Jeno's POV
"Fine," she breathed out as she stood up. Her voice was soft, almost resigned, as if she was tired of fighting whatever was going on between us. I could see the faintest flicker of vulnerability in her eyes, a rare glimpse of the emotions she usually kept so well hidden.
"I'll walk you," I offered, a smile tugging at the corners of my lips.
She hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "Alright."
We left the warehouse together, stepping out into the cool night air. The silence between us was comfortable, yet charged with an unspoken tension. As we walked side by side, I found myself stealing glances at her, trying to decipher what she was thinking.
The streets were quiet, with only the occasional car passing by. The city lights cast long shadows on the pavement, creating a surreal atmosphere that seemed to mirror the turmoil inside me. I could still feel the weight of everything that had happened earlier—the interrogation, the revelations, the ever-present danger lurking just out of sight.
But right now, all I could focus on was her.
"Are you okay?" I asked after a few minutes, breaking the silence.
She glanced up at me, her expression unreadable. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just... processing everything, I guess."
I nodded, understanding exactly how she felt. "It's a lot to take in."
"That's an understatement," she replied with a slight chuckle, though it lacked her usual warmth.
We continued walking, the tension between us growing with each step. I could sense that there was something she wanted to say, something she was holding back. But I didn't want to push her—not yet.
When we finally reached her apartment building, she paused at the entrance, turning to face me. "Thanks for walking me home," she said, her voice soft.
"Anytime," I replied, my smile returning.
There was a brief moment of silence as we stood there, neither of us quite ready to say goodbye. The air between us seemed to crackle with unspoken words, with emotions we were both too scared to voice.
Before I could say anything, she took a small step closer, her eyes locking onto mine. "Jeno," she began, her voice barely above a whisper, "there's something I need to tell you."
My heart skipped a beat at the seriousness in her tone. "What is it?"
She hesitated, as if trying to find the right words. "I... I'm not sure how to say this, but..."
But before she could finish, a loud noise shattered the moment—a car engine revving loudly as it sped down the street, headlights cutting through the darkness like knives. We both turned to look, the tension snapping as reality crashed back in.
I instinctively reached for her arm, pulling her closer as the car sped past us, barely missing the curb. The driver didn't even slow down, disappearing into the night as quickly as they had appeared.
"What the hell was that?" she gasped, her eyes wide with shock.
"I don't know," I replied, my voice tense. My heart was pounding, the adrenaline still coursing through my veins. "But let's get inside, just to be safe."
She nodded quickly, allowing me to guide her into the building. The lobby was empty, the faint hum of the fluorescent lights the only sound as we hurried to the elevator.
When the doors closed behind us, I could feel her trembling slightly, the fear from the close call still evident in her eyes. Without thinking, I reached out and took her hand in mine, squeezing it gently.
"You're safe now," I assured her, my voice firm. "Nothing's going to happen to you. Not while I'm here."
She looked up at me, her eyes searching mine for reassurance. Slowly, she nodded, her grip on my hand tightening. "Thanks, Jeno," she whispered. "I don't know what I'd do without you."
"You don't have to worry about that," I replied, my voice softening. "I'm not going anywhere."
The elevator doors opened with a ding, and we stepped out into the hallway. Her apartment was just down the hall, and I walked her to the door, still holding her hand.
When we reached her door, she paused, turning to face me once more. The fear had faded from her eyes, replaced by something softer, more vulnerable.
"Jeno," she said quietly, "about what I was going to say earlier..."
I nodded, encouraging her to continue. "You can tell me anything."
She took a deep breath, as if gathering her courage. "I just... I wanted to say that I care about you. More than I probably should."
Her words caught me off guard, but in the best possible way. For a moment, I was speechless, my heart swelling with emotions I hadn't even realized I'd been holding back.
"I care about you too," I finally said, my voice thick with sincerity. "More than I've ever cared about anyone."
A small smile tugged at the corners of her lips, and she took a step closer, closing the distance between us. "I'm glad," she whispered, her eyes never leaving mine.
Without thinking, I leaned in, my lips brushing against hers in the softest, most tender kiss I had ever given. It was a kiss filled with all the emotions I had been too afraid to admit to myself—fear, longing, hope.
When we finally pulled away, her eyes were shining, a mixture of surprise and happiness reflected in them. "Jeno..." she began, but I silenced her with another kiss, this one more confident, more certain.
"I'm here," I whispered against her lips. "And I'm not going anywhere."
