a better life // hwang hyunjin ✔️

chapter eighteen

don't keep things from people you're close with

"he really does look like chan." hyunjin says, finally having seen what he looked like. the pair was at the park, watching daehyun run around and play, wearing the black hoodie he got from the box on his birthday. he started wearing it immediately after, despite it still being too big for him.

"i know. he looks more and more like him every day." seulgi chuckles. "i don't know if i'll be able to handle it when daehyun turns seventeen."

"of course you'll be able to handle it, you're strong." hyunjin assures her, wrapping his arm tightly around her shoulders.

"you give me too much credit." she shakes her head.

"you know, daehyun is the one thing that chan left. the last living part of him. and you get to raise him." he says with a smile. seulgi smiles fondly, watching daehyun laugh while chasing one of his friends around the park. "you have to be strong for him."

"i try to be."

"you do a great job at it. you're going to raise him to be an amazing man some day, who'll have kids of his own. and he'll carry on chan's life and memory, all thanks to you." hyunjin leans over, placing a chaste kiss on her cheek.

"i've had some help..." she says modestly, a blush creeping up her neck. "and i'm definitely going to need more help when he becomes a teenager." she turns her head to look hyunjin in the eyes. "maybe from someone who knows what it's like to be a teenage boy." she hints. hyunjin quickly picks up, a warm smile taking over his features.

"i might know a guy." he teases, causing seulgi to snort, lightly slapping his forearm.

"do you? could you get him to text me?" she giggles, playing along. hyunjin animatedly places a hand under his chin, as if he was thinking.

"hm, let me see." he says, pulling his phone from his pocket. seulgi throws her head back in laughter as he turns his phone screen away from her, typing on his phone. her phone suddenly vibrates next to her. "there, he texted you." he says, motioning for her to check the text. she playfully rolls her eyes, picking up her phone to read the text.

i love you. it read.

seulgi bites her lip, smiling widely at the text. she places the phone back down, looking over towards hyunjin once again.

"i love you." she says outloud, finally telling him properly for the first time. his heart fluttered, he had been waiting to hear her say it back since they had sex, and it was like music to his ears. he felt as if everything was falling into place, and he couldn't be happier. "hyunjin." she calls, pulling him out of his euphoric trance.

"hm?" he hums, his eyes dancing over her soft features.

"kiss me." hyunjin sighs contentedly at her words. not caring to say anything else as he gently cups the side of her face, pulling her closer so that their lips could meet. a short kiss, but it was full of love, all of the emotions they've been feeling for one another being poured into the short kiss. and for the first time in a long time, seulgi was only focused on hyunjin, her mind no longer wondering if chan was watching over her. she was content. she was happy.

-

"always keep the blade pointed away from you..." hyunjin instructs as he attempts to teach daehyun how to chop an onion. seulgi in her bathroom, washing up before she helps them cook.