Just A Few Numbers Away

Chapter 132

The Easiest Part of My Day

The transition from deep, dreamless sleep to consciousness was slow, guided only by the change in the light.

When Aen finally blinked her eyes open, the bright, piercing sun of the morning had been replaced by the soft, honeyed glow of twilight.

​Yoongi was already awake, propped up against the pillows, watching her with a look of quiet patience that made her heart swell.

​"Hi, My Sleeping Beauty," he teased softly, his fingers brushing a stray hair from her forehead.

"It's nearly eight in the evening. We slept the whole day away."

Aen smiled sleepily.

"Mmmmm... Shouldn't the prince kiss the princess to wake her up? Not just stare at her."

Yoongi's eyes crinkled at the corners, that rare, gummy smile breaking across his face-the one he usually saved only for her.

He leaned in, the distance between them closing until the scent of his skin and the faint, salty breeze of the island filled her senses.

​"A princess who sleeps for ten hours?" he murmured, his voice dropping into that low, gravelly register that always made her pulse skip.

"I think that deserves a little more than just a kiss."

​He pressed a soft, lingering kiss to her forehead, then her eyelid, and finally, his lips met hers in a slow, languid motion.

It was a kiss that tasted like afternoon dreams and slow-motion recovery.

When he finally pulled back, his thumb traced the line of her jaw, his gaze searching hers with an intensity that made the surrounding luxury of the villa feel secondary.

​"Better?" he whispered, his forehead resting against hers.

​"Much," Aen admitted, her voice still thick with sleep.

​They eventually moved to the deck for a late dinner, the air now cooled by the ocean breeze.

As they ate, they finally allowed the rest of the world back in, scrolling through their phones.

Aen laughed aloud as she pulled up a video from the group chat-Hobi and Jimin were clearly in over their heads, with a photo of Carly covered in finger paints, looking like a tiny, chaotic masterpiece.

​"Look at her, Yoon," Aen whispered, a wide smile breaking across her face as she passed the phone to Yoongi.

"They're going to be exhausted by the time we get back."

​Yoongi chuckled, his thumb hovering over a picture of the boys trying to braid her hair.

"They're having the time of their lives. I think they've forgotten she's our daughter and decided she's their new mascot."

​The mood was light, the conversation flowing as easily as the wine.

But halfway through a serving of the hotel's famous local Kreol curry-a fragrant, spice-heavy dish that had smelled divine moments ago-Aen's fork faltered.

​The rich, complex scent of the spices, which had seemed so enticing, suddenly shifted.

It became heavy, cloying, and sharp.

​She took a small bite, intending to comment on the heat, but her stomach did a sudden, violent somersault.

Her throat constricted, and a wave of nausea hit her so hard that the vibrant, golden light of the sunset seemed to strobe for a second.