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JUNO : A BTS Military Story
Wendy was gracious enough to let them sleep in the living room. She brought them thick blankets and left a small fire going in the fireplace. Ara found herself lying on the rug near the fire while Taehyung remained on the sofa.
She watched the small flames flicker, filling her vision with a warm light and her nose with the scent of smoking wood. She couldn’t help but wonder how Namjoon and the rest of the team were doing. Her mind dove into a recent memory.
She sighed as he touched her cheek. “You can’t come with me.”
“I know.” He leaned forward and pressed his lips softly into her forehead. “I love you, so I’m able to let you go.” His gaze flashed from Taehyung to her. “Just…stay safe…”
She shot forward and hugged him tightly, taking in his sweet scent one last time. “Thank you,” she whispered.
When she pulled back, it was as if he fell away willingly. He looked at her differently. His eyes weren’t filled with undying love or admiration anymore. Instead, they were filled with melancholy and understanding, and although he was allowing her to leave, part of her at least wanted him to protest a bit more.
Her heart ached as she turned around and continued to walk with Taehyung further into the forest.
Ara placed a hand over her heart. Over the span of the past day, she had been betraying people left and right. First her country, and then her commanding officer, her team, and her best friend and captain. She sat up on the rug, lightly panting as she felt her heart beating faster against her ribcage.
It’s okay, she told herself, closing her eyes.
“Is it though?” she muttered out loud.
She turned her head, hearing sounds coming from Taehyung. Sweat beaded across his forehead as his eyebrows furrowed. His eyes were tightly shut, and she could see his pupils darting under his eyelids.
“No,” he breathed. “No…”
Ara made her way next to him on the sofa. She lay her cool hand on his forehead, and he seemed to relax a bit.
Nightmare, she thought.
She started to rise to her feet when he grabbed her wrist and pulled her back down. She stared at him with shock.
“Stay,” he said softly, his eyes still closed.
She exhaled slowly as her heart beat faster. Her fingers tingled as Taehyung’s grip tightened desperately.
“Stay with me…” he murmured. “Please.”
With a small sigh, she sat down next to him. “You big baby,” she murmured, holding his hand in her lap. She his hand with her thumb, reassuring him. She smiled a bit as he relaxed back into his rest
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