lonely hearts club ✨ || kth au - chapter 2.2
“lonely hearts club // do you want to be with somebody like me?”
maybe single parents are meant to be members of the lonely hearts club.
— genre: single parents au, romcom, humour, fluff, angst, strangers to friends to lovers s2f2l
"My brain's melting," Cassandra mumbled as she laid her head on the table. A soft groan escaping her lips when feeling Taehyung poking her scalp with his pen.
"Told you, you don't have to help me," he said. Peeking at her with a soft smile before redirecting his concentration to the tests in front of him.
"No, no, it's alright," she sighed and sat up straight again. Picking up her pen and the correction sheet with all the answers to the questions. Continuing where she had left.
"10) Name four examples of perfect consonances."
"You sure?" He arched a brow at her. A glimpse of worry in his warm eyes. Observing her eyes scimming over the answers and ticking the correct ones. "You really don't have to help me."
Cassandra nodded vigorously though. She was determined now. She wanted to finish her pile, simply not being the type to leave something unfinished -unless it was a really bad ending to an otherwise great story. "It's alright," she said with an ensuring smile, showing off her teeth for extra emphasis. "There aren't many tests left and this way you'll finish much faster." She paused, before mumbling under her breath, "And this way we can watch the film."
He snorted, shaking his head amused. He appreciated her help in correcting the pile of tests all afternoon. He really did. After all it was two different ones, one from the eighth graders and one from the ninth graders. So over fourty tests in total. And she had noticed his distress when meeting him at the nursery earlier and offered her help without thinking twice. He assumed she was regretting this by now and simply didn't want to admit it. But even if so, he still appreciated it. This was one of the reasons he loved her after all. That she always cared for others and wanted to help them. "What film is it anyway?" he asked then. Putting his signature under a finished test sheet before picking up the next one.
"Hm, not sure myself," she said when handing the test sheet she had been correcting for him to sign. "It's from the '80s I think and by Scorcese."
"Scorcese," he repeated with a hum, putting his signature under her test. He didn't really need to have a look-over. She had the sheet with all the right answers after all and he saw her double-checking everything before ticking anything, so he trusted her. "So is it a thriller?"
She shook her head as she picked her penultimate test. "I don't think so. The plot sounded rather weird and.. funny?" His thick brows rose, nodding understandingly.
Cassandra giggled then as she encircled a wrong answer. "I swear, after correcting for two hours I can answer you every question by heart," she grinned smugly at him. Holding her chin up.
"Oh really?" he laughed out and picked the piece of paper from in front of her. He cleared his throat theatrically then as his eyes tried to settle on one of the questions.
"Alright. Name me perfect dissonances."
Her forehead creased as she carefully brooded over it. Trying remembering them. "One was 'tritones'?"
"Is that an answer or a question?" he smirked. Making her scoff audibly. "Really?" she grimaced, "You use these old tricks? Teachers used to say this back in my school days."
He furrowed his brows. "You make it sound like your school days were thirty years ago," he teased. "Are you that old?"
For a moment she just stared at him dead in the eye before dismissing his last statement completely. "Anyway, 'tritones' is surely one."
"Correct," he nodded, "And which others?"
She hummed in concentration, tapping her finger at the table. "Minor seconds.. and.."
His eyes widened, being genuinely surprised she actually got another one right. However, she seemed to struggle remembering the last one. A stern expression on her squinted eyes.
"No, don't help me," she interrupted him sternly, "I'll remember it on my own." He pursed his lips and nodded. Finding her stubborness quite cute sometimes. "Major.." He nodded, encouraging her. "Major siii-" She glanced at him as she dragged the 'i', unsure of her answer she hoped to find approval in his face. But his eyes twitched a little so she quickly changed her answer. "Seventh. Major seventh!"
He exhaled, nodding in relief. "Impressive. You remember them. But do you know what they mean?" She huffed before breaking into a giggle. "Obviously not!" Her retort making him laugh. She even made correcting tests entertaining.
As they went back to correcting in silence, Cassandra couldn't help but peek at him. Silently admiring the expression on his focused face. Tongue sticking out between his lips a little and dark brows narrowed as he ticked several correct answers.
