Y/N POV
The day went by in a blur, and before I knew it, I found myself standing by the door of Changbin's apartment. My hand hovered over the handle, uncertainty gnawing at the edges of my resolve. We hadn't talked much after the coffee--just small exchanges, a few smiles here and there. It felt... normal. Maybe too normal, considering how we had met.
Changbin stood behind me, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed, watching me what that same patient expression. He hadn't pushed me for answers or asked me to stay longer than I was comfortable with. He just let me exist in this strange limbo we'd created together.
"You sure you're okay?" he asked, his voice calm, steady. The kind of voice that made you feel like everything might actually be fine.
I nodded, my fingers tightening around the strap of my bag. "Yeah. I think I just need some time to process... this."
"I get it," he replied. His eyes held mine for a moment, something unspoken passing between us. Then he straightened up, walking closer. "Look, no pressure but... I wouldn't mind seeing you again."
The admission sent a ripple though my chest, unexpected but not unwelcome. Part of me wanted to jump at the offer, to say yes without hesitation, but another part--the part that had been hurt before--whispered caution. "Are you sure?" I asked, my voice quiet. "I mean, we barely know each other."
He smiled, a small, crooked grin that made my heart skip. "That's kind of the point, isn't it? We can get to know each other. If you want to."
My breath caught in my throat. Changbin wasn't just offering to pick up where we left off--he was offering more than that. Something I hadn't even known I wanted until this moment. But the fear was still there, like a shadow lurking behind every hopeful thought.
"I... I don't know if I'm good at this," I admitted, my voice barely above a whisper. "Letting people in. Not after..." I trailed off, unsure if I wanted to spill all my baggage in front of him. Changbin's eyes softened, and he took a small step closer, his presence warm and grounding.
"I don't need you to be perfect, Y/N," he said, his tone gentle. "And I'm not asking for anything you're not ready for. But if you're willing to try, then... I'm here."
For a moment, everything else faded away--the fear, the doubt, the confusion. All that was left was him, standing there, offering me something I hadn't expected to find in the middle of a one-night stand.
"Okay," I breathed, the word slipping out before I could stop it. "Let's try."
Changbin's smile grew, bright and genuine, and the warmth of it spread through me like sunlight breaking through clouds. "Good. How about dinner sometime? A real date, without all the confusion of waking up next to each other."
I couldn't help but laugh, a lightness filling my chest that hadn't been there earlier. "That sounds... nice."
"Cool," he said, slipping his hands into his pockets. "I'll text you."
With that, the air between us felt lighter, less weighed down by the tension of the morning. I opened the door, stepping out into the hallway, but before I could leave, Changbin called out softly.
"Y/N?"
I turned, meeting his gaze once more.
"I'm glad you stayed," he said, his voice sincere.
A small smile tugged at my lips. "Me too."
I walked out of his apartment, the door closing softly behind me. The hallway felt strangely empty now, but my heart was lightly than it had been when I woke up that morning. Maybe this wouldn't be easy--maybe it would be messy and complicated--but for the first time in a long while, I felt like I was stepping toward something that mattered.
Back in my own apartment, I sat on the edge of my bed, still processing everything that had happened. My phone buzzed again, and this time it wasn't my friends bombarding me with questions. It was Changbin.
Changbin: Still good for dinner this weekend?
I started at the message for a moment, my fingers hovered over the keyboard. I could feel the familiar tug of doubt creeping back in, the voice in my head whispering that this was too fast, too uncertain. But then I thought about the way he'd looked at me, how he hadn't rushed me or pushed me for more than I was ready to give.
Me: Yeah, sounds great. :)
Hitting send felt like a small victory, a step forward into the Unknown. Whatever this was--whatever we were becoming--I wasn't going to run from it. Not anymore.
