𝐖𝐇𝐀𝐓'𝐒 𝐖𝐑𝐎𝐍𝐆 𝐖𝐈𝐓𝐇 𝐂𝐄𝐎 𝐉𝐄𝐎𝐍 ♡ 𝐣𝐣𝐤 ✔

ღ 07 ღ

CHAPTER SEVEN

Jungkook's pov

"Hi, Jungkook." Aera waved her hand, standing in front of me. I blinked, once, twice, then stared at her.

"Are you here? For real?" I asked, more to myself. Aera knitted her brows. She observed my bewildered state.

"You are not happy to see me." Aera sighed her way inside the house. She dropped the bag on the floor, plopping down on the couch.

"I thought you were coming tomorrow," I said, closing the door behind me. Aera shook her head. I stood at the foot of the couch. Aera flashed me a soft smile, averting her gaze to the front.

"My shoot was over. I originally planned to stay there for another day, but something pushed me here." Aera sat straight, taking a few seconds to stretch her arms. I stood there perplexed, trying to register everything. She turned her head in my direction. "I came back for you."

"Huh?" Aera's words sent a shock to my body. I frowned, staring into the girl intensely. Aera sighed, nodding her head.

"I know you don't believe me." She rose to her feet, walking closer to me. Her right hand wrapped around my neck, bringing her face closer to mine. "Trust me. I missed you."

I didn't move, and neither did I react. Aera loosened her grip around me. Her hand fell off my shoulder. She forced a smile, stepping back. "Aera, I am tired. I need some sleep." I finally said, stepping back to create more space between us. Aera nodded her head in acknowledgment.

Aera strolled to the kitchen. She looked around once, satisfied with the clean kitchen. She moved forward and grabbed a coffee mug from the shelf. "Jungkook?" Aera suddenly called me.

"Yes?" My tone was stern and low. Aera's shoulder jumped but relaxed immediately. She looked back at me. Another smile crept on her face.

"Can you take a week off?" Her question startled me. I registered her words, replaying the sentence again and again. What tone did she use? Was her expression decent, too disturbed? I didn't realize that I was staring into space. I wasn't bound to act all passive at the moment. Not when Aera was sweet to me. Yet I remained silent.

"It's okay," I heard her talking again. Aera turned back to the kitchen island. "You don't have to bother yourself much. You know."

"Why did you ask?" I found my voice back. I strode into the kitchen at a slow pace. "You never asked something like this."

Aera dropped the spoon on the sink and turned around with a coffee mug in her hand. "I —" she trailed off. I stood behind the kitchen island, waiting for her response. I needed to know her intention. Why'd she asked something so random?

Aera's face changed colors in a matter of five seconds. Confusion. Serous. Sad. All of these expressions played on her face. And I caught them all. She opened her mouse and closed it. She repeated the same thing a few times. Finally, she decided to speak.

"It's been a long since we spent time together." Her voice was low. She brought the cup to her mouth, sipping her coffee. After a brief pause, she started again. "We have been busy with work. None of us communicate. And I — I miss the old time, Jungkook."

In a reflex, I saw the 17-year-old Aera in front of me. That smile. That voice. That gaze. She looked out of the window, lost in her thoughts. I stared at her closely. Did my Aera come back? But after the rollercoaster ride in our relationship, I barely made it. The woman who transformed into a stranger, certainly acting like before.

"Don't you miss the old times?" She murmured the question. She didn't look at me. And I didn't need to know what her eyes said. Again, I found myself silent, staring into the walls. I wanted to reply. My eyes burn with the growing tears in them. I miss the old time. Moreover, I missed the old you. I wanted to scream the words out of my head. My chest clenched, swallowing my breath. Yet I remained silent in the same place.

Aera moved back to the kitchen island. She put the coffee mug down with a long sigh. "You —" She paused again. Her back was facing me. "You said you were tired. Go back to sleep." Her tone was humorless. I didn't argue back. Not that I wanted to argue with her. I didn't want to talk to her either.

I took slow steps to the door. My heart felt heavy. I felt like I was passing out. Before I made it to the living room, I turned around, "Good night, Aera."