He hummed, not averting his eyes from the test sheet.
"Would you ever play me something on one of your instruments?"
The pen paused from moving over the piece of paper and he looked up. Meeting her inquiring eyes. "You mean a song?"
She smiled. "Yes, obviously."
He contemplated for a moment, scratching his head with the pen in his hand. "Hm, alright," he nodded then, "And which one?"
"I don't know. Which ones can you play?"
"Well, just play me whichever one you like best," she suggested as she handed him the last test from her pile. And he agreed as he put his signature on it, much to her delight. However, Isavella's whimpering from across the room quickly distracted her from her little victory of being the first one to finish with the tests.
"I'll feed her quickly while you finish your pile," she mumbled then with a sigh and pushed the chair back. Hurrying to her daughter who was sitting with Ari and her toys in the playpen. She heaved her in her arms when her eyes fell on Ari. Noticing the older girl chewing on her blue-beeded bracelet. "Should I feed Ari, too?" she asked then and turned to Taehyung. "I think she might be hungry, too."
"If you think you can handle both," he nodded as he crossed out something in red, "Otherwise I'll do it in a few. Almost done here."
"No, it's alright," she assured him. And after preparing the babie's food, she sat them both on the couch with their bibs around their necks and two plastic baby spoons in her hand. Taking turns in shoving a spoonful of pulp into their mouths.
As she cleaned Isavella's mouth with the spoon, her eyes wandered outside for a moment. Noticing the sun setting earlier than it used to a week ago, bathing the leaves outside in a darker shade. Theit green colour fading, turning into orange and gold instead. The temperature had also dropped by now. Autumn had arrived. She heaved a short laugh then, focusing back on feeding the babies in front of her. Ari was toying with her bib, almost taking it off.
"What's so funny?" she heard Taehyung ask from across the room. Catching her attention. He had still not finished with his pile, though it seemed he was on the last test by now.
"Today is the 14th, right?"
"Hm I think." He circled a wrong answer before summing up the total points and signing it. "Why? Is today a special day?"
"No, not really," she shrugged as she wiped a piece of carrot from Isavella's chin. "I just realised we're together for a month now."
His brows rose. "Oh, is that so?" She hummed in response with a smile as she gave Ari the last bit of her food. "So it's our one-month-anniversary.. Should we celebrate it?"
Cassandra laughed out, shaking her head. "We ain't teenies anymore. We don't have to celebrate each month."
She watched him push back his chair, stretching his arms over his head while a soft moan escaped his lips at the feel of his cramped muscles. His shirt got slightly lifted on the side. Revealing the smooth skin of his hip and belly and she had to bite down her lip at this sight. Almost hard enough to make her taste blood. Him moving his head from side to side and rubbing the back of his stiff neck, tousling his dark waves, not making it any better.
"I feel like we should still do something special tonight." He gave her one of his boyish grins, one he knew she couldn't resist. And he was right when seeing her giving him a cocky smile. Folding her arms. "Fine, but what's the plan? We got the girls after all, so we can't just go out."
"We don't have to go out," he shrugged nonchalantly. "As soon as they're asleep we're gonna do everything people would do when going out, just here inside."
First she gave him a sceptical look, however she nodded enthusiastically soon after. Too intrigued by his proposal. "Cinema, food, wine and.."
"And we'll see what else," he said, wiggling his brows in a tempting way. Only adding to her enthusiasm. And she laughed. "Alright, I'm in."
The film had ended quite some time ago. And it had been just like Cassandra had described it. Weird and oddly funny. Difficult to describe exactly, however, both agreed that they liked it. Though wouldn't necessarily watch it again. Still, it had been entertaining and good enough to call the 'cinema'-part of their date night a success.
And after ordering her favourite pizza and eating it while seated on large cushions on the floor of the dim-lit living room, also succeeding the food-part, they had now entered the wine-part. Cassandra could already feel her cheeks heating up from the alcohol in her system. Even if it had only been two glasses. She was a quite light drinker and Taehyung knew. Finding her giggly self quite amusing as he took another sip from his own glass.
