Chapter Eighteen

If there is a farewell party, there is a welcome party.

Jongin, Aeiyoung, Mina and Chanyeol are all at Echo 9 again but this time, it’s a welcome party for the owner of the club, Oh Sehun. Everything feels just like it was more than four months ago, but this time, a whole lot better.

Jongin feels much better, livelier, with his girlfriend by his side, contrary to how dead and dismal he felt then. Mina is rest-assured that her best-friend is okay, the same goes with Sehun. This time, neither of them are strangers to each other meeting for the first time. Now, they actually share something — a relationship they both like to keep for a long, long time. And this time, he’s going to make sure that no one will try to hit on his girl. Not again.

“Do I look okay?” Aeiyoung asks, looking down over the wine red bodycon dress she’s wearing. It covers her chest with an apron neckline cut with skinny straps that cross travelling all the way to the sultry, open back. It hugs her body perfectly shaping her slim but curvy body line. It’s a dress showing adequate amount of skin for clubs. Though, she feels uncomfortable as it is not often when she wears dresses that shows more skin than her usual.

Her boyfriend looks at her, scanning the attire she’s wearing as they enter to the inner part of the club. He keeps her close by having a protective hand around her hips because if he puts it around her waist, he’ll be making bare contact with her skin and he’s unsure whether she’d feel comfortable with that. “You don’t look okay.” He says. The lady widens her eyes and he continues, “You look stunning.” She relaxes. He whispers closer to her ear, “Though, I really need to keep an eye close at you tonight and be the protective man I am.”

Aeiyoung gives her a confused look, “Why?”

“You’re looking too alluring tonight and men are turning their heads to you.” She looks around and notices some men glancing at her with a combination of flirty and awe look in their eyes. But she doesn’t worry over it because she’s got Jongin with her. He won’t let anything happen to her. “Men don’t know you belong to someone now. They should.” He mutters, his protectiveness side radiating.

She giggles at that, receiving a look from him, unimpressed at her amusement. She purses her lips before cupping his chin, bringing it close to her face. “That someone is you, Kim Jongin.” She reminds like he’s forgotten. “Even if they have their eyes on me, my eyes will only be yours.” She lets go and tilts her head. “And I’m hoping you’ll have your eyes only on me too?”

She can almost hear him snort and roll his eyes. But he’s serious when he tells her, “Of course. It’s impossible to have them on someone else’s when I’ve got you.”

She blushes. “Good, because women are looking at you.” He can sense it but he keeps his eyes on her, not wanting to look at anyone but her. “I can bet they would pounce on you if I wasn’t here.”

He shrugs. “They don’t matter.” He pulls her closer and kisses the tip of her nose. “Why would they when I have perfection in my arms?”

“You’re a sweet talker.” She whispers.

“Just for you.”

She giggles and holds his wrist, tugging her towards the direction where everyone are. “Come, they are all waiting.”

Sehun joins Aeiyoung and Jongin at the lounge, drinking their own preferred liquors and cocktails, after he’s finished with welcoming all the guests that are expected to come.

“Hey, lovebirds.” The taller male greets taking the seat next to them, a person distance.

Jongin shoots a dark glare but the other just smirks at it. The lady, on the other hand, smiles and greets her boyfriend’s best-friend. “Hey.” She gestures toward Jongin. “Your best-friend missed you.”

He frowns in strong denial, “I did not.”

He supposes, “Did he talk much about me?”

She hums, “Well, he had to because I kept asking.”

That’s true, Jongin almost got jealous, thinking that she’s too interested about Sehun when later he realised that it’s not about Sehun she wanted to know about. It was more about their friendship and himself. Knowing that, he can’t help but love his girlfriend more as she’s making efforts of genuinely getting to know him more. How lucky is he to have a girlfriend like her?

Before Sehun gets to say anything, he sees the male fishing out his vibrating phone. Aeiyoung turns to her boyfriend and nods, permitting him to take the call. It’s past midnight but she isn’t really surprised that someone, more likely from work, is calling him. It isn’t the first time it happened.

With apologetic eyes, he stands up and walks to quiet area around the club to take the call, leaving Aeiyoung and Sehun alone.

This is the first time they are alone, over the years and times they met prior, so it’s no surprise if there is this awkwardness they feel around but at the same time, it’s good to say that it’s a good kind of awkward silence.

