Butterfly

The silence was stifling for Eun-ha. Seo-yeon and Jin stood, hand in hand with grins of approval. Jungkook beamed with joy and playfully patted Yoongi's shoulder in pride. Lovee stared in helpless despair at Yoongi. Her eyes pleaded for him to admit that it was only a joke and that there was nothing more than friendship motivating him to carry on with this script.

Yoongi, however, never took his eyes off of Eun-ha's blushing face. She didn't meet his eyes, and continued to stared at the tips of her toes. She could feel his stare calling out to her, but she didn't have the courage to face him.

"You couldn't possibly mean that, Yoongi!" Lovee practically cried. Disregarding his request to not be called on so intimately by her, she lightly tugged on his arm and called is name again.

"Miss Song," Jungkook politely called to the younger woman. He felt sorry for the pitiful girl with the desperation in her voice. She looked up at him with tears in her eyes, and he uneasily glanced at Jin for assistance.

"How about we head out? The media should be cleared out by now," Jin suggested to everyone.

"Lovee, you can ride with us," Seo-yeon pitched in. She stepped forward and offered a friendly tug on Aera's arm. She glanced at the other woman who still held onto his forearm.

"Eun-ha," Yoongi pulled away from from her grip, and stood in front of Eun-ha. She looked at him without speaking. "I'll take you home."

He bid farewell to his friends and the sullen Lovee then escorted Eun-ha to the awaiting car. She waved to the others, not sure what to say to them. She was still processing his words during the conference. She recalled his confession to missing her during his enlistment. The pounding of her heart escalated with that sweet declaration. Never in her wildest dreams had she imagined he felt that way. She never told anyone, including Seo-yeon, but she frequently thought of him while he was away. Was he ok? Was the training too difficult? Did he think of her too?

She glanced sideways at him as he sat silently next to her in the backseat of the car. The driver worked for BigHit but given the delicate situation, there were only a few that were aware of the fabricated story. They had to be cautious of what they said around outsiders, even if they were employed by the same company. They had to keep up the pretense that they were madly in love, and have been for a while now.

The driver pulled up in front of a private apartment that was highly secured to keep out unwanted guests of the wealthy residents living in the building.

"We'll be getting off. Thank you for the drive," Yoongi opened the door and extended his hand to her. She worriedly glanced at his hand and then the driver, who continued to stare straight respectfully ahead. Not wanting to give the driver any doubt that they were dating, she took his hand and watched the car leave the gated community.

"Should I call a taxi?" She hesitantly offered, assuming that he wanted to give the driver the pretense that they were to the point of visiting each other's homes within their relationship.

"Would you like to come in for a drink?" He lightly touched her fingers with his. Her eyes widened in panic, which made him laugh. "I really mean a drink, Eun-ha. I'm not an animal."

"I didn't mean to offend you," she nervously laughed. Shrugging off her apology, he casually took her hand. She followed him to his apartment.

****************************************

"I didn't want alcohol to cloud our judgment, or make you feel uncomfortable, so I hope you don't mind coffee. It may be a bit strong," he sat next to her on couch, leaving enough space between them to keep her at ease.

She took a sip of the coffee and winced at the strong, bitter taste. Not wanting to spoil the mood, she kept it to herself that she hated coffee. He smirked watching her take a second sip.

"You don't have to drink it if it's not to your liking," he chuckled. He put a bottle of water in front of her. She stared at the water, then at him. He grinned mischievously at her annoyed expression. An expression he oddly missed. He knew she hated coffee, especially strong, black coffee.

"You knew," she hissed taking a drink from the bottle.

"You were so tense. I wanted you to relax. We're still friends, Eun-ha."

"Friend? What friend would attempt to kill their friend?"

"So dramatic," he laughed.

"I'll overlook your coffee attack this time," she chuckled. She appreciated his offering to lighten the mood. They continued to gaze at each other over their drinks. There was so much to say, but each were caught in the peaceful atmosphere.

After five minutes of friendly silence, Eun-ha was the first to speak.

"You should've warned me that you'd tell the media about a confession that never happened."

"What do you mean 'never happened?'" he gasped, "I thought the night I kissed you was a clear display of how I feel about you. Not to mention the second after that."

