Ashley woke up with sunlight coming through the window beside the bed. Her head felt light. The last thing she remembered was Taehyung shoving some clothes in her hands to change.

She tried to sit and the whole room seemed spinning around her. Her mouth felt coarse and dry. What time was it??

"Good morning," Taehyung entered the room with a bowl in his hand.

"Morning!" She could barely recognize her voice.

Taehyung put the bowl on the nightstand. It had some sort of liquidy stuff in it. She looked at Taehyung with questions in her eyes.

Taehyung leaned in and touched his lips on her forehead, "The fever is gone down I see!"

"Yes, thank you," Ashley tried to sit up.

Taehyung helped her get down and went into the bathroom. Ashley felt much better after few splashes of water.  She took time to freshen up and when she came out, Taehyung was waiting outside. He helped her get on the bed again and handed her the bowl with a spoon.

Ashley scrunched up her nose seeing the food. "Looks like gooey stuff."

" Nutritious gooey stuffs," Taehyung smiled, " its Jook, rice porridge. It's good for fever. Dig in."

Ashley scooped a spoonful and gulped it down." You know what? It's not half bad! Good actually. Since when you can cook?"

" Jin hyung cooked. Not me."

" Jin Oppa? When?"

" I was at lost. Eomma is still in Daegu. Didn't know what to do. When I said it in the chatroom, Jin hyung stopped by this morning to drop this."

Ashley thumped back, "I am so embarrassed. Caused a lot of trouble for you guys."

"Ash," Taehyung's voice was quieter than usual.

Ashley looked at him.

"You know you can trust me, right?"

Ashley nodded and hummed a little.

"Then don't hold back when you are going through something."

"Tae.."

"I may not understand what is causing you pain, but I can hear you out to the least. I need to know if you trust me or not."

"I know, I am sorry," sighed Ashley.

"No more secrets. Please?"

"No more secrets." Ashley smiled.

Ashley finished the porridge and Taehyung gave her medicine, "I've called in sick on your behalf. The number was on your phone."

"Thank you."

Taehyung slipped in the blanket beside Ashley with a book a while later. Ashley snuggled close to him. Taehyung wrapped her in his hand and opened the book.

"I thought books makes you sleepy," Ashley mumbled, "You said it in an interview."

"Don't trust interviews," Taehyung smiled mischievously. "We still say we are not looking forward to any romantic relationships. And here I  am!"

Ashley smiled.
They both read in uninterrupted silence. Taehyung stopped when he realized Ashley again drifted off.
He closed the book and carefully pulled her closer to his chest.
His eyes lingered on the scar on her shoulder which was peeking out again. A pale white scar with pale dots on both sides indicating enormous stitching done to close it back then. Suddenly he wanted to touch his lips on it, kiss it, heal it, erase the scar not only from here but from the heart as well.

He looked at her again. Who would say this strong girl hides such vulnerabilities inside?

Taehyung got up from bed half an hour later. He left a note and went out. He had few things to take care of in the agency. They'd start working within few days again. He stopped in front of bighit an hour later.
Jimin was as usually running late. Jin and Jungkook were playing some games on their phone.

"Hey guys," Taehyung greeted them entering the conference room.

"Hyung, you crashed on me!" Jungkook shouted to Jin from his seat, "stay in your lane!"

"I didn't crash on anybody!" Namjoon said entering the room, "At least not today, though yesterday PD nim was...."

"He didn't say it to you!" Yoongi thumped on a sofa, " gonna need a coffee."

"Coffee? Where?" Hoseok removed his earphone and looked around expectantly.

"How are you  today, hyung?" Namjoon asked Jin who was continuously bickering about his knee pain in the chatroom yesterday.

"I am good. Great actually!!" Jimin chimed in running into the room.

"It was not for you, you are not my hyung," Namjoon frowned.

"Yah! I am older than you! Of course, I  am your hyung!" Jin shouted not taking his eyes off his phone.

"We are running in circles here!" Taehyung said frustratingly.

"Running? No. We are racing.
Taehyungie hyung, join us. This old geezer can't play," Jungkook teased Jin.

" what's actually happening? Where is coffee?" Hoseok was still puzzled.

" Ughhhh....you guys are giving me a headache!!!" Yoongi groaned with frustration.

"Did the fever go down?" Jin looked at Taehyung.

"Fever? What fever?" Jungkook frowned. "Hyung looks perfectly fine!"

"Do enter the chatroom sometimes, jeez!" Jimin scolded jungkook.

"It's gone down. She thanked for the food hyung." Taehyung joined the racing game on the phone.

"There are bulgogi and soup in here. Some sandwiches too. Eomma made some. Me too. Take these with you," Jin handed Taehyung a bag from his side.

