unveiled

chapter 10

With Dae back in town things grew hectic again.  Hobi had everything lined up for the transition, but there were still glitches.  It took two weeks for things to smooth out.  

Tae was restless during this time.  He did not have time to visit the café every day.  Daily checks with Nev assured him that business was booming, and that the girl had stopped by several times. 

He was relieved she was ok then angry at missing his chance to see her.  As a call drew his attention back to his work, he shook his head.  His job was here now.  He had important work to do. 

The café was fine with Nev's management, it would remain a solid investment.  He would put away this foolishness and dedicate himself to his job, his real job.  Things would be exactly like they were before.  It was ridiculous to think his life would change because of a moment in the garden of a café. 

Making that decision, he called JungKook and Jimin and planned for dinner and a night of drinks.  It was time for him to get back to normal. It was time to forget about the girl.

Returning to his work, he refused to acknowledge the squeeze in his chest at the thought of things going back to the way they had always been.

Across town Sky had been trying to convince herself of the exact same thing.  The routine of her life had returned to its dreary rhythm.

She had escaped for a few short times of respite, finding solace in the sunlight, peace in the pattering of summer rain on the leaves. But still she knew something was missing. 

No, she corrected herself, someone is missing.

After two weeks she was still arguing with herself about whether she should crush the tiny remaining spark of hope. 

Finally, one day as the evening slipped up on her, curled under the swaying braches of the cherry tree in the courtyard, she made her decision. 

The long branches danced in the wind, bending low enough to brush the ground.  There in the growing chill of the setting sun, she chose hope. 

Looking back over the past several years of her short life she recalled all the times that a tiny bit of hope was all she had left to her. 

In the times when the worse came, she sheltered the spark of hope, clinging to the promise that things would be ok.
When her mother left, when her father died, when she agreed to the choices that led her to this place, she still held on to hope.

She allowed her mind to drift back to the one of those first times. She was a young child, six or seven, old enough to know something was wrong. 

Her father came into her room that night and explained to her that her mother loved her very much, but she could no longer care for her or be a part of their family.  She saw the tears glisten in her father's eyes, but they did not fall. He told her everything would be ok and that he would take care of her. 

For the first time her world started to crumble, but she felt that spark, that assurance, that it would be ok, that she would be ok.

Over the years she discovered that “spark" worked the other way round as well. 

A situation could be perfectly normal, but she would know if there was danger or disappointment lurking for her.  She had learned to trust those feelings and use them to guide her choices. 

Just like she knew for certain that change was coming in her life, she also knew that the beautiful soul she had glimpsed at the café was tied into it in some way.  The mixture of fear and dread and hope the knowledge of these things combined left her restless and afraid.

It happened to her more than she cared to admit.  And she dealt with it the way she always did.  She drew a journal out of the depths of her coat and began to write.  The ideas, fears and worries flowed out of her onto the blank page like wine from a tipped glass.

When words were no longer enough to express what she was thinking, she shifted to drawing.  Shapes, simple or complexly shaded, landscape scenes or even figures, tumbled across the page.

On this day she stopped when the light was too faded for her to see the words or the pencil lines.  As she pulled herself out of that space, she looked at the drawing etched square in the middle of an otherwise snow-white page. 

It was the likeness of a pair of eyes she had seen but once. But there was no mistaking the tilt of the corners, the distinction of the eye folds, the brooding lids and long lashes, the warmth and humor and compassion. 

This man was engraved into her.  For however long or brief a time, for great good or disastrous loss, she could not dismiss him.

She slowly stood and gathered her things.  She had to leave the courtyard now, but the one thing was settled, she took the hope of him with her.

Taehyung told himself he had forgotten about the café, but Dae had not.  After a long week of working through projects she finally put the last file away and called Tae to her office.

He stepped into the large suite, now warm and welcoming with the designs she and Lyra had used coupled with that comfort he felt simply knowing she was there.

She smiled as her best friend strolled in the room, one hand in the pocket of his pleated pants, his suit jacket casually tucked back just so.  She just sat back and looked at him.  He was always a living, moving work of art.

He was even more beautiful as the practiced pout gave way to his genuine smile, thinning that gorgeous mouth and creating crinkles around his eyes.

“Tae! Let's go to your café tonight!! We have finished all the projects.  Hobi is still here. I'll call Jin and Lyra and JungKook can meet us there!  It will be a perfect way to celebrate!” she said, her enthusiasm ringing in her words.

Tae stopped short and if she noticed the sparkle of his eyes dull, she did not let on.

He drew a deep breath.  He had tried for these weeks to pretend that he was no longer interested, that he had done his part and moved on.  But the lurch in his chest at the thought of going to the café told him he had been very wrong.

Before he could say anything Dae had texted Jin and called Hobi in and asked him to text directions to the rest.

Tae shook his head and realized he had zoned out a bit again.  Dae checked on him, recognizing the signs that he was lost in his thoughts.

He nodded to reassure her.  He would not be foolish.  This had been the plan all along, right?  To get Dae's input, to do the upgrades and protect her investment. 

That was the plan now.  It was late and the girl would not be there anyway.  As that thought flashed through his mind, he cursed. 

He had not put the thought of her away, not even a little bit.

“Sure.  Let's go.  I can’t wait for you to see it,” he said, catching the enthusiasm.  Dae really was going to love this place and it had been too long since they had relaxed together.