~Chapter 13~

2 more weeks later

Narrator's POV:

"Jihun-aaah!! Please please please! We leave for Japan in 2 days and I have nothing to wear! I have to go get my stuff!" Aera fell on her bed and put her phone on speaker.

"What do you mean? Your closet is full." The boy responded from the other side of the line.

She let out a deep sigh.

"I can't go to such an important event in your hoodie and sweatpants! I've already wore some of those when I went to training and everyone was giving me strange looks."

"But I like you in my clothes."

She pictured his smirk in her mind and blushed.

"Jihun I'm serious.."

"Ok ok, listen I have to go back to practicing and I'll call you later ok? Bye!"

Before she could protest he hung up.

"Oh so this is how it's going to be? Alright, I'm gonna go by myself then! I'm a grown independent woman, I can handle this on my own!" She quickly changed her clothes and grabbed her bag.

"Okay, it's 1 in the afternoon which means I have about 4 hours before the boys come back." She put on a face mask and looked at herself in the mirror.

"I can do this!"

2 hours later

JIHUN'S POV:

"Hyung!" I run towards Hosung

"Yeah, whats up?"

"Do you think we can end practice a bit earlier today?"

"But we still have two more hours left.."

"Well yeah, I know, but Aera really wants to go to her old place so she can take back her stuff, and I wanna go with her."

"I don't know, it's a bit early to leave..."

"Come on, pretty please!" I do my best puppy eyes to which I know he can't resist and he sighs.

"Alright, since everyone did a great job today I guess we can go home earlier." He gives in with a smile and I turn around to tell the others as well.

"Oh thank God, my bones couldn't take much more!" Seokju hyung complains with his hands holding his back.

"Tch, it's cause you're old" Junghoon mumbles and I try to hold back my laugh.

"Yah! You ungrateful brat! I fed you and raised you and this is how you thank me?"

"Ah, here we go again.." Yoongjae whispers in my ear and I chuckle.

20 minutes later the van pulls over in the front of our house and we all get out.

"Guys, you go ahead, I have to make a phone call" Junghoon tells us, I guess he's gonna call his girlfriend or something.

I quickly unlock the door eager to see the face I've been missing all day, actually.. I've been missing her every day since we started practicing. I really wish I could spend more time with her, I know she's feeling lonely in this mansion all by herself. That's the reason I wanted to surprise her and come home earlier, go get her things back and maybe going out a bit after that, just the two of us. I smile like an idiot at my own thoughts before calling her name, but she doesn't answer.

"Aera? Where are you?" Nothing.

"Maybe she's in the shower" Taeyong says.

I climb up the stairs and knock on her bedroom door, but there's no sound coming from inside. I slowly open it to find the room empty so I go towards her bathroom and knock again.

"Aera? Are you inside?... I'm coming in." The bathroom is empty as well. I run to my room thinking she might be there, but there's no sign of her. I go downstairs again and check the backyard, but she's not there either and I slowly start panicking. I go to the living room to find everyone except Junghoon sitting on the couch watching TV.

"Have you found her?" Yoongjae asks me

"No, I can't find her anywhere." I sigh.

"Maybe she went to the store or something, why don't you call her?"

I pull out my phone and dial her number only to hear a buzzing from the kitchen counter. I go and check it and find her phone on the marble. Shit.

"Guys, her phone is here."

"Maybe she forgot it or something..." Namgi tries to reassure me.

"No, she never forgets her phone, and she always texts me when she goes out. Something must be wrong." I run my hands through my hair. "I'm gonna go look for her" I grab my car keys and head to the front door.

"Wait Jihun, maybe you should wait."

"No, I'm not waiting Tae.. what if something happens to her?"

"What could possibly happen? I think you're a bit overprotective Jihun, I'm sure she's fine." Seokju stops me.

"No, hyung, you don't understand, what if she went back to her old apartment? What if her ex was there and he took her? What if he hurt her?"

"Guys, maybe he's right.. she never went anywhere without telling us first."

"See? Yoongjae hyung knows what I'm saying." I go to put on my shoes but to my relief the front door opens.

"J-Jihun? what are you doing home?"

I don't wait for another second and crash her little body in my arms feeling relieved.

"What's happening? why are you shaking?" Her voice came out muffled since her face is squashed on my chest.

"Where have you been? I was so worried that I couldn't find you!" I release her from my arms to let her come inside the living room.

"I'm sorry, I forgot my phone here.. but I thought you wouldn't be home until later..."

"I came earlier to surprise you, but... why do you have a suitcase?"

"I uuhh.. well, you didn't want to come with me s-so I just.."

"Please don't tell me you went there by yourself.." She doesn't say anything but lowers her head giving me the answer and I let out a nervous chuckle. "Are you for real Aera?"

"Jacob wasn't there so it was f-fine-"

'Fine?! FINE?! Do you have any idea how dangerous it was? What if you stumbled upon him?" I raise my voice without wanting to.

