Taera’s POV

                “What the hell is wrong with you guys? Are you guys up for another baby?” screamed Hongki oppa in frustration as Jonghoon planted the umpteenth kiss on my face. I felt my face reddened at his question and resorted to pushed Jonghoon further away from me in attempt to stop him from smooching me any longer.

                “You’re just jealous,” said Jonghoon monotonously to Hongki oppa as he pulled me back near to him and pecked my temples yet again. Hongki oppa rolled his eyes to Jonghoon’s statement while the other two maknaes snickered. To be honest, I myself was feeling a little uncomfortable with all those lovey-dovey gestures made by Jonghoon in front of them. I wouldn’t mind it if it was only two of us, but public display of affection makes me uncomfortable. But there’s nothing I could do now – he might sulked again.

                “But seriously, hyung, why are you guys acting like a newlywed couple? You’re giving us goose bumps just by watching you,” said Minhwan as Seunghyun who was sitting next to him made kissy face, trying to prove Minhwan’s point. I silenced myself the whole time, not wanting to give my say. It’s all Jonghoon’s doings – I’ll let him handle this.

                “That is because I love her. We love each other. You guys are not yet married – you don’t know how it feels. Right, baby?” muttered Jonghoon to my direction before nuzzled his face at the crook of my neck. I saw Jaejin made a throw up face while the others rolled their eyes at his answer. I huffed my flushed cheeks, not knowing how to react.

               “As if you guys didn’t love each other enough all this while.” I turned to Jaejin as he said it, my eyes squinting at him. But Minhwan’s voice interrupted my rebuttal to Jaejin’s statement.

                 “Hey, look; it’s time! Hurry up before we missed it!” said Minhwan as Seunghyun quickly dashed to the fridge, taking out a cake and put it on top of the coffee table in front of us. Minhwan placed the candles nicely on top of it before realizing he doesn’t have anything to light them up.

                “Hyung, lighter,” said Seunghyun to Hongki oppa, his hand held out. Hongki oppa tossed it to him and fixed his gaze somewhere else as I glared him.

                “Oppa, you’re still smoking?” I asked Hongki oppa, almost full of detest. He turned to me, looking bored.

                “Taera, are you seriously gonna talk about it now?” he said nonchalantly. I gaped at him in disbelief.

                “Oppa, you…”

                “Taera,” my words were stopped by Jonghoon’s hush. He my arms lovingly, as if telling me to contain myself – it’s my birthday celebration after all. I took a deep breath, my eyes closed as I tried to calm myself. I felt a squeeze on my arm to which I was sure made by Jonghoon, trying to help me to ease myself. I opened my eyes back only to meet Jonghoon’s hopeful eyes. I nodded a little to him, ensuring him I was already okay. He drew a small smile to me – a grateful one, I supposed.

                “Consider yourself lucky today because I ain’t letting this matter go another time.” Hongki oppa chortled hearing my words. He bended himself forward a bit and raised his hand to ruffle my hair. However, Jonghoon’s hand was faster as I saw him slapped Hongki oppa’s hand away.

                “Don’t touch her hair. It took her forever to get this done.” I widened my eyes at his statement – what took me forever? I saw Hongki oppa stared at Jonghoon in utter disbelief – I mean, who wouldn’t? My hair was just let down; no curls, no hair sprays. Just plainly let down. And whose hand was it lingering on my head, them during the whole time?

                “Taera, ppalli!” called Jaejin out. I turned to the cake in front of me, a smile formed on my lips as I counted the numbers of candles put. ‘Another year has been added to my life,’ I thought. I was staring at the cake long enough until I heard a murmur beside me.

                “Make a wish, baby.” I nodded once before I closed my eyes, hands clasped together – making a wish upon the candle. And when I was done, I opened my eyes back, blew the candle out until all of them are put off. I heard the boys clapped their hands gleefully before shoving me with their presents and get ready for Jaejin’s cake.

                Yep. My birthday was a day before Jaejin’s. We usually celebrate my birthday half an hour before midnight and straight away celebrates Jaejin’s after the clock’s hands declare the coming of the new day. It’s more efficient that way since two separate birthday parties in a row is more time-consuming. And money-consuming, too. I watched as the boys prepared Jaejin’s cake – or should I say our cake? Since the boys practically just added another one candle on the cake before lighting them all up. I smiled as I watched them in amusement. I turned to my right when I felt a nudge.

