Bound by Shadows .jc

CHAPTER 40

Unspoken Desires

The meeting had ended, but Hoshi's mind was anything but calm. He stepped out into the cold night air, his jacket barely shielding him from the chill that seemed to settle in his bones. The sound of his boots echoed against the pavement as he walked to his car, his steps deliberate but his thoughts in disarray. He didn't understand why, of all places, his mind kept drifting to Woozi's apartment. Yet, here he was, sliding into the driver's seat, gripping the steering wheel tightly, and starting the engine with a shaky breath.

What was this pull? Was it worry? Guilt? Or something deeper, something he wasn't ready to name?

He pressed the accelerator, the tires rolling smoothly over the dark asphalt, but his mind raced faster than the car. Woozi's face lingered in his thoughts-a face so composed in public yet so vulnerable in quiet moments. The way Woozi's eyes would flit away whenever Hoshi's gaze lingered too long, the way his lips parted slightly as if he wanted to say something but couldn't-those moments haunted Hoshi, more than he cared to admit.

He tightened his grip on the wheel, frustration bubbling in his chest. Get a grip, Kwon Soonyoung, he scolded himself internally. This isn't about feelings. This is about making sure he's safe. That's all this is.

But deep down, he knew that was a lie. The truth was, Woozi had become an ache he couldn't ignore. Hoshi had seen Woozi's name on the hard drive earlier, and a chill had run down his spine. That inexplicable, suffocating fear had wrapped around him like chains. What if something happened to Woozi? What if someone used him, hurt him?

His foot pressed harder on the accelerator at the thought. He couldn't bear it. Not Woozi.

The city lights blurred into streaks as he sped toward Woozi's apartment. The hum of the engine was a faint backdrop to the storm brewing in his chest. A thousand questions ran through his mind, none with answers. Why did he feel this way? Why did the thought of Woozi in danger make his heart clench?

By the time he pulled up outside Woozi's building, his hands were trembling. He stared at the balcony he'd come to memorize over countless nights, and there he was-Woozi. Standing there, leaning on the railing, staring down as if he'd been waiting. The pale glow of the streetlights illuminated him, making him look ethereal, almost untouchable.

Hoshi's breath hitched. Did Woozi know he was here? Could he feel this magnetic pull between them, the same pull that had driven Hoshi here without reason?

Their eyes locked for a moment that felt like an eternity. Then Woozi turned and disappeared inside. The unspoken understanding in his gaze was enough to send Hoshi rushing out of the car and toward the building, his heart pounding in a way that had nothing to do with the exertion.

Inside the elevator, Hoshi's reflection stared back at him, eyes dark with emotions he couldn't untangle. Worry. Desire. Need. He leaned against the cool metal walls, trying to steady his breathing. What was he even going to say to Woozi? Would Woozi think he was crazy for showing up unannounced?

When the elevator doors slid open, Hoshi didn't give himself time to hesitate. He strode to Woozi's door and rang the bell. The sound echoed in the hallway, and for a brief second, Hoshi wondered if Woozi would even answer.

But the door opened almost instantly, and there he was-Woozi, his eyes wide with a mixture of surprise and something else Hoshi couldn't quite place. Relief? Longing?

"Are you okay?" The question tumbled out of Hoshi's mouth before he could stop it, his voice low and urgent.

Woozi blinked, clearly caught off guard. "I'm fine," he replied, his voice quiet, almost shy.