Jimin was tired of watching Sana step in and out of the trial room for him to consider the dresses pretty. He did, he had already approved of four. Sana agreed on only two of them so she wanted to try on more. He was sitting on a couch in the arena, legs spread wide, leaning onto the element. His arm was propped with his hand on his forehead as he waited. Ryujin's text lighted up Sana's phone beside him. He instantly recognized it because the girls had the same notification ringtones for each other's texts and calls. He read the text that indicated that Ryujin and Aera were done shopping.

In his mind were springing notions on bringing up the topic to Aera again. In this silent war where Jimin had to convince his stubborn, persistently resistive best friend into conversing with his other best friend, he felt as if he was losing his mind. He was indignant now. He was mad at how much Aera had changed in a matter of months. She had started to pay more attention to Jungkook, being stubborn and into her cocoon.

He was successful in connecting the dots months ago when she had started to pretend to be invisible whenever he mentioned Taehyung. She pretended to be deaf, blind, and whatnot. Jimin was only trying to hold fast unto their friendship. He knew it would be hard to persuade Aera now that she seemed to be beyond reach for him. But he wanted to try until the end. He wanted to try until Aera broke off ties with him as well.

Overall the disconcerting thoughts running in his head, there was one thing he was pleased about - that Monday, Aera wasn't with Jungkook.

He thanked God when Sana appeared and distracted him from the turn his mind was about to take, "Is this fine?" she eagerly asked, showcasing Jimin a soft blue velvety dress with sequined neck design on her sleek figure. The dress hugged her body curves flawlessly and enhanced the grace of her breasts.

He rubbed his chin as he scanned the beautiful girl in front of him, "It looks a little tight to me, is it comfy for you?"

"Yeah, it feels fine to me," she stretched the material of the cloth on her ribs to show that it was a perfect fit.

He nodded and went on to give his suggestion, "Then get it, you can wear it at the introductory speech for the tournament up next," he said.

She grinned and nodded, jumping once on her toes, "Sure then. Three down, one more to go."

With that, she took another dress from the Assistant's hand and went back into the trial room, leaving Jimin with his wavering rail of thoughts. As his mind had already spoken of the person he hated the most, Jeon Jungkook, it moved to the constant annoying smirk on his face. Jungkook was someone he knew from Busan, his hometown, where he studied till his junior school with him.

The two were friends since they were kids. They played on the same ground, got scars by tripping on the same soil. They used to dance and sing together. They got along well together in every aspect. Despite that, they were top rivals in all the sports back then. As Jungkook grew, he had started teasing Jimin for his short height. He teased him about how he missed the baskets because he was short. It annoyed the hell out of Jimin but he let it go because Jungkook was younger. He just used to tease Jungkook back for not being fluid enough at the dance. Their contemporary dance classes were an entertaining show for the rest of the students. Jimin had seen Jungkook grow up and become his best friend until he decided to pursue high school in the United States.

Since then, everything had changed. Jungkook had changed. Now, he was an asshole. Now, Jimin found his blood boiling when he nagged him about his short height. It was fun back then. Now, it wasn't much fun to fight him. It frustrated him how Jungkook would pick up on him unnecessarily. But he wouldn't question himself on how he couldn't resist passing a slug comment every time he was around the youngest of the two sons of the Jeons.

He snapped out of it when Sana appeared again, this time with a white cotton off-shoulder dress decorated with lace. It looked angelic with some glitter on the bottom where it ended just before the knees. It was a skater dress and looked surreal to Jimin. But he couldn't explain his first thought as he saw the dress, he couldn't explain why he suddenly thought of Aera.

He raised his body weight from his constant propped elbow pose, "It doesn't suit your chic personality, love. Try a hot pink shade if they have any," He suggested.

He wondered how lovely would Aera look in that dress or if he could afford to gift it to her. He imagined it on the present day's Aera, it didn't look angelic as it should have. The image showed him as if he had forced the gift onto her, and she was wearing it just because he wanted her to. He tried imagining the Aera of his high school days. That, indeed looked like an angel descended from the heavens. She looked beautiful with her soft, charming smile on her puff lips. She frolicked and danced around in the dress looking as beautiful and cheerful as ever.

As his imagination led him, Jimin began thinking of how Aera used to be back then, of how high school used to be. It was fun. Truly the best part of his life so far.

Jimin had moved to Seoul for high school where he met Aera and Taehyung both of who hailed from Daegu. Taehyung replaced Jungkook in Jimin's life when Jungkook broke off all the contact with him without a single word being said about it between them. He hated how his thoughts derailed from coming up with ways to convince Aera, to missing his high school days at The Seoul High, where the three friends spent the best days of their life. He thought of how careless they were, of how they stood by each other's side, no matter what.

He smiled at how much he and Taehyung picked fights in high school. He almost chuckled at the memory of the two being scolded in the Principal's room. It was a funny day. They had damaged a door of their classroom, to the point it broke down on one of the professors' heads. They were suspended for two weeks, which only brought them more fun to do at the hostel. Also, a load of missed classes led to them being caught cheating in their next exam. The series of events continued that way and Jimin kept remembering each one of them, smiling at every single one. He was too engrossed to care about what the staff of the store would think of him.

He smiled at the memories of the three fighting over food, memories of Aera taking care of him when he had fractured his arm. He had made her write her assignments and homework for one and a half months straight. She, unsurprisingly, had done it well, without a single word in protest. He remembered how she used to save her lunch for them to eat in the bus driving them back home just because they were the bad boys, and bad boys weren't the type to bring lunch boxes from the hostel to school. She used to force-feed them and they ate it gladly even if the whole bus watched them do it. The two of them didn't care about their reputation, image, or anything when it came to Aera. They had been punched by many and had punched many more for Aera.

Oh, how he wished everything would be like those days. He wished Taehyung would come back in his life and cheer him up. He wished Aera would stop flinching at the mention of her once best friend and lover. He also low-key wished that he and Taehyung would gang up against Jungkook and punch the hell out of him, just for fun. There would be another plus point, Jungkook would stay the fuck away from Aera. But Oh, how he wished.

"Jimin, are you there? Jimin?" Sana stood waving her hand across his face. He came back to his senses and shook it off with a chuckle.

"Right, this one looks pretty. It suits you perfectly. The length and fit are perfect. Finalize it. You look pretty in this one," He said.

Sana smiled and spiraled on her stilettos, "Oh my God! Thank you, Jimin! I'm so glad to have you help me choose."

She handed the dress to the assistant and asked him to pack the ones she had chosen. Jimin attempted to stand up but she gestured him to wait a while.

"Yeah, this was why you texted me to come along." Jimin teased by pulling her hair a little.

She laughed and pulled away Jimin's hand from her hair, "Maybe, yes."

He muffled a peal of laughter at her obvious flirting and smiled instead, nodding as he spoke, "It's good that you did. Either way...I...I'm just glad that you did. I think I needed a break."

He wasn't lying. He did need a break. He was exhausted, mentally, physically, emotionally. Hoseok, his colleague at the dance institution pointed out that he had started to retract from conversations that were odd for a cheerful person like him.

Sana smiled, "I'm glad you are relaxing a bit. You work so hard."

Jimin smiled before biting his plump lips at the idea that just sprang up in his head, "Let's go Karaoke from here, can we?" he voiced it.

Sana giggled and tapped his biceps as if it wasn't a question to be asked, "Sure we can, why not!"

"Wow, that's great. That'd make my day even better. " Jimin snapped his fingertips and giggled aloud in excitement. He, now, probably had little more time to spend with Aera.

"Anything for you.." Sana whispered but Jimin was too lost planning his next moves to notice.

"Did you say something?" He asked, curving and raising his brows. The assistant came to hand Sana her bag which added to Jimin's handful as soon as he stood up beside her.

"Ah, no. Let's go. Thanks to you, we finished shopping before Ryujin would come here to hurry my ass up," she said before gently mouthing a thank you to the staff and exiting.

"Uh, no. Actually, I think I saw your phone screen light up to Ryujin's text that she's treating Aera to CCD and wants you to hurry up." He handed her her cellphone, "I totally forgot to tell you that, sorry!"

They started making their way to the food court.

Sana's expressions changed to concern, "Ah, Aera..oh, Actually, Jimin... I wanted to talk to you about her... Today I found out that she's facing an intense financial crisis and isn't able to manage the hospital bills and her own life properly..." She trailed off as she bit her lip in apprehension.

Jimin gulped at that. He couldn't decide if he should tell Sana that this was the only thought in his mind these days. Erasing the doubt about not telling her, he heard Sana continue, "You knew it all, didn't you?"

"Yeah, I did but... Yeah. I did and I didn't tell you guys because I thought she'd get mad at me." The man with blonde hair sucked on his teeth, "And to be honest, I expected Ryujin to figure it out already but she's young and carefree, I don't blame her." Jimin said without hesitation, not caring enough to see how Sana felt accused. She, also, chose to hide it well.

"I can only imagine how hard it is to cope with Quadriplegia in absence of proper care... but she's refused my help," was all Sana said before exhaling deeply. The two friends were consumed in concern for Aera's mother.

"I know, I know it well, she has refused everyone's help," Jimin nodded.

"Even Jungkook's?"

"The fuck-" Jimin roared but silenced himself when he saw an elderly woman who was passing by noticing his cuss word, "I mean, I don't know about him. She probably didn't tell him if she didn't tell you two, I guess."

"Right, then...oh God, why is she doing this?" Sana cried.

Jimin shook his head, "She doesn't want to be indebt. That's why."

