CHAPTER twenty seven.

He stuffed his hands in his jacket pockets as he gradually made his way home. His eyes glanced from the pavement to the pedestrians passing by him, but none of what he saw registered. His breaths were slow and steady as he placed each foot in front of him and focused on going home.

After a few more minutes of walking, Kai noticed that he was in a familiar area. He arrived at the gate in front of Aera’s house, and he looked through the metal fence. There was no one home, and the lights were dark. He sighed before pulling his eyes away from the residence and trudging home once again.

Upon arriving in his bedroom, Kai collapsed on his comfortable bed. His arm rested over his eyes as he recalled Aera. Aera, oh Aera. He hadn’t seen in her the last week, and he felt a bit empty inside. He didn’t know if he truly felt this way, but he missed her sharp eyes and her snide responses.

To be honest, Kai had been avoiding everyone except for Jaera. His cousin seemed to be losing her mind, and Sehun was being a prick when it came to the two women in his life. For that very reason, Kai avoided the both of them and just delved himself into his work. But after a week of solitude, he was beginning to think that the lonely life wasn’t for him.

Not when there was a spunky woman named Aera.

“What’s going on with me?” he muttered as he rubbed his eyes and sat up on his bed.

“Oppa, are you okay?” a meek voice sounded from the door.

Kai turned his head towards the door to find Jaera peeking through. “I’m fine, Jaera.”

“You sure? You don’t look so good…” she muttered as she sat next to him.

He chuckled and ruffled her hair. “Don’t worry about me, dongsaeng-ah.”

Jaera beamed and hugged her brother. Kai felt his eyes well up in tears. “Sorry, Jaera.”

“Why? Oppa, are you crying?” she looked up at him and questioned.

He shook his head and held the tears in. “Sorry for not helping you when Naeun hit you… I don’t know what came over me.”

Jaera stuck her tongue out at him before rubbing his back, “Yeah, I wasn’t happy with you about that, but at least you know, right?”

Kai nodded, and Jaera continued, “I think it’s more important that you don’t treat Aera like that ever again.”

“Huh?”

“Ugh, you doofus oppa of mine, don’t tell me I don’t know what I’m talking about. You like Aera, don’t you?”

Kai stared at his younger sister, completely stunned. Just how did she find out?

Jaera smirked, “Oppa, you’re so obvious. I mean, only to me. If you didn’t like her that way, you would have just stood there and let her bleed out.”

He gently pushed her, “I’m not like that, Jaera.”

“Oh, please, you don’t give a damn about girls unless it’s someone you like, or me or Naeun. Why else would you pick Aera up IN YOUR ARMS?” she emphasized.

Kai sighed, “Fine, you caught me.”

“Of course I did.”

“You do realize she has her sights set on Sehun though, right?” he pointed out. He never thought he would be talking to his younger sister about this.

Jaera shrugged, “Does that matter? Sehun’s being a total doofus too, if you ask me. He’s even more of a doofus than you are.” Kai chuckled in response, but Jaera lightly whacked his back again, “But still, don’t mess up with Aera again! I like her, and I want to see her more often. I haven’t seen her in so long…”

Kai ruffled her hair. “I’ll try, ‘kay?”

“Promise?”

“Promise.”

“Cool. Also, can you please stop defending Naeun? I know she’s weak physically, but now that she’ preggo she’s even more mean than she used to be, to me…”

Kai was feeling guilty again. “Sorry, Jaera. You know you’re the most important family member to me, right? I only have you.”

Jaera shook her head and smiled at her older brother, “Not just me. You have Aera too.”

“No, I don’t,” he denied.

“You do. You both don’t realize it yet. Just wait and see!” She giggled before leaving her brother to his own thoughts.

***


Aera contemplated whether to sleep off her hunger or actually prepare her own food like a grown woman. The sun peeked through the window, and the brightness overwhelmed her eyes. Since it was a good day, she decided to step out of her bed and go outside.

While trying to lock her gate, she felt a pair of arms trapping her against it. After recovering from the initial shock, she whirled around to see Kai, who was glowering down at her.

“What are you doing, ert?” she snapped and attempted to hit him. However, Kai only stepped closer and pressed his chest on her back. His warm breath hit her nape.

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