Moonlight + Paradise (18+)

20. The echo of your voice

It's warm...and familiar.

Jungkook opens his eyes and the first thing he sees is the soft skin of her neck. Lalisa's neck...where he'd been burying his face in. For how long, he's not sure. Is she really here? Again, he's not even sure. Have I gone crazy? 

"Good morning." The voice rings like an echo - an uncanny resemblance to how he had memorised it. If it is a different person, he sure knows how to pick them now!

He looked up and found the doll-face staring down at him. I wasn't even that drunk last night...or was I? Am I still drunk? Or am I dead? He tries to recall the events that had happened for the past week - if they even happened at all or if it was just a long, bad dream. He raised his knuckle up to find that the small cuts are still there, so how is she really here?

"You're hurt..." She sat up all too quickly and reached for his hand. As she studies it with a frown, he took the time to study her. 

My doll...my love...she's still here. I wasn't imagining it - she really is here with me! And she slept next to me...letting me hold her -

Jungkook grabs her by the waist and holds her close - tightly even, as if the smallest of space could make him lose her once again. It's as if the rising blood is pumping every inch of his muscles to keep her - to touch and feel her for all the lost seconds.

"Guk, um...I can't..." She whimpered when his hands slipped past her garment and started caressing the soft skin of her back.

"You can't?" He kisses her neck.

"We. We can't." Her breathy voice isn't at all convincing.

"Okay, we can't." My love...my bride...she's back in my arms!

"You're hurt and...and we need to talk!" She finally halted him - pushing him with enough force that got him wide-eyed and mindful. 

Well...I guess we do. But damn it - "Can I at least get a kiss on this good morning?" 

She frowned and pursed her lips in defiance. Hell, I guess I can't argue! "Fine. Let's talk." He sat up on the bed, unable to hide his pout as he rubbed the morning glow off his face. It felt swollen. Lalisa sighed, her fingers still tracing the outline of the dried blood on his knuckles. "It doesn't hurt, don't worry." 

Her fingers are fidgeting but her eyes are fixed on him. Or rather...his bare torso. The amount of clenching muscles it took for him to not just pull her close and kiss her to death is almost painful, but he forced the brave face anyway. I should put on a shirt - because finding her pretty eyes on his naked chest, well...it's 'do or die', all over again! Since 'putting on a shirt' means he has to get up and leave the bed - which also means potentially leaving the chance of kissing her like his life depended on it again - he decides to just drag the duvet up and covers his upper body up.

Maybe it made him look like a spoiled, sulky brat and that's why she laughed. "Are you mad at me?"

"Why would I be mad at you?" He answered half-heartedly.

"I don't know...you're sulking, for one. And you asked Somi to send me away - is it because I haven't given you a decision?"

He shuts his eyes and a heavy sigh left his mouth. An assurance...is that why she's still here? When he turned to face her, he found the pretty, doll-like eyes already pooled in. In all honesty, he is. A little bit. No, let's not lie to myself at least. More than a little bit!

"No...no, of course not." 

She could have said something. Anything. She could have cried to one of us - do whatever the hell she needs to do to make herself feel better but there was nothing! Not a single sound while she sneaked into the kitchen in the middle of the night, just to avoid me! Seriously, what the hell does she think I am - her goddamned reaper??