"I want to know why you do it."
"Why I do what." he asked, stripping off his overcoat.
He flung it over the back of the couch without much thought as he began unbuttoning his shirt.
"Why you always save me. Every time I'm in trouble you always come...
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It was an ungodly hour by the time I left the kitchen. Going to bed was the last thing I wanted to do, so I handwashed every dish three times over before deciding to do the same with the countertops. I hadn't stopped until I exhausted myself, finally leaving when it felt like I could hardly keep my eyes open. A yawn escaped me while I dragged my feet down the halls, doing my best to keep my mind from wandering to the conversation with Seonghwa earlier.
"You look tired."
Composing myself, I turned around to see San leaning against a nearby table. He looked like he hadn't moved for a while, and I wondered just how tired I am, having not noticed him when passing by.
"Finished in the kitchen?" He asked, pushing off his perch.
"I've been done for a while." I admitted quietly. "Just had a lot on my mind."
"You should know that none of us fault you for seeking help with such a monumental decision."
I snapped my head up, eyes wide in surprise while left speechless in the wake of his words. He smiled softly, reaching out to curl a piece of my hair around his finger.
"The mind connection, remember?"
I sighed, giving him a wry smile before rubbing one eye tiredly.
"I sort of forgot you all could do that."
I let the quiet darkness settle between us for a bit. His fingers moving from my hair to my cheek, his thumb brushing just under my eye.
"So, everyone knows?"
"Everyone is aware that the decision has been made, and we've all come to terms with it."
"How?" I croaked. "How can you be so calm knowing it's someone else?"
Sensing my fragile self-control cracking, San wrapped me in his arms, pulling me into a hug. I needed it more than anything at this moment. I wound my arms behind him, hands fisting into the material of his shirt tightly.
"They're my brothers." He answered. "If not me, I'd rather it be one of them."
He laid his chin on top of my head, content in holding me as I let the last few hours sink in. His familiar scent of cherry blossoms and dogwood wrapping around me comfortingly. We stood there for a while, neither of us saying a word or making a move to pull away. My exhaustion was winning out the longer I stayed in his embrace, my eyes slowly getting heavier until he pulled back.
"I want to show you something."
"What is it?" I asked, his hand taking mine to pull me after him down the hall.
We passed a few rooms, San stopping to open one of them before leading me inside. It looked to be some kind of gallery though it was mostly empty. He paused in the middle of the room, turning back to me, his pink hair glowing with the backdrop of the moon pouring in from the massive windows.
