WORDS. |Kim Seungmin

Forty Seven.

"Welcome to Beans&Bread café. What would you like to ord-" Aria said lifting her head up, but stopped once her eyes landed on the customer. Her favorite customer. She smiled sweetly, leaning towards the counter. "Oh! Hello. What would you like to order, sir?" She said playfully.

"Hmm." Seungmin hummed as if he was thinking. He leaned to the counter too, leaving only very few centimeters between their faces. "I would like to take y-"

"Don't you fucking dare to say 'you'." Changbin who came back from the staff's room yelled. The poor boy was done with his friends always flirting around him.

"Chill out, dude." Seungmin chuckled. He was internally enjoying teasing Changbin.

"Just go home, already." Changbin said, moving from behind the counter to the front door to close it as it was time for them to wrap up.

"We still have to clean." Aria protested.

Changbin sighed. He turned to face his friend and crossed his arms to his chest. "You won't clean, Ari. Not when he's here, sitting somewhere and eyeing you as if you are not going home together. You'll keep messing around and stepping on my nerves. So, leave. Please. Let me finish this and go home."

"Bu-" Aria was about to protest but Seungmin pulled the girl to his side, slipped his hand behind her to untie her apron and remove it, placing it on the counter.

"Thanks, Bin." He winked at Changbin who already grabbed Aria's bag and handed it to them.

Changbin waved at the couple as they walked out, leaving him to finish the task of cleaning up and closing the café.

The weather was cool and refreshing so they decided to walk all the way home. It was one of their favorite things. Walking silently, side by side while holding hands. They didn't need words to express themselves. They could do just fine with only holding hands and touching. Time taught them to do so.

"You miss him?" Seungmin asked, cutting Aria's thoughts.

She lifted her head to look at him with confusion. "How do you know?" She asked.

Seungmin smiled. He lifted his free hand to her face. His index finger stopped at the crease between her brows to ease it with a soft brush before he drops his hand to his side again. "You are frowning and pouting again. I know you miss him."

Aria sighed, leaning on Seungmin's shoulder. "I do. I really do."

Although Seungmin was always by her side, she would sometimes feel empty without him. Her brother. Right after ending their road trip, Felix came to Aria with his decision.

The boy was enchanted. He was in love. He couldn't stand being away from Sky by any means. Since the girl had a life where she lived in Busan and had college to attend besides her work, it was easier for Felix to follow her and not the opposite. After discussions, he decided to resume his high school studies near where she lived. He moved to the other city, got a lovely apartment close to school, got a part-time job at a well-known restaurant as a sauce chef, and proceeded with his life.

Leaving Aria was never easy for him. She was his dearest person, his beloved sister, and his supporter. But he knew she was in good hands. Seungmin's.

Stopping by Seungmin's house front gate, he pulled Aria's hand that he was already holding to his lips, planting a soft kiss on the back of it. "I promise to take you to him once we get done with the final exams."

Aria nodded at him with a grateful smile.

The two of them started walking towards the front door. Seungmin unlocked it, allowing them to finally get into the comfort of his house. Kicking their shoes and jackets, they made their way upstairs still hand in hand.

Seungmin opened the door to his room and switched on the lights. Once they were in, Aria let go of his hand and rushed towards the bed, dropping herself directly to it while groaning in satisfaction.

Bed.

His room had a bed now.

The room was much different. It was lighted properly. The walls were white and clean, only having a few photos of Aria and Seungmin, and some others with their group of friends. There was a proper closet too. Somewhere deep in this closet, there was a box. A box that had hundreds of photos that once were hanging on those walls.

Seungmin didn't get rid of them. He kept them. He made sure he goes through them once in a while. He made sure he remembers how his life was. He made sure he stays on track and never deviates again. Nevertheless, Aria was there to make sure he is.

Chuckling at Aria's childish actions, he walked up to the bed where Aria was sprawled, not sparing any space for him. He effortlessly rolled her to the side and dropped his body to the mattress before he pulls her to him again. Aria scooted closer to him, resting her head on his chest and throwing her arm over his torso.

"You are staying over?" Seungmin asked. His voice came like a whisper as he rested his face on hers, tracing the softest of pecks to her hair and forehead.

"Hmm. I'm too tired to go home."

"You know you live literally next door? I can even carry you there." Seungmin teased.

"Are you trying to kick me out?"

"No. I just want you to sleep comfortably."

"And who said I'm not comfortable?" She asked, tightening her grip around his torso, almost squeezing him, making the boy giggle out loud. "I sleep the best whenever I'm here."

"Good to know." Seungmin leaned in to place a kiss on her cheek. He lifted his hand and started playing with her now longer black hair, knowing that it would send her to dreamland like magic.

Aria started fiddling with the strings of his off-white hoodie as he was playing with her hair. Again, she pouted and frowned. Seungmin looked at her face and couldn't help but giggle at how she was crystal clear to him.

"Don't worry about her." He talked calmly. "She's nothing but a graduation project partner." He said assuring.

He knew she was jealous. She didn't like the idea of him having a partner other than her, especially a female, who had dreamy eyes whenever she was near Seungmin. The whole campus had eyes for Seungmin since he started showing his true colors. That's why he would always assure her. He had to. He could feel how uneasy she was because he would always do the same whenever she was involved in a project with any male other than Changbin.

"We started as partners too."

"No." He said, turning to his side to be facing her. He cupped her cheek and started caressing it. "We started as a Punished and a Healer. You healed me. You raised the boy that my parents failed to. You helped me get over all of this. You pushed me to be a better version of myself before it was too late. You can never be compared to anyone else. It's only you." He said softly yet firmly.

His words.

He was the best to deal with words.

Those words would always find their way to Aria's heart. Those words could bloom a garden inside her chest. Those words could calm her down whenever she's panicked. Those words were always music to her ears. Those words would always put her under his magical spell.

Aria inched closer to him until her face met his. She rested her forehead on his, letting their noses touch. A little sigh escaped her lips as her body relaxed in his arms once again.

"I love you. You know that, right?" Seungmin whispered closing his eyes and letting the warmness take over him.

"I know." She whispered back. Her heavy eyelids fell to hug each other. She felt like she was drowning in the sea of his warmness, engulfed by his love and care. "I love you too, bubble."