Beauty and the Broken

10| 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐨𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐀𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐫

Aera stirred from her sleep, a dull throb pulsing in her temples. She squinted against the morning light filtering through the curtains and turned her head slightly, only to find Jungkook beside her, his arm draped over her waist in a protective embrace. She froze for a moment, taking in his peaceful expression before carefully extricating herself from his hold.

As she sat up, the events of the previous night began to trickle back into her foggy memory. She remembered the restaurant, the laughter with friends, and the copious amounts of alcohol. The last image was a blurry one of her kissing a man. Was it Jungkook? She quickly dismissed the thought, assuming Jungkook had simply been the one to take care of her.

Grimacing, she stood and tiptoed to the bathroom to freshen up. After splashing water on her face and brushing her teeth, she felt slightly more human. She padded back to the bedroom and found it empty. Following the delicious smell of food, she made her way to the kitchen.

"Good morning," she greeted, her voice a little hoarse.

Jungkook turned from the stove and gave her a warm smile. "Morning, Aera. How are you feeling?"

"Like I got hit by a truck," she replied with a rueful grin. "Thanks for picking me up last night. I don't know what I would have done without you."

Jungkook's smile wavered imperceptibly, but he quickly regained his composure. "No problem. I'm just glad you're okay."

From the corner of the room, Taehyung emerged, his expression carefully neutral. "Good morning, both of you," he said, his voice calm but betraying a hint of sadness.

"Good morning, Taehyung," Aera and Jungkook replied in unison.

"Do you need any help with breakfast?" Taehyung asked, stepping closer to the stove.

"Sure, you can help me with the eggs," Jungkook said, handing him a spatula.

Aera watched the two men work in silence for a moment before speaking up. "Seriously, Jungkook, thank you for everything. I must have been a handful."

Jungkook glanced at Taehyung, who was focused on the eggs, then back at Aera. "It was no trouble at all. I'm just glad you had a good time."

Taehyung's grip on the spatula tightened slightly. He had been the one to pick Aera up, to carry her to bed, and to stay by her side until she fell asleep. Her lack of memory about their shared moment cut deeper than he expected.

"Yeah, it looked like you had a lot of fun last night," Taehyung said, keeping his tone light. "Maybe next time, we should make sure you don't drink quite so much."

Aera laughed softly, wincing at the pain it caused in her head. "Agreed. Lesson learned."

Jungkook turned off the stove and started plating the food. "Alright, breakfast is ready. Let's eat."

They moved to the table, and as they sat down, Taehyung couldn't help but steal glances at Aera. He wondered if she would ever remember their kiss, the brief moment of connection they shared. For now, he would have to be content with the knowledge that he had been there for her, even if she didn't remember.

The three of them settled at the dining table, the aroma of freshly cooked breakfast wafting through the air. Aera took a sip of her orange juice, the cool liquid soothing her parched throat.

"This looks amazing, guys," she said, giving both Jungkook and Taehyung a grateful smile.

"Thanks, Aera," Jungkook replied, returning her smile with one of his own.

They began to eat in companionable silence, the clinking of utensils and occasional murmur of appreciation the only sounds breaking the stillness. Halfway through the meal, Aera's phone buzzed. She glanced at the screen and saw her secretary's name.

"Sorry, I have to take this," she said, rising from her seat and moving to the living room for some privacy.

As soon as she was out of earshot, Jungkook turned to Taehyung, a serious expression replacing his earlier smile. "Taehyung, I need to explain why I didn't tell Aera that you were the one who picked her up last night."

Taehyung looked at him, his face unreadable. "Go on."

Jungkook sighed, running a hand through his hair. "She was pretty out of it last night, and I didn't want her to feel embarrassed or uncomfortable knowing that you saw her like that. I thought it would be easier if she believed it was me."

Taehyung nodded slowly, understanding the reasoning behind Jungkook's decision. "I get it. She doesn't need to know the details. It's better if she thinks it was you."

Jungkook looked relieved. "Thanks, Taehyung. I was worried you might be upset."

Taehyung shook his head, a small smile playing on his lips. "No, I'm not upset. It's probably for the best. Just... let's keep it that way. She doesn't need to know."

Jungkook nodded in agreement, the tension between them easing. "Alright. Thanks for understanding."

They continued eating in silence, the unspoken agreement hanging in the air. When Aera returned, she found them chatting casually about an upcoming project, the earlier conversation buried deep.

"Sorry about that," she said, sitting back down. "Work never stops, does it?"

Taehyung gave her a reassuring smile. "It's fine. We were just talking about some business stuff."

Aera looked between them, sensing a shift in the atmosphere but unable to pinpoint its cause. She shrugged it off, joining in the conversation and enjoying the easy camaraderie they shared. For now, the secret of last night remained hidden, tucked away safely between the two men.