chapter 48

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The first streaks of the sun streaming through the gallery windows teased Tae fully awake

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The first streaks of the sun streaming through the gallery windows teased Tae fully awake. 

He blinked several times to focus.  It was not a dream.  He rolled to his side and stared at Sky curled in her blankets across the room.  She was beautiful.  The sun was rising now, beams reaching to embrace her, gently kissing her face with the new day. 

Tae brushed aside the thought as silly, but still he watched her.  She was often covered in the dark black clothes, hidden in the folds of her hood.  But here, glowing in the sun is where she belonged. 

Tae sat up as she mumbled and stretched like a cat in the warmth, rolling over away from him.

He grabbed his phone and was answering emails when he heard Nev coming up the steps. 

He had accurately guessed the look of concern on his friend’s face when he saw Tae, and that Sky still there from last night.
Tae silently stood and mentioned Nev to follow him back downstairs.

“What are you doing?” Nev hissed as they reached the bottom of the stairs.  He jabbed his finger to the ceiling, “she is a married woman!”

“She is a widow,” Tae whispered, scrubbing his hand across his face.

Nev fell silent, obviously waiting for more.

“That is her story to tell and I will keep her confidence.  She is alone and has been told to leave her apartment today.  If she agrees, she will be coming here to stay in the apartment upstairs,” Tae explained.

He waited for Nev's response and he hesitated only a moment.

He nodded his head. “I will watch over her, make sure she is safe.”  Tae smiled.  He understood the unspoken words.

“I will take her today to get her things. I am going to tell her I need to go to my apartment first. I will be back before you finish breakfast, “Tae said.

Nev took that for his cue to start food.  Tae bounded back up the steps, wondering if Sky was still asleep.

She had awakened as the sun crept fully in the room.  It took her a few minutes to realize where she was.  Then she burrowed under the blankets and closed her eyes tightly, stealing a few minutes of warmth, recharging herself for what was to come.

She noticed Taehyung was gone.  She slowly stood and stretched, trying to recall the last thing he said last night, disappointed he was not there.

She listened as footsteps began up the stairs, immediately recognizing Tae by his low humming.  He seemed to be happy this morning.

He rounded the corner and saw her wrapped in a blanket, haloed by the sun. He simply stopped and stared.  He had such a sense of the familiar with her, like he had seen her drowsy and adorable in the morning sun dozens of times.

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