"You know what?" Cassandra grinned lazily at him. Wrapping her arms around his neck as she slid onto his lap. Trying her best to keep her eyes wide open. "This was great! We should be like teenagers and celebrate our anniversary every month!" Her declaraction made him chuckle. Especially since he could smell the sweet red wine in her breath and see the pinkish tint on her cheeks. "Oh, aren't our regular dates good enough?" he teased. His hands on her waist to keep her steady.
She frowned, smacking his shoulder lightly. "Of course they are!" She didn't even notice her voice raising in her mildly intoxicated state and he had to press a finger on her lips to sush her. "Not so loud," he whispered as he brushed a strand of hair from her face, tucking it behind her ear, "Might wake up the girls." And he quickly pecked her lips before she could react. Feeling her relax in his arms. Humming against his lips. Both their mouths tasted like pizza and red wine, the best combination ever, in Cassandra's opinion.
He pulled back. Her face beaming as she slowly opened her tired eyes. Truth was, her face was always beaming after a kiss and he loved the sight of it. Especially when she was this close to him, with her chest rising against his and her legs either side of him.
"You know what people also do on dates?" Her lips spread into a wide smile. Lips in a deep red from the liquor. She left his embrace and got up. Getting a little dizzy for a second, she tried to regain her balance and picked up the phone on the table. Trying and failing twice to enter the right code, eventually succeeding in her third attempt. He observed her with raised brows, getting curious. Her eyes furrowed as she was searching for something. He was about to offer his help in whatever her plan was when a melody started playing. And he watched her smile contently, leaving the device on the table again. Her mouth curved into a charming smile as she held her hand out for him to take, wiggling her fingers. "May I have this dance?"
He cocked a brow at her, mesmerised and a little worried about her tipsy state. He accepted her stretched out hand nonetheless though. Pulling himself up with an enamoured smirk.
The air felt thicker somehow and she stumbled forward into his arms. "Is this also on your list of things you wanna do with your boyfriend? Proper slow dancing?"
Cassandra laughed under her breath, biting her lips then. "Perhaps, yes," she breathed as she clasped her fingers around his. The warmth of his fingertips spreading through her in addition to the alcohol, which was slowly subsiding by now. Taehyung performed an elaborate mock bow to invite her in and she laughed carelessly as he spun her towards him.
Pulling her closer in a swift move, reluctant to move too fast in case it made her giddy. He slowly dragged her backwards with him then, deep brown eyes locked with hers, their hands still tightly clasped together as his other hand wandered to the small of her back. Covered by her long curls.
After a moment or two of stiffness, Cassandra relaxed and placed her other hand on his shoulder. He stepped forward then, his puffed out chest touching hers and they began to dance clumsily. Swaying from one side to the other, completely out of time. Mainly because of her, her feet struggling to keep up. The sound of her giggles making him giggle, too. However, they soon faded and in a moment of soberness, she pressed herself against him. Holding on as tightly as she could. Slowly getting drunk again, by the smell of him and the way his hands felt on her body. Her fingers gliding to stroke the soft hair at the nape of his neck. And Taehyung was trying his best to keep an unfazed face, knowing he'd sooner or later give into her touch anyway. A warm smile ghosting over his lips as his eyes laid on hers.
She rested her head on his chest then, feeling her eyes closing. Not because of the wine, though, it was already wearing off by now after all. No, she was simply taking in this moment. Enjoying it and saving the memory of that feeling deep inside her mind.
As they swayed together silently for the remainder of the song, he placed his forehead against her temple. The melody eventually coming to an end, making them slow down.
Cassandra turned her face to find his eyes again and he did the same. His nose nudging hers. The floral scent of her filling it. Her delicate fingers still rested on the back of his neck and Taehyung wondered if she could feel his pulse there when their lips brushed agaisnt each others. And she kissed him.
She wasn't sure when exactly she ended up laying on the couch with him on top of her. She wasn't even sure if time passed at this point. All she was aware of were his soft lips moving against hers and her chest colliding with his.
Only when a faint crying was heard he pulled away and she was brought back to reality. His waves brushing over her forehead as he lifted his face from hers. And he grinned at her, like a child, trying catching his breath. "I think it's Ari."