"What can we do, have you any idea?" Sana asked, slumping her shoulders helplessly.

Jimin let out a painful chuckle from his stomach, "I wish I did, trust me." He realized that he might have scared Sana and glanced at her to see if he really had, but he hadn't. On the contrary, looking at Sana's pearl necklace reminded him of something.

"How much was the white dress, the one I told you doesn't suit you?" He asked her.

She knitted her brows in suspicion, "Why? It was just eighty thousand won," she informed.

Jimin sucked on a breathe, wishing that he was financially stable for the millionth time in his life. "Can you buy that? For Aera. I'll pay you back when I receive my upcoming paycheck for September," he requested.

Sana was once again amused by Jimin's selfless and kind side. "Of course I can. And you don't have to pay me back, I'll tell her that you chose it for her." She said, turning to her heels, back to the store and Jimin followed.

"Actually, no. Don't tell her that I chose it for her...And oh, eighty thousand isn't much, right? I'll pay you back. Uh, I will surely pay you back. I don't like taking any favors." Jimin requested in a sloppy tone, stumbling to find the right words as if he was in a rush to get the dress as quickly as possible.

Sana laughed, "No wonder you two are best friends." She said without realizing how much it stung Jimin.

His best friend was, apparently, betraying him by going out with Jeon Jungkook. His best friend was constantly refusing his help. His best friend was being careless enough to let her mother suffer. It stung him how he couldn't do anything about any of these things.

The two took a crowded elevator to the food court which was, in turn, even more crowded. They chalked into the CCD which was as usual, packed. The two stood at the entrance, eyes running around the cafe to spot their counterparts for the night out. It wasn't long until Sana spotted Ryujin's bright blue highlights, sitting on her shoulders where she was, seated parallel to the street view arena. "There!" She pointed and Jimin clicked his tongue upon spotting Aera and Ryujin. Aera noticed them walking towards the table and waved at them, gleaming cheerfully.

"Wha's happenin' ladies?" Jimin chimed in as he took a seat beside Aera while Sana took one besides Ryujin.

"Nothing much, just Ryujin stuffing food down my throat," Aera answered.

Jimin and Ryujin chuckled and Sana appreciated Ryujin's move by patting her back, "That's great! Make sure she's full for a week!" She applauded.

"I already am full for a week, you two should order something for yourself," Aera suggested as she saw a waitress walking towards them.

"Who's paying?" Jimin asked,

"It's on me, coach," Ryujin informed with a titter leaving her mouth.

"You never call me that at the practice, what's up with you, now?" Jimin narrowed his eyes to the point that he was blinded because his eyes were heavily monolids already.

"It's my way of thanking you for leaving us alone." Ryujin put on a sarcastic smile and went on with sipping her Frappuccino.

The waitress came to attend them and Sana ordered a Caramel macchiato for herself and Jimin waved her off, indicating that he wanted nothing. Ryujin frowned. She wondered why Jimin wouldn't take ever advantage of whoever paid the bill, her being the payer this time. She couldn't force anything on him too, because of the bickering that took place between them earlier.

"Thank you very much but I was very concerned about Aera after leaving her alone with you," Jimin spoke and Aera choked on a mouthful of chili cheese toastizza. An alarmed Jimin widened his eyes as he rubbed her back while she coughed.

"I-I'm f-fine," She managed to say and pushed Jimin away. Ryujin hurried and unsealed the water bottle quickly.  Jimin patted her shoulder softly as concern shone in his eyes. Thankfully enough, it brought Aera back to her senses.

"Are you okay?" Sana gasped when she saw the redness of Aera's eyes. She realized that it was because of the contact lenses she wore instead of spectacles that day. They must have gotten irritated due to coughing and tears.

Aera sucked on a breathe as a tear flowed down her cheek. She grabbed the bottle from Ryujin and smiled gratefully while rubbing her eyes, still coughing slightly.

"It was some pepper that I guess went way up to my nose," She said before coughing again on a napkin.

"Oh, are you-" Jimin began but Aera sneezed loudly to cut him off. She continued sneezing on his face.

"Bitch, what the-" Jimin grabbed the tissue box and handed it to her. "Here, take this, take all of it," He said as he threw even the tissues used by him at her, which she grabbed helplessly.

The people around were staring at them while Ryujin and Sana couldn't help but burst in fits of laughter as Aera had sneezed at least four times on Jimin's face.

"Alright, alright, I'm fine now, thank you," Aera spoke as she stabilized herself 

"I hate you," Jimin snickered at her.

"Good for you," She responded.

"Okay, listen here. Actually, I and Sana have something left to do." Ryujin announced, capturing everyone's attention. Then she whispered something to Sana at which Jimin and Aera cocked a brow.

"Yeah, so. I and Ryujin need like, twenty minutes and we'll be back. Okay?" Sana informed.

"Where are you guys going?" Aera managed to ask despite her nose still being sneezy and red.

"Let them go, Aera, let them go," Jimin whispered to himself. He now had the chance he was anticipating so desperately.

"Ah, I'll tell you later. We needed to buy some special clothes for... Y'know?" Ryujin came to whisper in Aera's ear.

She frowned, "I- God, I don't know but okay...do whatever you want, I guess."

"Yeah, and Jimin, gulp down whatever I ordered. Don't let it sit for me," Sana told Jimin before the two dancers turned to their heels and walked out.

Jimin exhaled deeply to break the awkward silence between the two best friends sitting beside each other. Then, propping his elbow on the table to look at Aera's face as her long black hair was hiding it from him from the side he was sitting on, "Since when did we start having awkward silences? Do you have nothing to nag about?" He scoffed.

She smiled, and Jimin resisted the urge to poke her dimples, "Not really..." She shrugged and tucked her hair to her ear, "I'm sorry for sneezing on your face- I'm so embarrassing, God."

Jimin chuckled, "You put up a show for everyone here. I swear, a nasty ass shit you are. Learn to use tissues at least."

She glared, "A person can't sneeze with their eyes open, I couldn't grab a tissue with a blind eye, shut up," Her cheeks heated in embarrassment when she scolded, light pink appearing on her cheeks.

Jimin noticed something and pointed it out, "Your eyes are a little red, didn't you bring your specs along?"

"Oh, these contacts are old now, but Ryujin bullied me into chucking my specs and putting these on...and my specs...Ummm," She looked into her sling bag, "Ah, there. I almost forgot that I had brought them along, thanks for reminding me, or I'd be stuck with these itchy contacts," She said as she removed her contacts carefully and put her black metallic pair of spectacles on.

"Did your elective classes start? What did you choose this semester, We didn't discuss it this time," Jimin said as he surprised himself. Was there so much roughness between them now that they wouldn't talk like they usually did?

Jimin took a bite from her leftover toastizza, he chewed it while Aera took the final bite to finish it. "Ah, Yeah, we did not. I didn't nag you about it because there were only two options, statistics, and Photography." She answered calmly, unsurprised.

With the mention of photography, Jimin remembered what he was here for. "What did you choose then?" He asked, even though he knew the answer. By this time, he was sure Aera wouldn't pick photography.

To his amazement, Aera answered differently, "Photography."

He gasped, "What, you're good at maths, why didn't you choose that?"

"I stepped on Professor Muk's toe last Thursday if you remember." She raised her eyes to stare at him for a moment, looking for an answer to the question Jimin didn't know.

He sighed, "Okay, I don't get how's that related to classes but we move."

"He's also really snobbish and a total lout, I've heard about him from my seniors." She shook her head and scowled as she spoke.

"I see," Was all Jimin responded, as another topic stirring in his mind. He didn't know if Aera choosing photography was a good or a bad decision. He was curious, along with a little anxiousness in his subconscious.

Aera nodded, "But again, I'll have to take up Stats as an elective in one of my next two semesters, it's compulsory," She informed.

"When are the classes for photography starting, then?" Jimin asked just before the waitress served him Sana's caramel macchiato. He thanked the waitress and watched her blush when she took a peek at his skin from the almost half unbuttoned shirt. Aera chuckled lowly as she watched the waitress leave.

"The effect you have on women, crazy. It's crazy." She beamed at him with a soft smile still lingering on her lips.

"Of course, I do. But is that bad?" Jimin teased, grinning as Aera frowned in response. "So, you didn't tell me when are your classes starting?" He pressed the question again.

"Next Tuesday, because Professor Hwang is on leave," She answered and Jimin finally figured what he had to do. He took a big sip before he turned to her to speak.

"If you have some time free in the day, do me a favor, then," Jimin's tone turned grave even before he realized it. It alarmed Aera and she straightened her back and thickly swallowed, contemplating whether she should wait for Jimin to speak further or say something.

When she realized that Jimin was also waiting for her to speak up, she spoke, "Yeah? What?"

He took a long breathe and exhaled before opening his mouth to speak, "Talk to him."

Aera looked away, cocking one of her brows in the offense as she pursed her lips. Her expression answered Jimin.

Jimin took a big, final sip and put the cup in a stack of leftovers on the table, "I'm just saying this because... he finally has something to say to you."

Aera let out a sarcastic laugh. "What does he have to say to me now, 'Go die, bitch' or something like that?"

Jimin attempted to convince her with, "Yeah, probably. But you know he won't mean that!"

"Seriously, Jimin? Are you still not gonna pick sides?" She questioned with malice, "Well, who am I asking, of course, you're gonna stay by his."

Jimin gulped, "I'm trying to not pick sides. I'm trying to negotiate so that I don't have to pick sides."

