Age is Just a Number (BTS) - 18+

Chapter 32 - Damage control

The onslaught came thick and fast, and a call to his phone arrived even as they pulled up to her home. They'd made the quick decision to go there instead of his, assuming photographers would descend to Yoongi's apartment complex before anyone had a chance to do anything about it, trapping her inside if they did. At least it might take people a little longer to work out who she was and give them time to decide what happens next.

"Urgh, my manager," Yoongi grimaced, taking a deep breath and answering the call as they parked and walked quickly to the front of her building. "Yeoboseo. Hmmmm, yes, I know. Well, it's happened now. Yes. Yes. Yes, she is. No, I don't want you to come and get me, I'll call you when I've had the chance to talk to Kat properly about it all, probably not until tomorrow as it's late, the media can wait for a response. And yes, I'm aware I'll need to come into the company office as soon as I can. I'll do that tomorrow morning. In the meantime, I assume there will need to be some kind of media release, so send me through whatever it will need to be if someone drafts something, and I'll decide if I'm happy with it. No, I'm not playing around hyung, this relationship is important to me, so I'm not putting something out there that isn't true to what my present and future might look like."
Kat was listening, raising her eyebrows when she heard his side of the conversation. She wasn't stupid; she knew this was a big deal and that he was downplaying it, but there was something to be said about the way he was taking control of the situation.

As he hung up, he reached for her hand and pulled her into his side. "Are you ready to do this," he asked as she fumbled for her keys.
"I'm not sure what 'this' is," Kat answered as she opened up her apartment, throwing the place into brightness as she turned the lights on. It was quite late, both girls were home but were in their room, probably sleeping before their early work shifts the next day.
"To be honest, I'm not sure either. Should we just go to your room," he asked, face pressed into his phone as he typed off a message. "I've warned the others in our chat. They'll get questions and it's better it comes from me," he explained as he clicked his phone away and put it into his pocket, following her into the bedroom.
"They'll have your back," Kat asked as she sat on the bed, looking up as he came to stand in front of her. His hands found her face and tilted her chin up so their eyes were locked, and he looked surprisingly calm.
"Always," he answered before leaning in to kiss her, the kind of sweet kiss that she loved almost more than the intense ones that came with sex. These sweet kisses felt domestic and easy and comfortable.

"Don't look so worried," he added as he pulled away, smoothing down her hair.
"Do I? I guess I am at a loss. I mean, Yoon, this is going to be everywhere."
"Yeah, I'm sorry," he said, sitting down next to her on the bed, and she leaned into his shoulder.
"I just don't know how easy it will be to tell who I am. They might be blurry pictures, maybe you won't be able to tell," she said, and her voice trailed away at the look on his face.
"Wish that was true for your sake jagi, but their cameras are the best, so unless you were looking down the whole time," and she shook her head, "then they'll be able to identify you. ARMY are armchair sleuths at their finest."
"A talented bunch," Kat agreed, but the stone in her stomach was too heavy right now to banter much at all. This was potentially life-changing. As if her life hadn't already changed so much in the last year.

"Bed," Yoongi said by way of reply, and she nodded, feeling how weary she was in her bones.
"Yes, please. Do you need to have your phone on," she asked, yawning as she stood up.
"Probably, but I won't," he shrugged. "It can all wait until morning."
Kat nodded, feeling too tired to care in that moment, turning her back on him. "Can you undo my buttons please," she asked, and he gave a half-chuckle as he moved her hair out of the way and started to unbutton her down the back.
"This isn't what I had in mind when I pictured taking you out of this dress tonight."
"I didn't think you'd be up for anything now," Kat said, pausing before she pulled the dress off her shoulders, weighing up if she could be talked, or stroked, into anything more than sleeping.
"I'm not," Yoongi answered, shaking his head. "I mean, I really want to, but I actually kind of just want to climb into bed and fall asleep together. That feels safe tonight."
His voice sounded a little small, and she turned towards him, sinking into his arms as he pulled her into his chest, pressing warm lips into her hair.
"It's dumb," Kat said, at a loss for words. Why he could be so famous and yet so restricted on who he could be with and what that could do for his career was a mystery she wasn't sure she'd ever wrap her head around.
"Yeah, it is," he murmured before pulling away to begin unbuttoning his shirt." It's going to be a crazy few weeks," he cautioned, and she shook her head.
"Let's just not think about that tonight," Kat replied, and he nodded.
"Yes, avoidance, always a good tactic," he said as he stepped out of his suit pants, tossing them over her chair, and slid into bed in just his boxers. It was much cooler now that Winter had kicked in, but her room was warm enough, and her body was a toaster when they were entwined together. They may not be creating heat with each other's bodies tonight, but just falling asleep together would be enough to act as a balm to the stresses of the last hour.