So Sweet And So Bitter

XXIV.

> Wonwoo <

I open my eyes to see Mingyu's sleeping face not even ten centimeters away from mine. I feel a throbbing pain spread from the back of my eyes to the side of my head. Not used to having such a headache out of the blue, I squeeze my eyes but the pain worsens.

It's only seven a.m. but I don't feel like sleeping anymore, Mingyu, on the other hand, seems deep into sleep. His hand is resting under the pillow and his mouth is slightly open, I feel a smile forming on my face unwittingly but he shifts his position so I swiftly close my eyes.

I hear him groan, probably because we forgot to fully close the blinds yesterday so there is light entering the room, and I stifle a smile. I hear shuffling before the weight of his body is gone from his side of the bed, I don't understand what he does but he immediately gets back under the light covers. 

He starts brushing my hair away from my face, his fingers graze my skin and I feel goosebumps spread all over as the memory of yesterday resurfaces. 

I let myself relax under his sweet touch, the familiar odor of him replenishing my lungs. Still, I can't help but sense my skin heating up with every brush of his finger.

"Wonu"

"Mn" I unknowingly respond to his voice calling my name.

"Can I kiss you?" He asks, his morning voice husky and deep and I suddenly feel the heat of his body closer. I open my eyes, his body tilted to the side and held up on his elbow, his freshly awoken eyes meet mine.

Mingyu's been so good to me these past few weeks, no one has ever treated me as gently and as caringly as he has. The unplaced guilt I've been holding inside of me has been growing, a feeling of wrongness taking me over every time he looks at me this way as if there has never been a separation between us, as if I have never accused him and blamed him and hurt him every time our roads met these past six years.

I haven't been able to pierce my thoughts together and yesterday was simply the cherry on top, as if in a crisis I avoided him but I could sense his disappointment even if I kept myself meters away from him.

The growing idea of staying with him like this, forgetting about everything and only keeping our old memories, becomes so tempting if only every thought that accompanies this temptation wasn't followed by a hollow that closes my throat.

As he continues to look for an answer inside of my irises I realize my heart's been beating uncontrollably, making me feel its thumping in every vein of my body. 

He touches my lower lip, getting closer to me, and I stay frozen in my place, not moving. He gives me enough time to back away before everything seems to get surrounded by a heavenly light and he closes his lips on mine.

I catch my breath feeling the softness of his skin on mine and the tingling that follows his movement. His hand cups my face to keep me still, the kiss is simple, soft, and with closed mouths, and the air is filled with hesitation. It doesn't take long before Mingyu pulls away, his gaze apologetic and his cheeks flushed.

"I'm sorry" He says embarrassed, about to get off the bed with his gaze fixed on the sheets. Impulsively, I reach out, stopping him with my hand on his wrist and pulling him back towards me.

His arms land on either side of me as my hand cups his neck to pull him in, I collide my lips to his, and suddenly the previous hesitation is gone. It doesn't take him long to catch up and he takes my chin in his hand, guiding my mouth with his as I let him take over.

This time the kiss seems impatient and I grin into it, the butterflies in my stomach making me feel tingly all over, and when he notices it he looks at me, a promise in his eyes. I don't know if it's the feeling of my skin melting under him or the ache that seems to be slowly healing inside of me but I feel my eyes get wet.