she realized right then that she would probably hate the woman he loved for a little while too.

Opening the door to the suite, she found Tae leaned back in the stylist’s chair flirting with Gigi. 

He jumped up and as soon as their eyes met, she burst into tears. 

He sat and pulled her close and held her as she cried out all the emotions and exhaustion.

Finally growing calm, she told him about Jimin as he whispered words of encouragement.  He said he was proud of both of them, then sighed as she started to cry again.

Quietly, GiGi stepped back in the room and told her a warm bath was ready.

Tae nodded, “We need to get going.”

GiGi had placed a tray with food and drinks next to the tub.  She left Dae to wash away the travel and exhaustion. She went over her plan one last time.

AGHHHH Jimin 😢 His LOVE is out there- somewhere!
But for now, we have some serious business still ahead!
I am not ready for this story to end!  Just a little while longer- ok??