Stray Kids Comfort Collection

4. Changbin: The Call

The sound was distant, slowly dragging me from the watery depths of a deep sleep. It kept getting louder the closer to the surface I was pulled. With a start, I woke up and looked over to where my phone was charging on my nightstand next to me. It was lit up and a goofy closeup of my boyfriend's face filled the screen. I saw the time. 3:14 a.m.

"Hello?" I cleared my throat and spoke into the receiver.

"I'm so sorry to wake you up." There was a lot of background noise on the other end, making it difficult for me to hear his voice. It sounded small, much unlike his usual loud and charismatic tone.

I immediately knew there was something going on. "Binnie, Baby. What's wrong?"

"Bogo shipeo... God, I miss you so much." He said with an exasperated sigh, and I could hear the noise in the background growing more distant. He must have been walking away from where he was to find some privacy. "I just needed to hear your voice."

"Oh, Baby. I miss you too." I shifted to my side in bed and put the phone on speaker so I could lay it on the pillow next to my head. "So you called to hear my groggy, froggy, sleepy voice?"

Changbin's chuckle greeted my ear and warmed my insides. "It's been a difficult day, and we're at some networking dinner. I'm tired of talking about work, and it made me miss you and how easy it is to talk with you. You always make me feel better without even trying. I knew if I could hear your voice, I'll be able to make it through the rest of the night."

I melted. What did I do to deserve this man? "Well, you've got me, Sweetheart. I'm awake and all yours. What do you want to talk about?"

He was quiet for a moment, and I heard a door shut behind him. The noise was so far away that it was barely registering now. He cleared his throat and asked a little shyly, "Can I ask for something specific?"

"Oh?" That question made me smile. With him I never knew what to expect because he was always full of surprises. I loved that so much about him. "And what is that?"

"Will you read to me? Just for a little while?"

My eyes widened in subtle glee. Without meaning to, my response came out breathier than intended, "I would love to."

"Gahmsa, Baby." His sigh of relief washed over me.

"Do you want a story, or would you like some poetry? A friend of mine published a book of poems recently and she's really good."

"Which friend?" He perked up a little, a hint of hope in his voice that he might know who I was referring to. The fact that he cared enough to want to know my friends made my heart swell to near bursting. He was truly one of a kind.

"Megan. You met her a few months ago when the unnies got together over the summer. Princess voice."

He hummed in thought before exclaiming, "Tink!"

I laughed at his excitement. "Yeah, Tink."

"Okay, yes. Read that," He said.

"Alright." I reached to my nightstand and grabbed the small, delicate book. Flipping through the pages, I found where I had left off before going to sleep. "Ready?" He hummed his yes, the beautiful sound filling the air in my room as if he really was there with me.

I took a deep breath and began to read slowly,

"Of all the love I've ever known
You are where I've found my home
You have my heart
And I have no doubt
You're the one I never ever want to be without
So even when we disagree
When I annoy you or you annoy me
Just know that I'm in love with you
And nothing could ever be
As important as you are to me
So please don't ever walk away
'Cause with you is where I'm meant to stay."

The final line lingered in the atmosphere, knitting the words together with something unseen that connected the two of us from different sides of the world at that moment. The distance felt nonexistent right then as I listened to his measured breathing on the line. There was a calmness and a security that settled over me like a blanket.

The words had been so true. He was exactly where I was meant to stay. Seo Changbin had become my home, and I was his. I don't know who Megan had written the poem about, precisely, but the words could have been mine to him without question. He had become my everything.

"Baby?" Binnie's voice broke through the quiet.

"Yes, Binnie?"

"Saranghae."

The only thing that would make this moment more perfect was if I was in his arms and he was saying those words into my eyes.

"I love you, too, Seo Changbin."