•••

11:30 pm.

The sound of an alarm, that I'm used to hearing, wakes me up. I struggle to leave my sleep that hasn't felt that peaceful and pleasant in years, but I reach out for my phone that was left on the coffee table, and I put an end to it.

I sigh but drop it on the spot it was, and I keep my arm around y/n's neck as she's sleeping with her head on my chest, her arm over my torso, and her leg over mine. Waking up to this is one of the most comforting thing ever, I know I'm going to be happy, too feel good, and have my little dose of joy to start the day perfectly. The thought of it makes me smile, but I turn my head towards her and land a kiss on her forehead.  My eyes close, and I spend some minutes in her arms, relaxing and finally realizing this was not just a dream again, but that she's by my side for real.

I need to make it up so much, I'm going to do everything to make her forget what I've done to her, even if that's almost impossible, I'll never stop pampering her as I've always done.

"Are you awake...?" her sleepy voice curves my lips up, and her fingers caress my skin. "I am, baby," I run my hand through her hair to brush them back, the fluffiness of it making me comb them unceasingly since I know she likes it. She raises her chin up as the fairy lights that decorate the room were having my attention because of the mood they set us in, our eyes meet, and without even saying anything, we both smile at each other.

Her lips kiss mine. "Tell me this wasn't a dream..." she nestles her head in the crook of my neck, but I beam and roll on my side to envelop her figure with my arms and not let go. "This wasn't a dream. Thank god, it wasn't."

"Then I'm fine," she smiles against my skin. She has no idea how good I feel with her right now, that's certainly better than heaven. I make my hold more snug to squeeze her but peck one same spot of her cheek several times to soften this moment. "My little one..." I say the word I hope for her to still like, and she reacts to it in an instant. She gazes into my eyes and shows some delight. "My heart almost stopped beating because of you."

I giggle but join our lips. "You're adorable," I skim her cheekbone but sit up, placing the cover on her more properly. I get on the edge of the sofa and grab my underwear to put it back on, but my actions grasp her attention. "What are you doing?"

"I need to go home and feed my kitten," I grin but take a look at her, holding my trousers in my hands to get ready to put it on. "But I'll come back tomorrow, okay?"

"Tomorrow...?" she does not hide her disappointment, but I glance away and put my pants on. "I want to be with you as well, baby, but I adopted her a few days after I came back here, and I easily get worried. I wouldn't mind coming here with her, but you know...I'm a bit scared of your dog."

"I understand, don't worry," she smiles at me, putting my mind at ease. "I'll bring her to my parents in the morning if you want us to spend the day together, and I'll stay with you," I tell her in case she might be hurt. She nods to me, so I close my belt and lean forth to take hold of the glass that is not empty. I drink the red wine and turn towards her, we remain silent, and I reach out for her hip to rest my hand on it. "Give me your phone," I smile at her, but she does as told without even asking any questions. She unlocks it and hands it to me, so I grab this device and get in her contacts.

I add my number on the list but name it 'My man❤', and I then call my own self to have her number as well. "Here," I lock the phone and give it back to her. "What else did you do?" she suspects something and checks on it to see what I might have done, but I pretend not to know and take my phone. "Nothing...I'm innocent."

"No, you're not," she laughs at me while shaking her head but keeps her eyes on her screen, so I chuckle since she's right, and I focus on the name I want to give her instead of her number.

'My little one❤' is perfect.

"Oh, I see what you did, 'my man'," she finds it but makes me lean over her, I encircle her body with my arms and put my face in front of hers. "Hm...Say it again...I didn't hear you..."

"My man," she pecks my lips in a lovely way. "I love you," she repeats her action, making me beam like a child. "I love you too," I pronounce my words in a quiet voice, staring into her eyes. "We'll go and have a walk together in the snow tomorrow, is that good?"

"Yes, very good. Then we'll get in a restaurant and buy a hot chocolate to enjoy it while warming each other up," her sweetness feeds my brain and heart with delight, but those words remind me of something I could never talk about with her, despite how serious it was. "Baby, can I ask you a question?"

She nods. "They never threatened or tried to get in contact with you after I left the country, right?" I cannot forget about this incident and issue, but given the change in her expression there just had, I guess she couldn't either. However, she simply shakes her head. "They didn't...I told you back then, he told me to stop sending him money two months after I went to his house. I don't know why though, maybe I made him change his mind, but I never heard about them after that..."

"I'm relieved, I know my dad was there to keep an eye on you, but I wasn't sure. It's a relief to know they left you alone as well," all the anxiousness I could not erase from my head now disappears. I give her a bear hug and kiss her lips for the last time. "I love you. Call or text me if you ever need or want something, okay?"

