𝐖𝐑𝐀𝐈𝐓𝐇 || ᵇ.ᵏᵃᵗˢᵘᵏⁱ

LXXXVI

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Jinyoung stormed into the room she was staying in at 10 AM the next morning, claiming that she'd slept in for long enough, even if she didn't get back to the estate until 2 AM.

She didn't expect anything less to be honest. Jinyoung was strict when it came to sleep schedules and no matter how late he stayed awake, he was always up at 6 AM without fail.

"Come eat your breakfast before it gets cold. You can't sleep all day else you'll mess up your sleep schedule." Jinyoung drawled, catching the pillow Aeri threw at him.

"Just half an hour more? We got home later than you did." Aeri groaned, shielding her body from the cold air with her blankets.

"No. Come eat your soup before I drag you to the kitchen myself."

Aeri whined and then sat up, rubbing the sleep from her puffy eyes. She slung her legs over the side of the bed and slipped her feet into the slippers she'd set down the night before, trudging tiredly behind Jinyoung to the kitchen.

Hyoseop was already at the table, halfheartedly sipping at his seaweed soup with his white hair sticking up in all directions. Aeri took the seat next to him and thanked Jinyoung for the food before digging in.

"You're coming to a red carpet event with me when the filming is over. I need a plus one and you need more publicity." Jinyoung said before shoving a spoonful of rice into his mouth.

"Red carpet event? We're heroes, not celebrities." Aeri rolled her eyes.

"We'll be there as undercover security. Last year this same event was attacked, so this year they've invited me and a plus one as guests so that no villain will be tempted to attack again," Jinyoung explained. "We'll be dressed as guests but with concealed weapons and cuffs just in case."

"You mean the MAMA awards? The villain who attacked that new boy group?" Aeri perked up. "Shouldn't you take Jungwon or Hyunjin instead? I already have more publicity than Jungwon, and Hyunjin loves K-pop."

"Jungwon isn't my apprentice and Hyunjin would be too distracted by the groups performing to notice someone who wasn't supposed to be there. This isn't a fun day out, it's a job."

"But Jungwon hasn't had a big mission yet, I have. He needs publicity too." Aeri frowned. "Can he come with?"

"I have permission for a plus one, not for two." Jinyoung sighed, setting down his spoon.

"I doubt the people running it will be opposed to an extra hero. Give them a call and see if you can bring both the twins along. I haven't been able to take him on any missions so it'll be a favour to me." Hyoseop cut in before Jinyoung could shut down the conversation completely.

Jinyoung let out a long, deep sigh. "Fine."

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"No way! We're going to the MAMA's?" Jungwon gasped, keeping his voice down so Hyunjin wouldn't hear from the next room over.

"We're there as undercover security with Jinyoung," Aeri smiled.

"Well duh, I didn't expect us to be there to win awards for our outstanding musical performances."

"Don't get sassy with me, I was just telling you what we were doing." Aeri poked her tongue out at her brother, scratching under Nari's chin. "It's your first big mission, are you excited?"

Jungwon hummed. "Even though there might not be a fight, I'm just happy to finally be getting out there. You, Hyunjin and the two older ones have all had missions that you've been recognised for, but the only thing I'm currently known for is singing at the school festival."

Aeri nodded, glad she's convinced Jinyoung to let Jungwon come along.

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"Hey babe." Bakugou greeted quietly when the Facetime call connected.

"Why are you whispering?" Aeri smiled down at the screen, her heart warming at the sight of her boyfriend's usual frown and slightly pouted lips.

"The old hag told the entire damn family about you n' now they're houndin' me about meetin' you so I have to be quiet else they'll come in here to try to talk to you." Bakugou huffed, eyes flicking from the screen to the doorway.

Aeri chuckled. "I'll meet them in person when I get back to Japan."

"No. You're never meeting them."

"Well I'll have to meet them eventually, You've met my extended family so I should meet yours too." Aeri clicked her tongue.

"You can meet them at our wedding—" Bakugou snapped his mouth shut.

"Our wedding?" Aeri asked playfully. "It's a bit early for a proposal, no?"

"Mention it again and I will end the fucking call," Bakugou grumbled, frown deepening as his face progressively got redder.

"No, you won't, you miss me too much." Aeri teased.

"I don't do the whole long-distance thing, it pisses me off. Hurry up and get back here."

"Only 2 more weeks babe. I promise as soon as I get off that plane I'll come straight to you and we can spend New Year together."

"2 weeks is fucking ages," Bakugou grunted. "As soon as we're old enough, I'm marrying you so you have no choice but to stay with me for-fucking-ever. No more leaving for weeks at a time."

"Y'know, you told me not to mention it but you keep bringing up marriage...is my absence messing you up so badly that you're starting to think about marrying me?" Aeri smiled cheekily, laughing when Bakugou began vehemently denying it.

"Shut up and just hurry back to Japan for fuck sake."

"I can't make the two weeks go any faster, two weeks is two weeks!" Aeri pointed out. She sighed and then started thinking. If she couldn't go back to Japan, then what was the harm in bringing Bakugou to her? As long as he spent Christmas day with his family, she could fly him out a few days later.

"Why have you gone quiet?" Bakugou asked, peering at her curiously through the screen.

"What would you say if I flew you out after Christmas? We could spend a week here together and then go home."

"No. You're not allowed to buy things for me anymore."

"Don't be so stubborn. No money will be spent, Jinyoung owns a jet." Aeri rolled her eyes. "Yes or no?"

"I'll ask the hag, give me a minute." There was some rustling over the line as Bakugou stood up from his bedroom floor, running down the stairs as he ignored the calls of various family members. He stopped in the kitchen and interrupted a conversation between his parents, shouting over them and the Christmas music playing.

"Oi hag! Can I go to Korea after Christmas?"

"Who the fuck are you calling 'hag' you little brat? You ain't goin' nowhere 'til you ask nicely!" Bakugou's mom shouted back.

"Honey, just let him go, there will be less arguments." Bakugou's dad intervened.

"I still want to hear him say it."

"I'm going whether you fuckin' like it or not."

"You're both as stubborn as each other..." he sighed.

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