DUAL

//34

Chaeyoung didn't know for how long she embraced Jungkook as she cried of joy.

He was alive. He came back to her. It felt like a dream, but it was not. Every single second that passed, she only hugged him tighter, afraid that if she didn't, he'd be gone. When she remembered that he had been severely injured, Chaeyoung gasped and sprang apart from him in an instant. Jungkook's doe eyes stared back at her in confusion.

Chaeyoung stared down at his upper body, at all the areas that had previously been only awful wounds which had been healed by her and her brother. He was all healed. All his scars, even his old scars had disappeared. Nothing was left. His skin was brand new. Yet, she felt worried. Slowly, the tip of her fingers grazed very gently on his chest down to his abdomen. Jungkook's stomach lightly tightened and Chaeyoung retreated her hand immediately.

"Does it hurt?" she asked. "Does it still hurt anywhere?"

Jungkook smiled and she felt her heart raced. She had missed that smile. She couldn't believe her eyes that she was seeing him smile again. Smiling at her.

"It tickles," he said softly with a warm smile. "It doesn't hurt at all."

Chaeyoung felt her smile slowly widened and she chuckled when he did and quickly, both her hands cupped his face and she went in for a kiss. Her world that was previously crumbled was slowly being built again, now firmer and stronger as Jungkook's hand slid to the back of her neck, cupping it and pulling her even more as they deepened the kiss.

It felt too long that as soon as their lips were touching each other, it felt like the first time. The longing for him was fed with Jungkook draping his arm around her as he pulled her easily onto his lap, lips moving against one another. She felt like an ice melting into the flaming kiss. When they detached their lips, Chaeyoung took that moment to inspect his face with her fingers and pressed a lingering kiss on his lips once more before she whispered, "Thank you for coming back."

Jungkook pulled back and cupped her face, gazing softly with his brows furrowed. Chaeyoung closed her eyes when she felt his thumb lightly brushing against her cheekbone. "I'd never be able to leave you, Chaeyoung."

A smile made way to her face, slowly widening as a tear fell down her cheek. Chaeyoung leaned in once again to plant a soft kiss on his lips to which when she leaned away, he pulled her back for a longer one.

Jungkook looked her up and down, then. His face slowly displayed concern as his eyes wandered around her figure and she knew exactly what he wanted to know. She smiled softly. "I am fine," she assured him. "All fine."

She heard some movement from outside of the room and she immediately turned to look at the door. She gently got off Jungkook, smiling shyly when he briefly refused to let her go. "Your grandfather is outside," she said softly. "He needs to know that you are now awake."

Chaeyoung excitedly exited his room and walked fast toward the old man who was checking on Grimroot that she helped to boil earlier. She didn't even manage to say a word to the old man. As soon as he saw her, she noticed how his eyes had widened and sparkled. Colors slowly came back to his face as he rushed toward Jungkook's room.

She decided to let the family get their privacy as they reunited. Tears of joy didn't seem like it would stop to pour down her cheeks yet. She closed her eyes and silently thanked the divine power that had helped them to get their miracle. It felt like a century had passed that she finally felt her heart at ease and just like how it had always been with Jungkook, any other worry she had in her mind faded.

*

Jungkook wore his pants after he was done bathing himself, turning toward the door when he heard Chaeyoung's hums from the kitchen as she busied herself with food preparation. She had told his grandfather that she wished to prepare them with food and so the old man had gone to the market to buy some more stocks.