"Thank you hyung," Taehyung flashed his cheeky smile which Jin likes the most.

" Don't smile like that. I want my containers back. Ok?"

" Bulgogi? Wheres bulgogi?" a puzzled Hoseok again resurfaced from his phone.

" Take these off, will ya?" Yoongi growled and took off Hoseok's earphones. " You are driving me nuts."

"Did you stayed with noona?" Jungkook asked eagerly, "at nights too?"

"Improper, kookie," Jimin smacked him in response.

"Sorry hyung," Jungkook flashed a bunny smile.

" Speaking of her, you never said us how was your first kiss, Tae," Jin teased.

" Once again hyung, that was with ME." Hoseok rolled his eyes.

"Hold it, hyung," Yoongi ranted, "we have a kid in here."

" The youngest one? Or the smallest one?" Jungkook smiled suggestively.

"Jeon Jungkook!" Jimin shouted and smacked him again.

"Going out for a coffee," Namjoon stood up. "Anybody needs anything?"

Jungkook spat whatever comes to his mind first.

"Munch on these, you hagfish!" Jin pulled out a packet of chips from his backpack, "don't start whining."

"You are the best, hyung!" jungkook chimed excitedly.

"Oh? What happened to all these hits you have been raining on me since setting a foot here?"

Making sure Jin won't be able to take the packet away, jungkook smiled mischievously, "still I didn't say you don't deserve those!"

"Hey! Give it back!" Jin yelled, "I did raise you wrong!"

"Anything else, hyung?" Namjoon pushed the door open.

" Bulgogi?" Hoseok said innocently looking at the bag through the corner of his eyes.

Everyone started laughing and Taehyung shoved the bag behind him, "Eyes off, hyung!"

"So, only coffee for everyone?" Namjoon summarised, "Tae?"

"Hot choco."

Everyone nodded and he went out.

Taehyung again came back in the afternoon with the food containers.

Taehyung thought what would he do if they weren't there constantly beside him. He missed them these days. They were his safe home.

Ashley was checking on some reports mailed to her on her laptop regarding her next surgeries.

Seeing Taehyung enter she closed the lid and took off her glasses. "How did the meeting go?"

"We are going to New Zealand. For next Bon voyage."

"Really!???" Ashley's eyes widened.

"You would be there by then. For the wedding."

"That means...."

"I might be able to attend the wedding," Taehyung smiled.

"Should I assume it as only coincidence or am I allowed to guess?" Ashley smiled.

"I did nothing," Taehyung shrugged and resisted smiling, "Only convincing every member how incredibly they all can have their preferred adventure there, etc etc."

Ashley laughed.

"And to add, Jin hyung wanted to be present for the wedding."

"Jin Oppa? Thats odd!"

"Not at all! Maya noona made great friends with him the time she visited us and she invited him personally. Well, you don't know the story."

"Yes, I don't. What did she do? Made fool of herself?"

" Made me fall for you even more," Taehyung leaned in to kiss her.

"She didn't have to do something to make me fall for you," Ashley smiled.

"Really? is that so?"

"Guess I was already head over heels for you," Ashley was red in embarrassment.

Taehyung was looking into her eyes in surprise.

"That's why I ran away," Ashley said guiltily, "Didn't know what to feel or not. But clearly wanted to restrain me to fall for somebody whom I  met only for few days. Thats, not me."

She Started again but stopped at Taehyung's gaze, "What?"

Taehyung didn't answer rather kissed her with utter urgency.
Ashley was surprised but returned the kiss instantly.
Taehyung pulled himself on the bed.  His kiss was becoming more desperate with time, this girl was driving him crazy. His one hand moved from her neck and slipped under the hem of her t-shirt.  Ashley gasped in surprise. Those hands never before went where they shouldn't be. Before it moved further, she caught the wrist strongly.

Taehyung separated and looked at her eyes, his voice was calm and composed. "It's ok. Let me see them."

"Don't," Ashley whispered with pleadings in her eyes.

"Hey, " Taehyung assured her, "it's ok."

Ashley looked at those eyes as if for eternity and nodded a little knowing he will be there to lean on.

Taehyung lifted her shirt a little and his heart shattered at the sight.
He now knows what Maya told him earlier. There were scars. Everywhere. A whole story of horror and darkness.

They were tried to mend, with care. But couldn't erase the horrors. There were patterns, a star probably. Made inexpertly with a sharp object. Knife maybe? Taehyung remembered Maya's word, she was stabbed multiple times before she was rescued. He can see how many times. The marks were distinct. There was another pattern, a word, almost unrecognizable due to stitches marks.

" it spells Jimmy." Ashley filled him in reading the pattern. " Wanted to brand me with his name."