"Will you talk to Jungkook? I mean, I don't even know what went wrong with you two but still, will you act nice to him and initiate a normal conversation if I ask you to?" Aera watched Jimin's face turn sour in disgust so she continued, "No, you won't, right? That's how I can't go and talk to that jerk."

Jimin un-propped from his elbow and straightened up, "If I say that I would be civil around that prick?" He said it plainly but the blood that shot to his brain the moment he considered what he said, was burning.

Aera chuckled, throwing her head back in disbelief, "Are you trying to push me into a deal here?"

Jimin smirked, "That's right. You're a stubborn kid but I'm two years older than you."

"So you're saying that you'll agree to be civil around Jungkook if I have a dialogue with that man? I can't believe you, Jimin." Aera's tone showed disappointment.

Jimin closed his eyes and took a pause, thinking hard about what he should say next. "He didn't leave because he wanted to," he informed the girl with bright eyes.

Aera couldn't do anything about their relationship, Taehyung had fled the country as soon as he got bailed out for involving in violence with Aera's stepfather. Aera hadn't shared it with anyone but she suspected that Taehyung was planning fleeing for a long time. Even the reminder of her lover leaving her clueless enraged Aera so much that she wanted to punch the wall with bare fists.

She laughed again, "Oh, so you're his lawyer now?"

Jimin sucked on a breathe, "I'm not. All I'm saying is maybe we can let go and make it all as it used to be." Jimin could feel that his methods were failing. He didn't care now, if he had to make up with Jungkook for the sake of his friendship staying alive, he was somehow ready for it.

"No. I can't let go. Put your feet in my shoes, would you be able to even look at him the same if that he did that to you?"

"Well, then, what about what you did to him?"

She leaned closer to intimidate Jimin, "Tell if what I did was something wrong? I only fought for my self respect. " Jimin's lips parted to let out some words but they only quivered, and Aera continued, "It's been two years. My mother divorced the man she put everything on stake for, just because he couldn't hold his anger back. I go through crappiest things while he lives in luxury in a damned villa or something in whatever country."

Jimin lowered his head subconsciously, unable to meet eyes with his best friend sitting beside him. "He was angry for you. He could have been half in his study of law by now. He lost his career. "

"He can get it all back in a snap of fingers. But I can't. I'm not even sure if I'll be able to save mom." Aera responded with fury in the pupils of her eyes.

"You would talk to him if cared enough about your mom. She loved you both." Jimin couldn't help saying something he instantly regretted.

Her eyes softened. She felt like crumbling into Jimin's arms and crying her heart out. But strong girls don't cry. So, instead, she decided to trust Jimin with whatever. She always has. She couldn't stop trusting Jimin because of a foe.

"Try being friends with Jungkook, I'll talk to... I'll talk to Taehyung. Why is he trying to talk to me- us, now anyway?" She stumbled on her words and blinked faster than average as she spoke.

"You two just need to talk. He won't tell me why," Jimin gave an answer that chilled Aera's spine.

"So fucking funny." She grimaced and clenched her jaw. "Call him, I'll talk now, I'm busy later."

"I don't know in what country he is, he might be sleeping-"

"It's now or never." Aera gave Jimin an ultimatum. She wasn't sure what it was going to be about. She wasn't sure if she wanted to do it. But as Jimin said, she should comply.

Jimin pulled out his phone instantly, too happy on the inner side that she had agreed. He didn't know what Taehyung wanted to talk about. But he knew, at least, if Taehyung made a gesture that he had lost hope of getting, it must have been for making up for the loss he had caused. He could only hope that Taehyung wanted to apologize. Aera wasn't the type to apologize, if they were to ever makeup, he knew that it would Taehyung to make a move.

He dialed his best friend's new contact number without thinking about the cost of the international call he was making. Aera distanced herself in order to avoid hearing Taehyung's voice. She didn't notice that Sana and Ryujin had already entered the room. She was consumed in thought but hid that fact well as she stared at Jimin, counting seconds until the line got connected.

"Yeah?" She wished she couldn't recognize the voice the moment she heard it.

"It's Jimin, you wanted to talk to Aera, she's here-"

"no,"

"But-" Jimin attempted but the line was disconnected instantly, leaving the girl's heart broken yet again.

Even though they were quite confused, Aera and Jimin mentally concluded that Taehyung was probably stoned to his knees when he had texted Jimin the previous Thursday. Aera had a sense of victory in her eyes when she looked at the surprised look on Jimin's face. He looked just like he did when he was pranked.

"See?" Aera said and leaned back on her seat. Jimin glanced behind her and composed himself into a body language as if nothing happened. 

She wouldn't admit but she was relieved that she didn't have to sit and converse with her worst fear. Jimin already seemed irrational to her to the point it annoyed her, but she could tolerate him. He was her best friend who had always been by her side and still was, even though he kept giving signs of being in an agreement with Taehyung.

"Aera! This is for you!" Ryujin's sharp voice entered her ears. She turned back, smiling heartfully at a bag from Masaba being offered to her. She took a pause, to exit from the state of mind she was in after hearing  from Taehyung. Her blood was boiling but Ryujin's wide smile snapped her out of it and she didn't find herself going back to it.

"Shall we leave then?" Jimin asked and stood up before Aera could speak.

"Ah, sure." Ryujin hesitantly spoke, now, intimidated by the gravity of Jimin's tone.

"You didn't have to do that! Are you two crazy?" Aera spoke, standing up.

"It's nothing, we contributed and brought it for you, please don't say no to this," Ryujin answered leaning in to hug Aera as she passed the bag to her.

"It's a dress? Have you guys lost your mind?!" Aera squealed when she peeked into the bag.

"Yes it is, and Jimin has brought you a dress too," Sana spoke and Jimin shot her a glare, to which she just smiled, sticking her tongue out.

Aera shot him a glare, "Jimin, what the hell? Are you all crazy? God, how much is it? You're so stupid for this, I'll kill you!" She turned around to Sana after slapping Jimin's muscular arm tightly enough for him to gasp and frown, "I'll pay you all back, just-I-"

"You don't have to." Ryujin smiled and gently put a hand on her shoulder, assuring her that it was alright for friends to buy gifts for each other.

Aera didn't agree and made a face, "I'm not talking to you all," She sulked and stepped forward, away from the three of them.

Sana took two steps forward and others followed. "That's cool, don't talk, we'll see how much you can hold back. We're going karaoke right now, anyway."

There was an instant jerk of Aera's neck towards Sana, "Why are we going to Karaoke? I have assignments to write!" she cried with her hand pressed on the side of her head, indicating that she was close to losing it. It wasn't her first time when the Dance majors made her feel the odd one out.

"Nobody cares about that," Jimin answered for the rest in an impossibly irritated tone as they stalked out of the cafe.

When Sana and Ryujin got lost chattering with another, Aera stormed closer to him, speeding up her pace in her heeled leather boots, "What made you buy a dress for me?"

He raised his hands to signal that he wasn't really in the mood to talk after what had happened earlier. Unable to bear Aera's pondering gaze at him, he chose to spoke after few moments, "Because I thought you'd like it and it'd look good on you and also because I'm too sure to fire but I know you won't ever buy yourself a dress or anything unless it's for survival, " Jimin illustrated how badly he wanted Aera living a life of a normal young adult.

By the time he finished, they had reached the parking lot. They were waiting for Sana to bring the car to them. Ryujin was busy clicking selfies.

"Jimin, like- who are you? I mean-" Ryujin pulled her close to her in front of the camera and clicked a picture.

"Just pose," she ordered her and pulled Jimin in too.

Ryujin was the only one smiling in the pictures that she posted on her Instagram stories, while Jimin and Aera looked sore.

"A group selfie, c'mon!" Ryujin cheered before Sana gladly climbed out of the car to get the picture clicked.

As they got seated into the car, they ignored the blubber of the youngest dancer, Shin Ryujin, "Could've clicked at the store, parking lot selfies always turn out creepy and look at these two dipshits posing like crap to ruin my mood again," She complained.

Jimin was in the front seat with Sana driving at a speed that was appropriate for the evening traffic in Seoul. Diagonally to him, sat Aera. As soon as the topic of ruined selfies got over, Aera was back at her curses on Jimin.

"Listen, all of you. I get it all," Jimin jerked his head and shot her a look that warned her to stop there, but being Aera, she ignored it. "No, I get it, I get that I'll never be nineteen again and I've got amazing friends like you guys, I thank Almighty every day for that but please- there's a limit-"

"What limit? Can we not give you gifts when you do so much delicious cooking for us," Aera scoffed as if it wasn't enough for of a reason to buy an expensive gift for, "You keep our room and kitchen, clean. Me, in order. Do you realize that I could have been a drug addict right from the first year of my college if you hadn't stopped me at Mina's party that day?" Aera didn't have to struggle to recall the memory because that was when she had met her roommate for the first time. She opened her mouth to speak against but Ryujin cut her on it, "At least, I'm spending money on your dress, not drugs!"

Sana was next, "She's right, I owe you for always being there for me on my bad days. I could have become a slut out of my depressed ass if Ryujin didn't introduce me to you for free therapy basically," she laughed but stopped when she realized Jimin's subtle presence, regretting what she uttered. She wondered if Jimin would judge her.

Aera smiled gratefully as she held Ryujin's hand, "Uhm, Thank you. Thank you from the deepest core of my heart, I'm glad to have you guys," She turned to face her, "but just don't make it a habit..y'know? I already owe many bills to many people," She requested kindly.