Sehun can see that she is less distant and aloof since the last he saw her. He can assume it must be the relationship with Jongin that caused her to get her more out of her shell. The lady is glowing, refreshed and has a lighter and brighter aura within her naturally reserved self. He’s seen how much the two changed since they met each other. It’s heartwarming. He’s happy for both of them.

“No date tonight?” Aeiyoung initiates the conversation.

He bites his upper lip, pouting the bottom out and shakes his head. “Nah, not tonight.”

She wonders, asking him straight-forwardly, “Do you love someone but just can’t be with her for whatever reason?”

He almost chokes at his own drink. He looks at her with a surprised expression. “What?”

She bobs her shoulders, “I just can’t believe that at twenty seven you still haven’t gone into a serious relationship like Jongin.” The only difference now is that Jongin has his girl while Sehun hasn’t.

He shakes his head. “Maybe, I’m just waiting for my own queen. These things aren’t anything that should be rushed.”

Aeiyoung nods her head. She agrees with him. This is probably the most casual and relaxed conversation they shared since they’ve known each other. “But surely, you’ve gone out to date, right?”

“Of course,” He’s a man who likes to play as his past time but definitely not the type of play where he’s gone to a point of breaking a woman’s heart. As much as possible, he avoids doing so. “But it’s nothing serious. It’s more like flirting and a fling type.” He adds. “I make it clear that they are not the type I’d take seriously. My intentions are clear and if they insist, too bad.”

“But, what about the poor ladies though?”

He chuckles, “No, Aeiyoung. I don’t date, bed or flirt with good girls. I can’t do that to them.”

“You mean…?”

He nods his head. “Yeah, I take girls who are like me: just having fun, enjoying the ride, no strings attached.”

“Wow~” she comments, stunned at his wild life.

Sehun smirks. He admits Aeiyoung is a very attractive woman but she’s too good for him. Hence all the reason why he did not even think of doing anything to approach her. They both belong in different worlds and even if he liked her, he’s sure that they won’t last long. She’s too much of an angel he doesn’t need. He feels proud of agreeing with Mina introducing her to his best-friend. He’s glad he did it. Because now, and even then when he saw how the couple were developing something more than just acquaintances, he knows that she’s an angel — not for him but for Jongin. The look in their eyes confirm so: they are each other’s anchor.

“Is Jongin the same?” She suddenly asks, freezing the male.

“W...What do you mean?”

“I was told I’m the first girlfriend he ever had and he said it’s true. You guys, being friends since young, it won’t be a surprise if you both lived the same or at least similar lifestyle.”

He gulps, “He did… he did have that nightlife.”

She smiles. She can feel that he’s probably thinking that she won’t be pleased if her boyfriend is the same before. If he is, there’s really nothing she can do about it. It’s part of Jongin, he’s done it long before she came into the picture so there’s really no point to fuss over it. She just wants to know her boyfriend more— not just the way she sees him in her eyes, but also from others as well, like Sehun, being his best-friend.

“Sehun, it’s fine. I wouldn’t mind if you admit to me that you and Jongin used to do the same thing.” She says, making the male feel a little more at ease. He doesn’t like it. He doesn’t like hiding secrets especially to people he feels s/he deserves to know. “If you’re worrying I’ll get upset or disappointed about it, don’t. You guys are boys, I guess, it’s normal to have fun. If that’s who Jongin was back then, there’s no fuss.” She props her elbow on the back seat of the leather lounge and tilts her head, resting it over her palm. “Okay, let me rephrase the question for you, Jongin’s done the same?”

He nods his head. He can’t lie. Because he feels like saying the truth answer to her question will save his best-friend more than covering him up. “Bars, sometimes pubs and mostly clubs were our life almost every night.”

“For long?” She continues to ask. She’d ask Jongin, only if he wasn’t avoiding it every time she attempted to.

“Since we hit the legal age.” He answers. “But there were times when we faked IDs, when we were still underage, to get in. Sometimes it would work, sometimes not.”

“If it doesn’t?”

“We go partying at someone’s house, mostly every friday night.” The reaction and expression Aeiyoung is holding is taking Sehun aback. She’s so relaxed about it like she isn’t uncomfortable at all, like she expected it. Maybe because she did, being a smart lass, it’s no surprise if she already had fit pieces together.

Sehun’s answer is just like what she expected and honestly, hearing about it, having those words enter through her ears, she didn’t feel upset nor disappointed at all. At least, not with that fact.