"Okay," she acquiesces. I move up but pass my fingers through her hair to plant a kiss on her forehead and straighten up. I grab my top and put it back on, but her hand touches my thigh. "Text me once you're home...please."

"I will," I give her my word. "You're going to go to bed, right?" I stay a bit more, finding it hard to leave her after having sex as if that was just what I wanted. She moves her head up and down, almost showing me a pout that is, for me, impossible to resist. "Do you want me to put you to bed before leaving?"

A broad smile grows on her face and gives me her answer way before she could say it, so I stand up, but she already gets into my arms, her body still naked. I hold her in my arms and head to the stairs that are visible. "Which room is it?" I get to the first floor but hear call her dog to make him follow us. "The last one on the right."

I keep it in mind and take a look around me once I reach this floor, and I walk to the left to pass by two doors and reach the one she said to go to. I open it and step towards the bed that is near the large window. I pull the blanket away to lay her down on it, but I let the temptation have the control, I stay on her and embrace her body. "Just a few more minutes in your arms..." I whisper in the crook of her neck, and she clings onto me. She rubs my back and runs her fingers through my hair once she goes up, spreading some chills over my skin. I pull my arms away at this sensation and lay my hands on the sheets, I lean forth and lock our lips to kiss her in a passionate, slow, and sensual way since I already have to go.

After some long seconds full of peace and fondness, I leave one gentle peck on her lips and move away. We smile at each other, and I cover her body once she's comfortable. Nonetheless, I make sure that the curtains are closed.

"Be careful on the road...it must be slippery..." she cares as she always did for me, but I reassure her. "I know, baby. Don't be worried, sleep tight," I kiss her and peek at Cookie who joined her on the bed to cuddle up against her. "See you tomorrow," I go backwards to get to the door, but her soft giggles melt me to the floor. "See you tomorrow, I love you more than anything."

"I love you more than anything too," I mean my words, and no matter how difficult it is, I leave the room and close the door.

I heave a sigh but behave like an adult, I go back downstairs and walk up to the front door in the entry room to gradually get on the way to my house.

— Next day —

Saturday, December 21, 2024.

10 am.

I knock on the door after driving here with impatience, but as soon as she opens, she rushes towards me to hug me tight. "I missed you," she speaks in my chest but puts a smile on my face. I squeeze her with my arms and press a kiss on her temple. "I missed you so much too."

"Let's get inside," she takes my hand with her small one and leads me to the warmth. She closes the door behind us, so I take my shoes off. "Have you had breakfast?" she hands me the slippers I wore yesterday, and I shake my head since I hurried up this morning. "I cooked something for you."

My heart throbs the more I gaze at her, but her mildness urges me to cup her face with my hands and kiss her lips. "Let's eat together," I pick her up and carry her to the other room. Once I open the door, Cookie jumps on me, but I don't flinch, I continue my way to the dining table and see the food is already there. I put her down on one chair, and sit in front of her.

"Toasted bread and bananas, I like this so much," I smile at her but dig in, feeling hungry and enjoying this breakfast with her.

1 hour later...

'YOUR P.O.V'

"Baby, where are you?" Jungkook calls me as I'm proceeding through the heavy amount of snow in this park, so I glare at him and give a blow into his torso since he's pretending not to see me. He giggles but grabs my wrists. "Stay close to me," he intertwines our fingers and warms my skin up through my gloves without even knowing. I follow him, freezing on my spot even though I'm walking.

I tighten my hold on his hand and snuggle up against him, asking for his heat to radiate on me. He figures out what I'm trying to do right away and passes his arm around me. "Do you want a hot chocolate?" he strokes my skin with his thumb, and I nod to him. "Your nose and cheeks are red, my baby," he smiles and touches them. "Let's get to the café nearby," he removes his hand from me and let go of mine to drift his touch to my waist and rub my side over my fluffy coat.

We both leave the park while still wandering around together, his body helping me not to die in the cold, I put my hands in my pockets but feel the way he's not walking at a normal pace, he's going slowly just to stay by my side.

"Tell me if you're too cold and want to go home, okay?" he holds me close and gazes down at me. "I want to enjoy the snow. I'm fine," I answer him, but short seconds later, his scarf gets added to the one I'm already wearing. "No...You're going to catch a cold, Jungkook..."

"I won't," he tells me lies, caring about me only when I want him to take care of himself as well. Since he won't listen, I remove it from me, but he stops me and forces me to put it back the way it was, so I fight. "Jungkook, you wear this and cover your throat. I don't want you to get sick or else my heart's gonna hurt."