Taehyung looked back to Ashley. His eyes were filled with tears.
"You..were you..."

"Yes," Ashley smiled weakly, " Yes I  was awake. I was still awake when the knife cut its way. There were full-on thousands powered light bulb above my head, I couldn't sleep, couldn't pass out, couldn't die," the last word was a mere whisper.

"I am sorry," Tears rolled down from Taehyung's eyes.

"Why?"

"I am sorry I am a man," Taehyung lowered his head. "I am sorry I still call myself a man."

Ashley knew what he was saying, she exactly knew what he wanted to say too.
She pulled him for a hug. "I am ok now, Tae, it's ok."

Ashley pulled back after few minutes and wiped the moisture from Taehyung's eyes.

"Are you afraid of me?" Taehyung took her hands in his,  "Are you scared?"

"It would be a lie if I say I am not," Ashley smiled a little, "I am scared that you'd treat me differently if you see me. The real me."

"I see the real you. Everyday," Taehyung kissed on her forehead,
" And I love every part of it. You are beautiful. You are enough."

A teardrop rolled down her eyes which she held back since the conversation started, "I used to hate myself you know, my very existence to the core. But I got matured enough to realize that I  should hate him, not me. I didn't do anything wrong. I am still the person I used to be, I should not resent myself. One stupid incident can't define my whole life. I am much more than that. But I never could forgive myself for Neil."

Taehyung took her hands and kissed them, "we all are scarred at some point in our lives. We are no saint, Ash. You are the most beautiful person I have ever seen."

"Thank you."

"For what?"

"For not treating me as a victim."

" Victim?" Taehyung stopped her,
" You are a warrior, Ash. The strongest person i have ever seen. Don't you see it?"

Taehyung watched the most beautiful smile lighting up her face slowly with tears pooling the deep blue orbs.

"I see it. Just didn't expect anybody to see it."

"I see you," Taehyung pulled her closer and kissed her senselessly.
His lips moved to her jaw and then to her shoulder where the scar was. He touched it gently like admiring any surrealistic art and gently kissed every inch of it.
His other hand was still caressing the scars under the t-shirt. He kissed her neck,
"Do I scare you? Be honest with me Ash. I need to know. You have been through hell and I'll not be surprised if I scare you as a man."

"Yes, I am still scared of men. Scared is an understatement. I am terrified," Ashley closed her eyes, "But you are the only man I am not afraid of. I am just afraid of losing you," Ashley smiled as Taehyung again kissed her  scar,
"Don't leave me Tae."

"Never," he looked straight into her eyes. "Not in this life."

Taehyung proceeded to kiss her passionately. She responded with the same passion but when he pinned her one hand on the pillow beside her head, she shifted uncomfortably against Taehyung.

Taehyung pulled away from her a little, "Did I  do something wrong? Did I...."

"No, it's ok," Ashley sighed, "Just, don't restrain my hands. Don't. It's a nightmare."

Taehyung took her hand in his.  The red thread was still there. He yanked down the red thread with his index.

Yes, there was that. An almost disappeared, thin faint scar around her wrist. May be from handcuffs or plastic restraints.

He pulled her hand close and kissed her on the wrist gently, "I am sorry."

"I think..." Ashley smiled uncomfortably, "I...I need more time. I am sorry."

Taehyung rested his forehead on hers and sighed. "I understand."

"Tae, I...."

"It's ok. Let's take things slowly. I'll wait. "

"You know how much I love you?" Ashley smiled as Taehyung traced his thumb along her lashes.

Taehyung smiled mischievously and winked, "I know."

He placed a small peck on her nose and pulled her up from bed, "Time for your medicines. Let's eat. Jin hyung made bulgogi for you."

"Again Jin Oppa? You are troubling him," Ashley slapped him on the chest.

" We love troubling him. And he loves it I bet. He thinks there is  something wrong with us if we don't trouble him."

Ashley laughed.

"Ash, I informed our management about us."

Ashley was a little surprised, "Are they ok with it?"

"As long as we don't get involved in any kind of scandals, and no public display of affection until it goes public."

"Are you ok with it?" Ashley looked at him.

"As long as you are ok, yeah. Are you?"

" Absolutely. You know I am terrified of public exposure," Ashley nodded.

"I know," Taehyung smiled.
"By the way, my family is coming back from Daegu tomorrow. They want you to come over for dinner. What do you say?"

"What do I say?" She smiled, "I am nervous," Ashley admitted.

"Normal," Taehyung agreed. "But what do you say? Wanna come?"

"Yeah, sure," Ashley sighed. "But don't you dare leave me alone for a second there, you are screwed if you leave me for computer games," Ashley warned him reminding his saying that he loved to play games with Jeong Gyu whenever he visited them.

Taehyung laughed, "Promise."