2 YEARS LATER

As usual, Jayce and his team are practicing for their performance. After receiving global recognition, they are already fully booked for the next two years and they have been super busy than they have already been before. Started from a small company that is on the verge of bankruptcy, they manage to help their company get up and are now established as the top five high-earned companies.

"Yah!" A loud yell startled Jayce. The yell that he's the only one can hear. He immediately can see his girl fighting with her cousin, for another unknown reason, as usual.

"I can't believe you're older than me." He chuckles seeing Aelin nagging Alice, and the two bickerings in the public, not minding other's business at all. People would have thought that they're in a serious fight if they don't know them, but that's just how they are. Yelling and screaming, and then the next second they will laugh together for no absolute reason as well.

He smiles seeing her girl laughing and enjoying her time with her cousin.

"What's with that cringe smile? Huh?" Jayce's older member, Theo suddenly looks at him with a suspicious look.

"Nothing. It's nothi - HAHAHAHA" Jayce suddenly laughs seeing Alice fell down the stairs in the dark cinema. Aelin is already long laughing at her, and her laughs get longer as she hears her guy over there laughing as well.

"What the..." Theo's almost swearing makes Jayce wants to laugh as well. Jayce motions to his airpod, as if he is talking to Aelin on the line.

"Is Alice okay?" Jayce asks Aelin with such a gentle tone.

"Yeah, she is." Aelin smiles as her heart flutters. She always feels safe whenever she hears his voice.

"Be careful, sweetheart." She nods her head with an 'mhm'.

Jayce turns his focus on his current place and just like that, he doesn't see the two girls anymore. It takes him a long time to actually get used to such techniques. Along the way, he just picks up a few things that he can actually do. It's almost like he got a superpower granted by God.

"Dumbass Achilles heel."

"Huh?"

"Theo? What are you still doing here?" Jayce startles to see Theo, still standing next to him with a judging look.

"Whos' Achilles heel?"

"Oh. It's Alice. Aelin's cousin." Jayce walks to the sofa and sits down to rest. Theo follows close and sits next to him, making Jayce feels a bit, weird. Years back, they were close like brothers. More like, crime in partners. But now, they aren't that close anymore. Well, Jayce is also unsure of the reasons, but Theo, the fun Theo has just gone and they just drift apart.

"What kind of a person is she?" Jayce eyes Theo up and down, but he can't really read the mind of this poker face man.

"She's a nice person, and the craziest woman I have ever known. She's pretty too, tho I'd arguably say that my girl is prettier." He blushes at the thought of Aelin. Seeing that, Theo fakes a throw-up. Though deep inside, he wishes he has someone he can be himself with, just like how Jayce can be himself with Aelin, and how Aelin can be herself with Jayce.

"Why are you asking tho?" Theo is taken aback by Jayce's question but he quickly composes himself.

"It's nothing. Jamie!" Theo leaves Jayce afterward, walking to his best friend. Jayce knew something is definitely going on with Theo but he doesn't bother to ask. He is afraid of asking Theo because he knew how badly hurt Theo has been for the past two years. Jayce was in a similar hard situation too. But he was fortunate enough, to have Aelin by his side to go through the hardships together. Though the past two years aren't all brights, at least he has Aelin. Without her, he probably wouldn't be as happy as he is now. Life is like a rainbow after all. There are bright colors, and there are dull colors, but that is what makes life is meaningful.

However, unlike Theo, he had to go through everything alone. Even though Theo seems to be happier these days, Jayce knew deep inside he is still hurting.

Just then, Jayce is hugged by the eldest member of the band, Alex. He ignores the eldest, just like how he always does, because sooner or later, when he doesn't entertain him, Alex will give up and walks away.

"How is my sister, Aelin?" Jayce rolls his eyes but deep inside he is actually happy to be talking about his girl.

"She's fine. Can you get off me?" Jayce regrets asking Alex to leave, now that he is tightening the hug around him, like a clingy koala.

"She's watching a movie with her cousin at the cinema."

"The one that you always fight with?"

"Yeah, that's the one."

"She must be a nice person, then. You're really hard to befriend a woman. Is she pretty?"

"She is. Though my first impression of her is a bit, is she trying to kill someone? She has a very arrogant face and her resting face is just so scary. While my Aelin is so cute. No matter what face she makes is just so cute to me argghh I wanna bite her!"