"Desire was clear," she shyly said, not quite meeting his eyes. His browns slightly pulled together in puzzlement. "I know you want me, but that's a different feeling from liking or loving someone."

He couldn't believe what he was hearing. All his actions at the time, he felt expressed how much she meant to him. Instead, she had viewed them as fleeting passionate moments. Perhaps the transition from foe, friend and potential boyfriend were too fast and sloppy for her to follow. He closed the distance between them, wrapping one arm around her waist and the other gently lifting her chin up to meet his stormy eyes.

"Yes, I do want you. I want every part of you. The loud and pushy girl I met years ago. Who made me realize my fleeting feelings for my friend, and unexpectedly turned my world upside by filling my mind with only her. Who had me dreading being around her, yet couldn't stay away. The girl who became a successful and passionate woman while I was away for almost two years. Who had me trying to find creative ways to ask Kook about her life while I was away without being so obvious. The woman that proved to me that she was professional despite my immaturity to let go of old disagreements," he chuckled at her teary eyes. His words were doing what his previous actions didn't.

"Every word I said to the media is true. Each kiss was my confession. I thought of you while serving, and every moment since you became my manager," his hand slid from her chin to a loose strand of hair. He placed it behind her ear and kept his hand at the back of her head. "I apologize for not being clear about my feelings. I'm not good at expressing myself, but am more than thrilled to learn how with you."

She gave a teary giggle. It was well known that Yoongi could write powerful lyrics, and sing passionately, but rarely expressed his feelings with loved ones. The little actions he did use to show appreciation for friends and family can be missed by outsiders, but those close to him knew they were his small gestures of affection.

"I know it's been set up and is viewed as fake dating to others, but if you are willing to have me, I'd love to use this as our shot at making it real."

"There's so much that could go wrong."

"There's also so much to gain," he firmly pulled her closer to his chest, "Ignore the 'what ifs' and how others will view this, and think for yourself. What do you want?"

His tone screamed at her to only value her own feelings and thoughts. She stared into his eyes that continued to gaze back with passion for her. Stepping out of his comfort zone, he had voiced his deep feelings for her. He expressed his wish to enter a real relationship while the company was blind to it. Her worry that she was stuck in a one sided relationship had vanished with his confession. Now the ball was in her court.

She was still pressed against his chest, and hand to lean back to meet his stare. With all the courage she could muster, she pulled away enough to wrap her arms around his waist. His eyes widened in surprise. She grinned and tiptoed to shyly peek his lips.

"I want you. The man that I saw a my unnie's white knight, and then my greatest foe. Who I couldn't help but tease, yet feared would retaliate with violence. The man who I secretly respected and wanted to see me as a valuable manager. The man that haunted my mind for two years. Who I continued to miss, and regret that left on bad terms. My foe turned friend and eventually man of my dreams," she smiled at his blushing face. She ever so softly cupped his cheek. "Yoongi, I want every part of you."

No longer hold back, he leaned forward to seal their lips into a deep kiss. She didn't resist and was as persistent as him. He clasped her head between his hands, not getting enough of her. She clutched the back of his shirt, trying to maintain her senses while getting lost his the kiss.

Mindlessly, they walked backwards initially backing up against a wall. The contact with the surface momentarily broke their embrace. He looked down at her, realizing that during the heated kiss, his fingers lingered at the buttons of her blouse. Her face was red with passion, and her eyes glazed yearning.

His eyes met hers, seeking approval. Reading the question in his eyes, she wrapped her arms around his shoulders, pulling his head down for another kiss. He hurriedly unbuttoned her blouse, leaving it open. He kissed her cheek and trailed kisses down her neck. She felt herself hot with each kiss. Her body was on fire with the gentle touch of his lips. He returned his lips to hers.

He lifted her up, and she wrapped her legs around his waist as he walked down the dark hallway to his bedroom. He continued to kiss her, leaving her breathless. He sat at the edge of the bed, her body still pressed wrapped around him. They gazed at each other, spell-bounded.

"I love you," he whispered, amazed by the power she had on his emotions.

Tears filled her eyes. He gently brushed away a tear with his thumb.

"I love you too."