pur autre vie • p.js | ✔

book two ❧ [x]

"Do you feel okay?" Jisung asked abruptly.

"Huh?" You hurried to swallow the bite of food that you had just taken. "Yeah, Sungie, I feel fine. It's not that hot yet."

You had taken advantage of the cool spring day to do some much-needed weeding in the gardens, and were taking a break to eat the lunch that Jisung had just made for you. He took a sip of his lemonade before setting the cup down on the porch step beside him. Another new development: he could eat and drink now. He wasn't necessarily hungry or thirsty like you, but he enjoyed food again.

"I don't mean the weather, I mean—" He ran a hand through his hair as he took a minute to try to piece his words together. "All this that's been happening. I'm definitely tied to you now, not the house. But I don't want... to be... taking anything from you. Your soul, or life force, or whatever. I don't know what's going on, but if you feel any worse for it, then—"

"No, God, no," you reassured him, putting your plate aside to scoot closer to him and wrap an arm around him. "I feel just fine, I promise."

"Would you tell me if it was making you feel worse?"

"I would tell you if I didn't feel good, yes, but whether or not that would hypothetically be connected is an entirely different question."

He sighed, wringing his hands between his knees. "I'm just worried, Y/N. And scared. I don't know what's happening to us and I don't like that."

"I don't like not knowing either," you agreed quietly. "But it's not hurting me, okay? And it's not hurting you—Well, other than when you stubbed your toe the other day."

"How was I supposed to know it was going to do that?" He whined, grabbing his foot through his shoe.

Yet another new thing—Jisung could feel physical pain again. Before, the only sort of harm he would come into was his headaches if he was going from the house for too long and got pulled back. Now, if he wasn't careful to go through an object, he could hurt himself on it just like you. Bruise and all.

"Shotaro misses you, by the way," you informed him. "He was lamenting the lack of office ghost activity lately."

"Funny enough, I kinda miss him too," Jisung admitted. "It's so boring being stuck here all day now."

"Mr. Choi put another dinner on our calendars next week, you know..." You said cautiously. "Do you want to come?"

He blinked at you. "Like... on purpose?"

"Yeah, it's open to significant others too. We're pretty certain everyone can see you now," you reminded him, thinking of all the cashiers, strangers in public, and neighbors that had interacted with Jisung at this point.

"I—Yes, okay," he agreed happily, looking down at his lap.

"Good, you'll need lots of practice."

"Practice for what?!"

"SooSoo's birthday party next month."

───* :✧˚ ·♡.

Down the street from the restaurant that you were supposed to meeting your coworkers at, you stopped Jisung on the sidewalk. Fixing his collar, you reminded him, "Okay, Sungie, remember, you've never met these people before. You can't say stuff that you're not supposed to know."

"I know, I know," he huffed, but stayed still as you messed with his hair too.

"How long have we been dating?"