Dead End | Jun-ho

21 | Evenings

◯ △ ▢

Despite her own fear attacking her, leaving her with nothing but a shaken body and a memory she wouldn't ever forget, he stayed with her throughout it.

They had stayed there for a while, Jun-ho trying his best to comfort her. Aera clutched at his jumpsuit as he traced circles on her back, trying his best to distract her, her soft cries muffled through their closeness.

She had calmed down eventually, but it had taken a lot. It felt worse than the previous times, which didn't make sense because before it was masses of people. The girl had experienced it multiple times before, so she thought that she'd have gotten used to it by now. But, her uncontrollable emotions proved differently, more overpowering than usual. The tension in the atmosphere; the adrenaline of being caught and touched so abruptly had made it so much worse.

Aera dreaded to think what would have happened if Jun-ho hadn't saved her. Being saved so many times; she was grateful for, but it made her feel weak, useless and undeniably pathetic. She'd changed so much since coming here, and she didn't know if that was a good thing or not. Aera was caught in the middle, stuck between wanting to forget everything and go back to the way she was or continuing and becoming something she'd always strived to be; a better person. She just never knew how.

However worried Jun-ho was, he wanted them to get out of the stuffy, tension-filled room and get back to the apartment. One, the dead guard was laying behind them, most likely causing Aera more damage than good, and he didn't want them to get caught, the evidence very clearly present in the room.

Not that a guard going missing or dying was that big of a deal, especially in the place they were in, it was when a player went missing it mattered a lot. And that's exactly what he'd done. The fear of being caught wasn't as constant in his mind as say Aera's fear of the games, but it hadn't completely left him. So he needed her to be brave and get out of there, so she could get some well needed rest. Aera needed to relax and get her head straight; he couldn't bare to see her like this.

A few more minutes had passed and she finally had the strength to get up, with the help of Jun-ho, still majorly fragile and startled. He carefully put her mask back on her melancholic face; traces of tears evident of constantly falling down her cheeks. Aera didn't want to put the mask on again, but she had no choice.

"Keep your eyes closed princess, don't open them." Jun-ho gently whispered to her, guiding her so she wouldn't accidentally walk into anything. A shiver went up her spine, as she felt her cheeks highlight pink, reminiscing with the nicknames that had made an appearance once again.

As soon as they'd left the stock room, Aera was finally able to open her eyes, bringing her back to reality than just the hold of his warm arms. Although, he wouldn't let go of her completely, too worried the events of her fainting would occur again. Jun-ho  held her hand, firmly but gentle enough he wouldn't hurt her, vowing to not let go until he knew she was safe.

Passing through the kitchen, all the other guards had left, their work day having come to a close.

It was quiet as they walked through different hallways, reaching the back way to avoid drawing any attention to themselves. "Jun-ho." she whispered, barely being able to talk. It was the first time she had since, like the tears had been caught in her throat and had prevented her from doing so.

He hummed, somewhat surprised that she'd spoken. The man squeezed her hand as a signal to keep going.

She took a breath in, still trying to catch up to herself after what had just happened, "I was thinking about Mi-sun today, well all day actually-"