Yn sat silently at the edge of the bed, her fingers folded neatly in her lap, her posture straight. Her heart pounded quietly in her chest, but outwardly she showed nothing. It was always this way with Taehyung. He was kind, gentle, and everything a husband should be, yet her automatic response was submission—obedience to whatever he asked. She couldn’t bring herself to disagree, even if he gave her all the freedom in the world to speak her mind.

Taehyung stood at the dresser, smiling at her as he hung up his coat. "Yn, do you want to go for a walk later? It’s a beautiful evening outside."

Yn’s heart raced as she nodded quickly. "Yes… whatever you’d like."

She hated how automatic her words sounded, but it was her defense. She couldn't risk saying or doing anything wrong. The past had taught her that getting attached, or worse, disappointing someone, only led to heartbreak. She couldn’t bear the thought of upsetting Taehyung.

But Taehyung only smiled, that warm, radiant smile that always seemed to light up the room. He walked over to her, crouching down to her level so that they were eye to eye.

“Yn-ah,” he whispered softly, reaching out to tuck a loose strand of hair behind her ear. His touch was gentle, careful not to make her uncomfortable. “You don’t have to say yes to everything I suggest, you know. You can tell me what you want.”

Yn’s breath hitched as his hand lingered just slightly, his thumb brushing against her cheek. She blushed, lowering her eyes. “I… I just want to make you happy.”

Taehyung’s smile softened. He leaned in, pressing a feather-light kiss to her forehead, the gentleness of the gesture making her heart stutter. “You being comfortable makes me happy. You don’t have to try so hard.”

His words were sweet, comforting, yet they added a weight of guilt in her chest. She wanted to trust him, to believe in the safety he offered, but the scars of her past ran too deep. She nodded again, hoping he wouldn’t notice the tension in her.

The next few weeks passed in a similar pattern. Taehyung would gently offer to spend time together, whether it was dinner, a movie, or a simple walk in the park. Yn, as always, agreed to everything, too afraid to say anything else. And each time, he would touch her in the softest ways—a hand on her shoulder, a gentle kiss on her temple, a warm embrace that seemed to wrap her in his quiet affection.

It was confusing.

Taehyung had never once raised his voice, never once pushed her beyond her limits. He treated her like she was something fragile, delicate, as if he understood that one wrong move could shatter her completely.

And still, she couldn’t let her guard down. Not yet.

One evening, Taehyung returned home from work and found Yn sitting by the window, staring out into the night. The moonlight bathed her in soft, silver light, making her look almost ethereal. Quietly, he walked over to her, wrapping his arms around her from behind.

Yn stiffened at first, but his embrace was warm and gentle. He rested his chin on her shoulder, his voice low and soothing. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” she whispered, her voice barely audible.

He sighed softly, pressing a kiss to her shoulder. “I know you don’t really believe that.”

Her heart ached at his words. Taehyung always seemed to know, even when she tried to hide her feelings. She wanted to be honest with him, but the fear of rejection, of being abandoned, was too strong.

Taehyung gently turned her around to face him, his eyes searching hers. “Yn… I want you to feel safe with me. I want you to know that I’m here for you, no matter what.”

“I do,” she said quickly, her voice shaky. “I trust you, Taehyung.”

He cupped her face in his hands, his thumbs brushing softly over her cheeks. “Then why do you always look so scared?”

Yn blinked back tears, her lower lip trembling. She hated how transparent she felt in front of him. “I’m not scared of you,” she whispered. “I’m scared… that if I get too close, you’ll leave.”

Taehyung’s eyes softened with understanding, and without a word, he pulled her into his arms, holding her close. His hands gently stroked her back, his breath warm against her hair. “I’m not going anywhere,” he whispered. “I promise, I’m not going to leave you.”

Yn’s chest tightened, and for the first time in months, she felt a crack in the wall she had built around herself. Slowly, she lifted her arms, wrapping them around his waist as she buried her face in his chest. His scent, his warmth—it was all so comforting.

Taehyung pulled back slightly, just enough to look down at her. He pressed a gentle kiss to her cheek, his lips soft and warm against her skin. “We’re in this together, okay? You and me.”

Yn nodded, feeling her resistance begin to crumble. She didn’t speak, but the way she clung to him, her fingers curling into his shirt, told him everything he needed to know.

A few days later, Taehyung invited Yn to a party hosted by one of their mutual friends. She agreed, as always, but this time she found herself feeling slightly more at ease in his presence. Maybe it was the way he held her hand as they walked into the room, or the gentle squeeze of reassurance he gave her before letting go.

As the evening wore on, Yn found herself standing by the balcony, watching the stars while Taehyung mingled with a few friends. She had always liked watching the night sky—it was peaceful, a brief escape from the turmoil in her mind.

But her peace was interrupted when she heard a familiar voice behind her. “Yn?”

She turned, her heart sinking as she saw Minji, an old acquaintance. “Minji,” she said quietly, offering a small nod in greeting.

Minji smiled, though it didn’t reach her eyes. “I heard you got married to Taehyung. He’s a good guy.”

Yn nodded, feeling a familiar sense of unease creeping in. “Yeah, he is.”

Minji’s gaze lingered on her for a moment before she spoke again. “I hope things are better for you now… after what happened with Jisoo.”

The mention of his name sent a wave of nausea through Yn’s body. She clenched her hands tightly, trying to keep her composure. “I don’t want to talk about that,” she said, her voice barely audible.

Unfortunately, Taehyung had overheard the conversation. He approached, his expression gentle but curious. “What’s this about Jisoo?”

Yn froze, her heart pounding in her chest. Minji, clearly oblivious to the tension, answered for her. “Jisoo was her ex. He cheated on her with her best friend. It was awful.”

Taehyung’s eyes darkened with understanding as he glanced at Yn, who was now staring at the ground, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment.

