Hedonist // Lee Haechan

2.22 one big happy family

It was past 4am, the hues of blue lightening up in the sky as the sun slowly began to do its job.

With a dragged out sigh, aera cleaned up the tissues which she had used to wipe her tears and placed them in the bin. She was breaking by the second, she couldn't handle oblivion. She couldn't handle sitting around and waiting for him. She wanted to make sure that he was okay but she couldnt. And she didn't want to disappoint the team by leaving without notice.

She slowly took a step up the stairs, aiming to go to jaemin's bedroom to have a person to spend the remaining hours of the sleeping session with. Just as she reached the top of the stairs, her eyes widened as she heard the click of the front door. She raced her way down the stairs, nearly tripping on a step or two, and she was met with a confused mark who was processing her rushed arrival

"Are you okay?" Aera asked, not fully knowing exactly what to say

"Y-yeah.....yeah we're all good. Why aren't you asle-"

"Where's hyuck?" She asked and mark chuckled slightly, the sound of a yawn leaving his mouth afterwards.

"He's on his way" mark said, ruffling her hair slightly as he walked past her and up the stairs to his own bedroom.

Aera sighed in frustration with the short answer and went to the front door, opening it up to see a black car in the driveway. Taeyong and kun who were seated at the front of the car noticed her through the window as they talked to Haechan. Kun pointing his finger in aera's direction caught haechan's attention.

He turned around and saw her, dressed in one of his oversized shirts, falling to her mid thigh as she leaned by the door frame.

"I'll see you guys in the morning" he said, bidding a goodbye to his hyungs before walking up to the front door of the house to his girlfriend.

"What are you doing up this late? It's like four in the mor-"

"Just shut up and hold me" aera said with a whisper. Being too drained of energy to grab him herself. He let a small smile fall on his lips before shaking his head at her, moved by the fact that she had waited all this time for him.

"Baby..." he said softly, as he heard her sob quietly into his chest.

"I thought....I thought that you would....that you might be hurt and..and I didnt know what to do because I-I cant do a-anything..." she cried, gripping his white dress shirt tightly, staining it with her tears

"Look at me aera, I'm here right? I'm right here and I'm not going to anywhere. I'm not going to leave you and I'm not going to make you wait like this ever again...I promise" he said, cupping her face and making her look up at him through glassy eyes

"I love you, park aera....so so much" he said, wiping her tears away and she nodded. Trying to say I love you back but it turned into nothing as the tiredness crept upto her making him chuckle

"Let's get you to bed babygirl" he said softly, kissing her temple and bending down to carry her bridal style. Walking up the stairs and bringing her up to their room, he placed her body on the bed which slowly went limp as her eyes closed while looking at her boyfriend walk around the room, changing out of his formal attire and into some sweatpants.

"Let's sleep in tomorrow okay?" He said and she slowly nodded, looking at him through hooded eyes.

he smiled and kissed her forehead softly before turning off the lamp which was casting light around the room. He wrapped his arm around her loosely but tight enough to make her feel safe in his hold. And with this comfort being purely enough for her, she drifted off to a deep slumber.

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"Make sure to lock your doors at night, don't fight with each other and if I hear that you guys have been skipping class I swear to god i will fly myself back to this country on kun's plane and slap each of y-"

"Okay we get it"  mark said, rolling his eyes at taeyong who was setting out the rules they had to follow once they were all alone.

"Good. I can't wait to see you guys at Christmas" taeyong said with a slight smile, a saddening one as he couldn't help but tear up, looking at all the younger members who he knew for such a long time grow into adults.

"I'm gonna miss you tae" aera said with a small smile, leaving haechan's side slowly towards taeyong and embraced him into a small hug and he wrapped his arms around her and patted her back reassuringly

"Try to visit often" aera said and he hummed in agreement

"Stay safe hyung, we'll see you at the wedding" jisung said, the first words he had uttered out after the dinner a few nights ago with his parents and aera.

"Yeah...take care of...our parents" taeyong said and he nodded. A short group hug ensued and 127 had shortly left in their cars to the airport with security.

"I think someone wants to talk to you" haechan said, nudging aera's side before she could turn into the house. She turned around to see kun walking up to her with a velvet box in his hand.

"Hey..." he said, with a hint of anxiety lacking his voice.

"Hey, aren't you late for your flight?" She asked and he nodded slowly making her chuckle

"I just....figured you might want this. I dont exactly have a reason to hold onto it" he said, handing her the black velvet box and she opened it slowly to reveal a ring

"It was your dad's wedding ring....and your mom's" he said and aera smiled as memories of her parents flooded her head.

"I know that in this story your dad is the bad guy but.....you of all people shouldn't remember him like that, your parents loved each other and they loved you, and jisung. I'll always be here for you as well. I guess you could call me your dad if you want but please dont because I'm already aging quickly" he said making her chuckle and nod. He reached a hand up to her cheek to wipe off the tear that slid down her face

"I'll see you soon okay?" He said and she nodded

"Thank you....for everything" she said, dragging him into a light hug making him laugh

"You're welcome, our little warrior" he said, ruffling the top of her head before walking away to the black car where the rest of the wayv members waved a goodbye to her.

Aera turned around to see jisung standing at the door frame of the house and she walked up the remaining few steps and stood in front of him

"Put this on" she said softly as she took out her dad's ring from the velvet box and placing it in his hand. He followed her orders as he saw her putting on another ring herself, her mother's.

"Isn't this dad's?" He asked looking up at her and she nodded slowly

"I'm sorry you had to find out like that" she said and he sighed, giving an understanding nod her way

"Let's just put it behind us" he said making her look at him confused

"You're not angry?" She asked

"....this is probably...the best chance of a 'one big happy family' that we're ever gonna get. I'd rather not ruin this one" he said with a soft smile and she nodded, giving him a long hug while they both enjoyed the comfort the other sibling radiated before stepping back into the house to grab their suitcases.

"Here, let me help you with that" haechan said, placing the last suitcase into the back of the SUV they were being taken in to drive to their new house. They were locking up the old NEO house as it was now going to be converted into a new training facility for them. They were told to clear all their belongings today, as well as meeting wayv and 127 to bid them goodbye before they left to their airport.

Getting into her seat in the car, she patiently waited for haechan to join her. Ignoring jaemin singing his stupid song about the dream house.

Haechan soon joined her and slipped on his seatbelt. Placing his hand on her thigh and allowing her to rest her head against his shoulder as they began to let the car take them to their destination.