~Protecting You~

“I love you.” Youngjae pulled me closer to him as those words slipped from my mouth. I didn’t regret it a bit because that what my heart said. We pulled away after some while. Slowly, I opened my eyes to meet Youngjae’s, but he still closed his eyes tightly. A faint pinkish tomato was there, coloring his chubby cheeks and I had the urge to pinch them, actually. He was so adorable.

So, I chuckled. And I watched him as he slowly opened his eyes to meet mine. I smiled sweetly at him, “Like that kiss?” I . His pinkish cheeks turned red as he lowered his head and hit me lightly on my chest, "Hyuuung..."

I grabbed his hands, “Hey…”

He still had his head down. “Youngjae-ah… Look at me…” I softly mumbled it. He looked at me. I could say he was so embarrassed. So, I let a chuckle again.

“Stop chuckling. I am shy…” he muttered those words. I couldn’t help but to burst out at laugh. At least, that’s what I could do to reduce the awkwardness after the kiss and my confession. As for the beating of my heart… I couldn't really muffled it.

“Hyung~” he whined, trying to pull his hands from mine, but I didn’t let him.

“Okay… okay… sorry… but, hey… Look at me again, Youngjae-ah…” I let go one of his hand to chin up his head and caressed his right cheek. He looked at me. We stared for a while.

“It’s true.” I stated after some silence.

“Huh?”

“What I said… between the kiss… It’s all true, Youngjae-ah.” I slowly explained. He looked confused before turning to be shy again.

“… I know…” he mumbled softly.

“Oh. You know?” I asked, surprised by his reaction. He nodded his head, looking at me again.

“I know. You are so obvious, hyung.” He said. Now, it’s my time to be shocked.

“How long?” I asked. He fell silence for a moment, “… Uhm, since the first time you hugged me… that day… when you said you will protect me… when you came visit my home for the first time.” He explained.

“Uhm… Well… So, it’s obvious.” I mumbled, somewhat shy. He nodded. “And so?” I asked.

“So… what?” he asked back.

“So… do you love me as the way I do?” I asked softly in one breath. I could feel my heart beating like a drum waiting for his answer.

“Do I need to answer?” He asked back again. This boy gotta get me crazy.

I stared deeply at him, said nothing, just staring. He chuckled nervously under my stared. Even then, I really loved hearing those sound. So, I chuckled around with him.

Suddenly he kissed me.

On my left cheek.

Leaving me surprised as I let go of his other hand to bring it up, touching on the spot where I felt his soft lip before.

“Jaebum hyung?” He waved his hand, got me back from my highness. I looked at him in disbelief. He smiled at me shyly as he mumbled, “I love you too…”

~^^~

Before dark, Youngjae excused himself to go back because his baby brother was feeling lonely. I asked him where he lived at right now, but he just smiled, answering with a vague answer. I didn't want to think that I was being pushy with him. Not when we were just being good.

With a heavy heart, I let him go. As strong as I wanted it, but I couldn’t leave the hospital. I knew it since my body wasn’t strong enough. I needed to rest more. But, Youngjae promised, he would spent his night with me again and he would bring Jaemin here. More like I forced him to stay with me tonight, convincing him that I would get better sooner if he was with me. That’s true, I got my best sleep when he was with me though.

When Youngjae was gone, I got nothing to do, so I played games on my phone. Not too long, Junior, Mark, Jackson, Yugyeom, and Bambam came. They brought a lot of food. They all set the food down on the table near my bed. We all gathered there.

“So, I heard you had visitor…” Junior started as he helped me opened my food.

“The nurse said that it was a boy…” Mark added.

“… a cute lovely boy.” Jackson added.

“… He was staying for the night too. Just gone about an hour ago, she said.” Yugyeom added too.

“Aish, you are so slow. Just ask. So, was Youngjae hyung here all the time?” Bambam finished it for them. The others gave him the look while I was the only one who bursting out in an awkward chuckles. Good. All the boys were looking at me now and got me very nervous.

“So?” Junior and Mark asked at the same time. God, they sounded demanding and intimidating.

“Y-yeah… Youngjae came. H-he came at night. You… A-after you all went home.” I stuttered a bit under their intense gaze.

“Something happened?” Mark asked again, more demanded. Well, I was a bit more intimidating compared to the others for other times, but tonight under the boys' intense gaze, I felt little.

“Uhm… yeah, we could see that.” Yugyeom said. I looked at him, confused.

“Obviously something happened.” Bambam added. I turned to him, “Like what?”

He shrugged, “I don’t know. Maybe… like you are a thing now.” He said slyly. It got me surprised. How did they know?

“GOTHCA!!!” Jackson shouted out loud and it got Junior and Mark slapped his tights to volume down.

“What? Why? Huh?” I stuttered again.

“You. Changed. Hyung.” Junior stated one o one words.

“Yes. Definitely.” Mark and Bambam nodded. They all agreed.

“What?” I asked, confused by their short words.

“Hyung, we’ve been friends for years. You literally can’t hide secret with us. your face and your dumb smiles said it all for us to know that something must be happened and that you and Youngjae… were a thing now.” Junior explained. I hated it when they all could read me like an opened book.

“How?” I slipped the word.

“That’s exactly our question, hyung! How? You have to tell me the detail!” Yugyeom said teasingly. I hit his arm, enough to get him winced in pain.

“Serve you right, little brat!” I glared at him.

“Why did you hit our baby Yugyeomie, hyung?” Jackson scooted closer to baby maknae and caressed his arm lightly, full of sweet nothing affection. I knew them well enough that they must be up for something to act so lovey-dovey like that.

“Puke!” I said.

“Hey. Ignore them. Tell us, hurry up!” Mark said. Again. More demanding. I took a deep sigh as I started my story. I told them all the events since the night till my confession and Youngjae’s reaction. I also told them about Youngjae. I knew that I could trust them and that they wouldn’t hurt Youngjae. And I was better than know that they wanted to protect Youngjae too. That somehow, they built a kind of bounding feeling with my boyfriend? I chuckled everytime I got to call him boyfriend. Yeah, we were boyfriend, why bothered to be shy?

~^^~

Sorry, for not updating in a while.

I was sick and still I am.

But, because I love you guys so much, I found my strength to write.

As my apology, I will update one more chapter soon.

I hope you enjoy this chapter as well. Have a good day!