The two of them sat on her bed, lost in a heavy silence that was only broken by the soft sound of their breathing. Y/N was tending to his wound and he was staring at her, his eyes soft and filled with affection. Her touch was gentle as she cleaned his knuckles and applied a bandage. He watched her every movement, her focus on the task at hand, her brows slightly furrowed in concentration.
"Does it hurt?" She asked softly, her eyes flickering up to meet his gaze. Then she paused and their eyes locked and somehow the world seemed to slow down around them.
Jay shook his head, a faint smile tugging at his lips. "Not as much as you might think."
Y/N's cheeks flushed slightly, and she looked down, her fingers lightly tracing the edge of the bandage she had just applied. "I'm sorry you had to hear all of that. Yejin is not usually so harsh... It's just that she's really worried about me. But I never meant for you to get involved in my mess."
He reached out and gently lifted her chin, his touch warm against her skin. "Y/N, your pain isn't a mess and I'm not going anywhere. You could have a thousand messes, and I'd still be here by your side. Whether you need a friend to talk to, a shoulder to lean on, or someone to just sit in silence with."
"Why are you being so kind to me?" She admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. "I don't know what I did to deserve this."
Jay's smile remained warm, his thumb gently brushing against her cheek. "You don't have to do anything to deserve kindness, Y/N. It's not something that's earned—it's something that's freely given. I care about you because you're someone worth caring for and because I love you. I'm pretty sure that's not something you need to earn either."
Y/N found herself smiling a little before she looked down, staring at his bandaged knuckles. "I appreciate you, Jay. More than words can express."
"I appreciate you too, Y/N. And I'm here for you, no matter what." He leaned in a little closer, his eyes searching hers for any sign of discomfort. "If you need space, I'll give you space. If you need someone to talk to, I'll listen. If you need a distraction, I'll be that distraction. I could be anything you need me to be."
"You're really not a distraction. I've been feeling lost and overwhelmed, and when I'm around you, even just sitting in silence, it feels like I can breathe a little easier." She slightly tilted her hair, reaching to touch the strands of hair that fell on his forehead. "But now I have to go back home. The thought of going back to Seoul makes me feel suffocated, but I can't keep running away."
"You have to go back." He muttered and nodded as if he was trying to convince himself that she was making the right choice, even though the idea of her leaving made his heart ache. He wished he could keep her close, safe within the walls of his heart, but he knew she had to face her reality, even if it meant returning to a place that held painful memories. "It will be fine."
"I don't want to go back." Jay's fingers gently brushed away a tear that had escaped her eye, his touch a soothing balm against her pain. "I don't want to go back to that city where everything reminds me of him, Jay."
"I know. I know, sunshine." He pulled her into his arms, holding her close while she sobbed quietly. He let her tears fall and listened to her heart-wrenching sobs, wishing could he absorb some of her pain. "It's okay to be scared and angry, it doesn't mean you're weak. It means you're human and that's the most beautiful thing you could ever be."
Y/N clung to him, her tears dampening his shirt, but he didn't mind. He held her like she was the most precious person to him, like she was all that he ever needed. She lifted her head slightly, meeting his gaze with a small, sad smile. "I'm so glad I met you." Then she leaned in, pressing a gentle kiss on his cheek, and Jay looked like fireworks just exploded in his chest.
The touch of her lips on his skin sent a rush of warmth through him, a feeling he couldn't quite put into words. It was happiness, bittersweetness, and a tinge of longing. He looked into her eyes but he was already missing her. He knew she wasn't staying and it felt as if he was about to lose a part of himself. "Can you kiss me again?" He closed his eyes and his voice was barely more than a whisper, laced with vulnerability.
Y/N, still close to him, stared at him for a moment before she cupped his cheek gently, her thumb caressing his skin. And then she leaned in, pressing her lips to his, a soft and lingering kiss that spoke of feelings too deep to express fully. Of longing, of promises of what could have been if circumstances were different. Jay's fingers threaded through her hair as he deepened the kiss, hoping he could remember every feeling, every heartbeat, and every whispered promise that had passed between them.
When they finally pulled apart, Jay's eyes remained closed for a moment and their foreheads rested against each other. "How am I supposed to let you leave and carry on as if you never entered my life?" The words were coming from the deepest parts of his heart, a raw confession he needed to voice.
"We knew from the beginning that this... us, it wasn't meant to be forever. This month in Busan healed me more than Seoul ever did, but I still don't belong here. As much as I wish I could stay, I can't escape the reality I have to face back home."
"I do understand," He opened his eyes, his gaze locking onto hers. "But does that make it any easier?"
Y/N's gaze softened and she intertwined their fingers in an attempt to find comfort in his touch. "No, Jay, it doesn't. It doesn't make it easier at all. And I wish it did. I wish I could stay here with you, in this moment, forever. I really do."
Jay nodded, his thumb gently brushing over the back of her hand as if he could somehow freeze time and make the moment last forever. "I won't ask you to stay... I know you have to do what's best for you. But just promise me that you'll be fine. Promise me that you won't forget the happiness we found in each other, even if it was just for a short time."
A soft chuckle escaped Y/N's lips through her tears, and she shook her head. "How could I ever forget? I'm still here because you found me. I can never forget the way you made me feel alive again. And I won't forget the friends I made, even Heeseung who always looked like he wanted me gone... I will miss it all."
Someone cleared his throat and Y/N and Jay looked out of the room only to find Heeseung standing in the hallway with Yejin in his arms. "I'm glad we're not interrupting anything too intimate," He said with a half-smile, his gaze shifting between the two who looked at them in confusion. "And I never wanted you gone, Y/N. I just have a hard time expressing myself properly."
Y/N wiped her tears and Jay reluctantly let go of her. She stood up and walked over to Heeseung who carefully put Yejin on the couch before she crouched down in front of her sister. "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine," Yejin shrugged, pulling Y/N into a tight hug. "Just feeling like shit for all the harsh things I said to you and Jay. Heeseung gave me a wake up call."
Heeseung leaned against the doorway, a small smile playing on his lips. "Yeah, well, I realized I was being a jerk." He looked over at Jay who shookhis head in disbelief.
"I think I should go back home with you," Y/N's words made Yejin stiffen in surprise as she pulled back from the hug to look at her sister. "I realized I was indeed selfish and stubborn. It's not fair for you and Mom and Dad. We're all grieving, and that's okay. We'll be fine, right?"
Yejin's eyes softened and welled up with tears while she reached out to hold her sister's hand tightly. "Everyone is waiting for you, Y/N. We'll be more than fine."
