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Trauma
chapter twenty

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PRIVATE MESSAGES

dohyun | aera

dohyun
i'm sorry

aera
wait, why are you apologizing?

aera
IM sorry. i didn't mean to make you
uncomfortable or anything.

dohyun
huh??

dohyun
OH NO! no, you didn't make me uncomfortable!
you took me by surprise, but i wasn't
uncomfortable. i just had no idea what to
respond and embarrassed myself!

aera
...oh

aera
that's a relief then.

dohyun
the sleepover is in an hour. do
you want to walk together?

aera
sure. i wouldn't want to go by myself
anyway.

dohyun
okay. :)

aera
hey

dohyun
hey

aera
do you like acting?

aera
well, i guess you do since you're
still acting but, is it something you
want to do for as long as you can? truly?

dohyun
truthfully, yes. acting helps me relieve
stress sometimes. i'm able to push away
my problems and be someone else; someone
who i feel is better in some ways.

aera
so, it can be pretty therapeutic?

dohyun
in some ways, i think so. but its also hard.
because there are times where you can't
understand a character or you understand
them too much. you can get attached to a
character and it can tear you apart or mend
the seams.

aera
do you think i'll do a good job?

dohyun
are you doubting yourself?

aera
i just worry. i don't want to ruin anything,
especially since this webtoon means a lot
to me anyway.

dohyun
the night we practiced, though it was
short, you showcased your skills. i think
you'll do great.

aera

aera
thank you. i needed that.

dohyun
i really need to step my meme game
up.

dohyun
don't forget to bring a jacket. and a
toothbrush.

aera
do you want to come to a convenience
store with me to pick some things up?

dohyun
when?

aera
is now okay?

dohyun
now?

dohyun
yeah, yeah. now is good!

aera
do we need to tell someone or??

dohyun
i'll take care of it. :)

dohyun
meet you in the lobby?

aera
yeah! i'll be down in a sec. gotta get
my shoes on :)

IN A FRANTIC STATE, DOHYUN THREW THE BLANKET IN HIS LAP OFF AND HURRIED TOWARD HIS BATHROOM. He had taken a bit of a nap, one that was much needed, and had no idea what state his hair could possibly be in. A pink tint colored one side of his face, along with thin indentions from the stitching of his pillow. He rubbed at the spot while his other hand combed through his messy hair. He gave up on his tangled mess of hair and snatched his toothbrush, rinsed it, and plopped a glob of toothpaste onto the bristles before shoving it into his mouth.

          He wasn't sure why he was so worried. Perhaps it was because the only time Aera ever saw him, he was dressed business casual. The outfit he wore now was nothing compared to the latter. But why was he worried about her reaction? She had proven time again that she didn't care nor judged people based on their worldly possessions, and yet he still had that tiny minuscule fear that she'd look at him differently. Was it in a platonic sense, though? He spit the foamed paste into the sink and rinsed his mouth with water, all the while cleaning off his toothbrush and putting it back onto the rag it was found on.

"You're just going to the convenience store," he spoke aloud, staring back at his reflection. The color in his cheek lessened a bit, though the indention was still slightly visible. He pursed his lips for a moment before shaking his hand through his hair. "She's already said that she thinks of you as a friend. There's no reason to be awkward." He flashed the mirror an awkward smile and snapped his fingers. After processing his actions, the smile dropped from his face and he let out a large sigh. "Just go... weirdo."

          He swiped the denim jacket that hung over the bathroom door as he walked past and took his keycard and phone with him. As he exited his room, he slipped his arms into the jacket and placed his key card in one pocket and unlocked his phone with the other hand. He shot a quick, informative text to the staff about their plans, to which they okayed in record time. He finally pocketed his cell and looked up to navigate toward the elevators, only to spot a familiar body. "Aera," he called out, hoping that he wasn't wrong. The soft call of her name had her head snapping back, a mask already covering the lower half of her face.

Her eyes widened a moment before crinkling with a smile. "Hey!" she laughed in response, stopping short and turning to face the male. His eyes raked over her outfit, noticing the similar jacket she wore. "It looks like we planned it," he jokingly pointed out, finger swiping between the two. Aera glanced toward his motion before breaking out into a gut wrenching laugh. "We're like one of those couples." Though what she had meant was harmless, Dohyun felt his cheeks heat up at the sentence that burned into his brain. He nervously scratched the back of his head, an awkward smile taking over his face. "I guess so," he replied quietly.

Once her laughter had quieted down, she pulled down her mask to expose her radiant smile. "Did you text the staff and tell them?" she asked. He nodded his head before shoving his hands into his pockets. In the left side, he felt the soft fabric of his mask and withdrew it to place onto his face. "They said to be back soon. Especially since it could be getting dark soon." The duo finally began their trek to the elevators. Aera's phone was unlocked in her hand, the message she had been typing fully forgotten. Dohyun slowed his pace to match with hers.

"What are you thinking about picking up?" he asked, desperate for any sort of conversation. He was drowning in the silence around them. "I want to get some snacks I know that I'll like. And maybe some soju." His eyebrows rose for a split second and he glanced toward the raven haired idol. "I thought you didn't drink." She shrugged her shoulders. "I feel safe around you guys. And I figured that someone would stop me." He felt his stomach tighten at her words. She feels safe, he thought to himself. The color returned to his cheeks, hidden behind the mask her now wore.

"Can I trust you to take care of me?" The elevators were now a few steps ahead, but every step he took felt as if he was walking in place. His eyes widened, his mind taken aback by her question. "Of course," he spluttered in shock, staring down at the woman beside him. She smiled big, fingers twitching by her sides. "I was hoping you'd say that," she giggled. She pulled the fabric of her jacket into her, stepping confidently toward the elevators, almost marching like a royal. The sole action was enough to have Dohyun smiling after her like an idiot. She was the one to push the elevator button, another less tense silence filling their perimeter.

          There was something so strange about her. She had moments where her confidence shook him to the core. She would flash those cat like eyes full of an animalistic desire and his heart would beat out of his chest. And then she showed him her insecure side. The blush on her cheeks as she fought with herself over what to say made him sympathetic. He knew there were secrets she had yet to share lying just below the surface, but he was fearful of knowing them all. Secrets are detrimental, he had come to find out. They ruin even the most beautiful of relationships and all for nothing but to save face.

          He was pulled out of his thoughts when the doors pulled open. Aera turned toward her actor friend and reached for his sleeve. He could feel the faintest bit of her touch as she tugged the fabric. "Come on. We have to hurry, right?" He met her eyes, the same ones that were so captivating even from a stage, and sighed. "Yeah," was all he could muster as he climbed onto the elevator beside her.

—

rumi says!

a chapter from dohyun's pov??? wowie~
he's such a cutie. i genuinely love him
so much. and aera🥺 she's such a baby,
y'all don't even know.

and thank you for the feedback.
it always makes my whole day to
see how you guys are enjoying the
story and loving the characters. ❤️