After their first hangout, things started to shift between them. That invisible line, the barrier of him being a celebrity and her being "just a fan", slowly blurred. To her, Taehyung wasn't "V from BTS" anymore; he was just Taehyung, her friend. Someone she could laugh with, argue with, and tease without hesitation.
They texted often, sometimes late into the night. FaceTime calls became their thing, him calling out of nowhere and teasing her when she picked up, wearing a face mask or messy hair. He would laugh until his shoulders shook while she groaned and threatened to hang up, only for him to say, "No, no, stay. You look cute like that. I was just kidding."
Sometimes she cooked for him whenever she could, especially homemade Indian food. The first time he tasted her biryani, he almost cried dramatically in the middle of his kitchen due to the heavy spices, and she laughed so hard she had to hold her stomach.
He had plenty of friends, but with her it was different. She was grounded. When he was low, she'd listen. When he was excited, she'd celebrate with him. She was simply there, no questions asked.
The funny part? His brothers didn't even know about her. Taehyung never felt the need to explain; it wasn't a secret, just something he kept for himself.
One evening, he suddenly called her.
"Come out, I'll pick you up."
She blinked, "Wait—wha—"
But before she could even protest, the call ended. With an exasperated sigh, she grabbed her coat and headed to the location he had sent.
And there he was. Standing against his car under a streetlight, looking annoyingly perfect. Too perfect. She stopped in her tracks, her heart betraying her for a beat.
"Yaa," she called out as she walked closer, "are you planning to kill someone with that ridiculously handsome face?"
He grinned, tilting his head. "Why? Did I make your heart flutter?"
She narrowed her eyes at him, fighting a smile. "Well… kind of."
His grin widened. "Oh, really? Then, is Jungkook officially out of the picture?"
She scoffed. "No way. I'm not that weak. I'm loyal to him; you can't replace him that easily."
He let out a dramatic bow, hand over his chest. "I know, madam. Please, get in the car."
She laughed and slid inside. "Whoa… nice car. But turn off the AC, please. I can't handle it."
"Why not?" he asked, glancing at her.
"It makes me nauseous. The smell of AC air, I can't bear it."
He chuckled, shaking his head. "Oh no, I don't want my car turning into a mess."
"Then listen to me," she said with a playful glare.
"Fine, fine," he chuckled, rolling down the window slightly. "Happy now?"
She nodded with a satisfied little smile as she buckled her seatbelt.
"Where are we going?" she asked once he started driving.
"For dinner."
She gave him a look. "And for that you had to create all this drama?"
"Yes." He smirked without shame.
She groaned, and he laughed as the car wove through the city lights. When they finally pulled up, she looked out of the window and gasped.
"Whoa… Yaa, what is this place?"
"My favorite restaurant," he said casually, parking the car.
Her eyes widened as she saw the high-end building. "Yaa.. Kim Taehyung, are you planning to bankrupt me? I swear I can't even afford a glass of water here. Why did you bring me here?"
"Shut your mouth and follow me," he said, eyes dancing mischievously.
She pouted and stomped behind him, glaring at him the entire elevator ride up.
"What's with that look?" he teased.
She turned her face away dramatically. "Nothing."
He chuckled to himself, clearly entertained.
When the elevator doors opened, they stepped into pure luxury. The staff greeted them politely, bowing.
"Reservation under Kim Taehyung," he said smoothly.
"Of course, sir. This way," the staff replied, leading them to a private room.
Rhea stopped at the doorway, staring wide-eyed at the elegant setup. "You've got to be kidding me…"
Taehyung just smiled at her reaction, clearly enjoying every second.
They settled down at the big table, the soft lighting making everything look even more luxurious. Taehyung slid the menu across to her with a little flourish.
"This place serves Indian food too," he said casually. "Order whatever you want."
Rhea raised her brows at him. "Aren't you just showing off your status right now?"
He pressed a hand dramatically to his chest. "Me? Never. I just wanted to treat you to a nice meal."
She glared at him. He smiled, throwing his charm, "Miss Independent. Please accept this dinner from your only friend."
She scoffed. "Only friend? Excuse me, I do have other friends."
Taehyung leaned back with that knowing smile of his. "Yaa, don't lie. As far as I know, you only hang out with me. Which means… you've got no friends."
She shot him a glare but stayed quiet, because he wasn't exactly wrong. He chuckled at her silence and flipped open the menu, mispronouncing Indian dishes on purpose just to make her laugh.
"Paneer tikka… tikkaaa masala? And what is this… gulab ja...mun? Sounds like a Pokémon," he said with a straight face, and she burst out laughing.
Finally, she helped him order some Indian starters and a few Korean dishes.
When the food arrived, the room filled with warmth, aromas, chatter, and the sound of them bickering in between bites. He teased, she argued back, both laughing until their stomachs hurt. Between jokes, he leaned in a little, his tone softer.
"Rhea… seriously, you should move on from Jungkook. Don't waste your youth waiting for something uncertain. You deserve better. Find someone real."
She shook her head firmly. "I'm fine. I'm happy loving him, even if it's just from far away."
Taehyung sighed loudly, leaning back in his chair like a man defeated. "Aish… this girl. At this rate, you'll stay single forever."
Rhea chuckled. "No issues. I'm happy single, as long as it's me and Jungkook."
He groaned dramatically, covering his face with his hands, making her laugh even more. But beneath his playful theatrics, he found himself watching her quietly, how she spoke with conviction, how she carried herself without trying to impress anyone. She wasn't perfect according to standards. Her fashion sense? a disaster; her dreams may have been unrealistic, but her values… her heart… that was something rare.
And Taehyung realized, without even meaning to, that he was happiest like this, teasing her, laughing with her, admiring her quietly across the table.