A lovely change with love|2min

chapter 24

The bathroom was quiet except for the gentle slosh of water and the faint scent of lavender filling the air. Seungmin sat nestled in the bathtub, her back pressed snugly against Minho’s firm chest, the warmth of the water cocooning them both. Minho’s arms circled her waist, his hands resting lightly on her skin, stroking slow, soothing patterns that sent a calming hum through her. She let her fingers trail through the bubbles, scooping them up and letting them fall back into the water, the sound of her play light against the stillness.

Minho watched her quietly, his chin brushing the top of her head. Every now and then, he’d press a kiss to her hairline, the touch affectionate and grounding. But then he felt her body stiffen ever so slightly, a subtle tension rippling through her frame. His brows furrowed in concern, and he adjusted his hold on her, his hands tightening just a bit as he dipped his head to press a lingering kiss to the side of her neck.

“What’s on your mind, love?” he murmured against her skin, his deep voice vibrating against her.

Seungmin didn’t answer immediately, but she tilted her head, giving him more access. Minho took the invitation, trailing soft kisses along the curve of her neck, his lips brushing behind her ear, where he knew she was most sensitive. She shivered slightly at the sensation, her body relaxing just a bit, and a small smile tugged at her lips. She tilted her head back onto his shoulder, sighing softly.

But Minho could tell she wasn’t fully present. The way her fingers had stopped playing with the bubbles and her eyes had taken on a faraway look told him she was lost in thought. He paused his kisses, resting his cheek against hers, waiting for her to speak.

Finally, after a long silence, Seungmin’s voice broke the stillness, quiet but filled with an unexpected weight. “You know…” she began, her voice steady yet carrying an undertone of emotion. “I… I tried to kill Chan Oppa.”

Her gaze was fixed on the bubbles in front of her, her hands submerged in the water. “When I thought I had lost you… when I thought you were gone because of them… I couldn’t think. I couldn’t breathe. I—I felt this rage inside me, this overwhelming, uncontrollable need to make them pay for what they’d done"

The rhythmic strokes of minho's hands on her thighs grounding her, though she couldn’t stop the faint tremble that coursed through her body. Minho noticed it immediately, he leaned closer, pressing a gentle kiss to her damp temple.

“Hmm,” he hummed softly, trying to coax a lighter mood. “My gangsta wife,” he teased, his lips curving into a small smirk as his hand gave her thigh a playful squeeze.

Seungmin let out a soft, shaky laugh, though it didn’t quite reach her eyes. “No, it’s not that…” she murmured, her voice low and filled with an unspoken weight. “I think I’m just… mentally and emotionally unstable.”

Minho froze for a moment, his hands pausing their soothing motions before he turned slightly to press his cheek against hers. “No, you’re not,” he said firmly, his tone leaving no room for argument. “Seungmin, when I first saw those bruises on you… do you know what went through my mind?”

She didn’t respond, her gaze dropping to the water as if afraid to meet his eyes.

“I wanted to burn them alive,” Minho continued, his voice low but vibrating with restrained fury. His arms tightened around her, holding her closer as if the mere thought of her pain was too much to bear. “I wanted to make them suffer for every single mark they left on you.”

Seungmin’s lips parted slightly, her breath hitching as she tried to process his words.

“But,” he added, his voice softening as his fingers traced idle patterns along her thigh, “if it weren’t for you… if you weren’t here, I think I would’ve done it. Either that, or I’d have killed myself.”