You Can STAY |H.HJ|

30

"Shall we finalize this one then?" Aura asked Hyunjin as they looked at the 4th apartment for the day. 

They had been out since morning, trying to find an affordable apartment near their college. It seemed like they finally found one. 

"I think this one is nice. Not too small nor too big. It feels cozy too" Hyunjin said as he wrapped an arm around Aura.  

The apartment had two rooms, one slightly larger than the other one. The smaller room located in a small hallway, opposite the common washroom while the larger one was in the other end of the living room. At the other side was the kitchen with a small dining space. A balcony with a beautiful view. At the end of the small hallway was some space which was cozy enough with a window. Hyunjin and Aura immediately decided that the place would be for Kkami. 

"Are you both finalizing this then?" The landlady Ms. Choi asked and the couple nodded.

"Okay you need to deposit the rent for the first two months in advance and you can move in whenever you want" She explained, handing over the keys to Hyunjin. 

Aura and Hyunjin left after transferring money to Ms. Choi. They had to do lots. Since his mom was leaving for U.S. the next day, Hyunjin was supposed to move in to his and Aura's new place in three days. 

"I'll miss aunty so much. She literally makes me feel home" Aura said as she walked with her hand intertwined with Hyunjin's.

"Hmm I'll miss her too. Let's go meet her and dad when we get our semester end holidays" Hyunjin said and Aura nodded excitedly. 

Hyunjin's mom treated her really well, probably better than her own mom did. She made her feel so loved and it just warmed Aura's heart so much. In fact Hyunjin's dad too. Aura had only met him once but he treated her like his own daughter. He genuinely showed that he was happy Aura was his son's love. 

"Can't we just move in together at the same time? Why do I have to move in first?" Hyunjin whined. 

"Hyun, you know I can't before Felix moves out right? I want to be with him till his last day here in Seoul. I'll come the very next day he leaves" Aura assured. It was still almost one and a half week before Felix and Changbin left for Asan. Hyunjin couldn't postpone taking up the new residence since they had already signed an agreement to rent their current home. 

"I understand. It's okay, I'll have Kkami to keep me company before you come" Hyunjin smiled at Aura.

"Then when you move in, we can just cuddle up all day together. Kkami, you and I" Hyunjin added, his eyes shining. Aura laughed and nodded.

The next day, Aura came over at Hyunjin's to meet his mom before she left. Hyunjin's mom caressed Aura's cheek lovingly, her eyes were teary as she handed Aura a small tub of chocolate ice cream just like Aura did to her the first day they met. 

Aura hugged her tight as a few tears left her eyes too. She would definitely miss the warmth Mrs. Hwang's hugs held. She would miss how she'd come over at times to cook with her and then they'd watch a movie along with Hyunjin and Kkami. 

She still remembers how once she stayed the night and the three of them talked for hours, talking about how Hyunjin and Aura met each other and fell in love. Mrs. Hwang told them stories about how she met Mr. Hwang and proposed him for marriage when they fell in love. It would all be missed.

Hyunjin was crying too. He just kept looking at his feet as tears left his eyes without stopping. His mom lifted his face and planted a kiss on his forehead as she hugged him too. 

"Mom I'll miss you so much" Hyunjin sobbed. 

"Aww Hyunjinie I'll miss you too. Don't cry, You both can come to U.S. in your holidays and I'll come to you both sometimes too" Mrs. Hwang said as she asked Aura and Hyunjin to wipe their tears although she herself was crying.

As they loaded the last of her bags in the taxi, the others came too. All of them had been really close to Mrs. Hwang and she treated them all like her own kids. It made her overwhelmed to see that everyone came to meet her. 

"Aunty we'll miss you so much" Seoyeon said as she came forward to hug her. The others repeated the words as they all wished Mrs. Hwang a safe journey. 

"Aunty call us as soon as you reach okay?" Aura said.

"Yeah I will, don't worry and also Aura, I would like to ask something from you" Mrs. Hwang said.

"Yes aunty sure, what is it?" 

"Is it okay for you if I ask you to call me mom? Like you're both gonna get married in a few yea-" 

"Mom!" Hyunjin blushed and laughed as the others started laughing too while Aura stood there, shy.

"What? Didn't you yourself tell me you both do think of marriage? You even discussed your plans with m-" 

"Ohmygod Mom stop!" Hyunjin exclaimed, his cheeks were red as he asked his mom to not tell anything further. 

"You should keep some things between us only" Hyunjin whined as his mom laughed.

"Yeah yeah okay. So, Aura? Would you call me mom now?" Mrs. Hwang asked expectantly. She knew Aura was the one for her son. Aura and Hyunjin loved each other immensely and it was visible how they needed nothing more than each other. 

"Uh yes.. mom." Aura said, awkward yet ecstatic. It made her so happy. She felt really overwhelmed to finally be able to refer to someone as mom after so many years. She could finally talk to someone, call them and tell them things referring to them as 'mom'. And not just anyone but Mrs. Hwang. It definitely made her feel euphoric.

Hyunjin looked at her, happy as well. He knew how relieved and ecstatic Aura was now. But what made him more overwhelmed was that it felt more personal now, Aura calling his mother as 'mom'. It felt like a step forward in their lives as lovers.

"This makes me so happy to be called mom by you" Mrs. Hwang said as her eyes well up. 

"Felix you too. I'd love if you call me mom" She said to Felix who let out the biggest smile and nodded, immediately stepping forward to hug her. Felix wasn't as close to Mrs. Hwang as Aura was but he didn't see her any less than a mother figure. 

"Okay kids, I think I should leave now. Am getting late" Hyunjin clinged to his mom, telling her few sweet things and that he loves her. Mrs. Hwang replied the same and let go of her son to finally sit inside the cab.

"Channie, take care of the kids and take care of yourself too sweetie" She said.

"I will aunty. Have a safe journey" All of them waved goodbye as the cab now started for the airport.

As the cab left their sight, they all sighed and looked at each other. Each of them looking forward to the new beginnings in their life.

"Shall we go eat something?" Jeongin said as everyone nodded, heading towards the restaurant they often eat at.

"Sleepover today?" Seoyeon asked Aura as they walked linking arms with each other.

"Your place or mine?" Aura asked.

"Yours since Jisung is coming over at mine to stay the night with Minho" Seoyeon answered. 

All of them were trying to spend as much time as possible with each other because in a few days, almost all of them were moving in somewhere else. Half of them in the university dorms while others in different apartments, definitely not as close by as they used to be. 

That night, Seoyeon, Felix and Aura sat in the living room, discussing about their memories and looking at their pictures of all those times they went to hangout to somewhere nice. Sure they'd still be hanging out sometimes but just not as often now as they did in high school. They knew they'd have tons of responsibilities to be able to spare a lot of time for hangouts. From college assignments to working hard for part-times, it was gonna be a whole new exciting journey.

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Not me updating often after saying I wouldn't update till 16th :D