My dance teacher is cute | Haobin

28 - Out of the Shadows

Recommended songs for this chapter:
Heaven and Back - Chase Atlantic
Moonstruck - Enhypen
Soap - Melanie Martinez
Born without a heart - Faouzia

POV: Zhang Hao | THURSDAY EVENING

My body tensed as the craving overwhelmed me, becoming impossible to ignore. I could practically feel the nicotine already, the way it would numb everything.

"Hao?"

His voice cut through my haze, and I flinched again, suddenly realizing he had finished. Hanbin's eyes were on me, concern softening his features. "Everything alright?"

I nodded, even though my throat felt tight. I couldn't speak without giving away how close I was to breaking. Not now. Not in front of him.

I cleared my throat, forcing out the words. "I need to go out," I muttered.

Hanbin nodded without question, helping me out of the tub and wrapping a bathrobe around me. His brow furrowed as he noticed my trembling. "You're shaking. Are you cold?"

I nodded again, though it wasn't the cold making me shiver. I felt like I was suffocating, the need for a cigarette crushing me from the inside out. The air felt too thick, the walls too close. Every second stretched, dragging painfully as the craving consumed me.

I need to smoke. Now.

Shit, it was getting bad. So much worse than I thought.

Hanbin carried me back to the bed, his touch gentle as he set me down, but my mind was far from the room. My thoughts spiraled out of control, voices swirling in my head, louder and louder until it felt like I couldn't breathe. The air in my lungs felt too thick, and my vision started to blur at the edges, panic creeping in. My hands trembled, and the only thing I could do was call out to him.

"H-Hanbin," I whimpered, my voice small, desperate. I hated how weak I sounded, but I couldn't help it. He turned to me immediately, his eyes soft with concern. "I... I need to... to smoke," I managed to get out, the words stumbling over each other.

Without hesitation, he nodded and began rummaging through the drawers, quickly pulling out a cigarette and lighter. He placed them in my trembling hands, his fingers brushing against mine, grounding me for just a second.

"I'll open the window. You can smoke there," he said softly, helping me stand. The cold air hit me as he pulled the window wide open. The biting chill contrasted with the heat inside my chest, and I lit the cigarette with shaking hands, taking a long, deep drag. The smoke filled my lungs, and with it came a fleeting sense of calm, like I was finally able to take a breath again.

Before I could exhale, I felt him—Hanbin's arms slid around my waist from behind, pulling me close. His warmth melted into me, and his breath, hot against my neck, made me shiver in a way that had nothing to do with the cold air outside. The next moment, his lips pressed soft kisses along my neck, and I let my head fall back slightly, exhaling smoke into the night.

Two of my favorite drugs at once—his touch and the cigarette. I closed my eyes, letting myself sink into the moment, until I felt the urge to taste him. I turned around and pressed my lips against his, letting him taste the bitterness that still lingered in my mouth. His grip on my waist tightened as the kiss deepened, his lips moving slowly but deliberately against mine. I could feel the tension between us, thick and unspoken.

When I pulled away, my lips tingled from the kiss, and I turned back around, taking another drag from the cigarette. His arms remained around me, holding me tightly, as if he knew I needed the comfort even if I didn't say it.

"The moon looks beautiful tonight," Hanbin whispered, his breath brushing against my ear, sending a shiver down my spine.

"I can't see it," I replied, blowing out another cloud of smoke. "It's out of my sight."