What’s upsetting for her is that Jongin doubts her— that she’d understand. She wishes that he would have more faith in her; if he didn’t like his own past, it’s fine. She wishes that she wouldn’t keep her in the dark so much about his past. Because that’s the thing about the past, it shapes us who we are today so she wants to understand why Jongin is Jongin now. Surely, Aeiyoung would not judge him for it. She even barely judged Sehun who is still doing such lifestyle now. Because she knows too well that we are beyond what we do, that there are stories behind each person and the things they’ve done, doing and will do.

And she believes, that’s the reason why she couldn’t get mad at Yoo when he ed her up. She knows there is something about him that no one knows about. She can’t say she understands because she doesn’t but for her, that thought is enough to free herself from hate. She just hopes her ex-boyfriend would find the one who will help him fix his broken and fragmentary path. At age of nineteen when she realised that everyone has secrets they want to keep from the world and people shouldn’t be judged for what they look before their eyes. There are always content within each outer shells. Even looking at the world today, some people do tend to forget about that.

Sehun feels like it’s his turn to ask questions, “Does Jongin talk a lot about him or his past?”

She shakes her head, sighing. “The only past he shares is if it’s something about his family and from the period when his father married his step-mother and when Jaein became part of their family and middle school stories but that’s it.” She shares. “He doesn’t share much.”

He nods. That is Jongin. “He’s a very very private person. You’ve actually reached far in getting him to open up.”

She raises an eyebrow, getting her cocktail drink within her hand. “Yeah?” Truthfully speaking, she won't be able to confirm and know about what Sehun just revealed about him if she didn't ask. Jongin just won't share.

“Yeah.” Sehun can bet that if he didn’t meet Jongin when they were young, he’d barely know anything about him, being his best-friend. Jongin doesn’t like sharing and he wouldn’t know anything if he did not witness any of it. “But I suppose that's because you're just not anyone to him. You’re very special to him.”

“He doesn’t fail to make me feel that.” She says. It’s true despite the fact that they don't get much time together because their schedules often don't match up, Jongin makes sure that she knows how much she means to him. Making their time together really special, sometimes it just gets her both overwhelmed and off guard. At times there would be impromptu dates and it's those kind that she treasures more instead of planned ones. Because to her, unplanned dates often bring out new and the most natural sides of them. But as to with everything, there’s always another side.

She smiles half affectionately, half fearfully. Telling him in a quiet voice, completely forgetting they’re in a club where loud music is blasting the place, “Too special that sometimes it scares me.”

Because every time he does, she just loves him more, it scares her. It’s something she never felt so intense before and she doesn’t know what to do it. But at some point, she just came at the decision to deal with it. Her mother has always told her that her heart would lead her to good places and that’s where she’s going to let it take her.

Despite the quietness in her voice, Sehun’s ears are as clear. It’s odd, looking at their situation, the ambiance surrounding them is lively and animated but the mood of their conversation has suddenly gone solemn. But he complies to it because he’s getting more of an insight of his best-friend’s girlfriend and their relationship. It’s also paving him a way to help Jongin whenever he’ll need it.

He looks at her carefully, “Why would it?”

“He’s just making me feel loved so much that it scares me if one day, he’ll just stop loving me. That he wouldn’t want to be with me anymore.”

Aeiyoung is surprised with herself. She’s talking about her insecurities, that her boyfriend doesn’t even know, to the person whom she just first conversed with. Is it the alcohol inside her talking? She isn’t sure. Though, at the same time, Sehun is no stranger to her, to her boyfriend or to their relationship. Over the time Jongin and her have been together, with Sehun being overseas, it’s apparent to her who he is to his life. More than a best-friend, this male in front of her is her boyfriend’s brother from another mother.

He smiles and scans around to see if Jongin is anywhere in sight. His best-friend wouldn’t like hearing this about him so when it is clear, he starts, “Knowing Jongin for more than eighteen years, I know how careful he is to the people he wants in his life. When he’s welcomed you in, when he decided to open himself to you, you know you’re very important to him and he’s never going to let you out of his life. That’s how he is.” He takes a drink. “He’s a devoted and staunch man.”

He doesn’t say this solely for the purpose of washing her insecurities away, he says this because it’s the truth and she should know. Wanting to alter the mood because he knows his best-friend will be back soon and he doesn’t want him to catch the blue ambiance — otherwise, it’ll worry and make him anxious, he asks facetiously, “Has Jongin mentioned about getting stuck in the wine cellar in our house?”

