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At dusk, a soft, warm light spilled into the room, a stark contrast to the cold outside, hinting at an imminent snowfall.
Jeongin perched on the edge of his bed, lost in thought. Memories of that mysterious encounter from years ago lingered in his mind. Oddly, he couldn't help but draw connections to Chris, even though many details eluded him, like the stranger's voice. What remained vivid were those eyes-the only feature he could see behind the unsettling mask-eyes that strangely resembled those of a puppy.
At the sound of a slight noise, Jeongin's gaze lifted, meeting Chris as he entered the room. Jeongin promptly straightened up.
"Ah, my coat is still with you?" Chris arched an eyebrow in amusement, realizing that he hadn't even noticed when Jeongin had taken it with him.
"Yes," Jeongin replied, his heart quickening its pace. He couldn't quite discern whether Chris was angry or annoyed with him. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to..."
Chris chuckled, his gaze softening. "It's okay, I was just... surprised to see it here," he admitted. He moved further into the room, taking a seat at the edge of the bed.
Jeongin let out a sigh, meeting Chris' soft gaze for a moment before looking away. Those same puppy eyes. No, it's just his mind playing tricks, plenty of people have eyes like that.
"So... you're done with the business you went for?" Jeongin asked, his curiosity getting the better of him. He hadn't expected Chris to come to his room, especially after the older had seemed so desperate and frustrated just a few minutes ago before leaving.
Chris nodded, his words flowing smoothly, "Yes, there's still some work left, but Jisung and Changbin can handle that." He maintained a calm exterior, a master of deception, but he felt he had no other choice.
Jeongin hummed, uncertain of what to say next. Suddenly, a cold gust of wind entered the room, and Jeongin turned to the window, watching as it began to snow. He rose from the bed, moving to stand by the window. If he looked straight ahead, he could see the towering buildings, and if he looked down, he could gaze upon the lush garden below. With a swift yet gentle motion, he closed the windows.
Jeongin settled back onto the bed with a sigh, and Chris inched closer, perhaps a bit too close. He reached out and gently brushed his fingers through Jeongin's hair, smoothing the locks.
Jeongin's heart raced, feeling as if his breath had caught in his throat. What had just happened? Chris moved back, and while his face remained composed, a faint, shy smile tugged at the corners of his lips. He cleared his throat, offering an explanation, "Sorry... there was... snow on your head."
Jeongin knew there wasn't any snow on his head. It was clear that Chris had merely used that as an excuse to be closer to him. He didn't say anything, a mix of emotions swirling within him. Part of him appreciated Chris's effort, finding it both surprising and very frightening.
"Did you live alone before?" Chris inquired, his curiosity about Jeongin's past since that incident years ago driving him to seek answers. Jeongin had been alone all these years?
Jeongin met Chris's gaze, considering that he did have the right to know more given that he was allowing him to stay in his mansion. "No," Jeongin began, "my parents, they're... not here anymore. They left me with my uncle when I was fourteen, so I lived with him."
Chris didn't look at him; he didn't have the courage to. He suddenly felt a wave of sadness and spoke softly, "I... am sorry to hear that. It must have been tough."
Jeongin hummed and nodded, as if he had already anticipated Chris's response. But it felt better, far better than what his uncle had ever said, better than what most people said.
Chris thought about Jeongin's uncle, wondering where he might be and what he was doing right now. Did he take good care of Jeongin? There was only one way to find out, so he asked, "Your uncle must be worried about you?"
"He is bad," Jeongin replied, his voice no longer soft but stern, tinged with anger and beneath that, a sense of hurt.
Chris was taken aback by Jeongin's response, but he realized he shouldn't have expected anything different. He was well aware of the cruelty of the world, having experienced it firsthand, yet somewhere deep inside, he had hoped that the world would treat Jeongin with kindness.
Chris reached out and placed his hand on Jeongin's, gently caressing his knuckles as he reassured him, "It's alright... you're safe now."
Jeongin's lips curled into a small, subtle smile as he continued to gaze out of the window. He didn't need words; instead, he gently intertwined their fingers, finding warmth in the simple touch, like the winter sun on a chilly afternoon.
Chris resisted the urge to delve deeper into Jeongin's past, sensing that some doors were best left unopened for now. He watched Jeongin, who was lost in the sight of falling snow, and Chris found himself equally lost, but not in the winter landscape - in Jeongin.
He wished, hoped, that he could travel inside his mind, with whatever his heart or soul would take in return. He wanted to know all of Jeongin's thoughts, everything, and maybe, just maybe, be able to erase those painful memories from his mind, if he could...