"Stop with the emotional blackmail already and wear that," he chuckles and manages to get what he wants since he's way stronger than me. "Come on..." I wrap my arms around his waist to make him do me a favor for once, but he hides my face with his tough hands. I lick his skin to annoy him, but he just pulls one down to let me see him. "Shh. I won't wear it, baby. I'm serious."

"I'm serious too, Jungkook. I'm fine, I'm protected with my own scarf, so wear yours and don't break my heart," I do not give him a chance to resist me. He heaves a sigh and takes his hand off, so I remove the scarf that belongs to him and smells like him to stand on my tiptoes and kindly put it back on him. "Here," I make sure that his throat is under the fabric while he's just staring at me and smiling. "Thanks, mommy," he teases me but goes back on the way to the café since we're only at some feet away from it, and once we're there, he opens the door but lets me in first.

The warmth comforts me instantaneously, and I feel way better.

"Let's order a cup for each other, hm?" he takes his phone out, but I nod without arguing about who pays for it since he'll do it anyway, and I haven't forgotten the way he reacted four years ago when I tried to give him back the money he wasted on me.

"What milk do you want?" he checks the board where the menu is, so I do so. "Coconut one."

"Do you want some whipped cream? Some caramel syrup?" he asks me about my own opinion only, but I give him a 'yes' for the two options. "All right, let's order it," he moves to the counter, so I wait for him near an empty table and sit down on the couches against the wall. I keep my eyes on him while feeling butterflies in my stomach, still not believing that I'm spending time with him, and as a couple as if we never left each other.

I could not even be mad at him or hate him for those years full of pain and hope, I know why he did it, I just felt like I wasn't good enough for him. That's the only thing I felt.

I do not let about those negative thoughts in my mind but enjoy the moment with him, I just want to do that from now on. I know what it is to be far away from him for a long time, so I just want to cherish every single minute spent by his side.

His face full of bliss coming back within sight, I smile and watch him join me with the closed cup in his hand. "Here you are, baby," he sits next to me and hands me the drink, so I take it and warm myself up. "I hope it's not too sweet."

I gasp after one gulp. "This is so good!" I keep my voice low but burst from pleasure caused by this delicious drink, but he chuckles. "That much?"

"Yes, try it," I lick my lips but bring the cup to his mouth to make him taste this wonderful creation. He pulls his scarf down and touches the edge of it with his thin lips, so I heave it up and make the liquid flow into his mouth.

"Hm," his manly hand delicately goes over mine to pull the drink down, and his tongue passes over his soft lips that my hungry ones are craving for. "That's indeed really good."

"Drink it with me, all right?" I warn him since I can almost sense his behavior, but he licks his lips again and nods while beaming. I move forth and kiss him. This was too tempting. Now I act innocent and sip on the hot chocolate.

He doesn't say anything but looks at his phone, and his free hand touches my thigh under the table. I slightly clench my legs unconsciously, but then loosen up to let him do what he wants.

I peek at him to check what he's doing, but in not even the blink of an eye, I hear the sound of a picture being captured, and I end in his gallery. I must look so ridiculous. "Hey, erase that ugly thing," I leave my precious drink aside to lean over him and see how this looks like, but he giggles in front of it while I'm grumbling. "I look dumb, do not dare keep that."

"I'm totally keeping it," he goes soft at the sight of it, smiling broadly and causing the crinkles in the corner of his eyes to sharpen as much as the ones on his nose because of the way he scrunches it. He even applies this picture as a wallpaper. "Aw, it's so adorable the way you look at me from the corner of your eyes while sipping on your drink," he voices out all his adoration, but I act like I haven't heard anything since I don't find it pretty.

"Don't be mad, uh?" he pulls me in a hug to make my heart melt for him, but I hide my smile in my cup. He complicates this by pressing a kiss on my cheek. "You make me weak, baby. I swear..." he chooses the right words to get all my attention, and I stare in his doe eyes. "You make me weak too. Now drink," I do not let him reply and get the edge of the cup on his mouth. He doesn't glance away but flirts again, putting his tattooed hand over mine to hold the small container and drink it.

I feel like I'm living again as if my happiness was back in my life. This is probably because he's back into it.

•••

8 pm.

The movie still playing after eating dinner with Jungkook, I finish my dessert on the sofa, bent over the coffee table to eat a yogurt.

"Baby," my man's voice gets me to turn my head to the left to lay my eyes on him, who's sitting in the corner of the sofa with his legs stretched out behind me. "Yes?"

"Do you remember when we celebrated Christmas together?"