«ʀᴇᴄᴛʀɪx» [ʙᴛs]

CHAPTER 75 - THE LIBRARY

That morning Malia expressed that she wanted to took a look around the mansion, there were so many rooms and halls she didn't visit that the curiosity was killing her. Jin was fine with it since they both trust each other, while Tora and Lilith took the chance to practice with their skills. Now Tora was slowly learning how to use her katana and most important how to use her power as a Kitsune, every day she practice by herself in the training room, yeah she burned something and she caused a blackout but she was learning fast. Anyway.

Malia was walking, barefoot as usual through new halls of the mansion. It was amazing on how big that house was, even if she lived there for month, she never walked down those halls and she never saw that door. That big wooden door at the bottom of the hall. She had no idea of where it leaded but every step she took she felt curiosity filling her body. When she find herself in front of it, with a hand she started to touching the wood which was carved with bas-reliefs of intertwined leaves and branches, it seemed that an ancient and magical forest was enclosed in the door, as if this led into some world.

Taking a deep breath she handed the handle and pushed the door open. She entered that room closing the door behind her, it was so big inside there that she really believed for a moment of being in another world. Immense shelves full of books, ten tall-roof windows illuminated the environment with a soft natural yet strong sun light, there were no curtains. Without even realized it, Malia was walking slowly, continuing to turn around as her eyes were exploring every single space of that room.

Right next to a shelf, a spiral staircase that seemed to have been there for centuries, had small wheels at the base so that it could be moved from shelf to shelf. For some reason this made Malia smile and as a child she trotted towards it and then clung to it with a jump. The push made the ladder move forward and Malia let herself be cradled clinging to the railing with her head thrown back while a pure smile had formed on her lips. It was a moment of freedom, something she hadn't feel in such long time and she was so into it that she didn't even realized she was being watched.

"Glad to see you're better," a deep voice echoed around the room and Malia nearly fell in surprise. She jerked even closer to the railing of the staircase and turned in the direction of the voice. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you." Taehyung slowly advanced towards her with an expression somewhere between sweetness and concern. He and Malia had never really interacted, they had had brief conversations and some exchanging glances but nothing more. To Malia, he was a mystery ... a beautiful mystery with wavy black hair.

"You didn't scared me, I thought I was alone, that's all" she replied, hinting a small smile with the corner of her mouth as she regained herself as she descended the ladder. She felt his gaze on her and she realized that it put her in a lot of awe but she couldn't explain why she felt that feeling. "Do you like the library?" Taehyung asked sweeping his gaze turning his head to look around, only there Malia took the chance to look at him, for then immediately scooting her gaze when his eyes rested on her. "Uh...yeah, it's beautiful" she said chuckling and clapping her hands together once.

Taehyung smiled, showing a wonderful boxy smile, one that warms you inside, one of those sincere and good smiles. Malia found herself looking at him, sure she knew Taehyung's face, but she realized that she had never seen him smile and inside she felt something fresh, again. She blinked multiple times to recover. "J-Jin told me you were out hunting, so...I wasn't expecting anyone to be here" she finally said as if to justify her surprise in seeing him but Taehyung shook his head "No I was out by myself I just comeback" he simply said looking at her.

A sudden silence fell in the room, Malia had never spent sometime with Taehyung, he was still a mistery for her so she didn't know what to talk about when she was in his company. Not that happened in the last three months. "Did you visited our garden?" he suddenly said bringing back Malia's attention to him as she shocked her head in a determinate no. "Allowed me" he said gently handing out his hand, inviting her to take it. Malia hesitated a little but after few seconds she slowly took his hand as he squeezed it lightly smiling softly at her.

He first guided her through the immense hall of the mansion, walking side by side not too slowly so she could really appreciate the interior of the house. The walls were so tall, the portraits and paintings hanging on them were showing landscapes and day life events; they looked so normal, so easy, and then Malia saw something that caught her attention. A painting of them all. All seven. They were insanely beautiful. Malia started walking toward it, slowly and lost in her thoughts.

"It was four years ago" Taehyung's deep voice echoed behind her, "we were celebrating Jungkook's twenty-first birthday" he said and Malia could sense a nostalgic tone in his voice, like he missed those days from four years ago. "All that elegance for a birthday?" Malia said laughing at how they were all suit up; they were stunning but she seemed not understanding why such ceremony. Taehyung took a few step moving right at her side, head up looking at their portrait "Too tacky?" he laughed "I think it was just the perfect way to celebrate out Cookie" he looked down at her.

"I don't know, I mean...I never thought at my birthday like a such important event you know" she shrugged for then slowly walking away, next to the huge windows, looking outside. Even if it was the end of November it was a sunny day; there were no clouds in the sky, the sunlight was cold yet warming when it caressed the skin. The wind was soft yet strong enough to make the trees dance. And as she looked at the horizon she didn't notice that Taehyung was looking deeply at her.

A.N. LET'S KEEP GOING AND HAPPY BIRTHDAY WORLD WIDE HANDSOME