BEHIND THE SCENES

chapter 113: butterflies

<OST: Sleepless Night - Crush ft. Punch>

"You want to move back in with me?"

"Mm-" Jieun nodded earnestly. "That is... if you want me to."

"Of course, I do-" Jungkook said without hesitation. "Seeing you everyday and every waking minute of my life... why wouldn't I want it? But... I'm not sure if that's the best thing for me to do..."

"Why?"

"I... I really want to get better, Jieun-ah."

Jieun pouted. "Your sleep? Is it getting worse these days or..."

"It ain't getting better, that's for sure."

"And you're afraid that if I'm there..." Jieun thought for a while. "You're gonna rely on me too much and never get better."

Jungkook nodded quietly.

"But if I'm not with you... will you be able to get better at all?" Jieun frowned. "What did your doctor say? Has he found new information about your condition lately?"

Jungkook shook his head.

"Could it be that you're too stressed out?" Jieun suggested. "Or maybe that you've too much on your plate? Sometimes... things like this can make you unable to fall asleep too."

"But to the extent of insomnia...?" Jungkook frowned and shook his head. "I don't think so."

Jieun pouted. "It really frustrates me to see you like that... If I could do anything - and I really mean anything - to help you get better... I'd do it."

Jungkook smiled as he gave Jieun's hand a gentle squeeze. "I really appreciate that, Jieun-ah. But making you stay with me is just a short term situation - in the long term, I'll need much more."

Jieun pouted as she reached out and touched Jungkook's face gently. "I wish I could see you everyday, too."

Jungkook couldn't hide the joy on his face. "Who says you can't? You can come by anytime you want. And when I need short afternoon naps in the afternoon, I'll call you over. We're dating now, Jieun-ah. You can see me anytime you want."

Jieun stared into Jungkook's eyes for a long while, a dazed smile on her face.

Jungkook watched her fondly. "Why...? Is there something on your mind?"

"Mm-" Jieun closed her eyes and shook her head, as she took a deep breath. "I just... can't believe this is real, that this is all happening."

"What?"

"That I'm sitting right here, next to you, talking to you again-" Jieun said shyly. "Ever since you found out about my true identity... I thought... I really thought I'd never be able to see you or talk to you again."

"Me too," Jungkook said quietly. "I... I really, really missed you. I thought about you all the time, but thinking about what you did to me... it made me so mad."

"What about now?" Jieun blinked a few times. "You don't get mad anymore?"

"How can I possibly?" Jungkook smiled fondly as he ran his fingers through her hair. "I like you way too much to get mad at you anymore..."

The corners of Jieun's lips curled upwards.

"But promise me - no secrets from now, okay?"

"No secrets at all from now," Jieun put out her little pinkie. "I promise."

Jungkook smiled as he reached out and hooked his little pinkie around hers. "I promise."

Then he tugged her closer to him and pressed his lips against hers briefly.