Haunted By You | Hyunjin

Breathe, Just Breathe

...

Your body jolted violently as if you'd been thrown back into reality. Your chest heaved, and cold sweat clung to your skin. The bracelet was gone, but the feeling of it's weight lingered on your wrist. You sat up abruptly, your head spinning. The room was still and Hyunjin was there, sitting closely at the edge of the bed, his brows furrowed in confusion.

"Y/N?" His voice was cautious, his tone sharp with concern. "What happened? You just... screamed."

You stared at him, your heart racing, your voice barely a whisper. "The bracelet... it was on me. You were there. And then you shattered. I don't—"

"Wait." Hyunjin's expression darkened, and he leaned closer. "I shattered? What are you talking about?"

"It wasn't just a dream," you insisted, clutching at your wrist. "I could feel it. The bracelet, it was real. And you... you said I had to choose. You said—"

"I didn't say anything," he interrupted firmly, his eyes narrowing to his wrist where the bracelet was. "Whatever you saw wasn't me..."

Your breath hitched as his words sank in. If it hadn't been him, then...

"Hyunjin," you whispered, your voice trembling. "What if the Heart is trying to show me something? What if it's not just trying to scare me—it's trying to control me?"

Your breath came in short gasps as your gaze darted around the room, searching for any sign that this was still a dream, because Hyunjin, sitting so close, felt somehow unreal.

"What if this isn't real?" Your hands gripped the blanket, knuckles turning white. "What if you're not real? Hyunjin, what if this is just another trick? I— I thought I woke up before, and you were there, and then..." Your voice broke, your chest tightening with panic.

Hyunjin frowned, his expression darkening with concern at your behavior and words. He shifted closer, his movement slow. "Y/N," he said softly, his voice calm, "look at me. Focus."

You hesitated, your eyes flitting to his. "It all felt so real before, Hyunjin. You were there—you touched me, you spoke to me, you even kissed me... And then you shattered. You shattered..."

Hyunjin's jaw tightened as he listened. He didn't interrupt, letting you pour out the flood of emotions threatening to drown you.

"And the bracelet," you continued, your hands trembling as you clutched your wrist. "It was on me. It burned. And then the voice... it said I had to choose. Break or unlock. What if this all I'm seeing right now is still part of it? What if you're just—"

"Stop," Hyunjin cut in. He reached out and took your hand gently. "Y/N, breathe. Just breathe for me."

His calmness was grounding, and you tried to focus on the rhythm of his voice, forcing your breaths to slow.

"I get it," he said after a moment, his voice quieter now. "As I said before, the Heart... it can mess with head. So this is what it's doing now. But we'll figure this out."

"How?" you asked, your voice barely above a whisper.

Hyunjin seemed to think for a moment before he continued. "Close your eyes and just breathe. If the silence feels too heavy, or everything feels too still, it's not real. Even being half-vampire, you should have strongr senses, you should be able to feel life around you—sound, movement, something."

You took a deep breath, following his instructions. You focused on the noises around you—the wind outside, the faint hum of the neighborhood waking up to the rising sun, the distant sound of cars passing. Each sound, small as it was, grounded you, reminding you that you were awake.