You Can STAY |H.HJ|

17

"Wait, a guitar? Is this yours?" Hyunjin asked as soon as he stepped inside Aura's room and spotted the guitar kept on her bed.

"Yep it's mine" Aura answered, sitting on the bed.

"But I never saw it in your home before" Hyunjin said, sitting beside Aura, pulling her closer and embracing her from behind, keeping his chin on her shoulder.

"Yeah it arrived today itself. Some of our stuff was still in Australia so we called for it" Aura replied, leaning back and resting her body on Hyunjin's.

"Could you play it for me please?" Aura smiled at Hyunjin's request.

"Hyunjin, I haven't played guitar ever since mom left. I don't think I've still got my skills"

"C'mon, you still must be remembering something. Anything" Hyunjin said, slightly nudging Aura.

"Okay I guess I'll try. Don't expect much tho" Aura said as she sat up, taking the guitar in her hands while Hyunjin watched her, with a huge smile on his face. She got up and sat on a chair, facing Hyunjin.

Aura sighed, and brushed the strings with her fingers slightly, a soft sound reverberating through the guitar. She took a moment to recall the correct chords before slightly moving her fingers along the strings, eyes totally focused in order to not get the chords wrong.

Aura hummed along the tune she was playing. She wasn't playing some already released song or anything, it was a tune her mom always hummed. A tune of a lullaby Aura's mom always sung to Felix and her when they were kids.

Aura still vividly remembers how her mom used to cook in the kitchen while singing the lullaby and Aura used to sit on the kitchen bar chair, playing the tune on her guitar. Those memories were still fresh in her mind, as if it was something that happened just a day ago. She missed her mom, she missed her so much that it was painful, painful to keep up with everything.

She still kept every emotion of hers inside her heart. That's just how she grew up to be. That's just how she had seen her mom all those years.

"Kids who cry in front of others are weak Aura, you don't have to be that. You can't become what I was as a kid" her mom's words were still imprinted in her mind, and she abided by that. It was as if those were some rules she could never break. Never unless it was Felix in front of her.

As she was done with the song, she looked up at Hyunjin, who was staring at her with a proud smile on his face.

"Woah damn! You are awesome! I never knew you could play guitar and my ears certainly have been blessed." Aura slightly giggled at Hyunjin's dramatic actions.

"Stop exaggerating geez" Aura said, slightly embarrassed and got up to place the guitar on the chair and get back to sit beside Hyunjin.

"Umm Aura I uh I want you to do something for me.." Hyunjin began with hesitation.

"Yes tell me. You can ask me anything Hyunjinie" Aura said, trying to reassure her boyfriend and held his hands.

"I... want you to perform at the fest-" Hyunjin kept his words carefully, observing how Aura's eyes slightly widened before getting back to normal, waiting for him to complete his sentence.

"-play the guitar Aura" Hyunjin completed and Aura pulled her hands away from his, heaving a heavy sigh.

"Hyunjin you know I can't.. I can't do that. You know me"

"Yes I know you and thats why am saying, you can Aura. I've seen your proud smile when you see Seoyeon practising for the fest. Or me, or the others. Don't you wanna make us proud as well? Think how happy Felix would be, wouldn't he?" Hyunjin said, holding Aura's hands, and Aura sighed, nodding but still unsure.