Aeiyoung’s eyes widen, intrigued. Jongin? Getting stuck? That is some news. “Wait, seriously?”

Sehun chuckles while nodding his head. “He did. We were around thirteen-fourteen years old then. He stayed over for a night in our house, along with some other friends. We ventured around, because parents weren’t home and I thought they weren’t going to come back until the next day. But to all our surprise, they did. So, we all panicked because we were at the parts of the house we’re not supposed to hang around in and we’re going to get into deep trouble. We all ran for our own lives and Jongin got stuck there overnight. We didn’t get back to him until the next day when our parents left. He was so pissed.”

She laughs. Her boyfriend, her very boyfriend known for being sangfroid, calm, and self-composed has actually a naughty, wicked and roguish side of him, well back when he was just a young teenager. The image she has of him with that side in her mind amuses her. She can’t wait to talk to him about it. Her eyes are shining when she asks, “Is there any more stories like this of him?” She’s so keen to hear more.

“There’s more…” He reveals.

“Tell me.” She grins excitedly.

Seeing the eagerness from her, he begins. “We went to hike and camp. Has Jongin mentioned how much he likes outdoor activities?” He asks before continuing on with his story. He earns a nod.

“He told me the first time we met.”

“Okay, well, went hiking and camped over night. And for our food, we went with barbecuing stuff and we trusted him to do the wrong one. He almost set the whole mountain on fire. It was horrifying.” He shivers at the memory. “A tip for you, don’t trust Jongin with cooking. Just don’t. Man can do anything but cooking.”

She laughs, “Thank you for the tip or if I must say, the warning.”

He chuckles, “You’re welcome.” The focus of his eyes shifts on the figure behind her approaching amidst of all the people around, “I’d love to talk more but the devil’s back.” He informs.

Aeiyoung grins as she turns her head back to see her man walking back towards them. Along with the excited and bright look she’s wearing, she wonders what the phone call is about because it took him quite a time. She wonders if everything okay but more than that, she is more excited to tell Jongin about Sehun’s little revelations about him.

When he’s over, he leans over to kiss his girlfriend on the cheek before sitting down behind her, arms around her waist. Only when his bottom met the leather lounge, he notices his girlfriend looking happy, she’s laughing and he begins to wonder what about. But when he glances to Sehun who had a mischievous smile on his face, he starts to feel the curiosity turns anxiousness. He feels like he has an idea why.

He looks at his girl, who is looking at her with her upper body twisted and asks. “Why are you laughing?” She shrugs her shoulder and eyes back on Sehun, cracking into a chuckle. He raises an eyebrow, suspicious, “Are you guys laughing about me?” She does what she did earlier, bobbing her shoulders again with a big grin, making him breathe deeply.

“Okay, yes.” She admits. “We were talking about you.” He squints his eyes at her. “How’s the memory of getting stuck in the wine cellar in Sehun’s family’s house?”

Jongin shots a glare to the male, who has a playful smirk on his lips. “You did not…”

He clucks his tongue and shrugs. “I just did.”

“Why, what’s so wrong about getting stuck in a room full of bottle of wines?” She teases.

“Aeiyoung.” He calls, unconscious he’s giving his girl a pout.

“Oh and there’s burning an entire mountain too.” She adds.

Jongin exhales heavily, giving his best-friend a really look, brow raised and just done. Making a mental note not to leave his girlfriend with him ever again. “I can’t believe you.” He mutters.

The lady giggles. It’s amusing for her. But instead of receiving the same look he’s giving the male, he looks back at her with affection. He’s suppose to look annoyed but his gaze alters to a helpless but affectionate look. Jongin wonders how can he get mad when his girlfriend is looking too happy. Her eyes are shining, too.

With the look in their eyes the couple in front of him are sharing, Sehun can’t watch any longer so he stands up to leave them alone. He bobs his head towards the lady while he pats Jongin’s shoulder before telling them he’s going.

Aeiyoung returns the gesture while the male pushes him away like a brat. He’s still mad at him for doing that behind his back. She giggles. “You’re adorable, Jongin.”

“Sehun just completely ruined my image, didn’t he?”

She hums, “Not to me.”

“That bastard.” He grunts.

Aeiyoung cups his chin. “You know you love him.”

He tries to calm down and shake things off. He moves his head side to side gently before leaning in to kiss the tip of her nose. He whispers, feeling his breath against her skin. “I love you more.”