                “Hey, what did you wish for?” Instead of answering, I stuck my tongue out and scrunched my nose at him.

*****

                “So you guys are okay now?” asked Jaejin as he wore his shoes, already getting ready to go back. The rest of the members have already departed before him as he had to use the toilet before. I smiled to his question, my gaze softening.

                “I’m sorry that I didn’t tell you.” I blurted instead of answering his question. I doubted he still needed the answer after all that he had witnessed tonight. He looked up from his shoes and smiled softly to me. It’s at these kinds of situations I felt like he’s actually my older brother – since he has always acted like a younger one.

                “It’s okay. I understand – you just don’t want to make things awkward between all of us,” he crinkled his nose and patted my head like a brother always did to his sister. His words comforted me yet made me guilty at the same time. I was happy he read my intention well. But deep inside, I know he felt not trusted and unimportant to me.

                “I love you, Jin. I really do.” I put my hands in his, channelling all my love for him. I know I’ve never really showed all the care I have bottled up for him – it’s just not me to exhibit my feelings excessively to other people. That’s just me. Even if I don’t show, deep inside, I do care.

                “It’s okay, Tael. Don’t feel bad.” He ruffled my hair and stopped almost immediately after he changed the direction of his gaze to something behind me. Curiosity got the best out of me as I turned around, to meet with Jonghoon’s bitter face. I felt a frown formed on my forehead, trying to find the reason of his bitterness. I sent him a questioning glance but he turned away, leaving me alone with Jaejin there.

                “I better get going first. Good night.” I turned my attention back to Jaejin, sending him a soft smile.

                “Take care and drive carefully, okay?” I said as I enveloped him in a big hug, receiving a peck on the forehe – BAM! My eyes widened in surprise as I turned to the direction of the sound. It was from upstairs. My mind was clouded with confusion – what the hell just happened?

                “Seems like somebody was peeping on us,” uttered Jaejin in between his laugh. I stared at him in bewilderment before I joined him laughing, realising what has just happened. ‘Jonghoon, you can’t be jealous of Jaejin too, now?’ I thought, tears coming out from my eyes due to the excessive laughing. My honey just doesn’t make sense sometimes.

****

                “Hoonie Oppa, are you asleep?” I whispered to him as I crept under the covers. I peeked to see his face – his eyes were closed but, nope, he’s not yet asleep. His eyes were twitching as if they were forced closed. I pretended to play dumb and go on with his little game. I poked his cheeks and gotten myself a stomach ache from containing my laughter to see how he fisted his hand, controlling himself not to grab my hand to stop me. He has the tendency to do so whenever I poke him at any part of his body.

                “Ayy, too bad you’ve slept. I was just about to tell you my wish,” I muttered out quite loudly, purposely trying to lure him.  And my plan was a success when I saw him squirmed, fluttering his eyes open slowly – as if he really was awakened by my voice. I fought the urge to roll my eyes at his acting.

                “You were so noisy,” he slurred as he turned to face me. I feigned surprise and fixed the covers above him.

                “I’m sorry, oppa. Just go back to sleep, okay? I’m about to go to sleep too.” I tucked him neatly before lied down next to him. I had just closed my eyes when I heard his voice.

                “I can’t sleep anymore.” I can already imagine him pouting, judging from his voice now. I bit my lips to prevent myself from bursting out into laughter. ‘Really, Jonghoon? Are you that easy?’ spoke my mind to me as I opened my eyes back, facing him. I his dishevelled hair.

                “Huh? Just try to close your eyes one more time, okay?” Yep, I’m playing hard to get now.

                “I can’t. Don’t go to sleep first; accompany me, okay?” he whined cutely. I chuckled lightly at his act and pinched his cheeks lightly. He rarely uses his aegyo, but when he does; it’s super effective. Well, at least to me.

                “Okay, okay. I won’t sleep until you do. So, what do you want to do? Count sheep?” He immediately looked at me, looking so hopeful I can almost see his eyes twinkling.

                “Talk.” I raised an eyebrow in pretence. I knew completely what kind of talk we’re about to have.