"Aelin is just loveable and cute, right? Like me?" Jayce curses Alex in his mind. He'd rather stay silent than giving reactions to Alex's old jokes.

"I want to fall in love too..." Alex's ment instantly makes Jayce looks at him again.

"Alice is single for almost 10 years, Alex"

"Oh really? Then introduce me to her. If you are comfortable with her, then I'm sure she's a really genuine person." Jayce nods his head, feeling so delightful. He and Aelin have been trying quite some time to set Alex and Alice together. Now that he has the green light from Alex, he can't wait to tell the happy news to his one and only. Although, he has been noticing a pair of eyes sitting not far from them is staring at him and Alex, as if he can eat the two souls. Theo gets up, leaving the practice room after hearing those two keep on gossiping about Alice.

Which sparks more suspicion for Jayce.

✾✾✾

"It was a really great story. Alice has been screaming and cussing throughout the movie that it doesn't scare me anymore. I don't understand why is she so into horror movies when she's such a scaredy-cat." The two lovebirds laugh as Aelin tells the story of them watching the movie earlier.

"Well look at her. See how she's sleeping. Who the hell sleeps like her? She sleeps like a dead person." Jayce looks at the sleepy head Alice, just right next to Aelin. She sleeps with both her hands on her stomach as if she is at her own funeral. And to his surprise, she hasn't even moved an inch. It scares Jayce the first time he saw how Alice sleeps, but fortunately, he has grown accustomed to it.

Or so he hopes...

Looking at Alice sleeping peacefully next to Aelin, sparks sadness in his heart. How he wishes, he can be next to Aelin all the time, to be by her side especially when she needs him, to do every little thing with her, and grow old with her. But God seems to want to test them still.

"Jayce Rutherford"

"Yes, my sweetheart Aelin Swan?" She leans to his cheek, giving a quick peck. The sudden show of affection from Aelin caught Jayce off guard. They have been in a relationship for quite some time, and he learns that Aelin is not the type to show romantic feelings that much.

"Why are your face so red, hmm?" Aelin teases the red face Jayce. She knows what is going on in his mind, hence she wants to make him less worry. She too, worries about the same thing. She is an overthinker, what's more. While Jayce, wants everything to be perfect. He isn't the one to just stay still and be patient. But this whole situation he and Aelin are stuck in, he is forced to face his biggest enemy - imperfections and patience.

"Because my baby has been so naughty these days huh?" He jokes with Aelin, earning a loud smack on his muscly arm.

"Ouch! Even when I'm not physically here, I can feel the pain okay!?" He stops rubbing his arm that Aelin hits him earlier and moves forward to Aelin with an unexplainable look. Aelin moves backward, still not giving up the intense staring battle. He leans onto her right side, Aelin closes her eyes, trying to control herself from doing anything stupid.

"I love you, Aelin Swan" He whispers to her ears, making her feels ticklish and tingling in her heart. This man always knows how to make her feels like there are butterflies in her stomach, and always knows how to make her feel comfortable.

"I love you too, Jayce Rutherford."

"What is it?" And there Alice, half asleep with her eyes barely open, being the usual disturbance of them whenever they are having time together...

Sometimes Jayce and Aelin wonder whether she actually knows about them or not...

"Nothing, nothing. Just go to sleep." Alice lays her head down again afterward.

"She's scary" Jayce eyes Alice as if she is a zombie.

"And weird" Aelin continues as she eyes Alice as well. The couple then looks into each other's eyes and burst into laughter.

"I wish she has a partner as well," Aelin says as Jayce sets himself next to her to sleep. Naturally, he lays down and Aelin scooches into his arm.

"Well for the record Ms. Swan, Alex actually asked me to introduce her to him"

"For real?"

"Yeah, really. Though, Theo has been acting weird whenever I mention Alice."

"Hmm, that's suspicious."

"I know right? It's like he knew something"

"Maybe he needs someone too? He has been hurt really bad, right?" Jayce nods. He hugs Aelin tightly, feeling grateful to have her by his side.

He wouldn't know what to do without this petite girl in his arm.

She wouldn't know what to do without this big guy holding her tightly.

They don't know what's the future like in front of them. All they know, they want and need each other in their lives, for the rest of their lives.