Soulful (TayNew)

part-26

Author Pov:-

Tay woke up early, the morning sunlight casting a soft glow through the curtains as it painted the room in a gentle warmth. He glanced at New—his *Hin*—sleeping peacefully beside him. The nickname came to him naturally; Hin meant everything to him, the way a small, beautiful stone could hold such depth and meaning. His husband was precious, solid, a source of comfort, and yet as delicate as the finest piece of art.

As he watched New stir awake, Tay felt a wave of emotion rise inside him. He had planned a day out for them—a chance to leave behind the weight of the office, the pressure of responsibilities, and just spend time together. They had both been through so much recently, and Tay wanted to remind New of how deeply he loved him, how much he cherished every moment they shared.

“Good morning, Hin,” Tay whispered softly, leaning in to kiss New’s forehead as his eyes fluttered open. New smiled sleepily, his expression warm and loving, but Tay could still see the traces of exhaustion in his features.

“Morning, Tay,” New replied quietly, his voice still thick with sleep. He reached up and gently touched Tay’s face, a gesture that always made Tay’s heart swell with affection.

Tay held New’s hand to his cheek, closing his eyes for a moment. “I’ve planned something special for today,” he murmured. “I want to take you out, somewhere we can just… be us. Away from everything else.”

New looked at him curiously. “Out? Are you sure? I thought we were going to stay in today.”

Tay nodded, his eyes serious yet full of love. “I know you’ve been feeling tired, but I think we need this, Hin. I need it. I just want to spend the day with you, away from everything. I want to talk to you, I want to remind you of how much you mean to me.”

New’s heart fluttered at Tay’s words, and though he wasn’t entirely sure what Tay had planned, he could feel the weight of emotion behind it. “Alright,” he agreed softly. “I trust you.”

---

They drove out to a quiet, secluded park on the outskirts of the city. It was a place Tay had discovered a while back, a hidden gem with lush greenery, a small lake, and paths that wound through trees and open fields. There was no one else there, just the soft sounds of nature and the occasional breeze rustling through the leaves.

Tay parked the car and turned to New, his eyes filled with tenderness. “I thought we could spend the day here, just the two of us.”

New smiled, his heart already lighter from the peaceful atmosphere. “It’s beautiful,” he whispered, taking in the view.

Tay stepped out of the car, quickly moving to New’s side and helping him out. He took New’s hand in his, intertwining their fingers as they began to walk along one of the paths. They didn’t say much at first, letting the quiet serenity of the place surround them.

But Tay had so much on his mind, so much he wanted to say. The past few weeks had been a whirlwind of emotions—pain, anger, guilt—and he felt like he hadn’t had the chance to express everything that was in his heart.

Finally, after walking for a while, they reached a bench that overlooked the lake. Tay led New to it, sitting down beside him, still holding his hand tightly. For a long moment, he just looked at New, his eyes filled with love and something deeper—something raw, unspoken.

“Hin,” Tay began, his voice thick with emotion, “I don’t think I can ever fully explain to you how much I love you.”

New looked at him, his heart skipping a beat at the seriousness in Tay’s tone. “Tay…”

“No, let me say this,” Tay continued, his grip on New’s hand tightening slightly. “You’re everything to me. I mean that, Hin. You’ve been through so much because of me—because of my company, my employees—and I can’t tell you how much it hurts me to know that you suffered like that. I should have been there. I should have seen what was happening.”

New’s eyes began to fill with tears, the weight of Tay’s words hitting him hard. He knew how much Tay had been struggling with guilt, but hearing it spoken aloud, seeing the raw emotion on Tay’s face, made it all the more real.

“Tay… it wasn’t your fault,” New whispered, his voice breaking slightly. “You didn’t know.”

“I should have known,” Tay insisted, his own tears beginning to form. “You’re my husband, Hin. I promised to protect you, to always be there for you. And I failed. You were hurt because of me, and that’s something I’ll never forgive myself for.”

New shook his head, his heart aching as tears began to fall down his cheeks. “No, Tay. You didn’t fail me. You saved me. You stood up for me when I needed you the most. You’ve always been there for me.”

Tay couldn’t hold back the tears any longer. They streamed down his face as he looked at New, the love he felt for his husband overwhelming him. “I love you so much, Hin,” he whispered, his voice trembling. “More than I can ever put into words. You’re my everything. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

New, overcome with emotion, reached out and cupped Tay’s face in his hands. “I love you too, Tay. So much. And I’m so grateful for everything you’ve done for me. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner about what was happening. I just… I didn’t want to worry you. But I know now that I should have. I should have trusted you.”

Tay shook his head, his tears falling onto New’s hands as he leaned into his touch. “No, Hin, don’t apologize. You’ve done nothing wrong. I’m the one who should be saying sorry. I’m so sorry, Hin. I’m sorry for everything.”

They sat there, both crying softly, holding each other in the quiet of the park. The weight of the past few weeks, the guilt, the pain, the fear—it all seemed to pour out of them in that moment, leaving them raw, vulnerable, but also stronger for having faced it together.

---

After a while, Tay pulled New into his arms, holding him close as they both calmed down. The silence between them was filled with understanding, with love that didn’t need words to be felt.

Tay rested his chin on top of New’s head, his voice quiet but steady as he spoke. “Hin… I want you to know that no matter what happens, I will always be here for you. I will always protect you. I’ll never let anyone hurt you again.”

New nodded against his chest, feeling safe, loved, and cherished in Tay’s embrace. “I know, Tay. I believe you.”

They sat there for a long time, watching the lake, listening to the gentle sounds of nature around them. It was a moment of peace, a moment where they both knew they could move forward, stronger than ever before.

“I don’t deserve you,” Tay whispered after a while, his voice filled with awe. “You’re the most beautiful person I’ve ever known, Hin. Inside and out.”

New smiled softly, his heart full of love for the man beside him. “And I don’t deserve you, Tay. You’ve given me more love than I ever thought I could have. I’m so lucky to have you.”

Tay kissed New softly, his lips lingering on his husband’s for a moment before he pulled back, his eyes shining with love and emotion. “We’re lucky to have each other,” he whispered.

New nodded, his eyes filling with tears again as he smiled at Tay. “Yeah. We are.”

As the day turned into night, they stayed in each other’s arms, knowing that no matter what challenges they faced, they would always have this—each other, their love, their unbreakable bond. And that was all they needed.

                     ~ ~~~~~~~~○~~~~~~~~ ~

Sorry for boring chapter

I also don't know why I wrote this 😁