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Aiko & Heeseung
The morning light streamed through the cracked windows, casting long shadows across the dusty floor. The group downstairs was quietly eating breakfast, their movements slow, lethargic—no one seemed to have much of an appetite. Aiko had excused herself and wandered upstairs, needing a moment to herself. The house they'd taken refuge in was eerily silent, frozen in time.
She opened the door to what seemed to be a bedroom and stepped inside. It looked untouched by the chaos outside. The bed was neatly made, a family photo sat on the nightstand, and the air felt heavy with the memories of those who once lived here. She moved closer to the photo, staring at the faces frozen in time—parents, children, a dog by their side. A wave of sadness washed over her, thinking about what the world had become, and where these people might be now.
The soft sound of footsteps startled her, and she turned to see Heeseung standing in the doorway. His eyes softened when they met hers.
"You okay?" he asked, stepping inside the room.
"Yeah," Aiko answered, her voice low. "Just... thinking. This place... the people who lived here. I can't help but wonder where they are now. If they're even alive."
Heeseung stood beside her, his gaze falling on the same family photo. He was quiet for a moment before speaking. "It's hard not to think about that. It feels like the whole world is missing."
Aiko nodded, her throat tightening. "What do you think will happen at Genetech Labs?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. "What if we don't find anything? What if my mom... what if she's not there?"
Heeseung glanced at her, noticing the way her shoulders had tensed, the worry etched into her face. He stepped closer, his hand reaching out to gently rest on her arm.
"Hey," he said softly, "we don't know what we'll find, but we'll face it together. You're not alone in this."
She looked up at him, her heart heavy with doubt. "But what if—"
"No 'what ifs,'" Heeseung interrupted gently, his voice firm but warm. "You have us. We'll figure it out. Whatever happens, we're going to get through it together. And I'm not just saying that because it sounds nice. I mean it."
There was something in the way he said it, the quiet conviction in his voice, that made Aiko's heart ache. He wasn't just trying to comfort her. He believed what he was saying. She swallowed hard, feeling an unfamiliar warmth spread through her chest.
She looked up into his eyes, and for a moment, the room seemed smaller, the space between them shrinking. The tension from last night lingered between them, unspoken but palpable.
"Heeseung..." she whispered, her voice shaky. She didn't even know what she was trying to say, but his name was all that came out.
Heeseung's gaze softened, and he stepped closer until they were barely an inch apart. His hand slid from her arm to her shoulder, then gently down to her waist, pulling her just a little closer. The warmth of his touch was grounding, calming. His thumb brushed over the fabric of her shirt absentmindedly, and Aiko could feel her pulse quicken.
"You don't have to carry this alone, Aiko," he murmured, his voice low and soothing. "We're all here for you... I'm here for you."
Aiko's breath hitched, her heart pounding in her chest. She could feel the sincerity in his words, and it made her want to crumble and lean into him, to find some solace in the middle of all the uncertainty. His touch was comforting, steadying her in a way she hadn't expected.
"Thank you," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "It's just... everything feels so overwhelming sometimes. I don't know what's going to happen next, and I hate it."
Heeseung nodded, understanding the weight of her fears. "I get it," he said softly. "But we'll take it one step at a time. You've survived so much already. And no matter what happens, you've got us. You've got me."
Aiko felt her chest tighten, and without thinking, she leaned her forehead against his chest, closing her eyes. His warmth enveloped her, and for a moment, the world outside seemed to fade away. She wasn't sure how long they stood there like that, but she didn't want to move.
Heeseung's hand rested gently on the back of her head, his fingers lightly threading through her hair. "You're stronger than you know, Aiko," he whispered, his breath warm against the top of her head. "You've got this. We've got this."
She pulled back slightly to look up at him, their faces only inches apart now. His hand still lingered on her waist, the other still cradling the back of her head, and the intimacy of the moment wrapped around them like a warm blanket. Neither of them spoke, their eyes locked on each other, as if some unspoken understanding passed between them.
Aiko's lips parted, as if she wanted to say something, but no words came out. Instead, she just looked at him, her heart racing, her pulse pounding in her ears.
Heeseung seemed to notice her hesitation and smiled softly, a reassuring, almost protective look in his eyes. "Don't worry," he whispered, his voice low and comforting. "I'm not going anywhere. We'll figure this out."
She nodded, the warmth of his words settling over her like a promise. He slowly let his hand fall from her waist, giving her space even though part of her didn't want him to. But the moment felt too big to ruin with words or questions. It just was.
"Come on," he said, his voice barely louder than a whisper, "we should probably head back downstairs."
Aiko nodded again, feeling the weight of the moment still lingering between them. But she smiled softly, grateful for his presence, his steadying touch. As they walked back toward the stairs, Heeseung paused for a moment, glancing back at her.
"You'll be okay, Aiko. We all will," he said, a hint of a smile playing at the corner of his lips.
Aiko's chest tightened again, but this time, it wasn't from fear. It was something else entirely.
