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Aiko & Heeseung
Aiko stirred, slowly drifting from the peace of sleep into the quiet darkness of the abandoned house. The floor beneath her was cold and unforgiving, but somehow, she'd managed to sleep better than she had in weeks. The soft, steady breathing of the others filled the room—a reminder that she wasn't alone in this chaos.
She blinked, her eyes adjusting to the faint slivers of moonlight filtering through the cracks in the windows. It was eerily quiet, but something wasn't right. There was a sound—something faint but persistent, like a muffled groan or a labored breath.
Her heart skipped a beat, fear prickling at the back of her neck. She sat up slowly, her blanket falling from her shoulders, and scanned the room. Everyone seemed to be sleeping soundly—Jay was sprawled out, snoring lightly; Ni-ki had curled up like a cat in his blanket, completely out of it. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary until her eyes landed on Heeseung.
He was lying on his back, his chest rising and falling rapidly. His face was contorted in fear, sweat glistening on his forehead, and his entire body was shaking—trembling like he was fighting something in his sleep. His breathing was erratic, punctuated by short, sharp gasps.
He was having a nightmare.
Aiko's chest tightened as she watched him, her heart pounding in her throat. She had never seen Heeseung like this—he was always the one in control, the one keeping everyone together, but right now, he looked vulnerable. Broken, even.
Without thinking, she pushed her blanket aside and quietly crawled over to him, careful not to wake anyone else. She reached out hesitantly, her hand hovering above his shoulder for a moment. Could she do this? Would he be okay with her touching him like this?
But the sight of his trembling form made her decision for her. He needed help. He needed someone to pull him out of whatever dark place his mind had trapped him in.
Aiko gently placed her hand on his shoulder, her touch light but firm. "Heeseung," she whispered, her voice soft and soothing. "Heeseung, wake up."
He jerked slightly, his body reacting to her touch, but his eyes remained shut, his breathing still shallow and rapid. His nightmare had a hold on him, refusing to let go.
"Heeseung," she said again, a little louder this time, leaning closer to him. Her hand moved from his shoulder to his chest, feeling the rapid thump of his heart beneath her palm. "It's okay. You're safe. Wake up."
Finally, his eyes snapped open, wide and unfocused. His chest heaved as he gasped for air, his gaze darting around the room in confusion. For a moment, he didn't seem to recognize where he was—or who was with him.
But then his eyes landed on Aiko, and some of the fear in them melted away. He blinked, his breathing still uneven but slowing as he registered her presence. "Aiko?" His voice was rough, hoarse from sleep and whatever horrors he had just witnessed in his mind.
