Chasm.| Seo Changbin

Twenty-Five.

"What the hell?" A voice growled, making Stella flinch and choke on the water she was drinking.

She just walked out of the bedroom at Changbin's house and into the kitchen. She didn't notice he was on a video call in the kitchen when she passed behind him to grab a bottle of water. Stella looked at the screen to find Naeun's fuming face, Gunil's bubbly one, and a little chubby cheerful kid whom she guessed was the youngest, Eunwon.

"Umm, hi!" She waved at them lightly after she wiped her mouth with the back of her hand.

"OH GOD!" Gunil gasped. "YOU LOOK SOO BEAUTIFUL!" The boy screamed.

"She's literally in a pajama shirt and shorts!" Naeun rolled her eyes and then jolted. "Why the hell she's in your house while wearing a pajama?"

"It's becaus-" Changbin started but was cut by Stella's head that rested on his shoulder from behind to face the phone in his hand up closely.

"I live here," Stella said cheerfully. Her face, which was hovering over Changbin's shoulder, almost brushed against Changbin's cheek, making him flinch. "Currently," Stella added.

"OH DANG!" Gunil cheered. "Lucky you, Changbin."

"Lucky you, Changbin," Eunwon repeated absentmindedly. He didn't seem to be interested in the call as he was playing a game on his phone.

Naeun literally had smoke coming out of her head. Through gritted teeth, she talked. "And why are you two living together?"

"It's temporary," Changbin said. "Her house is currently... not safe."

Stella shoved her head to the right to look at Changbin. It was way too close and she knew that but she just did what she felt like doing. "What temporary?" Stella questioned. "You will come with me if I go back home."

"We'll s-" Changbin replied as he shoved his head to the left to look at her, only to flinch and freeze when their noses brushed. He pulled back a little and gulped. "W-We'll s-see that lat-er." He stuttered. He cleared his throat and then looked at the screen. "Okay, kids. Got to go! Bye." He waved at the screen awkwardly and cut the call immediately.

Changbin breathed in and turned to face Stella with an annoyed face. He was annoyed. He was beyond annoyed.

It's been almost a month since Stella came over to Changbin's house. He didn't hate her presence around him. In all honesty, he loved her presence, but it just started to become too much for him. She was becoming too much with how she was so comfortable around him without knowing the war he was having inside of him to keep friendly and professional and not to cross the lines he shouldn't.

It was starting to concern him how she was blooming inside of him. It was concerning how she was already planted inside him. It took all of his sanity not to reach out for her, touch her, or hold her when she passed by. It took loads of his self-control not to pull her in his arms whenever they sat side by side to watch a movie or do anything entertaining at night when Stella failed to fall asleep. It took most of his rationalism not to pass his fingers in her ash-blonde silky hair whenever she leaned on his shoulder.

He was holding back. He was holding onto a fine line. He was trying his best to handle his feelings on his own without her finding those feelings out and getting scared away, as she got scared of Hajoon. He didn't want to be another staff member whom she got comfortable with and trusted but ended up betraying that trust by having feelings for her when she treated him as a family. That's why he decided not to fulfill his promise for the first time in his life. That's why he decided to leave.

But little did Changbin know, Stella had her concerns too.

Stella's butterflies were going wild inside of her and she knew she would be exploding soon. She didn't have any idea how the hell he managed to grant himself a big part of her heart like that, and he was still taking up more space. It took all of Stella's sanity not to cling to him all day and night. It took loads of her self-control not to cuddle him or nuzzle his neck whenever they sat side by side to watch a movie after Stella faked that she couldn't fall asleep. It took most of her rationalism not to lace her fingers with his every time he gently patted her hand or caressed it for assurance.