“I, you.” Before he can react or say anything, she expresses, “I love you too, Kim Jongin.”

This is isn’t the first time they uttered the three words of affection. In fact, they don’t even remember when they first said it. They just did and found themselves doing so. But every time they hear it from the other, it feels like it is always the first time— like they are at their peak of happiness, feeling the most warmth and love their heart can feel.

However, their moment breaks when they notice Mina standing in front of their area with raised eyebrows, her hands crossed over her chest. “As much as you both would like to stay here and be all lovely, you guys need to get off here and actually do clubbing.”

They move their faces from each other and the lady hugs his man around his waist while the latter claims her around her shoulders, pressing her over his chest, his chin over the top of her head.

“Please?” The best-friend reasons, “Get on the dance floor and dance.”

Jongin looks down to his girlfriend, figuring what she wants to do. The same time she lifts her head up, meeting his eyes. “I’ll go if you do.” She whispers.

“Do you want to?”

“Only if you’re with me.”

He smiles warmly, “Then, let’s go.” His hand searches for hers before standing up to assist her as well.

“Yay!” Mina cheers and runs off to the dance floor. “Come, come!”

A week and two days has passed since the welcome party, Aeiyoung is over at Jongin’s place to finally have him watch her cook like how the male has been wanting for awhile now. It’s funny because this isn’t the first time she’s cooked for him or them but this is actually the first he’ll get to watch. He’s not asleep or out just wake up and come when it’s all ready.

This is also the first time since they parted the morning after the party. They’ve been really busy with their own jobs and can barely get the long time together and now the opportunity is here, they both grabbed it.

“I love shopping with you.” Jongin expresses, placing the bags of ingredients they shopped half an hour ago.

“That’s because it’s your first time to actually shop for the food you eat.” She says, remembering how surprised she was to know that the man never went shopping before. She looks around not notices the housekeeper’s absence. “Is Mikyeong not here?”

“No.” He takes a seat on the high bar kitchen stool behind the counter. “I got her to take the time off today.”

“Oh, okay.” She smiles, getting the carrots, green and red capsicums out of the shopping bag. “Ready?” Well, it’s more of a question to herself than to him. Jongin will be watching her and it’s making her nervous.

“Ready. Just get me if I can help with anything.”

Aeiyoung is thankful for the offer but, “I don’t want you burn your own place.”

His face falls, reminded of the memory Sehun told her once again. “Fine, then I’ll just watch my girl cook for me.”

“That…” She smiles, “I think would be better.”

Passing past the thirty minute point into her cooking, Jongin is having the time of his life. He’s just sitting there, hasn’t moved at all but he doesn’t even feel a tad bored. Aeiyoung looks so adorable, beautiful and so mature whenever she’s doing her own thing. It’s y. Man, he can watch her like that for days, he won’t even complain.

“Ah!” She yelps when she burns her poor forefinger. Quickly, she bites and into it, suppressing the heat she’s feeling. She continues stirring with her other hand and blows on the injured finger at the same time. She doesn’t panic nor groan into pain because this happened so many times before she’s used to it.

Then her eyes widen in surprise when she feels a hand around her wrist. Jongin is looking at her finger, blowing his warm breath onto it, worried more than he should be. She feels her heart thump a little too hard inside her ribs. Does Kim Jongin even know the effect he has on her?

“Hey, I’m fine.” She says, the same time trying to calm her heart. “I just reacted with the shock.” When she sees his a little worried eyes, she whispers, “It won’t kill me.”

He doesn’t say anything and just kisses the minor burn on her finger. Her hard thumping heart races. She worries that it might beating too hard and too fast that he hear it but what he does next just send chills down her spine.

Jongin is hugging her from behind, resting his chin over her shoulder. “It looks delicious, I’m hungry.”

“Not yet.” She titters. “A little bit more.” He doesn’t mind. He’s happy and comfortable with his position now. He stays like that, not even thinking that she can barely move. She looks at him, “I have to move.”

“Can’t we stay like this?”

She hums, “No. Go back to your seat.”

He shakes his head stubbornly, resting his head on her shoulder. She giggles. He gawks at her, putting strands of her hair on the other side and notices a deep scar of a cut under her ear. He hasn’t seen that before. He frowns at the sight, caressing his thumb over it, Aeiyoung freezes. “What happened here?”

It takes her a moment to answer in a quiet voice. “From an accident when I was young.”

“How come I haven’t seen it before?”