Ryujin placed her other hand on hers in assurance, "You don't owe us. We're your friends and we'll always be by your side, and who knows if you earn in billions one day, I'll get some Gucci, Prada, comfy-comfy, from you," she giggled at her obvious reference from the song called Sugar Daddy from Qveen Herby.

"And we won't make it a habit, we're not your sugar daddies," Sana added and the girls laughed. Aera noticed that Jimin was quiet because he didn't have much to speak on the topic. She chose to target him next not because she wanted to hound him but because Jimin, who earned for himself and his mother adding to the meager amount his father sent from Busan once a month, should have put himself before her.

"You shouldn't have done that, though, Jimin," She began and he cocked his head at to her.

It was clear that he was in a sour mood after being toyed for four days by a text that Taehyung sent when he was drunk.

Aera, on the other pointer, had well expected the case to be so. She earned a giggle from Jimin, the one he gave when he was mad. "Don't start that bullshit at me, tiny. I'm really not in the mood to be lectured."

Aera knew he had taken her words too close to heart when he called her that. He had called her the name 'tiny' ever since he had met her, even though, he wasn't a giant tall. He was only three to four inches taller than Ryujin and Sana but somehow, seemed to tower them. It baffled Aera. "Ok, but how stupid can you get? You're broke as fuck and you decided to buy a dress for another person who's also broke as fuck, that too, owing to Sana Minatozaki. I think you've completely lost it or are involved in drug dealing which has got you rolling in money or something..."

Jimin let out an exhausted sigh. "I know I'm not as rich as Jungkook, but I'm your friend. You can accept gifts from me when I'm willing to give up my needs for you. Now, tiny, please shut the fuck up, my head hurts."

Aera gulped and looked outside through the window, a tear streaming down her eye before she wiped it until another one came down. Nobody dared to speak anything until they were at crossroads.

"Jimin, since you said you have a headache, shall I just drop you guys home?" Sana asked.

Aera sighed thankfully. She really had to finish her Visual Arts assignment on Human Faces by that day even though it was due Thursday, three days later. They were rarely given written assignments along with artworks, this one was one of them. Professor Min was a moody man.

"No, let's not cancel it but get drunk, that'll help me relax." Jimin broke it.

Sana giggled at the excitement of seeing Jimin get drunk, and everyone including Jimin noticed that. He smirked like his high school bad boy self. It was strange to Sana and Ryujin, how alcohol would release his headache but they didn't protest.

While Aera understood it because she had known him longer than the rest, she knew how Park Jimin had given the whole school enough of a reason to get nicknamed Dionysus in high school.

Aera was quite mad at Jimin for not canceling but kept quiet because she also wanted Jimin to relax. She knew how much a single text from Taehyung after years would have meant to him, because, of course, he was an angel and couldn't possibly hate his soulmate friend.

She could imagine how much baffled and out of place he must be feeling at the moment. With the thought of Taehyung, she had stopped crying. She hated how connected her life still was, with him, even when he wasn't here. If Jimin wasn't an angel in disguise, she would have broken off with him a long time ago, only for making her remind of Taehyung and high school.

***

It was about midnight and all of them were drunk enough to be unable to distinguish between crap and cake if given any. They were singing to loud pop-rock beats and throwing their limbs and heads in the name of fun. Aera had drunk the most but was still quite sober because she had a high tolerance to alcohol, like Jimin. But he was hammered and canned to the dip.

"What? All the bottles down already? I'll get some more..." He said, spinning like a ballerina on the music.

"You have classes tomorrow, friendly reminder." Aera drooped on his shoulder as she spoke, pointing a finger to emphasize her point.

"I know, I know. But I guess I'll skip the morning ones this time." He detached himself from her and Aera stumbled but caught balance just in time. "Tonight, I wanna get drunk, let me be, tiny." He poked the tip of her nose and giggled, moving towards the door. And then, he was gone.

The girls were alone, relishing the moments and the crazy night after a long time. They had lost the track of time as they browsed and played different tracks to sing to. Aera knew one thing for sure, all three of them sucked at singing or it was just the alcohol that was making them scream, instead. Either way, she didn't care at the moment. Only did she want to stop regretting that she didn't respond to the insult that Taehyung had shot at her right then and there. She was thinking of things she could have said in response.

"What on Earth makes you think I'm dying to talk to you, asshole," she believed, could have been her spontaneous and natural response. Now that she was thinking of it, she couldn't believe that she didn't retort.

In the rail of thoughts and funny dancing and singing, she failed to notice that her phone was ringing continuously. Only when the door banged open, did she come out of it. The door revealed a familiar muscular man supporting a relatively lean man, also, familiar. Ryujin switched the disco lights and unplugged the Karaoke.

"Aera?" Jungkook's call reached her ears just before she switched the white LEDs on. She was bewildered to see Jimin hanging on Jungkook's shoulder, so were the rest.

"Jungkookie, why are you calling Aera? I told you to get me ice cream, didn't I?" Jimin spoke in his indolent drunk tone. The girls gaped as Jungkook shoved Jimin away, making him land on the sofa besides with a squeal in pain.

"What exactly is he high on?" Jungkook roared and the girls couldn't help but giggle as Jimin sat up and clung to Jungkook's arm.

"What are you laughing at, tiny? You made a deal where I have to act all nice around Jungkookie," Jimin spoke as Aera stood holding her belly to contain her laughter. Ryujin was already filming the scene to blackmail Jimin later with it.

Jungkook shook his arm away from the elder man and sat far from him. He stared around, at them as he took a sip of water from the bottle on the table. "God, I swear, please tell me you three are sober," he pleaded.

"Of course, we are-" Sana began but stumbled on the wires of one of the mics and landed flat on the floor. Ryujin giggled as she recorded that and it took some cuss words from Sana who helped herself up, to make her turn the phone off.

Aera walked up and sat beside Jungkook, and made an effort to talk, "I'm the soberest, I guess. How are you here, though? How did he find you?" She pointed at Jimin who was on his cellphone, apparently talking to someone she didn't know, nor could she understand what he was speaking. She was quite sure that the person on the other side also, probably couldn't.

Jungkook stared at her in silence for a moment, then, he spoke, "I was here because I was bored at home. I went to see someone but that was brief and I had already completed my assignment, so, I came here...to relax, I guess."

Aera looked at the time on her cellphone and the notification of fourteen missed calls from Jungkook. She noticed that an hour had gone by since Jimin left them, which meant that he had helped himself into few more neat shots at an adjacent bar. Hence, this behavior. "Oops! I'm sorry, I was just losing myself in music. Er, did he give you a hard time?" She chirped.

"Sure as fuck, he did. God help me, I want to throw him into deepest pits of hell and watch him burn." Jungkook's ears turned red which made Aera believe that Jimin had probably embarrassed him in public.

Before Aera could respond, Jimin was sitting between the two, his face towards Jungkook as he leaned his body into Aera to get a better look at Jungkook. He put his boots on the younger's thighs and raised a finger at him, "Jungkookie, Namjoonie has told me that you're being a bad boy, bad habits are coming back, huh? Stop being a bad boy." his drunk tone was inevitably strong, "Apologize to me for playing around with me and Aera, do it now," Jimin groaned and kicked his thigh.

With the mention of Namjoon, Kim Namjoon who was Taehyung's elder brother, Aera connected the dots. Jimin was probably mistaking Jungkook for Taehyung but it was funny to hear how he remembered his part of the deal. She surely did hold a special spot in his heart. She knew that she shouldn't have pushed his buttons into the deal but she was sure he wouldn't agree, which, on the contrary, he had. She wondered why her and Taehyung's relationship being smooth meant so much to him. She couldn't see that happening in her entire life. She wondered how was Jimin still hopeful.

Jimin was not mistaking anything at all.

"Apologize to you, my ass!" Jungkook slapped Jimin's thigh hard, before aggressively pushing his boots away from his own thighs. He looked nervous, but not enough to make Aera suspicious.

Jungkook got to his feet, "I swear, Aera, if this shit is a part of a prank and you're playing along with him, I'll not... I'll not..."

Aera giggled partly because Jungkook couldn't find words to threaten her and partly because Sana was tying up Ryujin with the microphone cords.

"This isn't a prank, Jungkook. He's mistaking you for someone else," She assured him.

"Then, I'll let you copy my assignment if you want to, you said you're gonna finish it tonight but..." he realized that Aera only seemed sober. She wasn't sober enough to write an assignment.

"Guess, you'll just have to do it tomorrow. Now, please handle the ladies and I'll pick this asshole up and throw him into my car for now," He added when he noticed that Jimin had passed out.

Aera stumbled when she attempted to get to her feet, "Oh, Sana brought her car, we'll drive ourselves."

"I bet Sana can't drive home without hitting at least three cars, plus, if you're gonna say that you are sober enough, I'd like to remind you that you don't know how to drive," Jungkook said when Aera crossed her arms across her chest.

"Don't worry about the car, I'll get any of my chauffeurs to bring it to...wait, I've never seen the dorms apartment you live in," Jungkook gasped at the realization.

"Oh, Oh. Nevermind that. If that's what you think is right, okay." Aera spoke as she collected the girls. "And It's Sana's car, she lives in your area... I'll text you the address," She suggested.

"Okay then, I'll drop you to... where?" Jungkook asked as he threw a glass of water at Jimin. But Jungkook only cursed filthy when the man didn't wake up. Aera didn't seem to be bothered by it, she would have done the same. She was busy untying Ryujin and ignoring the complaints Sana was making.

"Just leave me by the Gobong lane, I and Ryujin will get to my place well." She answered.