Minji quickly excused herself, leaving the two of them alone.

Taehyung reached out, gently tilting Yn’s chin up so she would look at him. “Yn… why didn’t you tell me?”

“I didn’t want you to know,” she whispered, tears filling her eyes. “I didn’t want you to think I was… weak.”

Taehyung’s expression softened, and without a word, he pulled her into his arms, holding her tightly. “You’re not weak, Yn. You’re strong. Stronger than you think.”

He pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead, then to her cheek, his lips lingering just long enough to remind her of his presence. “And I love you, no matter what.”

Yn’s breath caught in her throat as she looked up at him, her heart swelling with emotion. For the first time in a long time, she believed him.

And maybe, just maybe, she could let herself love him back.

As Yn stood in Taehyung’s arms, feeling the warmth of his embrace, something inside her began to shift. His words, the soft way he held her, the gentle kisses he placed on her forehead and cheek—it all felt different now. Less like a dream she was too afraid to believe in and more like a reality she could begin to trust.

But even as her heart softened, her mind still held onto that familiar fear.

She stepped back slightly, looking up at Taehyung with uncertainty. “Why… Why are you so kind to me? Even though I don’t… deserve it?”

Taehyung’s brow furrowed, a flicker of sadness crossing his face at her words. He reached up, cupping her face with both hands, his touch firm yet tender. “Yn, stop thinking like that. You deserve all the love in the world. I just want to give it to you.”

Yn bit her lip, unsure of how to respond. She wasn’t used to this—to someone being so gentle, so patient. She had always believed that love came with conditions, with expectations she could never meet. Yet, Taehyung was right here, giving her everything without asking for anything in return. It felt overwhelming.

She lowered her gaze, her fingers nervously twisting together. “But… what if I mess up? What if I’m not enough?”

Taehyung’s hands stayed on her cheeks, his thumbs lightly stroking her skin. He leaned in, placing another gentle kiss on her forehead. “You don’t have to be anything but yourself. That’s enough for me. I didn’t marry you expecting you to be perfect. I married you because I want to be with you, all of you.”

Yn felt her heart flutter at his words, a warmth spreading through her chest that she hadn’t felt in a long time. She wanted to believe him—really believe him—but the fear was still there, gnawing at her, reminding her of the pain she’d experienced before.

Taehyung sensed her hesitation. He pulled her closer, wrapping his arms around her in a tight but comforting embrace. His chin rested on top of her head, and she felt the steady rise and fall of his chest as he breathed. “You’re safe with me, Yn,” he whispered. “I’m not going to hurt you, and I’m not going to leave. I promise.”

His words were so simple, yet they held so much weight. Yn wanted to say something, anything, but instead, she just let herself sink into the warmth of his embrace. It felt so foreign, yet so comforting, to let herself relax in his arms. For once, she didn’t feel the need to push him away.

“Can we go home?” she asked softly, her voice almost timid.

Taehyung pulled back slightly to look at her, his eyes warm and understanding. He smiled and nodded. “Of course, we can.”

When they got back to their house, the quietness of the evening surrounded them as they walked through the door. Yn felt a bit more at ease, knowing they were alone now. It wasn’t that she didn’t trust Taehyung in public—it was just that everything felt so much more intimate when it was just the two of them.

Taehyung took her hand, guiding her into the living room. “Let’s sit for a bit,” he suggested, his voice soft. He sat down on the couch and gently pulled Yn to sit beside him.

Yn hesitated for a moment before sitting close to him, almost instinctively leaning into his side. Taehyung immediately responded by wrapping an arm around her shoulders, pulling her closer. He rested his cheek against her hair, holding her as if she were the most precious thing in the world.

For a long moment, they sat in silence, the only sound being their breathing. Yn wasn’t sure how long they stayed like that, but for the first time in a long while, she didn’t feel the urge to pull away. She felt… safe. His presence was grounding, like a quiet reassurance that no matter how fragile she felt, he would be there to catch her.

“I’ve never felt like this before,” Yn admitted quietly, her voice barely above a whisper.

Taehyung shifted slightly so he could look at her, his eyes soft and full of affection. “Like what?”

“Like…” Yn struggled to find the words. “Like maybe I don’t have to be scared all the time. Like maybe it’s okay to trust you.”

Taehyung’s smile was gentle as he leaned in and pressed a soft kiss to her temple. “It is okay to trust me, Yn. I’ll be here no matter what. We’ll take things one day at a time, and I’ll show you that I’m not going anywhere.”

His words sent a surge of emotion through her, and without thinking, she turned to him and rested her head on his chest. His heartbeat was steady, strong, and Yn let herself relax against him.

Taehyung responded immediately, wrapping both arms around her in a protective embrace. He pressed a kiss to the top of her head, then another one to her cheek, the warmth of his lips sending a soft flutter through her chest. “I love you, Yn,” he whispered against her skin, his voice so full of sincerity that it made her breath catch.

Yn swallowed hard, the weight of his words settling over her. She had never heard those words in such a genuine way before, not like this. But instead of running from it, she allowed herself to feel it—allowed herself to believe that maybe, just maybe, Taehyung really meant it.

“I… I love you too,” she whispered, the words shaky but real.

Taehyung’s arms tightened around her, and she felt him smile against her cheek. “Thank you,” he murmured, his voice full of emotion. “I promise I’ll keep showing you, every day, how much I mean that.”

Yn closed her eyes, letting herself believe in his words, in his warmth, in the possibility of healing. For the first time, she wasn’t consumed by fear. Taehyung’s love was soft, steady, and patient—exactly what she needed.

And as she drifted off in his arms, Yn began to hope that maybe, just maybe, she could trust in his love after all.

(HE'S SO HUBBBBYYYY😩)