"Jihun please don't be mad.. " Her voice was barely audible.

"Ofcourse I'm mad! I'm mad at you for not listening to me and putting yourself in danger! Do you even care about what could've happened if I wasn't there to protect you? I could never ever forgive myself if something bad happened to you! I can barely live with myself because I can't do anything about his damn texts, much less abo-" I stop as soon as I realise what I just said..

"Texts? what texts?"

"I-.. uh, I..."

"Jihun what texts?"

I sigh but explain, not wanting to lie to her.

"About a week or so after you started to live here he began to send me all sorts of text messages.. I have no idea how he got my number-"

"What did he write?"

"It's just.. He... he sort of.. threatens me, about the fact that he will take you away, or that he will... do things.. to you, or me. That he will ruin my life and my fame and bullshit like that.. I tried to block him but I can't since the number is unknown."

She looks at me with disbelief and I can see the dissappoinment in her eyes.

"Why haven't you told me about this?"

"I just didn't want to worry you.." I reach for her hand but she pulls it away.

"Aera..."

"No! Don't touch me! You basically lied to me Jihun! I trusted you!"

"I didn't lie, I just.. never mentioned it."

She scoffs.

"As if there is a difference!"

"I'm sorry, if you would just-" I lift my hand to push my hair back but she flinches. Shit... What did I do...?

"I'm going to my room..." She heads to the stairs.

"No, wait! Aera!"

"Jihun-ah! That's enough!" Yoongjae's loud voice vibrates through the room. I forgot that they were even here.

"But I-"

"No, let her go.."

She stops at the middle of the staircase and turns towards the boys.

"Tae, you should go check on Junghoon, he was crying outside when I came home..." A tear fell down her cheek and I felt like my heart broke.

30 minutes later

NARRATOR'S POV:

The boy softly knocked on her door and she let him in.

"Hi.. how are you feeling?" Hosung worriedly asked her

"I'm ok.. I think. How is Junghoon? Is everything alright?"

He smiled at her selflessness.

"Not really, his girlfriend broke up with him on the phone..."

"Oh God, that's horrible."

"I'll live.." The youngest smiled from the doorway.

"The boys told me what happened with Jihun, I'm sorry he did that."

"Yeah, he never meant to hurt you.. much less to harm you in a.. phisical way." Hosung continued.

"Ah, so you saw that.."

"We all did." Yoongjae said, they were all in her room now except Jihun.

"I hope you're not afraid of him... he would never lay a hand on you.. in that way.." Taeyong spoke awkwardly.

"I know, I'm really not.. it was just.. more of a reflex I guess." She said calmly, but all of the boys hearts broke at her words.

"He really cares for you Aera, although I don't approve of what he did, I mean.. he didn't even tell us, and he tells us everything. But he just wanted you to be happy, and not have to worry about anything anymore." Seokju said.

"Yeah, and about what he said of you going to your old apartment, he was somehow right. I hate to admit it, but I would probably react the same way if the girl I had feeli- OUCH!" Namgi stopped when Seokju's hand slapped him on the back of his neck.

"ANYWAY HAHA.. what should we eat for dinner?" The oldest raised his voice and glared at the leader.

"No wait, what were you going to say?" Aera asked confused.

"What? Oh, it's nothing... I didn't want to say anything."

"Guys? Please don't hide anything from me anymore..."

"Gosh hyung, why do you have to spoil everything?" Junghoon facepalmed himself.

"It's nothing to be worried about I promise.. Jihun will tell you when he's ready."

A knock on the door startled eveveryone. Jihun's head shyly peeked from the side.

"Uhm.. can I have a moment alone with Aera please?"

The others loked at her for the approval and she nodded. They all exited the room and Jihun closed the door behind him. Both of them sat awkwardly on the bed.

"I'm sorry... for everything." He looked in her eyes with sadness and she noticed they were red and puffy.

"Jihun.. oh my God did you cry?"

"N-No.. I just.. well, maybe... Yeah I did. I just feel like an asshole, I shouldn't have yelled at you and tell you those things. And I shouldn't have hidden those messages and keep you in the dark."

"So why did you?"

"I.. just wanted you to not be worried, I wanted you to be careless and happy. I still want that." He ran his hands through his hair nervously.

"Why Jihun? Why do you care so much about how I feel?"

"What do you mean why? I just do"

"That's not an answer.. I know all of seven of you care about my well-being but I can't help but feel like with you it's different. You always go to these lengths to protect me.. Why?"

"I can't tell you..." He sighed and looked to the floor, not daring to meet her gaze.

"Why not?"

"Because I'm afraid... I'm afraid that after I tell you you won't look at me the same way.. and that by telling you I'll ruin what we have."

"You won't.. nothing could make me change my opinion about you Jihun.. I-"

"Promise me... promise me nothing will change."

"I promise." She answered with a smile and gave him her pinky. He took it and returned the smile with nervousness.

"Okay... here I go.."