Brush Strokes ✓

14.

"You should have told me you were seeing someone," Taehyung said, his expressions blank, giving away nothing.

Aera was confused. "What are you talking about?" she asked, searching his eyes but she found nothing. She could feel the ball in the pit of her stomach falling deeper.

"I saw you," he said in a low voice. "I came yesterday to see you but I saw you with another man. I saw him kiss you," he continued, his teeth gritting as he said the last.

Aera's eyes widened as she realised what he was talking about. A million emotions passed through her, fast enough that she couldn't keep hold of any one. But the most prominent thought was, Doyun only kissed her cheek, like usual.

Looking into his eyes, however, she knew, her words would be rebuffed. So, she caught onto the next strongest thought that entered her mind.

With her hands clenched into tight fists, she glared at him. "So, what?" she said, taking Taehyung aback. "What if I went on a date? Had some fun and kissed him? What is it to you? I don't think you have the right to be angry with me."

Taehyung could only stare at the woman that made his heart beat faster. But right now, she was slowly crushing it with every word she spoke. Any response he could have given was stuck in his mouth.

Aera raised her hand, her finger poking him in his chest. "Just because I forgave you, made you my friend, spoke some sweet words, doesn't mean you can tell me what to do. Nor can you demand any kind of explaination about who I meet or who I choose to kiss. It's my life. I'm a free woman. So, stop getting wrong ideas that you can have any kind of say in my life!"

With her eyes spitting fire, her breath heavy from anger, she left him there. Stunned, numb and guilty. He had evaluated the situation completely wrong. She saw him only as friend and now he had messed up. He didn't even know if she'd talk to him again.

As Aera moved further into the big house, still a little angry, she encountered Sehee and Seokjin in the kitchen. Taking deep breaths to calm herself, she put on a bright smile and bounced towards the couple.

"What are you cooking?" she asked, like a small child, her eyes sparkling as she looked over the pans filled with food. "Some japchae, fried chicken and your favourite cheese tteokbokki," Sehee replied, feeding Aera a rice cake covered in delicious red sauce.

Aera hummed happily, picking up a piece of fried chicken as well. "We are also getting pizza delivered later and Namjoon said he wants to cook pasta. Especially for Aera," Seokjin said, giving the younger woman a kind smile.

"That's amazing but he doesn't have to that," Aera said with a pout, feeling as if it'd be too much work for Namjoon. "He wants to do it," Seokjin said. "And it's the only dish he can cook perfectly. So, you better just stuff it up."

That made Aera chuckle along with Jin. Sehee, on the other hand, looked at her little sister with concern. "You don't have to get changed," Sehee said, Aera's smile dropped understanding what she meant.

"Yeah," Seokjin continued, knowing about her fear of deep water already. "You don't even have to go close to the pool. You can just lounge in the garden."

"I really appreciate your concern but I don't want to a bummer, you know. Jimin looked really enthusiastic about the pool party."

"Jimin is also a grown man," Sehee said, putting down the laddle. "He will understand if you tell him."

"Aish, unnie! You make me sound like a small child. I can handle myself, okay? Now, where do I go and change?" Aera asked as cheerfully as she could. She really didn't want to be a kill sport, especially with everything going on.

Sehee didn't look convinced as she shared a glance with her boyfriend. The man smiled at her encouragingly and told Aera that she could use his room to change.

"Aera, are you sure about this?" Sehee asked as the two women reached Seokjin's room. Aera sighed and looked at her sister with a tight smile. "Honestly, I'm not but I don't want to keep living in this fear forever."

Sehee took Aera's hands, squeezing them a little. "I know, but you don't have to do it at once. Take your time adjusting."

"Yes, mom! I'll take care. Now go and let me change." Sehee ruffled the girl's hair with a fond smile, leaving her alone.

Aera was done changing quickly. When she went downstairs and out of the house and into the backyard, she did her best to calm her frantically beating heart. She kept telling herself again and again, nothing was going to happen.

Just before she rounded the corner beyond which she could hear water splashing and loud noises, she stopped and took a deep breath. Get a grip, she told herself. Lee Aera, you are not seven years old. You can protect yourself.

With that firm resolve, she went out, slapping a smile on her face and sat down beside Sehee. On the edge of the pool, her legs in the cold water.

No one seemed to notice her smile slipping a little, nor the way she gripped Sehee's wet hand. No one seemed to notice her reluctance to be near the water. No one seemed to notice Jimin smiling, his eyes sparkling with mischief as he gave an eye smile to Aera, his hand wrapping around her feet and pulling her under the water.

Sehee couldn't stop Aera from falling in the pool, her hands slippery because of water. Her face changed to horror as the girl let out a scream of fear, water rushing into her mouth, nose and ears.

Everyone except Sehee and Seokjin watched the scene with amusement as the girl flapped in the relatively shallow water, shocked from the suddenness. But it soon became clear that the girl wasn't only shocked, she was also terrified.

"Get her out of the water! NOW!" Sehee screamed, trying to hold onto Aera, but she was too far gone in her head by now. She was flapping and screaming incoherently.

Taehyung was quick to move. He pushed everyone away as he caught hold of the panicking girl's waist, and lifted her out of the water, taking the brunt of her frantically flying fists. "Aera!" He shouted in her crying face as she kept her eyes closed, small whimpers leaving her mouth.

"Breath, jagiya. Please," he continued, pulling her out of the pool and firmly holding her face in his hands. Taehyung's heart threatened to burst out of his chest as he watched her crying, hear face contorted in extreme terror.

"Appa, please, n-no. No..."

Sehee moved Taehyung away, grabbing Aera by her hair and landing a hard slap on her face. Everyone was shocked to see the usually calm woman act so violently but it pulled Aera out of her trance.

Sehee sighed as she watched Aera continuing crying but out of her head. She was crying because of the present instead of the past. The first option was always better.

"Taehyung, can you help me move her inside?" Sehee asked in a low voice, looking at no one. She was scared and angry and she didn't trust her tongue at the moment. It was her baby sister after all.

Taehyung quickly picked up the small woman in his arms, relieved but scared at the same time as the girl continued crying, holding onto him tightly. With this episode, one thing was sure, she had went through something really traumatic to react like this. And Taehyung wanted to erase all of her bad memories, replacing them with happy ones.

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A/N:

Phew! Long chapter.

Too much going on, right?

Lemme know what you think about it.

Thank you for reading!🍭✨