Ｓｅｏｒｉ

The weight of my confession hung heavy in the air. I'd betrayed someone, even if they were abusive. The guilt was suffocating. Soobin, innocent in all this, had been dragged into my mess. He'd even offered to fight a legal battle for me.

Ahyeon, my daughter, was a constant reminder of my complicated situation. I yearned to protect her innocence, to shield her from the harsh realities of life. Yet, I knew I couldn't keep her sheltered forever.

"But you're breaking yourself too," Soobin's voice interrupted my thoughts.

"Was I talking out loud?" I mumbled.

"A little bit. But know that I'm here for you, no matter what."

His gentle smile held a depth that surprised me. It was as if I was seeing a new side of him, a more mature and understanding side.

After a minute of utter silence from us, he spoke again. 

"So, won't you introduce me to your daughter?"

A wave of relief washed over me. I rose from the bed, the morning's emotional turmoil slowly dissipating. I walked towards Ahyeon's nursery.

I walked down a corridor to reach her nursery. 

"Her name's Ahyeon," I whispered as I was getting in, expecting to find her asleep. 

But she was in her crib, smiling and laughing to herself while looking at the starry windchime I got her a few weeks ago. 

Soobin was laid back while seeing her. He bent down to her crib and picked her up with great care. He kissed her forehead before embracing her, his right hand clutching the back of her head and the left on her thighs. 

I lightheartedly smiled at the scene. 

Soobin put her on the fuzzy carpet; she was learning to crawl a bit. She would try and try all the time. But I was hoping she would get the hang of it soon; she was slightly late. 

"She looks just like you," he pointed out while sitting on the carpet next to Ahyeon. I slightly chuckled. 

"Her lips, her eyes, everything." 

He stared dreamily at Ahyeon while she was throwing toys haphazardly around the carpet. I will cherish this moment forever. 

__________

(A few days later)

"Just a few more steps," Soobin said while I was blindfolded. He was walking behind me and guiding me towards my kitchen. A faint smell of bulgogi permeated the area, making me hungrier every second. 

After an eventful day at work, it was the most thoughtful gift I could have received. I pulled the blindfold off to see the island laden with a pot of bulgogi and various side dishes. My mouth watered at the sight of it all. 

"Soobin-ah..." I sighed, "You didn't have to..." 

He hugged me from the back, his breath fanning my neck. He kissed the spot right beneath my ear. I placed my hand on his arm delicately wrapped around my waist, and he tightened his grip on me.

"You like it?" he spoke softly, his voice low and intimate from above. God, those damn butterflies. 

I hummed in accordance, the fluttery feeling making me nervous to speak. "Thank you for everything."

"You should probably freshen up, while I serve the food," he said, then broke the hug. 

"Oh, and I already fed Ahyeon. She's asleep," he added, his finger pressed to his lips to convey the idea of staying quiet in case she woke up.

"Thank you again, Soobin," I said and went to take a shower. 

__________

Soobin's voice, a low whisper, sent a shiver down my spine. "I think he dies in the end," he murmured, tossing a popcorn into his mouth. Despite the grim prediction, a sense of warmth filled me. It was simple moments like these, shared with him, that made life feel worthwhile again.

After three long years of solitude, having someone to spend an evening with was a luxury I'd almost forgotten. We settled down to watch #Alive, the tension of the zombie apocalypse a welcome distraction from the quiet of my life.

Ahyeon's piercing scream started us. We rushed to her room, Soobin reaching her first. His gentle humming soothed her, and she drifted off to sleep. 

But as we turned to leave, she let out another cry, clinging to her blanket.

"I don't think this is going to work," Soobin chuckled, scooping her up and carrying her to the living room.

He sat on the couch, bouncing her gently. I turned off the TV and began to hum a soft lullaby, stroking her hair. Finally, her eyelids fluttered closed.

Soobin looked exhausted, his eyes heavy with sleep. I felt a pang of guilt. He'd cooked dinner, and taken care of Ahyeon, and now he had to drive home late at night.

"Let me take her," I offered, but he shook his head.

A moment later, I found him dozing off on the couch. A wave of tenderness washed over me. I couldn't let him drive home in such a state.

As soon as I walked away, I could see him massage the area between his eyebrows while squinting. I felt bad again. Maybe I could ask him to stay the night over? He would not mind, would he?

After placing Ahyeon in her crib, I came back down, only to see that Soobin had already dozed off on the sofa. 

I wanted to wake him up and offer him my bed to sleep in, but I was hesitating. I lightly tapped his shoulders. 

"Soobin-ah," I whispered, nudging his shoulder. "You can sleep in my room."

He blinked slowly, then nodded. I did not mind sleeping on the sofa for a day at all. Soobin did so much for me. 

"Hm?... Yeah, I think so," I could see that he was going to refuse but his tiredness took over him, and he agreed. 

I let him go first, and I stayed behind for a couple of minutes to tidy up the popcorn. 

I finally went into my bedroom to make sure he was comfortable; then I would go back down to sleep.

My breath caught in my throat when I saw Soobin's back facing the door in my room. He was removing his shirt. Slowly, button by button, he removed it. And his back was exposed. 

My heart was beating so fast I thought the sound it was making would be the perfect background music for this moment. I was left gaping at him in awe. 

He turned around, and I was caught staring at him. He had fucking abs too. 

"Didn't anyone tell you it's rude to stare?" He smirked and placed his white shirt on the back of my make-up chair.

He threw himself on the bed. He looked at me for a few seconds, while I was busy recovering from what I had just seen. 

"What? Aren't you coming?" 

He asked, his voice partly muffled because of the pillow. I entered the room and placed a blanket on top of him.

 His eyes were already closed. 

I leaned near his ear and whispered, "Sleep tight, love," I went back to the door. He held my wrist gently, stopping me from walking away. 

"Sleep next to me," he said, his voice croaky. 

I turned back and contemplated this situation for a few seconds. There really was nothing wrong with it. 

Fuck it. 

As I slipped into bed, his arm snaked around my waist, pulling me closer. His warm breath fanned my neck, sending shivers down my spine.

My heart somersaulted. I breathed heavily, and then as if that was not enough, he scooted impossibly close to my neck and kissed it. 

"I love you," he said, then kissed my lips. 

A/n: don't forget to vote lol