To Carry a Torch | KTH ✅

Chapter 15: You Make Me Want to Be a Better Man

Yeona's POV 🦋

I worked for a few weeks with Tae's team to prepare for our trip. This time, I had ample time to learn about the property and plan ahead, which I put all my effort into. If I only have one chance to try and help Tae achieve his vision for the future, I'm going in with a thousand percent of my effort.

Tae arranged for us to be driven up north to the shoot in the same vehicle. We left before sunrise, and he fell back to sleep to the lull of our SUV's tires hugging the road. I put some earbuds in and listen to my favorite playlist as I look out the windows.

I take a deep breath as I watch the sun begin to rise; giant brushstrokes of orange paint the sky delivering a promise of a sunny day ahead. Listening to the smooth jazz echo through my earbuds, I wish I could always feel this content. There is only one piece still missing, which makes this trip bittersweet.

Looking out the window, I watch soft yellow hues begin to saturate the morning sky fighting for dominance over the orange hues, and I wonder how the world can have so much beauty in it, and yet I always feel like I'm on the edge of the darkness holding on for dear life.

Lost in thought, it surprises me when I feel an earbud being pried from my ear. Glancing over, Tae stares at me after placing the device in his own ear, and I am mesmerized for a moment.

"Yeona," he sighs.

"Yes?"

"Why have you been hiding that you love jazz and blues music from me?" he asks, and I can tell there is a little hurt in his voice. "I umm, I've known for a while, but I was hoping you would tell me, but you never did..."

"It's not that I've been hiding it, Tae....I don't know...I just kept it to myself, I guess," I shrug and then turn my head away to look out the window so he can't catch my eyes again.

"Sometimes I feel like you purposely keep me at arm's length," he complains. "Why are you always trying to protect yourself from me?"

I watch as we pass by trees whose leaves are slowly turning from green into various shades of orange, red, and yellow the further north we travel. My heart stutters when I feel Tae's hand slide over mine, a lazy thumb brushing over the back of my hand.

"Tae, please don't say that," I begin. "I'm not trying to protect myself from you..."

"Sir, we are arriving," the driver cuts in from the front seat, and I'm more than relieved to halt this conversation before it goes any further.

We turn off the paved road onto a gray gravel driveway; the SUV shakes as the tires drive over the crushed stones. We both seem to forget our conversation as we wind our way up the long driveway in awe of the sprawling grounds that seem to stretch on forever.

"Woah," I whisper. "It's magical, Tae!'

An old mansion begins to materialize in the distance. It reminds me of an era from long ago, but I'm shocked that the building looks like it would be better suited to be nestled into an English countryside rather than in Korea. I wonder who built such a property, so long ago. The grounds stretch out for days, wide meadows for as far as the eye can see, and it is maybe the most charming place I've ever seen in person.

"It's everything I dreamed about," Tae smiles at me as we step out of the vehicle, the rest of the crew wheeling up in a small fleet of vehicles just behind us.

After touring the property, we are shown to our rooms in the stylish main house. I abandon my suitcase near the door of my room as I enter. Immediately I pull out my phone and make a quick phone call to ensure everything is okay back at home, and even though my mother is standoffish, she assures me that everything is indeed fine, which eases my mind about being away.