She was sleeping through her life until he came along. And now even in her dreams she's waking up to his song. Aerin finally opened her still tired eyes and never been so charged up after a long, peaceful rest. More to the harmonious tune comes a smell of perfectly cooked meal, setting a deep rumble down in her tummy. 
Golden threads of morning light greeted her sight, and the daylight comes with her inner grins, looking at the most perfect view she could ever asked for.
"Good morning." she greeted Heeseung with so much affection.
Heeseung turned around hastily, his smile beamed bright, like a blazing midday sun. 
"Hey! Good morning, Did you have a good sleep, sweetie?" Heeseung takes the stride to hold her finally.
Aerin nodded and received the quick peck on her cheek. It was days already, almost a week quite exactly. Heeseung made a biggest decision that rocked her mental steadiness. In the beginning she was coated with fears, more than she got from her past mistakes but nothing happened by chance. She was reminded of the adages, "C'est la vie' and "Que sera sera."
Ah, life. Such a life.
When the emotional circuits are burning out from constant overload, running away is wise. That's how it goes for Lee Heeseung. Leaving Enhypen and choosing Aerin is a decision that just sparked out of nowhere, in the depth of his crazy mind. He let his heart control him over his head and the outcome was more than he ever imagined. It was intense and real, he's not going back.
"Breakfast is ready. By the way, I need to do some quick stop to the grocery later on. We ran out of stuff."
"Can I come?" she asked. "It'll take you hours to come back. I don't want to be alone here."
Heeseung touched her cheek, an obvious notion to cheer her on. Aerin pouts, quite dismayed. Heeseung laughed his heart out.
"I'd love to but it'll be risky. I'll be back before you know it." he consoled her. "Open up." Heeseung was quick to commiserate by putting food in her mouth.
Aerin pouts even more but gladly took the mouthful. "You go early and please don't come home late. Jay's place is nice but I don't want to stay here all by myself for hours without you."
"I'm still here but you're thinking of missing me already?" Heeseung, again let another chaff.
 "I can't help it."
She can't help it. For she was capped with another kind of fear, much bigger than she used to feel. The sneaking suspicion is just so disturbing, taking her emotions down to the core.
"Aye, aye, captain." Heeseung chuckled. "Oh, by the way. Before I forget--"
Aerin's forehead knots looking at Heeseung gets something in the drawer. Seeing the tiny box is enough to swallow her food fast. 
"You know, we're doing this new single for the next album and this song is our comeback track. The title is so catchy and we decided to make some souvenirs for ourselves. I got mine and personalized it. But, in any way, are you my fan?" Heeseung chuckled for the last statement.
Aerin giggled back. Her eyes sparkled seeing such a shiny silvery wristlet. What's carved in it made her grasp for her words.
XO. Only if you say yes.
"Hee, this is so beautiful."
"Don't ever take this off." Heeseung said while rounding it in her wrist. 
"Why?"
"This is my sign to see if you'll love me 'till the very end, despite the fears, uncertainty and chaos around us may bring. Can you promise me that?"
She is faithful despite the fact that she was repeatedly betrayed and injured. She found a new love, in a famous man, who is so more than willing to dive deep just to prove that real love is lasting. A rare kind of true love.
"I promise." Aerin didn't find it hard to give back the assurance. "This thing will stay stuck in my wrist forever." she tried to jest.
Heeseung smiled and clothed her cheeks with his warm hand. "XO means?"
"Hmmm. Hugs and kisses?" Aerin let out a cute snicker.
"You know what? The song goes like this, "~Can I kiss you? Can I hug you?~" Heeseung goes to sang the melody. 
"Spoiler." Aerin laughs a little more. "But are you asking me?"
"Only if you say yes."
"Most certainly."
They are two souls lost and the only safe place is nowhere but each other. Heeseung kissed Aerin and all the worries just fade out, nowhere to be found in a giant void. It disappeared completely in a way that is so mysterious.
"How am I suppose to leave for later when you're looking like that?" Heeseung groans, not in anything negative, but after seeing how lovely Aerin is in her raw lips after the intense kiss.
Aerin pulled away and fastly becomes cognizant. "W-Why?"
"You're so beautiful I couldn't believe. I'll be home soon. Wait for me."
And he kissed her again. In Aerin's soft kisses, Heeseung found his peace. In her kiss, he is home. Surely, he's gonna come home.
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That one stop shop is miles away from Jay's secret place. It will take more than an hour to reach it and another stretch to come back. While taking the needed stuff, Heeseung got a sight of a brewing storm not far away. He moved a little faster. He needs to reach home before the squall reach the ground.
