As I have nothing to give you, I give you my heart (IU Verse Book#1)

Chapter 47

     Jieun got discharged from the hospital the morning after. Jihyuk and her close team (Seri, Hanteo, and Sangin) helped her settle back into her home comfortably. Both Jihyuk and Jieun decide to move into a bigger apartment with two floors, the first floor being the living room area, the dining, and the kitchen area, and a gym room, while the second floor consists of their bedroom, a guest room, and an office for both of them. Her mother had dropped by their new home and brought Jieun and Jihyuk home-cooked meals, but this time, she made extra side dishes because Jihyuk was also living there. 

     After they settled in their new home, the two found themselves returning to their normal day-to-day lives normally. Since all of the threat was gone, and Jieun's case was officially closed, they both felt at ease. Jihyuk continued being her personal bodyguard and at the same time does his work at the agency, while Jieun worked on her next project. They fell into a routine where Jihyuk would drive Jieun to her office and pick her up in the evening. They would either eat out or reheat the leftover meals from her mother, and would both go to bed early and retire for the day. Or so Jieun thought.

     She had woken up one night from thirst and found that Jihyuk was nowhere to be seen. She got up, got herself a glass of water, poured another for Jihyuk, and wandered around her apartment to find him. She finally found him on the open balcony that opened from the living room area, on the first floor. He was sitting quietly on a chair. The sound of the screen door opening prompted him to turn around. Jieun slipped into the balcony and took a seat on the vacant chair beside him. She handed him the glass of water and Jihyuk took it and smiled at her with thanks.

      "Can't sleep?" She asked casually. Jihyuk looked over at her and gave her a soft smile as he nodded. Then he pushed his chair closer to hers. "You should have stayed in bed. What are you doing out there?" He asked. Jieun shrugged as she sipped her water and looked outward to the sky, where few stars were visible in the night. "I couldn't sleep knowing you were out here." She replied simply. Jihyuk followed her eyes and gazed at the night sky, before glancing back down at her again. She caught his eye as she folded her hands in front of her chest, finally noticing the cold of the night.

      "Now you wanna tell me what's been bothering you that you couldn't sleep?" She asked kindly. She shifted her seat closer to his, now feeling the cold even more against her skin.  She hugged her thin outerwear, which she wore over her nightgown. Jihyuk immediately took notice of it. He threw an arm around her shoulder and rubbed her shoulder gently. "I could've gotten a blanket from the bedroom," Jieun murmured as she leaned into him. She rested her head on his shoulder. Jihyuk automatically planted a kiss on top of her head, before he commented, "We should go back to bed. You're freezing." Jieun moved her head slightly so she could look at him.

     "You're going to put me back to bed and you're going to be alone out here. I won't leave until you do," She said firmly. "Now, tell me what's keeping you up this time in the night." Jihyuk looked at her eyes and saw the determination they held, so he sighed and dropped his head down a little, averting her gaze. "I can't sleep because I keep feeling anxious."

     She removed her head from his shoulder, but she was still in close proximity to him. Her eyes are full of concern as well as confusion. "About?" Then it hit her. "Is it about our last conversation in the hospital?" Jihyuk immediately shook his head. "No, noona. No, it's not that. I told you I am okay with that. To be honest, I am elated with the fact that you want to tell your fans about me, about us. " He shifted his seat slightly away from hers. Jieun looked at him in the same questionable expression. "Then what is it?" Jieun prompted. Jihyuk looked down for a moment, before looking back up at her. There was something in his eyes that Jieun had never seen before. It was utter Fear.