Lia made Sunhi to take the food up to Aron. The maid-girl, of course, was absolutely against the idea at first but Lia made her think that she may remember something else from her past thanks to that. Lia didn't share every Sunhi and Aron's memory with them so she just guessed that maybe Sunhi has brought food to Aron like this.

However it was one thing was for sure: Sunhi was nervous, not necessarily because she had to hold the tray in her wobbly hands, but because she had to be in a same room with Aron and when only thinking about it got her tingly-fuzzy then what will happen when she's actually up the stairs and in the Watchman's room? My heart's beating so fast that it's gonna pop out of my chest! Everything's boiling up and about to burst out!... but what am I worried about? Aren't we a... couple...? OK, now I'm officially nervous about messing things up.

Trying to keep up with her train of thoughts Sunhi found herself already standing behind the door of the much feared Night Watchman. She didn't feel fear or anything negative towards the young man though right now she was, luckily, more curious than frightened. She had never thought of him as someone scary. Back then she couldn't put her finger on it why exactly she was feeling that way but now knowing the full truth and her own connection to him she found that she was trying to remember how he looked when he smiled. But for now it was all too blurry in her head.

Sunhi knocked on the door.

“Come in.” Aron called from inside.

For a moment there Sunhi felt as if someone had hit her behind her head. It was s sharp sting of pain she felt, but only for a second. When she opened the door and stepped in there wasn't any trace of the ache anymore. That was weird... If my memories decide to come back like this then they better do it quick.

“Hi. I...uhh... I brought you... yo-your f-food. Here...” Sunhi stuttered. She mentally slapped herself and told herself to pull it together, but instead of that she felt how her little heart made an attempt to beat its last speed record.

“Thank you.” Aron said nodding at the girl. It was Lia's idea... She just wants to see the world blow up... Sunhi is even prettier than the last time! And she's adorably nervous again... Like the first time... Well, that little memory was a bit bitter when reminded right now.

Sunhi bowed and took a step towards the door. “I'll leave you to your... your... you.... food then.” and by that moment she was ready to twist the doorknob and jump out of this pool of endless awkwardness and embarrassment. Actually Aron was feeling as weirdly out of his comfort-zone as Sunhi did, but he reminded himself that it was only normal because she was so near to him.

So near... and yet so far.

“Wait!”

Sunhi froze. What now? What now? Don't tell me you're going to jump up and glomp me... please! I'm just not ready for anything like this! What am I thinking?! He's a gentle man, for Pete's sakes! How do I know that...? What is this!? I just got here!...

“Could you ask for Lia to come up here?”

“Sure...” Sunhi answered feeling relieved... and realizing this light feeling in her chest she laughed at her own silly thoughts of all kind of things Aron could have done or said. But he was a gentleman, he had waited this long and – now seeing that things are starting to turn around – he was willing to wait a little bit longer.

***

“So have you cooled down now?” Lia asked. Oh, mudpie! Kris... “I-I didn't mean it that way...”

“I know what you meant.” Aron smiled and looked at his sister, “I've known you since birth. I know how you think. And the answer to your question is yes. I am worried for Kris, but Dongwoon and... Hyunseung said that he was quite fine so I'll just take one step at a time and see how it goes. - Is that enough?”

“Yes,” Lia nodded. But that wasn't the only thing she wanted to know. There were other thoughts in her head, something far more personal bothered her mind. So she decided to ask her brother about it. The sooner the better they say. Hopefully sooner is better with this one.

“You've changed, you know. The moment you saw JR... It's weird because... 'cause that's the first time after a long time and... are you sure that's everything's alright... because... aren't you mad at me for not telling you? I should have, shouldn't I? Because you're the only family I've got and I should be honest with you... I should... Aren't you mad? I wanted to tell you actually... - I don't know... I just...” Lia blurted out every single question and thought that came to her mind.

She didn't think things through. She didn't have to. She didn't want to. It would have taken too much time. She wanted to know. Aron will understand. He always has. Even if Lia thought he wouldn't, but he did, every time.

Aron had stood up and come up to Lia. “It's OK, it's OK,” he hushed the girl and put his hands on her shoulders, “I'm not mad. I can't change you, You're happy and I'm happy that you're happy. I would had done the same thing if I were you... if I had a brother as creepy as me I would have locked myself into my room and never come out... maybe only when others would had bribed me with my favorite cake... then... maybe.”

That last comment made Lia laugh. Partly, because it was funny, but mostly because her beloved brother was back. Aron understood her. He accepted Lia and JR. Looking up into her brother's eyes Lia could clearly see that the Aron she knew was staring back at her. He was back now and he wasn't going anywhere anymore. The brother Lia knew and loved - the goofy one, the fun-loving self-forgetting hopeless romantic one - was back and here to stay.

***

The night closed in pretty quick. The winter was here for sure. The weather had gone much colder and today it even snowed, but just a little. It wasn't even enough to make the ground white – at least it would had made the dirty and dark streets seem a little more inviting and happier, something that they most definitely weren't, but the snow was as weak as the people living here.

One by one the windows of the houses darkened and everything went quiet. It seemed as if even the time had slowed down. The whole city was quiet. Only the wind, which had picked up, howled in the empty streets. For a moment the tired people of Kangreung could rest so that tomorrow they could work for their already low salary or pray for a miracle so that their children could have another meal after this seemingly last one at hand.

When it was time to hit the hay Aron came down and asked everyone's attention. “OK, people. You're sharing rooms as follows: Ren, Baekho and Minhyun in the room next to mine, girls in the one next to Lia's, Sunhi and Lia in Lia's room and...,” turning to JR and pointing at him he finished: “You. With me.”

