The car pulled up outside the house, and a sigh of relief escaped me as I noted the darkness that enveloped the surroundings. Aesira's parents were aware she was at a party, but the last thing they needed was to witness her in her current state.
"Do you want a hand in with her?" Namjoon hyung asked.
"No, I got her. Thanks for the lift, hyung," I replied with a smile.
Gently moving Aesira's head from my lap, I stepped out of the car and scooped her into my arms. She nestled into me, her arms wrapping around my neck. Armed with the key her parents had entrusted me with, I entered the house silently, hoping to avoid any unwanted attention.I navigated through the house with caution, carrying her weight to her bedroom and laying her down on the bed. Carefully, I removed her shoes and coat, and she barely flinched as I did so. Descending the stairs, I fetched water and painkillers, foreseeing the inevitable aftermath of tonight's revelry.
Aesira stirred as I entered the room, confusion clouding her eyes.
"When did we get back?" she inquired.
"Just a moment ago," I chuckled.
"Okay, will you help me get into my PJs? My head is spinning," she requested.
I nodded, setting down the items I had brought from downstairs.
"No peeking though, Mister," she warned.
"How can I help you then?" I asked.
"Fine, fine," she conceded, rolling her eyes.
I assisted her in changing, maintaining a respectful distance. Once she was settled, she looked at me with a grateful smile.
"Goodnight, Moy Voin," I said, preparing to leave.
But she halted me with a plea, "I don't feel good. Will you lay with me and tickle my back, the way you used to do?"
There was a poignant note in her voice, a yearning that tugged at my heart. Despite the potential complications, I sighed and agreed. Aesira rewarded me with a brilliant smile, and I couldn't resist.
Shedding my shoes and jacket, I lay down beside her, anticipating that this would be a fleeting moment in the grand scheme of things. Tomorrow, things would revert to normal, and she might not even recall tonight's events.
Aesira nestled close, her head resting on my arm. I gently stroked her back through her tee, feeling a twinge of awkwardness. This act, a relic from our past, had been a routine comfort for her.
"Thank you," she murmured, her weariness evident.
Soon, she drifted off, whispering in her sleep, "I wish you didn't change, Kookie. I miss you."
Her words hung in the air, and I couldn't help but respond, "I miss me too, and you." I pressed a gentle kiss to the top of her head.
As I contemplated my past self, the regrets, and the irreversible changes, I wished I could rewind time. The guy Aesira trusted and loved seemed like a distant memory. But acknowledging my mistakes, I had come to terms with the person I had become.
With Aesira now asleep, I contemplated slipping away. However, as I made a move, she clung tighter, draping her arm over my stomach. It seemed I might be confined to this spot until she stirred, a fact I begrudgingly accepted.
Staring at the ceiling, sleep eluded me as I remained on edge. I couldn't risk waking Aesira or drawing attention from her parents.
I hoped to slip away unnoticed, leaving the night's events shrouded in secrecy. Maybe, just maybe, Aesira would wake up with only a vague memory of the night, attributing the closeness to her own request.
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