When It Comes To You |j.k

48: 家人

I pull on the tie around my collar to get some air in between, sighing as I inserted the house key. The first thing I'm going to do once I get inside is sleep. I'm going straight to my bed. I won't check my phone, won't answer any door bells. I will sleep for the next few years and no one shall dare disturb me. These past few weeks have been like mountains on my shoulders, from the up and down of Aera and I's relationship, to the endless meetings and dinners in New York. I've gone to overdrive. I'm not one to care for my health, but I've been a bully to my body, speeding through life without giving it a second to breathe.

I hear the beeping sound of the lock welcome me in as I went through the door. I stepped inside and froze at the sight of a pair of shoes that I did not expect to see. It dawned upon me that these were in fact Aera's. This meant that she was here.

I quickly slipped off my dress shoes and ran to the kitchen where I could smell the most delicious food and hear the sound of the stove.

And suddenly I don't remember anything about sleeping, what's that?

Just as expected, I stop to see my girlfriend in the kitchen with an apron that covered over her dress.

It was such an easy task, to call to her and show her that I was home. But something came over me. There was something about the way that apron hugged her body, that put my mind into a complete stop. Maybe it wasn't the apron, but the way her collarbones peaked out from her dress. Or maybe just the image of her in my home, cooking like she lived here. Whatever it truly was that did this to me, my whole body began to heat up. I quickly peaked down in panic at my crotch, and realized that I had to get rid of it before Aera found out.

"Jungkook?" My head shoots up to see the smile on her face as she greeted me. Did she see it?

"Hey," I stuttered, walking closer to the kitchen counter to cover the bottom half of my body. She leans over for a kiss, and with a gulp, I grant it to her. I pull away as quickly as I leaned in. I swear under my breath.

"I didn't know you'd be home already. I was thinking to make you dinner and leave it here as a surprise." To my luck, she averted her attention back to the dishes.

"Will you be having dinner with me then, now that I'm already here?" I rested my palms on the counter, eyes peering down nervously every once in a while.

"If you want me to." She replied with a shy teeth-revealing smile that struck me straight in the core. You've got to be fucking kidding me. I need some sort of warning beforehand, when she decides to pull that shit.

I don't reply. I can only stare at her, as I'm trapped in a trance. I'm looking at her in awe, still not understanding how one can be so effortlessly beautiful. No makeup. No fancy accessories. Just her being her lovable self. I could do this all day.

The end of her lips perk up, "You don't have to keep standing there, you know. You just got back, you deserve some rest." I watch Aera reach in the pan and pull out a piece of meat. She stuffs it in her mouth to test the taste, then nods to herself.

"I'll go take a shower then," A cold one for sure, "I'll be right back."

She lifts her head up, "Take your time."

I keep my eyes on her as I stepped away from the counter, and quickly faced my back towards her. I swear I caught her eyes peek at me for a split second, maybe not even long enough to call it a second. I'd convince myself that I was worrying too much, but it didn't help to have seen the end of her lips jerk upwards ever so cunningly, right before my eyes looked away.
/
I skip down the stairs with a towel over my head. I'm changed in a pair of black sweatpants, upper body bare and free. I know Aera has more self control than I do to not take advantage of me being shirtless.

As I'd expected the food was all ready on the dining table by the time I reached the kitchen, where she was untying her apron.
She looks up at the sound of my feet against the floor, "Oh, hey, you done with your boner-I mean shower."

Okay, she definitely saw it.

My ears redden, "Yeah." The satisfied expression on her face tells me that she'd intentionally slipped to get a rise out of me.

I almost forgot this angel before me is as wicked as she is bright. She's got quite the nerve sometimes, but then again, it's because I baby her too much to do anything about it.

"Cut it out." I snap when she fails to hold back a snicker. "Cut it out before I change my mind and make you do something about it."

I pull back the chair and sit myself down, and watch her do the same. She raises a brow, "You're cute for thinking that as a punishment. Eat up."

She picks up a pair of chopsticks and starts filling my bowl of rice with the side dishes. I look down at my bowl, and for serious this time, I speak, "Thank you for this, Aera. You know you didn't have to."

She shrugs, "We don't really ever have to do anything. I do it because I want to. Because I missed you, Jungkook. And I know these days have been...quite hellish for you. The least I could do is give you a good meal."

Now that I thought about it, I never really sat down and just..ate. I could not eat without worrying about being late for the next event, or about possibly missing something important while having this gap of time occupied. I could never slow down and not take it as a waste of time.

Aera can always sense what I need before I myself can even begin to suspect it.

"Can you stay over tonight?" That is probably the most impulsive and childish thing I've ever said. I had come home looking forward to sleeping away the stress, but instead experienced the overflow of happiness of seeing my girlfriend. I don't know how I can get through tonight without her, without thinking every second is hell after she leaves.

After all of this, I just want to feel her body next to me as I sleep. It's as simple as that.

Aera seemed surprised at my sudden request, "Okay." She still replied without hesitation.

I nodded with a smile, taking in a bite of the food on my spoon. Maybe it's because of the recipe, maybe it's because Aera cooked it..the moment that spoon met my lips, I knew it tasted like home. That warm feeling in my heart and cheeks told me I was not mistaken. I've never been more sure in my life. This woman before me, is family. No matter how ugly things get between us, no matter how hard it becomes to untie the knots, she will always be my family, she will always be my home. I look at the love of my life sitting across from me at the dining table in my home, eating the same dinner with the same smile on her face. It's this exact moment that I know, without a doubt, that I want this for life.

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severely unedited :(