"That area-" Jungkook's concern flashed in his eyes.

"Our place isn't anywhere around what you understood by Gobong lane, it's quite closer to where all students live, don't worry," Aera assured him. The truth was that she didn't want Jungkook to know in how poor conditions she was living in. The way she always asked him to pick her up from the studio nearby the hospital, where she pretended to work, was also for the same reason. She didn't want Jungkook to pity her and stick bills to her and make it a parasitic relationship. She just wanted to be friends with him.

"It doesn't matter, you're drunk. I can't leave you alone... " Jungkook scrunched his brows.

She adjusted her glasses and an idea struck her brain. She could just call another expensive seeming apartment to be hers and see him off for the night. She smiled gratefully, "Okay, then, just walk us to the building. There are only women living in our apartment, you don't have to worry there onwards," She smiled.

"Sure. I'll drop you two first and then Sana and at the end, this prick." Jungkook cursed as he threw another glass of water at Jimin as Aera shook him which finally got him awake.

***

The next Monday arrived earlier than Aera had thought. The rest of the week went smoother than she had thought, too. It was just thanks to Jungkook and Jimin avoiding each other, in disgust and utter embarrassment.

This evening, after feeding her mother, she sat at Jungkook's living room coffee table. She was waiting for him to join her with some hot chocolate for himself and an Oreo shake for her. "Did you miss me, hmm?" he said as he pecked at her lips gently.

"Yes," she hummed as he sat across her. He frowned as he saw her book called Elementary Nature Study laying open on the table.

"If you don't pay attention to me, I won't believe you missed me," He smiled with his big eyes sparkling as he shuts close to her books. He was good-looking. Especially right at the moment, Aera thought, he looked good when sunkissed by the setting sun. Even though his fashion was always the same sweats that he wore to college as well, he looked better than an average amateur model in Seoul.

"Ah, I'm here for you when I should be in the library or my study table," She smiled and took two sips.

He pushed his chair away from the table, "Then why are you sitting across? Come, sit closer to me."

He patted his thigh as he smiled smugly. She did as was told. She sat into his lap and he nuzzled into her dark hair that flew beautifully over her mid-back. His arm supported her waist and pulled her closer to his crotch. She gasped slightly and Jungkook only spread his legs wider, to feel her close.

"I was thinking of you, in my language class today." He beamed when he heard Aera speak and rubbed his fingers on her skin under the skirt, right above her knee, sliding up and down slowly, sensually.

"Just language class, hmm? When I was thinking of you all day, doll," He said and Aera blushed because of the honesty in Jungkook's eyes and playfully slapped his chest. She didn't admit but she indeed disliked how her heart didn't skip a beat when he called her that.

"No, it's funny how I remembered that you once scored a zero in English and I was trying not to laugh-"

He pinched her thigh and her laughter became a low squeal, "So, a whole ass clown is making fun of me now, huh?"

She grinned, "That is funny, okay? How could you not study even as much to score even one mark, tell me?" He narrowed his eyes on her. He gulped down his drink and put his empty mug on the table as he watched her take a big sip, waiting for her to finish so he can touch her warm lips.

"Doll, back then I didn't have you to teach me if I missed classes," he smiled softly as his thumb cleaned the choco on her lips. She returned his smile, like always. The whole of his hand was under her skirt now, just resting, and gently rubbing occasionally.

"Okay, but you're still a bigger clown, Jungkook. Remember when you kept arguing to the fee incharge that you had sent your fee receipt when it wasn't so and the man asked you to take care of your mental health-"

"Lord, that was peak embarrassment," He giggled, "but that was so just because I had panicked over me not being enrolled for the semester." He gazed at her mouth when she laughed. Jungkook had never thought that a girl as simple as Aera could affect him as she does. He grew up as a playboy and would never like to admit that Aera is breaking that crust.

"How about when you had so much lasagna that you farted loud as a pig during the viva," She laughed, remembering the day she had gotten THE deadly glare from Jungkook because she was his Viva partner and couldn't hold her laughter back, just like right at the moment.

"So funny, ain't it? Oh my God, I cannot stop laughing, ha. ha. ha." Jungkook teased with a monotonous voice and the straightest face ever. She bit her lips to hold back her laughter at his irritated look. She didn't say anything and went back to her leftover choco-oreo mug that wasn't very hot now. She shook the mug a little as Jungkook began to speak on another topic.

"I like your lip balm tint, it matches the flush of your cheeks when I do this-" He bit the skin of her neck with his hand pressed between her thighs. "I-I don't use a tinted lip balm," she managed to say after placing the empty mug on the table.

He looked at her and then licked the cream off her mouth with two teasing flicks of his tongue. He took off her glasses, leaving her to adjust to light and blurry vision while he leaned into her.

"Is it? Let me see." His gaze on her lips grew darker kissed them. He flicked a finger over her sensitive bundle of nerves under her underpants and she moaned in his deep kiss. He gently made her turn to him and placed her legs on either side to feel her body against his as he dives into the corners of her mouth.

After few moments, "Move your ass a little, doll," he tittered as he gripped her buttocks, squeezing them to gesture her to roll her hips. She wrapped her arms around his neck and moved her body, feeling the hardness in Jungkook's sweatpants grow.

He kissed her with desperation and longing to get more and more. "Aera, listen, let's stop here or I'll lose myself,"

She gasped, "Right, I-I don't want that." Her words were cautious and taut. She blinked once and then gulped as she parted her body from him.

It was as if Jungkook was subtly asking for the too much she wasn't willing to give. She had known that this day wasn't far, low-key she was even excited about it. She had denied Jungkook many times. Now that she had grown so fond of him and it felt like he was helping her healing the wounds, her mind sometimes told her to let herself loose and breathe free, live a new life. Her heart stopped her and she hated that.

When they stopped just at the right time, again, she thought of the reasons she was straddling Jungkook at the moment. Why hadn't she stop herself from kissing back when he first kissed her in the stranded studio? She should have seen this coming with the number of times he had made her feel a pool in her underpants, merely by calling her 'doll'.

But then, what if, she was pushing Jungkook away from herself with this, what if he left before she realized his worth? She couldn't let that happen again. But she was going to do just that. She wasn't just going to get involved with him sexually if she was fond of him and saw someone else in his gentle titters and deep eyes.

She knew that sex wasn't the solution to the wounds love had given. It only made the pain dissolve in pleasure. Although, she knew that at the end of the night, the pain settled every time, heavier than before. So, she didn't want to give in to him.

Jungkook was always modest enough to take permission before touching another part of her body or taking their bond a step further. She adored him for that and wanted to keep it that way. She didn't want to ruin their friendship that involved a lot of flirting and touching. But at the end of the day, it was just that - Friendship.

After so much resistance from her, Jungkook drove her home. It was unusual for her because she usually took a bus from Seoul Central, near Jungkook's apartment to Godong lane before walking up to her residence. She made him stop the car way before Godong lane this time, because of the incident last Monday. Jungkook now had a different idea of the place she lived in.

"I don't want my landlords to think ill of me, I need to spend some years here." She made an excuse.

Jungkook defied with a jerk of his head "Doll, I can't let you be on your own, it's nearly midnight and I-"

"I can be on my own, Jungkook. I return from work around this hour. My neighborhood is peaceful, don't worry." She insisted and Jungkook couldn't help getting annoyed at her white lies about the location.

Jungkook knew the area. He knew it wasn't safe. He had known it earlier too but gave in because she had been with Ryujin. This Monday, she was alone and it bothered Jungkook.

"You get home at this time?" His tone was more of anger than concern. "At which cafe do you work, exactly? Women can't be kept at work beyond eight in the evening unless they ask-"

She sucked on a breathe before she spoke, "At Xando's. I work at Xando's."

Her behavior around Jungkook, or anyone in general, for the past two years, was so ironic to her. Aera didn't like dishonesty. She wanted to splay truth to Jungkook. If he insisted more, she could let him walk her to her flat.

He exhaled deeply and poked his tongue into his cheek, "Why didn't you tell me before?"

"What's wrong with working at a cafe?" She crossed her fingers, hoping that Jungkook was only mad at her because she didn't tell him before. And not that he knew about Xando's.

But apparently, Jeon Jungkook was a man who seemed to know everything. Her hopes crumbled when he spoke, a tone higher than earlier. "Sure as hell, Xando's. Stop it. I don't want you to serve drinks at a night cafe."

"I just take the day shift, it opens for drinks after nine." She didn't realize she had been caught.

Jungkook chuckled deeply, annoyance clear in his facial expressions as he brushed his hand through his hair in frustration. "Just a few moments ago you said that you return home around this time, why?"

She shook her head, licked her lips, and nipped at the fabric of her dress before looking up. "Jungkook, I'm sorry. I really don't want you to see where I live."

Jungkook's annoyance just grew. He looked outside his car. He could see chain-smokers and drunkards strolling past them. There was a group of teenage boys, looking straight at his car, giggling as they talked among themselves. He just wanted to ball their eyes out.

"Why exactly can't you let me take you home?" he asked in his husky voice.

"Jungkook, I told you I don't want to give a bad impression to my landlords." She gulped at the reaction Jungkook gave.

He hit the steering wheel, almost making her jump. "Doll, why do you give a fuck about what they think of you?"

"Jungkook this isn't an ideal society..." She trailed off her weak excuse.

"Fuck it, can't a guy drop you back home from work under the moonlight?" He disagreed.

"I told you, Jungkook, this is reality. Even if you were a guy from work dropping me home, I'd not let you." She stated.