She looks at him. “I always cover it with a cream.” Today, however, it must be when she washed her face at work to freshen herself up (as she’s had a long day and she didn’t want to look haggard to him) when she forgot all about covering it— since she always does after she takes a shower. She can’t believe it slept out of her mind. He still looking at it when she asks, “It’s ugly, isn’t it?”

He flickers her gaze to hers, he knows she feels insecure but it’s not for that reason when he tells her, “No, it isn’t.” When she doesn’t seem convinced he utters, “It’s part of you, how can I find it ugly?” Then he asks, “Is that why you flawlessly covered it because you find it ugly?” She doesn’t move an inch but looking at her orbs, he gets more than an answer. Out of Aeiyoung’s expectations, he leans in, kissing it tenderly. “You don’t have to cover them when I’m with you. If they’re part of you, I’ll love them.” He says so softly, looking back at her, she can feel warmth embracing her.

Seeing her smile albeit small, he snuggles his head on her shoulders, closing his eyes as he hugs her tighter.

Another part of her is revealed to him, yet he embraces it in a way she never imagined. She always wanted her visible scars to disappear but how can she want that now when her boyfriend have accepted it so willingly without even the need of so much explanation like how it happened.

The tranquil silence breaks when their ears perk up at the sound of a phone ringing. She (barely) turns her body and sees that it’s Jongin’s phone ringing. The male has his eyes closed, seemingly not hearing his phone ring. She places a hand over the side of his face and tells him, “Your phone is ringing.”

It’s only then he lifts his head up, looking unimpressed towards his phone.

She pats his arms that are wrapped around her middle. “Take it. It might be important.”

“I don’t want to.” It’s been long since they last saw each other because of work and now, their time together alone is being interrupted again. He really doesn’t want anything in their way now. He feels dissatisfied.

Aeiyoung knows what he’s thinking. She frees herself from his embrace. “Jongin, take it. It’s fine.”

He sighs defeatedly. “I’m sorry.”

“I’m still cooking anyway.” She reasons, getting him to be assured that it’s really fine with her.

Pressing his lips into a thin line, he squeezes her hand before leaving a peck on her the side of her lips. Reluctantly, he apathetically walks around to get his phone and answer it. Jongin thinks to himself: whatever this phone call is, it better be worth it.

Aeiyoung watches him take the phone call and slowly, he walks off and she can barely hear anything. She assumes that it must be something confidential about his company. With such thought, she turns her attention back to her cooking. She tastes it and when she’s satisfied with the flavour, she turns the stove off and sets the table.

By the time she finishes, he gets back with an unpleasant expression in his face. His eyes are somewhat cold, dark, displeased and annoyed. With concern, she wonders, “Is everything alright?”

He ignores the question and scans the table before turning to her with a tight smile. “Shall we eat?”

With that, Aeiyoung knows it might not be the right time to ask him about it. She gets along, settling a good mood for their long-awaited date. “Yup. I know you’re starving.”

After that dinner, Jongin persuades his girl to stay over the night which isn’t much of a fuss because Mina won’t be at her home anyway as she’s also staying over Chanyeol’s place to watch a soccer match with his group of friends.

Aeiyoung is walking around his place, both of her hands on her elbows. What’s she’s seeing so far is beyond of what she imagined of Jongin when they first met. Nearly half of a year into the relationship, it still astounds her that her man is so loving, affectionate and really values the people whom he loves. She doubts she’ll ever get used to it because Jongin is so different from who he appears to be as a CEO, as Kim Jongin from just being simply Jongin.

Photos of him with his family, parents, Sera and Jaein, and with his friends (with some of which are familiar by face and some she hasn’t seen before), displaying many of his serene, heartwarming and fun memories from the past. She remembers the stories Sehun told her about them, and it’s just a few of the possible many. Jongin lived a very lively and animated life. In contrast to hers, through these pictures, Aeiyoung can tell that he’s really lived his life just like how anyone should unreservedly be able to do so. She envies him.

As she walks further in, she discovers another family lounge room but unlike the great one, this one her feet are currently stepping in, is more intimate, simple and cozy. She gets the impression that only special people can be here because it is revealing more of the warm side Jongin has within.

