DUAL

//35

Chaeyoung rolled over in her sleep, soft sigh escaping her lips. Her arm stretched to the side, reaching for the warm figure beside her. Her eyes slowly opened, blinking at the empty spot as she sluggishly sat up, the blanket falling from her bare body. The darkness of the room let her know that even dawn was a little far, but Jungkook wasn't with her.

Instead, he was standing right by the window, leaning against it. His focus seemed to be fixed on the outside world, engulfed with darkness yet blessed with moonlights.

"Jungkook?" she softly called for him.

Jungkook's head whipped around instantly, and a soft smile pulled on his face when their eyes met. "Did I wake you?"

Chaeyoung only hummed with a small smile, taking Jungkook's hand that he'd stretched toward her right after she stood to her feet and wrapped herself with his blanket. She leaned into him as his arm pulled her close to his warm body.

Jungkook pressed a gentle kiss on her forehead. "You should sleep some more."

Chaeyoung gently wound her arms around his waist, her head resting on his shoulder. "Why aren't you sleeping beside me?"

"I wanted you to sleep comfortably," Jungkook said, his palm rubbing the small of her back. "Grandpa told me that you haven't had a good second of rest just to heal me."

Chaeyoung closed her eyes, cherishing the feeling of being in his arms again. All her fatigue and worries that previously made home within her gone the moment Jungkook embraced her earlier before she descended to sleep. She slept better than any other days, knowing that he was now in a better condition than he was days before.

"I slept well with you by my side," Chaeyoung softly said. Lifting her head from his shoulder and looking him in the eyes, she softly said, "Don't leave me on my own."

Jungkook's gaze into her eyes was soft but deep. He took a long breath, softly uttering the words that held a deeper meaning, "I'll never leave you again," as he slowly leaned down to catch her lips in a slow kiss.

Chaeyoung's eyes fluttered to a close as she held Jungkook's face before her arms folded around his neck when he placed an arm under her knees. Chaeyoung's fingers knotted in his hair as he lifted her up into his chest easily, walking slowly toward the bed. Her smile grew on her face when Jungkook took the vacant space beside her again after gently laying her down. Just like how her body remembered where he was before she fell asleep after the lovely blissful night they had, the night where she was able to fill her mind with only great things.

Her back was pressed against his chest, his lips were pressed for long moments on the back of her head. Chaeyoung took Jungkook's hand on her waist, intertwined their fingers before she brought them to her lips. She softly smiled while closing her eyes, letting Jungkook pull her even closer to his bare chest.

She felt him kissing the back of her shoulder before he exhaled heavily.

"Is something the matter?" she softly asked, her eyes settling on the still dark sky outside.

Jungkook stayed silent and only embraced her tighter. Her brows slowly furrowed, a weird feeling began to surface inside of her. Chaeyoung dropped her gaze to their hands, and she squeezed his gently. "What is it?"

In the stillness of the night where none of the crickets sang, Chaeyoung could hear almost anything. Including Jungkook's shaky breath that he tried to control. Her brows knitted further. Slowly, she turned around to face him on the bed.

Jungkook's eyes were shut tightly, his brows furrowing and Chaeyoung's worry rose within her as fear was vivid in his eyes when he opened them slowly. She placed her palm on his warm cheek. "Jungkook?"