"Well, then move in with me?" was Jungkook's natural response.

She stared at him with her mouth parted in surprise. She took a deep breathe, and nodded as she decided to tell the truth. She didn't know how much she was going to say, but she would peel a layer off her built up lies. "It's Jimin, not the landlords. They don't live in the building. Jimin moved across my flat two days ago and I don't want him to find out about us." She flashed her lock screen to show him twenty-five missed calls and numerous texts from Jimin.

This infuriated Jungkook. As much as he was mad at Jimin for having such an effect on Aera, he was mad at her for keeping secrets.

"Aera, I've known you for almost a year now. We've been friends and - we almost had sex tonight. Just exactly how many lies have you told me? What are you trying to hide?" His words left her stunned. She didn't respond and opened the door to step out. She felt a sickness grow in her skin and she desperately wanted to scratch her skin, peel it and turn it anew.

"What are you mad for?" Jungkook hurriedly locked the car and followed her.

She turned to him, "I'm not mad Jungkook, I'm ashamed. I'm sorry for hiding the truth. Just let me go, we're never meeting again." She tried to fight his hold around her without matching eyes with him.

"Aera, listen. Listen to me," Anger reached its peak as Jungkook heard the filthy comments the teenage boys were making about them.

"No I can't, Jungkook. Just leave me alone for some time." She cried.

"I said, listen to me!" It was a roar.

She finally looked up at him, and it didn't matter if she looked miserably frightened. "Sit in the damned car for five minutes. Don't you dare fucking move."

She gulped and Jungkook gave her the car keys before he stalked to the four shit pieces of boys.

"Go and do your homework, kiddos." He politely spoke but got a jerk at his shoulder in return.

"Why are losing your shit on us, look! Your whore is trying to run away!" One of them snickered.

A year ago from the moment, Jungkook hadn't ever thought that he'd be so sensitive that he could turn around to check if Aera was sitting in the car if this happened. But he did, and became a laughing stock for fifteen-year-olds.

Then, He actually lost his shit and punched the young boy right into his jaw who had now, crouched low to his feet. The other two came forward but Jungkook, obviously, was stronger and punched the hell out of one of them, scaring the hell out of the other.

He didn't stop until he heard Jimin's voice, "What kind of a scumbag are you, Jeon? Why are you hitting kids?"

The kids ran away when they saw Jimin.

The younger man with brown hair exhaled exasperatedly and inhaled back in, and repeated the same thing until he felt his heart and mind calm down. "Why are you here?" He asked.

"Aera told me that you're being an ass. Leave her the fuck alone, Jeon." Jimin asserted himself with no lag in his voice.

"Do you too, want to get punched, now?" Jungkook balled his fists and took a step towards Jimin.

"You don't want to get there, I'm telling you." Jimin snickered.

"Then, Park Jimin, keep your shit ass away from her. She. doesn't. like. you." Jungkook pressed a finger into Jimin's chest at every period. The older, lean man didn't want to explain himself why he seemed to be speechless at the moment.

He just thanked God when he saw Aera behind Jungkook. "What the hell, again, you two! Jungkook, he's my fucking best friend, okay?"

"Then, ask him to fucking act like one." Jungkook roared and Jimin chuckled as if he was amused by the expressions on the younger's face.

"Why can't you two be friends?" Aera sighed helplessly.

"He's an asshole." Their sound in unison didn't surprise Aera as much it annoyed the two of them. She covered her mouth as she laughed lowly. As much as they fought every time they breathe around each other, it wasn't funny how the two of them were polar opposites and clashed over the smallest of things. But she still laughed because she was done with both of them fighting constantly.

"What's so funny, huh? Tell me why are you with him when you should be at work?" Jimin caught her wrist and stepped closer to her but Jungkook, so dramatically, put his arm in between.

"You're not her fucking Guardian," The artist groaned.

"I've known her since she was tiny," The dancer scoffed, "And you shouldn't be bothered about who her guardians are, get it through your thick skull." Jimin pushed the other man's arm aside and pulled Aera beside him with her wrist.

Jungkook pulled her to himself, "If you were so much of a fucking family to her, you'd be concerned about her working at Xando's."

"I'm-" the panic in Aera's face was visible before Jimin growled at her.

"What? You're working at Xando's? Are you fucking kidding me Park Aera?!" Jimin didn't take his eyes off her until he made sure he was scaring her.

"M-my previous-"

Jungkook held her face and turned it to himself. "No, look at me, first tell me what did you tell him about your job?"

"Jungkook, I-I told-"

"She said she's working as a fucking clerk at a twenty-four-hour bank." The older man looked very confused and annoyed at the same time.

"Damn, that's worse than what she told me." Jungkook chuckled, clapping his hands for a moment.

"What did she tell you?" Jimin narrowed his eyes at his enemy.

"Go on Aera, tell Jimin what you told me." Jungkook pushed, absolutely hating the fact that he was going through this.

"I'm sorry, okay? It's difficult for me. Not easy like you it's for you guys- You have an established job in your hands, Jungkook. And Jimin, you're a fucking ace and society is patriarchal so - of course, you get the jobs easily and they stick to you even if you skip a few days. I have to manage my college fee, my fucked up mental health, my mother, and that bastard of a Boss who lets me work because men at a fucking bar like seeing long legs in a short skirt. " Aera spoke her heart out for the first time since she had moved into Seoul.

Jimin ignored his phone that was ringing constantly. Jungkook pulled her into a hug. "Aera, why do you need to do this? Where's your Mum and Dad?"

"Jeon, this is the reason I'm asking you to leave her the fuck alone. You don't know two shits about her but love to stick to her without even-"

"I'll pay for all your expenses, Aera, stop working at Xando's." Jungkook spoke which left Jimin at the loss of words.

While Aera seemed too lost to respond to him.

"Recieve the call Jimin, it might be from the hospital." She requested Jimin when he attempted to draw her away from Jungkook.

He stilled momentarily and attended the call. Jimin was too late to take a step away and keep the identity of the caller discreet. Yet again, she had already recognized the voice and she so wished that she couldn't.

"Don't be so stunned, doll, I'm saying I'm fine with taking your responsibility." Jungkook chinned her and she nodded, taking action impulsively in rage.

"Jungkook, can you just take me home?" She glanced at Jimin who was already looking at her with his face grave as if he was talking on a very serious note. The fact that her best friend was talking to the man she hated the most didn't sit right with her.

She looked up at Jungkook and smiled, and hid all of the pain and fury with the brightness of the smile. She needed to leave it all behind, even for a moment. To escape into Jungkook who brought her a little light.

"But first, tell me all about yourself, honestly." Jungkook put his condition as he walked her back into his car.

He kept ignoring the fact that she was numb and was turning around to glance at Jimin every few seconds as they walked. He also found it weird that Jimin didn't stop them before letting him take her wherever he wants to. But he was too confused to give a shit, actually.

"Let's talk while we drive home, yeah?" She smiled as she stepped into the car.

"Yours or mine?" He smiled back.

"Mine." She spoke and glanced at Jimin one final time. He was done with the call and was standing, waiting for someone.

She stopped thinking about everything as Jungkook drove past Jimin.

"Yeah, Jimin. I'm here"
"Yeah, Jimin. I'm here"
"Yeah, Jimin. I'm here"
"Yeah, Jimin. I'm here"
"Yeah, Jimin. I'm here"

"Stop!" Aera screamed out of nowhere. Jungkook was afraid he offended her. He couldn't stop the car right in the moment, they were in the middle of the road.

"Yeah Jimin-"

"Can you fucking stop?!" She yelled again and this time Jungkook stopped without thinking. Fortunately, there wasn't much four-wheeler traffic in Aera's neighborhood. A man on his bike yelled at Jungkook as he crossed their car, saving an accident.

"Aera? Are you okay? What happened?" She heard Jungkook and suddenly felt so small as she thought of how much he cared for her. Just like he never could. She cursed the man whose voice in her head had caused the scene.

"I'm sorry, I'm very sorry - I - I wasn't yelling at you, I'm sorry." She whispered, holding her hands together with the material of her skirt.

Jungkook hadn't ever been in such a situation before, he hadn't been someone who comforts the person he wanted to have sex with. He knew that Aera had changed him. Sometimes he found it difficult to adjust to emotions, such as times like this when he needed to shower gentleness instead of money.

Just a few minutes ago he had found out that she had been lying to him and anyone who has known him would find it miraculous that she was still in the car with him. The fact that he was not even mad at her at this moment, he was worried for her was absurd to himself. He had told himself that there must have been a reason for her to lie, that was how much he trusted her, or maybe, there was a word with bigger meaning involved.

He responded after parking the car in front of a small ice cream parlor that was closed. He took her hands into his. "What's wrong, Aera?"

She looked up at him and smiled gratefully as if she was glad that he was there with her, that she was not alone this time. "I'm sorry, Jungkook, I'm totally ruining your night-"

"No, it's alright. If you trust me enough to drive you around, I'm having the best time ever." He rubbed the back of her hand and continued, "Aera, there are times when I - just, tell me everything that's bothering you. Don't hide anything from me, please."

She nodded. "Will you drive me to The Care hospital? It's really close to your flat." That was the first time she had asked a small favor from Jungkook.

He was almost convinced that it was all a dream before he responded. "I will but, why?" He ignited the engine.

That smile of hers, it was sad.

"I think I need to see my mom. I met her in the morning, but-"

"Why is she in the hospital? Aera, why didn't you tell me before?" Jungkook was considerably disturbed by the facts unfolding unexpectedly.