Breathless herself, she stared at him puzzled. As if she didn't understand any word coming from his mouth. Her brain processing everything still. "Huh?"
His hands left her cheek and waist and he stood up. A cold spot on her warm skin. And an apologetic look on his face. "Ari, I think she woke up."
"Ohh, yes sure. I didn't even notice." She laughed out then, before flashing him a smug smirk. "But you can't just kiss me like that, you know? Like you'd be drowning and I'm oxygen, only to suddenly back out and leave me wanting for more."
His brow arched. "You want more?"
"Not anymore." She huffed jokingly, folding her arms. His smirk growing bigger. He knew she was just pretending. "You sure?" he said then and drew closer. Their lips almost touching again. He was teasing her and in a way, it amused her. She lightly pushed his chest then, making him stumble backwards. "Go already," she giggled, "Ari is waiting."
He nodded. "Give me five minutes."
"Is everything alright?" Cassandra whispered as her head peeked inside the children's room. "Yeah," he nodded as he tugged the blanket over Ari and slowly made his way towards her. "And is Izzy alright, too?"
"Izzy didn't even notice anything," he quietly sniggered and closed the door behind him. "She sleeps like a log."
She nodded, giggling in agreement. "Yeah.. I really don't know where she got that from. But it definitely makes my life easier."
"Be glad," he dramatically sighed then as he rubbed his hands over his tired face, "Ari wakes up from any faint noise. She's hypersensitive when it comes to that."
Cassandra hummed, stroking her boyfriend's back. "That's normal for babies, don't worry." Taehyung pursed his lips, nodding. She was right, it wasn't anything unusual. "It was twenty minutes by the way. Not five," she smirked then.
"Sorry for taking a bit longer," he whispered then. Cassandra turned around, facing him with a smile. And under the dim light of the lamp in the corner he could see her rosy cheeks. "It's okay. Now you're here." Her hands finding their way back around his neck and she gently pulled him towards herself. Making him dip as she got on her tiptoes. The hight difference enough for her lips to reach his. And she pecked them. And again. And again. Until his hands grabbed the back of her head, keeping it in place to prevent her from pulling away. She took his hand in hers then as they continued kissing passionately. Leading him to the bedroom.
In the heat of the moment, however, he didn't pay much attention to his surroundings. His mind solely focused on Cassandra's soft lips moving sloppily against his and his hands around her smaller frame. He didn't notice kicking the door shut behind him with a bit too much force.
The thud following wasn't that loud but it made Cassandra instantly pull away. Panic in her face. His eyes widening in shock as well when he realised the noise could've been loud enough to wake up the girls. Especially Ari. "Did.. did they..?" he asked as he watched her slowly opening the door and going outside of Ari's room. She stayed still for a moment, pressing her ear against the door as she was trying to decipher any whimpering or other noises coming from inside. An intense look on her eyes as she was focusing hard. After a minute, she sighed in relief and he watched her returning to him. Closing the door quietly this time. "We were lucky." A mischievous smile appearing on her features. "Where did we stop?"
He smirked and she brought his face down to hers, capturing his lips as he wrapped his arms around her smaller body. Feeling him smile into the kiss. Slowly then he walked backwards, until feeling the bed frame against the hollow of his knees and sank down onto the mattress with her body following his. Her hands pushing on his broad shoulders as she straddled him. Her body curving into his. Never seperating their lips, even if their breath grew heavy.
Curls sliding to the side as she moved against him, covering their faces like a curtain while she stroke his soft hair tenderly. And Taehyung loved it. The feeling of her delicate fingers burying themselves in his dark waves more. His hands flattened on her thighs, squeezing them lightly before shakily travelling up her hips and sides. Unable to process anything. His mind fogged by the pure sensation of her. He was sure, she didn't even know how infatuating she was. And he grabbed her waist, pushing her lightly and laying her down onto the cool sheets. Cassandra's hands sliding from his hair to his toned chest, down his torso to the hem of his shirt. And as his soft kisses left her swollen lips and went down her jaw, gliding to the crook of her neck, she realised no one had ever really touched her the way Taehyung did, on so many layers.
