𝔻𝕀𝕊𝕋ℝ𝕀ℂ𝕋 ℕ𝕀ℕ𝔼 «재현»

23

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

Later that night, the couple once again found themselves on the roof of District Nine, the sky above them clear and dotted with stars.

Trinity leaned back against the railing, her eyes fixed on the dark horizon. "Did you see him at dinner?" she asked with a small laugh. "Three full plates of rice. I've never seen anyone eat like that."

Jaehyun chuckled, shaking his head. "Yeah, I thought he was going to pass out halfway through the second one. The kid was starving." He leaned beside her, his shoulder brushing against hers as they shared a quiet moment. "But he seems better. A little less tense."

Trinity nodded, her expression softening. "He's been through so much. It'll take time, but I think he'll be okay."

They fell into a comfortable silence for a few moments, just listening to the night around them. The weight of the day's events still hung in the air, but there was a sense of calm now, a shift from the constant anxiety they had all been living with for so long.

Jaehyun turned his head slightly, studying his girlfriend's profile as she stared out at the stars. "You were amazing today, you know that?" he said quietly, his voice filled with admiration.

She turned to him, a smile playing at the edges of her lips. "What, for teaching Kai a few breathing exercises?"

Jaehyun smirked, shaking his head. "Not just that. The way you handled him in general. You didn't even blink. It's like you knew exactly what he needed to hear."

Trinity blushed slightly, shrugging as she looked down at her hands. "I just... I remember how scared I was when I first realized what I could do. I didn't want him to feel like he was some kind of monster."

Jae's gaze softened as he reached out, taking her hand in his. "Well, you're doing a damn good job at making sure no one does."

She squeezed his hand in return, her heart swelling at his words. Despite everything they had been through-losing Yuta, finding District Nine, dealing with their powers-they were still here, still fighting, still together.

"I couldn't do this without you," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper.

Jaehyun smiled, his eyes glinting with affection. "Good thing you don't have to." He pulled her closer, wrapping an arm around her shoulders as they looked out over the horizon. "We're in this together. Always."

His touch was reassuring, grounding her in the present, even though her mind was adrift in memories. "He'd be proud," he said softly, his voice cracking ever so slightly on the last word.

Trinity squeezed her eyes shut, her chest tightening at the sound of Yuta's name. It had been so long, and yet, the loss still felt raw. She could still hear his laugh, could still see the way he would roll his eyes at her and Jaehyun's arguments, pretending to be annoyed when really, he was just amused.

"I hope so," she whispered, her voice barely audible in the night, thick with the weight of unshed tears. "God, I hope so. I just... I wish he could see this. What we've done here. What we've built."

Her boyfriend didn't respond right away, and when he did, his voice was thick with emotion. "He'd love it here. The way it's hidden from the world. The way it's... ours." He let out a deep breath. "He'd find some way to make it better, though. He always did."

"He should be here," Trinity whispered, her voice breaking. "He should be with us."

His grip on her tightened, his own tears threatening to fall. He turned toward her, brushing a lock of hair from her face, his hand lingering on her cheek. "I know, baby," he murmured, his voice low, full of emotion. "I know."

Trinity met his gaze, her eyes glossy with unshed tears. The pain they both felt-the longing for their lost friend-was almost unbearable. She could feel the weight of it pressing down on her chest, making it hard to breathe. Without thinking, she leaned forward, closing the distance between them. Their lips met in a soft, tender kiss, filled with both sorrow and comfort.

Jaehyun responded, his hand cradling her face as he kissed her back, a quiet desperation in the way he held her close. It wasn't the first time they had shared a kiss, but tonight, it felt different. Tonight, it was an anchor, something to hold onto amid their grief. When they finally pulled apart, their foreheads rested together, breaths mingling in the cool night air.

"I miss him," Trinity whispered, her voice trembling. "I miss him so much."

Jaehyun nodded, pressing a soft kiss to her forehead. "I do too," he said quietly.

They both fell silent again, lost in their memories. Yuta's absence had left a gaping hole in their lives-one they couldn't fill, no matter how hard they tried. But in moments like this, when the weight of his loss felt too heavy to bear, they found solace in each other, in the shared grief and love they still held for their friend.

"I still think about him," Trinity said quietly, her voice barely above a whisper. "Every night. I wonder if we made the right decision, leaving him behind. I wonder if... if he's still out there."

Jaehyun looked at her, his blue eyes dark and solemn. "We didn't leave him behind," he said firmly, though the guilt in his voice betrayed him. "He made his choice. He stayed to protect us."

"But what if he didn't have to?" Trinity asked, her voice barely audible. "He got hurt saving me."

Jaehyun shook his head, wiping a tear from the corner of her eye. "We would both do anything for you, Trin. I would have done the same thing if I had to. Yuta knew what he was doing. He always did." He paused, his voice faltering. "But I miss him, too. Every damn day."

This time, he leaned in, pressing a second, softer kiss to her lips-a kiss that held no urgency, only quiet comfort.

They both sat there, side by side, and for a moment, the world felt a little less heavy, as if Yuta was still with them in some way, guiding them, pushing them forward.

"Do you think he's... okay? Wherever he is?" Trinity asked, her voice small, almost afraid of the answer.

Jaehyun didn't answer right away. He stared out at the forest, the quiet hum of District Nine's frequencies filling the air. Finally, he nodded, though his voice was thick with emotion. "Yeah. I think he is."

They stayed like that for a while longer, lost in the bittersweet memories of their friend, the stars above them, and the world they'd built below. The future was uncertain, and the weight of their choices would always linger, but for now, they had each other.

And for now, that was enough.