She sighed a long sigh and widened her eyes before shutting them for a moment or two, to prevent tears from brimming. Then she took a deep breath and turned to Jungkook.

"I'll tell you, Jungkook. I promise I won't lie about anything now. But for now, let me just see my mother first." She pursed her mouth and looked out of the window, at the city lights that didn't seem dreamy to her like they once used to.

She liked how Jungkook was driving fast and told him that. He tittered shyly. She wondered why he was so nice, why he didn't just lash out at her and yelled at her for burdening him. She didn't like it, it was too good, too good to be real. She wondered when will he leave her. It could be the next day. It could be the same night, right after finding out her secrets. She didn't want him to leave and it was a shame because she was, obviously, just exploiting his emotional vulnerability that she caused. Being greedy, she decided she would keep the lacerations that hurt the most, to herself. She decided that she wouldn't tell him everything.

"We're here." Jungkook jerked her hand that she realized, he had been holding throughout the way.

"Thank you," She climbed out of the man's beautiful, black Mercedes AMG GT 63 S. He held her gaze and smiled before he gulped.

It was a small favor he had done and it amazed him how grateful she looked for it. Aera walked forward as Jungkook gestured to her that he would join her after parking the car.

It was a fierce moment when she could see a familiar man walking towards her.

She stopped still and the world froze when his dark brown orbs met hers, for a moment or two.

"You?" His deep voice was just like how it used to be, raspy and heavenly like the ones in her dreams. That was how she realized that he was actually standing there, right in front of her. She kept staring brazenly at him, intending to intimidate him. She didn't look away, not until he did. Her gaze followed his when he looked at someone behind her that was Jungkook.

"Let's go, why did you stop?" Jungkook took her hand and she barely nodded in response before glancing at the familiar man who had stepped aside a little.

She didn't notice the exchange of a glance between the two men as she focused on the cemented bricks under her feet when she heard his footsteps marching away. There were a billion things in her mind that she wanted to say to him. A million thoughts on how he looked as if he had changed, he had become older, different. Also, how much she hated him for leaving her. She had lost another chance to say it right into his face.

But she emptied her head again with a smile at Jungkook and walked past the man, ignoring his existence, only for a moment. Thoughts consumed her again, just a moment after. She wanted to turn around and curse, yell at him. She wanted to see if he had noticed her holding Jungkook's hand. For a split second, she thought she wanted to snap his neck with a high kick.

"Since when is she here, Why didn't you tell me before?" Jungkook's voice successfully distracted her. She decided to talk.

To keep talking to Jungkook to not think, to escape the apparently inevitable task of thinking. She knew she wouldn't succeed and will fail even more miserably now that he was there in flesh. Now that she had crossed paths with him, it was obvious that it would get worst. But she knew that she would keep fighting, fight even harder. She knew that she could make him regret it.

"She's got minor tetraplegia- a kind of paralysis in her arms and legs which was caused due to a spinal injury one and a half years ago, which also caused a little loss of memory due to some trauma. She's been that way since then." Aera plainly put it as she pushed the elevator button.

"I'm sorry to hear that. I'm very sorry. She will get well soon." Jungkook couldn't imagine the pain. Even the thought of something like this happening to his mom, or his dad scared him. He was proud of Aera for being so strong.

"So, when I entered the University, I had to bring her to hospital. There's no one to take care of her at home back in Daegu." She added.

"Your dad?" She immediately withdrew her hand from his, gulped, and started speaking again. She had to speak, she must. She possibly couldn't stop speaking, she couldn't let her brain consume her in thoughts.

"He...well, he divorced her because..." When Aera's face became expressionless, grey, and lifeless, Jungkook understood that he had touched a sensitive nerve. He didn't push it further.

When Jungkook stepped into the hospital ward, he realized that he hadn't been to one after he was born. He only came for private quarterly checkups, never being admitted for being ill. He noted that patients' wards smelled awful. There was a suffocating smell of medicines mixed with leftover food kept on each bed. He exhaled deeply, only to find out that the air wasn't conditioned. The walls were damaged and the heavy patient beds, covered in various medical aids were kept untendered, old, and probably outdated.

He wondered if Aera's mother was being treated well. He doubted it. Moving further, he followed Aera into the small, cheap hospital room which was oddly quiet, for all the eight patients in the ward were sleeping until she woke her dozing mother up. She smiled when she patted her forehead gently, caressing her hair and hand softly.

Jungkook stood at the distance and her mother didn't notice him because the lights were low and she probably wasn't used to many people other than her daughter or Jimin visiting her. Both of them were too busy to ever arrive together.

Aera turned on the table lamp and accidentally dropped a water bottle. Her mother hissed and Aera apologized, looking around to check if she had caused disturbance to anyone. Jungkook walked closer with the thumps of his biker boots being the only sound in the air.

He wondered if her mother had felt the touch on her fingers, or it was not just immobility but also, the loss of inability to feel the sensation. He quickly looked it up on the internet. It made his heart hurt how Aera was touching her mother as if she could feel it even when she couldn't.

"Why are you all visiting me right now, let me sleep," Her mother complained about a weak smile on her face.

Aera hated to admit the reason she suddenly wanted to meet her mother. Nor did she want to ask her mother who else came to visit her. She knew the answer.

"I just wanted to see you, I had a stressful day today so I couldn't fall asleep." She smiled as she soothed her mother's forehead.

"So, does that mean you two will not let me sleep too? Where did you meet him? He was asking about you. In all these years, he's changed, I almost-" Aera hated that she didn't want her mother to be interrupted by Jungkook's entrance into the scene.

She wanted to say that yes, she crossed paths with him just a few moments ago. She wanted to tell her mother how she almost slapped him over and over because of how much her heart was enraged to see him after such a long time. But she didn't because, one - she didn't want her mother to remember a bad memory that she's forgotten, two - Jungkook was there.

"Oh, Taetae, did you forget something here? How nice, Aera is here too." Her mother spoke and Aera gripped onto the skirt tighter before she met eyes with Jungkook's. She absolutely hated that her mom just mistook Jungkook for Taehyung because of his similar hoodie.

"Mom, he's Jungkook, my-"

"Boyfriend. Jeon Jungkook, ma'am. How are you?" Jungkook smiled nervously.

Aera's mother laughed, "Is this a prank? Jeon Jungkook is much more handsome than you, Taetae."

It seemed unbelievable but Aera would disagree.

Jungkook rolled his eyes at the comment. He didn't like being a famous father's son only because he's anonymous to very few people in the country. His father was the Solicitor General of South Korea and his mother was the owner of a Defence Sciences Innovation company that the government was in ties with.

"Oh, Mom! You know him?" Aera almost jumped.

"Of course, I do. I watch the television all day here...his pretty face is all over. Aish, I don't understand - Why can't they let the young boy live in peace? Everyone knows that he's a prodigy but still - let him live his life before making him prove himself as the best businessman even when his mother is handling the business just fine. Being born with a pretty face and extensive talent in a rich household is such a disadvantage as much as it's an advantage - huh, why are you laughing?"

Aera turned on the brighter lights in the chamber and removed Jungkook's hood.

"Aera, he's the real Jeon." his mother gasped in surprise.

"Yes, mom." she grinned.

"Where did you find him?" Her mother stared at him in amazement and Jungkook grinned at the question.

"We attend the same college, same major," Jungkook answered for her and there was no reaction from her mother.

The older woman just moved her eyes a little and Aera understood that she wanted to whisper something. She leaned in. "Be careful, and never trust these rich dudes."

"Aish, mom. He's a nice guy." Aera began to defend Jungkook but her mother silenced her merely by an eyebrow raise.

Aera understood her reasons and she didn't push further. She grimaced, aware that her mother just remembered the love of her life, Aera's stepfather. He was a rich person, unlike her biological father. Maybe bringing Jungkook there was a bad idea.

"Anyways, Taetae will keep an eye on him." Her mother eyed Jungkook with knitted brows.

The lady had already judged Jungkook as a playboy. Jungkook didn't mind, he was happy that her mother did care about who her daughter dated. Even though they weren't actually dating just yet, he had promised (read: challenged) himself that he wouldn't be an asshole to Aera, no matter what happened.

What actually surprised him was the way Aera fell into her seat, almost involuntarily as the conversation continued between the two ladies. He decided he would ask about it later when he takes her to his flat to spend the rest of the night talking. For the moment, he sat beside her and wondered about who the hell was Taetae.

Jungkook's mind came back to reality when the lady spoke on a different topic, "Aera, there's a bug in my hair I think, help me." The daughter immediately stood up to solve the problem. She jumped frantically when she saw the bug at first but managed to crush it away from her mother's head.

"Help me change my position too, I think my back has reddened today... it's been itching since evening." Aera nodded, "Also, I haven't gotten my chance of the wheelchair for a while now, make sure you file a complaint." Her mother requested, unaware of the sudden inner panic in Aera's chest. Even though she had been helping her mother for a long time, she was always cautious because she knew that even a little mistake could cause a huge loss.

Jungkook offered to help but she refused, simply being hesitant. Jungkook didn't push, he guessed that she was being careful to not let Jungkook mess it up.

Aera went on picking pillows from the sides, gently placing them to assist her mother in her new position to be. She picked one from the left and placed it aside, tenderly raising her mother's right shoulder, raising her chest in turn. Since there was no nurse around, she asked Jungkook to settle her mother's right leg in the same manner. He felt nervous, his fingers were almost shaking before he fulfilled her request. She mouthed a thank you, which, Jungkook believed, wasn't needed. He just nodded and helped her settle the pillows between her mother's limbs as she now laid sideways.