She turns her head and notices a wall full of pictures, randomly stuck in the wall but not looking tacky at all. It’s like it’s done that way to look aesthetically pleasing. Though, she notices some spaces on the wall like photos were removed from there. She wonders if it's on purpose or if there were really images that were taken down and kept. She chooses the first reason because although it looks rather out-of-place, the photos around are just blooming. Standing before it, she curves her lips into a smile looking at the images one by one. There just seems to know so much more about her boyfriend, so many things she doesn’t know. She is too deep in her thoughts, the same time appreciating each photo, that she doesn’t even notice Jongin entering, walking towards her.

She gasps when she feels a pair of arms wrapping around her waist but relaxes when his scent reaches her nose. It’s the fragrance she loves and the touch, the presence that always made her feel safe and protected. He must’ve finished refreshing up.

He snuggles his chin on the crook of her neck, hugging her reverently. “What are you doing?”

She hums and looks widely at the wall, “Just looking at these heartwarming photos… You really love your family and good friends, huh?”

He hugs her tighter, inhaling the sweet scent of her hair, “And you’re part of that.” He looks at her with the best view he can see in that position. He doesn’t miss that hint of sadness in her eyes despite her beautiful smile. “Why?”

She shakes her head as she presses her lips into a thin line, blinking her eyes slowly.

“Tell me,” He urges tenderly, not demanding.

“Just, you know, when I get married, and have kids, I’m just wondering what kind memories of mine would I share to them?”

He turns her so he can see her properly, “What do you mean?”

She bobs her shoulders, eyes in regret. “I just…” She sighs, “I’m envious. I regret living my life the way I did.” She pauses, “I did not live my life in a fun, adventurous, and buoyant way. I don’t have a lot of memories to share to them when that time comes. Like what do I tell them? That all my life all I did was study, be at home, if not school or library and then when I graduated, all I did was work and work.” She looks at him, “I don’t want them to live the same life I did. It’s lonely, it’s boring. It’s just… dull.”

Jongin smiles, but far from a mocking one. He understands what she’s trying to say and what she’s feeling about it. He doesn’t say anything at first as an answer, but instead, he pulls her to him, filling her up again with love through his embrace. He lets it stay like that for a moment and then speaks up, “We have our time together to fill what you feel like you missed all this time. Because, I am here with you now, we will make good and happy memories together that you will bring for the rest of your life.” He corrects the last two words, “Our lives.”

She looks at him affectionately, putting one hand on his jaw, her thumb over, rubbing it so softly. “Your wife will be so lucky to have you. Do you know that?”

A knit forms between his brows, gaze showing hurt with his lower lip jutting out as he makes a soft pout. “What do you mean ‘your wife’?” He questions. “That’s no one but you.”

She feels guilty but reasons, “What if something happens in the future and we won’t be married to each other?”

He shakes his head. “No, no. None of that is going to happen. I’ll only be married to you and you’ll only be married to me. We’ll only be married to each other.”

Aeiyoung chuckles but she knows how serious he is with the words he just said. She felt it. “Okay…”

“It’s forever I’m holding onto now, baby.” He tells her.

“And I’ll hold it with you.” She says, leaning in to kiss the corner of his lips. “I love you.” She mumbles against his skin.

“I love you too.” He returns and catches the side of her lips, smiling to it after.

Aeiyoung wants to linger at the moment but she’s got to do something. “It’s my turn to freshen up now, since you’re done.”

He groans, and it makes the lady giggle. “Okay, I’ll be in the study. Come to me when you’re done?”

“Okay.” She nods and heads out to clean herself up.

Aeiyoung is inside Jongin’s bedroom, gathering everything she needs before going into the shower. She takes her time in the usual pace she does as she knows her boyfriend would be busy with his work. When she’s done, she dries her hair with a hair-dryer in the vanity inside the bathroom and does her usual and typical skincare routine. Middle into it, she realises she forgot her face towel and looks around to borrow one from him— which is easy to find. She finishes off and packs everything she used. She’s about to head out to go to him when she sees a drawer from his bedside table slightly open. She walks around, about to close it when she sees an intriguing and strange photograph inside—

—an ultrasound photo of a baby.

AUTHOR's NOTE:

I've been so sick, I'm sorry but I think the updates won't be as often. I really need a rest. And hopefully, when I take a break, I won't lose my touch with this fanfic. Because I feel like I already have and it's going down hill. That's why, I am really planning out how events would go from here. Haha, because if I don't like how things will turn out, trust me I'll take it down like what I did with one of my fanfics I published here previously. But that's like the worst case scenario.

Also, a reader requested for a first kiss scene, that will happen in the next chapter. I promise.