Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Heeseung
Heeseung lay in his bed, eyes fixed on the ceiling as moonlight streamed through the blinds. The facility was quiet, but his mind raced with thoughts that refused to let him rest. The secrets he kept felt heavier than ever, a burden he had carried too long. A quiet knock on his door pulled him out of his spiraling thoughts.
He turned his head, feeling his heart give a familiar jump when Aiko slipped inside, closing the door softly behind her. She looked exhausted, her hair slightly mussed, her sweater hanging loosely around her frame. The shadows under her eyes spoke of sleepless nights and a weight she hadn't been able to shake.
"You're still up?" she asked softly, her voice breaking the silence.
Heeseung shifted to sit up a bit. "Yeah," he said, rubbing the back of his neck. "Couldn't sleep. You?"
She shook her head, coming over to sit on the edge of his bed. "Same," she murmured. Her shoulder brushed his, and he could feel the tension radiating from her, palpable and raw.
Heeseung moved over, giving her space to lie down, and she did, turning onto her side so that their faces were inches apart. She stared at him, her expression wavering between exhaustion and something far more fragile. "Everything just feels so... heavy," she admitted, her voice trembling. "I thought being here would make it better, but it almost feels worse."
Heeseung reached out, his fingers grazing her cheek, and he saw the way her eyes softened at the touch. "I know," he said quietly. "It's like this place wants us to believe everything is fine, but..." He trailed off, unable to finish, because what he really wanted to say felt too heavy.
Aiko's lips twitched up into a ghost of a smile, but her eyes were still damp with unshed tears. "It's stupid, isn't it?" she whispered, her voice thick. "To keep hoping things will be okay?"
Heeseung shook his head, his thumb tracing the curve of her jaw. "No," he said. "It's not stupid. Hope is all we've got."
She stared at him, her gaze flickering between his eyes, trying to find comfort in his steadiness. "Sometimes," she said softly, "I just wish I could forget all of it. Pretend none of this was real."
Heeseung's heart twisted. "Me too," he murmured. "I wish we could pretend for a while."
They fell silent, the room enveloped in the kind of quiet that felt almost sacred. Aiko's gaze dropped to his lips, and Heeseung's breath caught, his pulse jumping. Without saying a word, he leaned in, and she closed the small distance between them, meeting him in a kiss that was soft but full of unspoken emotions.
It wasn't their first kiss, but there was something different about it, something that felt like an anchor. Her fingers tangled in the front of his shirt, pulling him closer as if she needed him to keep from drowning. Heeseung kissed her back, his hand moving to her waist, holding her like she might slip away. The kiss grew deeper, more desperate, and he could feel her heartbeat racing as fast as his.
When they finally pulled apart, both of them were breathing hard, their foreheads touching. Aiko let out a shaky laugh, the sound almost like a release. "We really shouldn't be doing this," she murmured, but there was no real conviction behind her words.
Heeseung smiled, his lips brushing against hers as he spoke. "Probably not," he agreed, his voice low and teasing, "but here we are."
Aiko's laughter came more easily this time, and she pressed her forehead against his shoulder, letting out a sigh. "Thanks," she whispered. "For making me feel like it's okay to have these moments."
Heeseung's smile softened, and he wrapped an arm around her, drawing her close. "Anytime," he said, and he meant it. No matter how heavy everything felt, moments like this made the weight just a little more bearable.
They lay there together, the tension in their bodies easing as they allowed themselves to just be, even if it was only for a little while. The world outside was still chaos, but in that moment, they found a small bit of peace in each other's arms.