He ran to approach the counter but was occupied by an unfamiliar vehicle across the road. He might be wrong but it looks the same as the one that's following him for a while. Heeseung adjusted his cap not to get a clear sight of his face.
"Do you want to get another candy for fifty? I ran out of change."
"It's okay. Keep the change. Where's your washroom?"
The old man pointed to a direction and without having second thoughts, Heeseung walked through it. He got animosity and he knows he can't go out just yet.
"Hee! Thank God, I heard from you." Jay answered his call fast like a speeding light.
"Jay, I need to make sure. Is Yuki there? Or in any way he knows where Aerin and I right now?"
Heeseung heard Jay clicked his tongue and was followed by a hard sigh. And then a clutter, Heeseung held his breath for the thing he'll hear next.
"My God, Hee. What are you trying to do, huh?"
Yuki's voice is more than concern than being vile. Heeseung attempted to cut the call but was stopped by an imperious warning.
"Even if you drop this call it's no use, Hee. Hybe's men already know where you are. Take the ride and get back here, now."
"No. I made a decision. I'm staying with Aerin."
"You can't. I'm sorry, Hee. Bang PD is still calling the shots here. He can't lose the Enhypen's ace. We can't lose you. We'll bringing you back whatever it takes."
"What part of no don't you understand?" Heeseung's anger is all set to rise.
"Don't force it, Hee. I'm begging you. If you want to protect Aerin, you will listen to me. Bang PD is doing his best to cover on your behalf. We're halting Enhypen's appearances right now stating private concerns. Dispatch was also silenced momentarily. Just come back. Trust me, everything will be alright."
Yuki's begging came as a surprise and Heeseung was forcibly put into an unexpected predicament. Unexpectedly, he wanted to consider Yuki's pleads but considering Aerin, he won't leave her alone just like that.
"I know you're just blinded. I know the artist in you wanted to continue. It's not too late. Let's fix this. Running away is not the answer. Don't be selfish to yourself, to your team, especially to Aerin."
"I promised Aerin I'll go home early. She's waiting for me, Yuki--" his words broke out and all he could do next are stuttering sounds.
"Ms. Choi will be okay. I can assure you that."
He seldom cries, be it in a rapturous feeling or in a verge of anguish, he will stop a single tear to cover his eyes, but after lowering his guard down, Heeseung finally collapsed in tears.
Taking the drive is far worst than being held captive without chance to be freed. He's going away, in the middle of the storm, far away from Choi Aerin.
Aerin dislikes storms, much more than being alone. She'll definitely look for him for the needed comfort, for the tightest hug. And yet, he didn't live to his promise. He went away. He's not coming back home. 
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The coldness of the afternoon breeze is different. It's unbelievably new, like soft, tiny feathers circling around her body entering her bones. Aerin opened her eyes and a sluggish afternoon greeted her suddenly. Outside was an unexpected gift of rain. It is heavy, more like a storm, and she hates it.
She's pacing back and forth, sight's hovering countlessly outside the window. An unfamiliar surge of vague idea, more like a foreboding, is again taking her in.
Aerin halts after seeing a ceasing vehicle. She sighed for relief, but not totally. She clasped her chest tight seeing an obvious danger to her eyes.
An unfamiliar man, rushing forward to set his foot into her way. Aerin gulped hard as she stepped backward to escape the looming peril.
"W-Who are you?" in fright she managed to ask.
"Take your stuff out and come with me."
In the middle of affliction, Aerin's mind shouts for Heeseung. Getting a confirmation that Heeseung is nowhere in sight to save her from an up to the minute threat, she force to follow.
Inside the moving vehicle, Aerin's heart pounded wildly against her chest. Her lips parted but no words came out. She was immobilized by fear as panic engulfed her.
"Where are you taking me?" she tried to ask in the weight of her throbbing lips.
"I need to get rid of your things, especially the one's that's associated with Lee Heeseung." the man coldly stated.
"W-What?!" she screamed in confusion.
"Leave everything behind, even your mobile phone. You'll get new ones the moment we reach the airport."
Hearing the pronouncement sends terror, infiltrated her body as she stood dumbfounded. She clearly understood the whole picture now. Fate, in it's harsh way, is taking it's power to have them divided.
Aerin quickly slashed the bracelet out of her wrist and hides it in the secret pocket of her slipover, as she listened to the next statement that shook her world in great tremors.
"You got a flight to catch going to LA."
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