"But mom, you can't lay this way all night... who will switch it?" Aera's movements were rushed, like her tone as she sprayed some powder into her mother's back.

"Remind Hyejin to change me before you leave." Her mother's voice was clearer to Jungkook now that she was lying sideways and he could bet that it was no different from her daughter's.

Aera cursed under her breath. She disapproved of Nurse Hyejin. She thought that she was unbelievably irresponsible and base on her job. Aera wished that she could earn more and provide better health care to her mother.

Jungkook was noticing it, he was noticing everything. And it was breaking his heart. Aera was young and bright, she was tough and courageous. Jungkook was beyond proud.

"How did this bug reach your head? It could have bitten you or something!" She shook her head, not surprised at the irresponsible management of the medical staff in the cheap hospital.

"Don't you see how dirty the ward has become? They don't even clean up every day."

"I'll talk to Hyejin and her whole damn team on my way back tomorrow morning," She assured her mother who smiled. Jungkook admired Just how beautiful was a mother and daughter's bond. He couldn't even put it into words.

"How's your bank staff? Are they as rash as this?" Aera chuckled nervously as she glanced at Jungkook to see if he heard it.

He did hear it but he didn't want to disclose Aera's secret, he knew that her mother would be disappointed to know about Xando's. Her mother's eyes moved from hers to his face, totally confused.

"They're much better, mom. The bank has a great working atmosphere, I love being there." Her mother gave a small nod in approval.

"Okay and isn't this the time you return home and fall asleep? Does he pick you up every day? Why are you with him right now?" She eyed Jungkook with an apprehensive glance before her attention was back to her daughter who let out another mousy laughter. Jungkook smiled too, ready to play along with whatever lie Aera was going to tell her mother.

"Ah, I couldn't sleep so I rang him up to release my stress." Aera was slowly swinging back and forth in her seat as she spoke. Jungkook could tell that it was simply because she didn't like being dishonest with her mother. He couldn't help but adore her for this habit.

"She told me that she wanted to see you so I brought her here," Jungkook added, clearing all the doubt.

He smiled and pressed Aera's hand with his, holding tight. It was funny to Aera how this gesture reminded her of someone else. She wondered how the two men could be so alike and yet completely different. She tried to get herself busy as she picked up her mother's sipper and water bottles and strolled towards the ward's water supply to refill it.

"That's nice of you, Jungkook." There was a genuine smile on her mother's lips that symbolized hope and adoration. Jungkook wondered if she had suddenly changed her mind about him.

"That's my duty, Auntie. However, she's never told me about you so I couldn't come to see you earlier. I'll drop by often now." Jungkook grinned. His boyish aura charmed her mother and she smiled back.

"Don't blame her. I guess she's just tired of me. She can't even give time to her studies because of me. Poverty is the biggest curse, boy. Never mind, you won't understand." Tears threatened to fall from her eyes but Jungkook wiped them. Her eyes widened at his sudden gesture of kindness.

"How can a child be tired of their mother, auntie. She probably kept it from me because I'm a little sensitive to hospitals. She's a true gem. And I promise I'll take care of her while she works hard. You will get well soon and we will have a beautiful future, I know."

"I don't think I can trust you just yet. But I'm sure you're a nice fellow if she calls you to release stress," She chuckled and said, "You've replaced me, I see."

The old woman laughed wholeheartedly, glancing at Aera who kept the bottle and began to arrange the objects on the shelf in a peculiar order.

She was an organization freak, and Jungkook knew that. He chuckled along with her mother. He had decided that he would take responsibility for Aera's mother's treatment. He just didn't know how he would convince Aera of that.

***

They were in Jungkook's car, going to Jungkook's place for the night as it was already two in the morning. The night was dark, moonless but Aera still looked up in the sky, her head resting on the seat lazily. She could see the stars but didn't find them alluring, not when she was watching them alone. She wanted to suppress the urge to see the stars that reside in his eyes, again.

The girl kept gazing at the darkness in the sky because his face appeared in it, just as dark as a curse. She cursed herself for finding the beauty of the moon in his porcelain skin and breathtaking features. The motive was, actually that she would throw the porcelain down a cliff and watch it shatter.

"I'm sorry I'm pushing you into so many favors, Jungkook. It's just Jimin, I don't - well, to simply put it, I'm not ready to face him." She put every word slowly, gulping twice as she spoke.

She didn't know what she was afraid of, why couldn't she just face it, face him already. She wondered what he and Jimin would talk about that night, now that the soulmate - best friends were probably meeting, after years. She wondered if he would mention the encounter to Jimin. She wondered if Jimin would give in to his sweet talk. It seemed impossible because Jimin was sensible enough to tell wrong and right apart but she was still just scared she will lose Jimin too. The worst she could imagine was herself fighting with Jimin roughly enough to break off.

The things that had made her heart heavy for the past years, she didn't want to fall weak on her knees for how much vulnerable she still was. She had known that it was in his presence where her soul found peace, she knew that it couldn't change no matter how hard she tried.

After what happened and how much she lost, she was barely holding up herself, thanks to Jungkook and Jimin.

She was stuck, because of Taehyung. Trying to find comfort in Jungkook meant edging her to end terms with Jimin. What could she possibly do?

Whatever she would, she would never, ever look at Taehyung without contempt.

"I don't mind at all, let's sleep together - I mean, your place is far and I'm sleepy." Jungkook smiled, lowly sliding his tattooed hand onto her thigh. She just chuckled absentmindedly at his response.

"Sure."

He's a bad guy.

And you loved him. So bad.

"Who's Taetae?" Aera couldn't hide her goosebumps when Jungkook asked this. The sudden wave of fury washed past her but she concealed it.

He parked his car, waiting for an answer but Aera took a few moments to comprehend the answer to herself.

"He's a guy who's been my friend since kindergarten. My mum adores him so much that she compares every man with him, please don't mind her." She let out a fake laugh that convinced Jungkook that Taetae was someone harmless. He imagined him as a stout, funny geek.

"Sounds lovely. I wish I had such people too. Being a rich kid sucks!" The tough man pushed the elevator button, shaking his head.

Aera felt her mind dragging her to the memories of her beautiful childhood.

"Yeah? It's just that we grew up together, same school and same classes, tuitions, interests and our mothers knew each other because of us so, there was no way out." Aera could go on for an eternity, not that she would ever want to. She felt as if she was telling Jungkook how she ended up marrying her childhood best friend.

That's what she kept dreaming of until her childhood best friend decided to lose his mind and do crappy stuff. At the moment she stood besides Jungkook, she just wished that she could erase all memories of him and move on with Jungkook.

"That's really cute. I'd love to meet him someday. I'm guessing you two are still in touch?" Jungkook typed the passcode to his apartment as he talked, totally missing the gasp Aera let out. There was a block in her throat, struggling to get out, stopping her from answering Jungkook's question.

"I guess, no. He's not around here anymore." That was all that she managed to say.

The man sighed as he entered his flat. It was dark, grey flooring that met his eyes when he turned on the lights. This was a short hallway that lead into his living, where Jungkook had pinned Aera to the wall so many times there, almost every time she was there. He would've done it then, again if he wasn't disappointed in Aera for gatekeeping a male best friend from him.

Moreover, Jungkook had a problem, he got pissed when he got a 'No' for an answer.

"No? why? Your mum's words suggested that he was there to meet her?" He didn't know why he suddenly felt a little distant from her. A very little but he knew that something was wrong with the way he was feeling about Aera when she was talking about Taetae.

"O-oh? Did she mention, I think I missed it. He's a busy man these days, I guess he'd have met her in the noon or sometime before - that's actually surprising." she lied.

How could it be that she missed it? Jungkook sighed in disbelief and kept his messed thoughts to his head.

"You're not lying, are you?"

He noticed how Aera was startled. This time, he could tell that she was hiding something again. She was trying hard but now that Jungkook knew that she was a fluent liar, he was keen on noticing every move. She tugged at the dining chair firmly and turned around to face him, looking for a sign of distrust in his eyes before she spoke.

"Why'd I lie now? I told you how ashamed I am of lying to you since the start... I don't want to do it no more, Jungkook."

Jungkook licked his lips and blinked twice, he still found it hard to believe that she refused to have had a conversation about her childhood best friend meeting her mother. He had been right there when they were talking, a little away but the silence in the ward made the conversation easy to fall into his ears. It was strange that she was refusing to admit such a simple thing.

"I mean, okay, I might have misheard. But, don't you two meet? What is he studying? Or working on?" Now, he really was curious. He wanted to meet Taetae just because Aera told him that he can't.

"God! Just let it be, Jungkook. We'll talk later, I'm sleepy!" Aera whined as she pulled Jungkook out of the kitchen, towards his room.

"Oh, of course, sure. Let's sleep... for three hours." Jungkook glanced at the clock after he gave his puzzled mind a break.

Surprisingly, he fell asleep as soon as his head touched the pillow. He really was exhausted that day. On the other hand, no matter how exhausted she was, Aera struggled to find some sleep.

She laid on the bed beside Jungkook, waiting for dawn to break, sunlight to reach her eyes, something, anything that would lighten her. She couldn't forget the moment where her enemy's eyes met hers, the exchange of gaze, the breathe, the two sharing the same ground beneath their feet, the same sky above their heads. She couldn't get her mind off appearance of a certain man, but she constantly prayed that he would just disappear, already.