Others nodded and were OK with the order. They began to going up in their rooms because they remembered how tired they were. Getting up the sofa Minhyun patted JR on his shoulder and assured the boy that he'll be just fine. The prince nodded and gave him a faint smile, but right now he was so out of place that he couldn't really believe the other's words.

“Yeah. Isn't that right, Aron? He'll be fine with you?” Ren asked the Aron tilting his head.

Aron nodded.

When Minhyun passed the Watchman he whispered: “Don't be too hard on him. He has had enough of those moments already.”

“You mean the Block B one? I know. I'll try.” Aron whispered back.

Soon enough the only ones in the room were Aron, JR. Lia, and Sunhi.

All this time JR only stared at Aron. Either him or the wall, the ground, the cupboard, anything... He didn't say a word. He thought that the Night Watchman wasn't very intimidating anymore, but right now the young man proved him otherwise. Maybe it's just me? I shouldn't be that scared... why am I scared? For Pete's sake! Why am I so scared?! He's just a guy... any other guy... minus the fact that his Lia's brother and the Night Watchman, he's just... any other guy... That calmed him down a bit.

Actually not everyone was OK with the sleeping arrangement.

“I don’t want to be rude, but could I sleep alone?” Sunhi pulled the words she wanted to say out of .

“Why?” Lia asked before Aron could.

“I…uhh… I… I don’t know. I feel like a burden to you…” Sunhi somehow made up an excuse. I’m sorry… I actually just want to sleep alone tonight… I’ll probably be up ‘til morning anyway. Thinking about everything that has happened.

“No-no-no. You’re not a burden.” Lia disagreed, “Do you really feel like that?”

Sunhi shrugged, lowered her head and nodded.

“But you’re not. Why do you feel that way? Has anyone said you’re a burden?” Aron spoke calmly.

JR had to hand it to himself that if Aron talks like that it’s hard for him to imagine that Aron could be the Night Watchman, though he knew that he was. You really love this girl, don’t you?

“...no... but... please just for tonight... Don't feel offended, Lia. I'll probably just keep you up all night anyway...”

“No offense taken.” Lia smiled. I understand... I couldn't sleep the night after I had met with JR... “But where will you sleep?”

“That's right. We don't have any more vacant rooms.” Aron agreed with Lia.

“We have the study room.” Lia suggested.

“But its heating system is busted. It's like Siberia in there.” Aron disagreed right away.

“I can sleep here. - On the sofa. If that's OK?” Sunhi spoke of her thoughts.

Lia and Aron turned to her, then back to look at each other. Aron shrugged. “Fine by me. - But if you hear or see anything suspicious behind the windows then you'll run upstairs and wake me up, OK?”

“OK.”

“Good.” Aron nodded. “ Now, you, JR. Upstairs.” the Night Watchman ordered and went ahead not looking back if the other followed him. I sure hope nothing happens while Sunhi is downstairs... but I kind of hope that it will... so I could hold her and tell her that it's alright... that I'll protect her forever... and I'll be there for her... like I should have been when... that happened.

The prince had actually stood up moments ago and waited for permission to go upstairs. He felt really tired so he didn't really care if Aron was going to tie him up somewhere and leave him on water and bread diet for the rest of his life, because the only thing he was thinking about was sleep. Sleep and whether he'll dream about Lia again... like it had happened during the last few nights.

“I'll bring you the blankets.”

“I wanna help.”

“Alright. Cute. - Come.”

***

By now all the youngsters were either already under their snuggly warm blankets or getting ready to go to their beds' fluffy laps.

“Did you bring your PJs with you?” Aron asked the prince.

“Uhh...” JR frantically searched through his bag. I can't believe I forgot! I don't want to wear his... not that he's... dirty or anything... it would be weird... juts in the morning he was ready to chop my head off and now he's offering his PJs to me!

“If you forgot I could just give a set to you.”

“I...uhh... I don't know... I don't want to bother you.” JR said feeling really uneasy.

Aron could sense that uneasiness. He knew how it felt. He used to be scared of the Bloodhounds – Kris and Tao – the same way JR probably, no: actually, really was.

“You don't bother me. We have to get along with each other. For others' sake,” he said and took out a set of PJs from his cupboard, “And for Lia's sake.” he finished and gave the clothing to JR.

“Thanks.”

“Better get changed. The sooner you're off to bed the sooner you'll fall asleep and the more sleep you get. You may never know what happens tomorrow. It's better if you're well rested.” Aron said turning around.

He took off his shirt. JR's eyes widened when he saw that Aron had a quite nasty scar running over his back. It was still healing, which means that he got it at least two weeks ago. The new flesh was red and there were scabs on – probably – the deeper spots. The scar itself was huge: starting from the young man's right shoulder running across the back down to his left hip. JR could see the spots where the string of the stitches' had been.

It must have hurt like hell. I remember how much it hurt when I fell down the stairs when I was... err... 6? Probably somewhere there. Yeah... that hurt. It still does from time to time... I couldn't sleep on my back for weeks. And I was lucky that I wasn't handicapped... 

“Enjoying the view?”

JR got knocked out of his thoughts. He realized that he had been staring at Aron this whole time. “Sorry... I didn't mean to...”

“It's fine. You spaced out, you weren't actually looking.” You remembered the time when you fell down the stairs, didn't you? How I wished I could had taken your pain away... You were so little and fragile back then... And now look at you. “Just go to sleep. You'll need your rest.”

“You're right,” JR said. He started changing his clothes.

Aron stepped to the door.

“Where are you going?”

“I have some things to do. I'll come after a while.”

“OK... Go-good night then.”

“Good night.”

That went well…

And here it is: another late update. I'm sorry. I was at my grandparents' on Saturday so there was no way I could had updated.

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