                “About what?”

                “Uhm, how about the wishes you made?” So, he is an easy man.

                “Jonghoon, are you seriously that easy? You pretended to sleep after making a fuss of Jaejin pecking my FOREHEAD when there’s absolutely NO reason at all for you to be jealous – and now you’re asking about my wish after being lured ONCE. Really, now?” I widened my eyes in disbelief. I saw him pouting, looking hurt.

                “You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want.” Sigh. He can be so childish if he wants.

                “Hey, look here. I didn’t mean to snap at you – at all, by any means. But, really, why on Earth were you getting jealous of Jaejin? He’s my brother, for God’s sake,” I spoke softly.

                “He’s not even your real brother.”

                “But –”

                “And you said ‘I love you’ to him more than you do to me.” I almost laughed hearing his argument.

                “Perhaps, the y guitarist Jonghoon is feeling insecure? Huh?” I mocked, resulting him to turn his back to me. But I managed to stop him before he completely does.

               “You’re right, I didn’t say ‘I love you’ to you as much as I do to him, but that doesn’t mean that I love you any lesser. I love him, yes; but only brotherly love. Get me, ‘Your love, My love Choi Jonghoon’? Hum?” I poked his nose tip.

                “Not convincing enough,” he answered. My eyes widened.

                “What do you want me to do then?” He smiled cheekily before pulling me into his arms.

                “Say ‘I love you’ to me at least five times a day – today onwards. Promise?” he held out his pinkie in front of me, I stared at his finger dumbfounded. Has he always been this childish?      

                “Ppalli!” he urged as he shoved his little finger further in front. I blinked my eyes as if it could erase my confusion before slipped my pinkie into his. The big grin appeared on his face immediately sent me giggling.

                “Are you that happy?” He nodded his head enthusiastically.

                “Ne! Now, hurry tell me your wishes.” His arms tautened around me, making me feel safe. I snuggled a little closer to him, trying to find the most comfortable way to lie.

                “Do you want to know all or only a few things?”

                “The ones involving us,” he murmured as he my arm once in a while. I gave it a thought first before blurting it out.

                “Uhm~ well, of course, I wished for us to be forever happy. Well, it would be a fairy tale if no more fights or misunderstanding happened between us in the future – those are common things in marriage. But I hope that we can build a stronger foundation of trust between each other, a stronger base for this relationship to stand. Strong enough to face all the other things in this world.” I felt him pulled me closer to his chest, as if telling me that everything’s going to be alright.

                “I-I hope what had happened to us before won’t ever happen again. And even if it will, I hope at that time, we’re strong enough to let it pass. I love this relationship so much – I love us. I –” Jonghoon hushed me when he felt I’ve talked too much.

                “I won’t let it happen again, baby. We won’t. We will do our best to protect this marriage, this family that we built. We will and we can.” I nodded at his words, holding onto it as if it was some kind of amulet that gives me strength. Silence wrapped us as both of us were immersed in our own feelings. I almost dozed off when Jonghoon’s voice stopped me from doing so.

                “Is that all? Your wishes?”

                “Ah – there’s another one.” I felt my cheeks heated up.

                “And that is…” trailed Jonghoon, eyes squinting at me. My cheeks felt hotter by each second passed.

                “I…I wished for our third child.”

THE END

A/N:

And that's the end of this story /cries/

Now, could you please let me do my speech of gratitude here? Thank you very much.

First of all, thank you very much to all of you who reads this story. It meant a lot to me, considering this is my second attempt in writing a fanfic and the first one was pretty much a failure. You guys have no idea how much I appreciate you all. And I didn't even expect to have more than 30 subscribers. I mean, FT Island is pretty underrated here and to be honest, I'll be very happy even if I get 10 subscribers for this fic. 

And of course, thank you for sticking up with this fic for 498 days (497 in some countries) starting 27th Oct 2011 until today 8th March 2013 (or 7th March in some countries). To be waiting for updates in such a long period - I would've given up reading this fic if I were you and Goddess already have countless number of fanfics in that period of time. But you guys NEVER stopped encouraging me with your comments and all, I just can't- /cries again/

Thank you, guys, thank you. That's all I could say.

My biggest thanks to you;

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