[edited]

Jin lifted Aera up from the couch in bridal style, carrying her to his bedroom. He couldn't resist to look at her adorable sleepy face, complete with her rosy cheeks and an innocent pout playing on her lips. She was ethereal in his eyes.

Carefully, setting her down on the king-sized bed, he tucked her under his warm pink comforter.

All comfy, she cocooned herself into the soft 'n' warm fabrics of it.
Jin smiled at the scene.

He walked out of the room, and picked up his phone from the dining table unlocking it. Swiping through the contacts, he stopped on a certain one and pressed 'call'.

"Hello, SeokJin?! " After a few seconds of ringing, a panicked voice answered it.

"Yeah, hey Nia, I wanted to ask you tha-"

"Yah! SeokJin! Do you even look at the time or what?! It's 11.43 at night for crying out loud! Where's Aera?!" Nia exclaimed, all in one go.

"Nia, relax. She's here with me. I just wanted to ask you-" He took a deep breath and continued. "-can I keep her here for the night?"

"..."

"Actually the thing is that she-"

"You what?!"

"Hey, at least listen to me! The thing is that she fell asleep and I don't want to wake her up you know...she's tired, I think. So I was thinking that she can sleep in my room, and I can sleep in the guest bedroom."

"Wait- why would you sleep in the guest bedroom, in your own house?"

He scratched the back of his neck, and said,
"Actually, I've already tucked her inside my bed, and she's deep in sleep."

Silence.

Until a deep sigh was heard from the other end of the line.

"SeokJin...I trust you, with all my soul. You've made her life so much happier. But don't take what I'm going to say in a wrong way, okay?"

Taking a deep breath, she continued,
"Aera is...delicate, and so, so fragile. She's broken already, and she wouldn't be able to survive another hit. You understanding what I mean to say?"

"Yes, I do very well Nia. And trust me, I'd never want her to be in that state again. I'll never, ever, hurt her. She's- she's precious to me."

"That I get..."
He could almost hear her smile.

"And that's why I trust you so much with her, SeokJin. Just...tell me of what you really feel about her, will you?" She used a gentle tone.

Jin sighed.
He remembered those times, those cute moments he had shared with Aera just a few minutes earlier. He felt his heart gain speed again, pumping louder and harder by the second as the scene where they hugged and cuddled replayed itself in his mind. He very well knew what it meant.

"SeokJin-ssi, I've seen how you look at her. Afterall, I'm more than familiar with that feeling, too. And I trust and respect your words on how you think of her as precious. I just- I just want you to tell me in your own words, what you feel when around her."

Jin took deep breaths to calm his chest organ down.

"When she's around me, I feel calm, but at the same time...kind of excited? I don't know how, but yeah. I always want to look after her, and help her forget all the bad things that happened to her. I want to protect her from all the bad in and of this world. I want to heal what's broken inside her. I- I feel like giving her all that she wants on earth and beyond. She's just, so precious, and pure. And I just, never want her to get hurt. Ever."

Silence.

"Wow. You really are deep in it." She muttered to herself.

"What?"

"Uh- nothing! I-I mean, you really care for her, don't you?"

Sigh.
"Yes."

"I'm glad. But just, be careful. Alright?"

"Yeah, sure."

"Thanks Seokjin. Bye." She hung up.

He sighed. He really had lost himself in the feels and had gone with the flow, speaking out everything he had been keeping to himself these past few weeks. He was reminded of her sister, when he looked at her. But he felt for her more than what he would feel for a sister, and definitely more than for a patient. He very well knew that.

He stood up and walked to his room to find Aera still in deep slumber. He walked towards the bed and sat on the edge of it, just gazing at the serene figure resting girl.

He softly caressed her cheek with his slender fingers.
"What are you doing to me Aera?" He whispered.

He ran his hand through her brunette looks, soft strand of hair tickling his face, as he leaned down to place a feather-like peck on her forehead, then on her cheek, then her nose. He leaned backwards and smiled at her sleeping face.

Feeling the absence of the sudden warmth she had felt, she scooted closer towards the source, trying to search for the same warmth again.

Jin chuckled lightly, to which Aera sleepily responded, fluttering her eyes.

"Jin..." She whispered.

Her honey-like voice pulled on the strings of his heart again, and it picked pace again.

"Yes, little baby?"

Where the hell did that come from?He had never called her 'baby' before.

"Can you-sleep with me?"

And his heart exploded.
Well...almost.
But sleep?! Was this for real?

"Are-Are you sure, Aera?"

Aera hummed in response.
Jin sighed, still unsure. But still, he laid himself on the bed beside her, at a safe distance so that she didn't feel uncomfortable.
Aera scooted closer to him, and hugged him, snuggling her face into his chest, making Jin's breath hitch.

"Aera?"

She hummed.

"Do you trust me?" He asked softly, and a bit cautiously.

Aera lifted her head from his chest, and her round big eyes found his.

She nodded.
"I trust you, Jin Oppa."

Cuddling into him again, she closed her eyes, letting out a satisfied hum.

A smile made its way to his lips. He wrapped his arms around her protectively, bringing her body closer to his, and planting a lingering kiss her head.

"Goodnight little baby."
Woah, that nickname felt amazing.

"Goodnight Oppa."
Okay, that did too.

Jin smiled again unconsciously. It felt as if an invisible connection was pulling them towards each other.

I love you.

--

"Happiness feels the same as you..."

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