RINEI

Someone touches me softly awake.

My eyes burst open. And I jerk up from the bed, realizing that I'd somehow fallen back asleep while he'd gone. Taehyung is looking at me, a lovely smile on his lips.

I blush heavily as I nearly fly off the bed.

Stupid sleepyhead. Wasn't sleeping through the night enough for you?

"I brought some things." He says, the same time I notice a pile of food on the countertop. On the small table in the corner of the cottage, I see a carefully prepared plate of breakfast.

"For you."

Thank...you, I sign, blinking dazedly. You made this?

He nods, looking a little proud of himself as he settles into the seat opposite mine. The plate is heaped with bacon and eggs, with toasted slices of bread slathered with jam.

I can't help but laugh when I imagine Taehyung, a piece of bread tucked between his fingertips as he glazes it with a delicate layer of strawberry.

I didn't know you knew how to...

I stop signing. Of course he did— he still had to eat, didn't he? But maybe I'd thought the royal Family had chefs who would prepare their food for them.

But he says something that throws me off completely.

"I learned, from watching you and your family."

My hand pauses midair, eyes wide.

You watched us eat? When?

"Rinei, I..." He hesitates, lips pursing.

Then he takes a shallow breath.

"I watched over you. Every single day, for the last seven years. I came whenever I could, just so I could see you. And I learned the things that you like— the things you don't like."

He returns my gaze.

"Elves cannot eat the way humans do. But I know you like these things. I've seen the way your eyes light up whenever your mother cooks these for you."

His expression turns slightly worried. And he leans in a little closer, his fingers crossing over each other.

"How is it? This is my first try, so please forgive me if it—"

I shovel a huge bite of bacon and eggs into my mouth in answer.

Tae, I can't believe you came to see me since I was a kid. And I didn't even know until a month or two ago.

He crosses his arms over the table, tucking his chin in the middle. Then he looks up at me.

"I was always too afraid."

Of what?

"Of showing myself." He murmurs. "Because I believed your memories might return if you saw me— if you recognized me. And I also believed I wouldn't be able to live with myself if you ever came to hate me."

I put my fork down.

I wouldn't have hated you.

"I know. But I wasn't sure."

He sighs. "You have no idea, Rinei. Just how many times I hesitated, how much I wanted you. How painful it was to only be able to see you from afar."

"How many times I couldn't say a simple hi to you. If you hadn't wandered into the Elven Forests that day and scared me half to death, it still might've been that way."

I reach out and grip his hand.

Idiot, I murmur. When it was this easy.

He smiles.

When it's this simple.

I shift out of my chair, leaning over the table. Then I brush a kiss against his lips, staring into his eyes.

Are you telling me that if I hadn't acted like a complete idiot that day I might've never even known you?

He nods.

I shiver.

That's horrible.

Then I remember something that he'd said.

Wait, so you can't eat this? I blink, holding up a forkful of eggs and bread. Taehyung nods again.

But that didn't make any sense.

But the...the cherry pie Jungkook baked for you. I sign, eyes wide. You ate that. I remember.

When I say that, he winces as if I'd made him recall something unpleasant.

"I did. And it made me very sick."

You idiot!

I slam my fork down on the table, startling him a little.

Why didn't you tell me?! I made you eat a whole slice without even—

"Because how am I to refuse?" He says, with a wolfish grin.

"I was willing to do anything to please you. And I would've easily done more."

I'm going to smack you.

"Please do not."

I cross my arms.

Fine. Is there anything I need to know now before I accidentally give you something that might kill you? Say it right now if there is.

"Rinei, it's not like I can't eat anything."

Oh, really? What can you eat?

"Berries." He says. "Vegetables— plants. And a special type of bread, made by the elves."

Berries. Plants.

He really does want me to smack him.

You do understand that's practically nothing, right?

Then I stand up, scooping up the empty plate.

Let's go.

"Go where?" He asks, eyes widened. "There's—"

We're going to go find you some berries.

His confusion turns to laughter as I pull back my hair. He touches my wrist, pausing me in my tracks.

"Rinei, I'm not a deer."

You kinda are.

I tilt my head, inspecting him. He actually did look a little like a deer— his neck was slender and long, and his eyes were curved down, like large almonds.

A smile ghosts my lips as I brush the top of his head.

Pretty deer.

Let's go find you something to eat.

________________________________

I'd never known the Forests could be so peaceful.

Taehyung turns to me the moment I make an excited noise, hugging the little wooden basket tighter to my chest. I'd found the basket sitting in the corner of the cottage.

And now I'd found a huge raspberry bush.

"Rinei."

Sit. Sit.

I wave at him to come closer, patting the spot next to me on the forest ground. Then I start taking the ripe berries by the handful, cheeks blushed from the sun.

They look so delicious.

He watches me with a smile.

"Does it make you this happy?"

I stay silent. Instead I push out my hand at him, a raspberry clutched between my fingertips. I place it down on his palm.

Try.

"You can—"

Try.

I watch him expectantly. Then I giggle when he gives me a slight frown, chewing carefully. His brows furrow, as if he's about to give the most serious review ever.

He looks up at me.

"...it's good."

I pile another handful on his palm. Then I empty a couple into my mouth, my face lighting up at the sweet taste. It's perfectly ripe— not sour at all.

Eat a lot, I sign firmly as I slip a few more on my tongue. You have to get better. As fast as possible.

He looks to me.

"I'm already better."

He was. Compared to how he'd been at the Gala, the soft, golden glow is coming back to his cheeks, the hollow shadows under his eyes much less than before.

But some places are still dark. And the marks on his neck are still as visible as ever.

Even if it would stay, as an eternal reminder.

Still, I protest. Then I continue to heap the berries onto his hand, giving him ten every time he ate one. Eat more.

"Elves don't need to eat a lot."

They don't?

He shakes his head with a warm gaze. "Not at all."

I don't really care.

I nibble at the berries. Soon my fingertips are painted red with the juice, and I lick my lips to taste the sweetness lingering there.

"Rinei?"

I glance upwards.

Taehyung reaches up to tuck a loose lock of hair over my ear. Then he presses the pad of his thumb against the corner of my lips, tracing my mouth before bringing it to his.

At first I don't really know what he did.

Until he licks the red on his fingertip.

"Mm."

"This is much better."

I gape. And I can't stop the heat pooling in my cheeks, no matter how hard I try. He really doesn't help either, when he leans forward to press a soft kiss onto my lips.

He makes a quiet sound.

He pulls back. But Taehyung only takes the time to give me a small smirk before connecting his mouth back on mine, in a rougher kiss this time.

He eases the basket out from my stunned hands.

"Oh, love."

The basket slips to the ground. And I latch onto him as he pushes me into the back of a tree, his fingertips coiling around my shoulder. His dark eyes flicker hazel in the sunlight.

My own squeeze close as he unravels my hair, letting the sable locks fall past my shoulders.

Our lips are still tight in a kiss.

And I'm about to undo his when Taehyung suddenly tenses under my arms. He breaks the kiss, and the moment shatters. My eyes fly back open, the same time he whips around.

Taehyung snarls, voice breathless and huskier than usual.

"Jimin."

The blonde elf sits there, crosslegged on the leaves. He has an entertained smile on his face.

The blood drains from my face until there's nothing left over.