The Way I Loved You

Fear

"Haein! HAEIN!"

He could see the truck approaching, its headlights blinding against the darkness of the night. For a moment, time slowed down and he saw her face. Sadness, agony, resignation. He would never get that image out of his head. She looked like a ghost, her complexion grey as she stared soullessly into space.

"HONG HAEIN! PLEASE!"

He couldn't run fast enough, it was like he was running on an invisible treadmill, the distance unchanging no matter how hard he tried. His muscles burned and his chest seized in panic, but there was nothing he could do.

Time flowed again, and the truck crashed into her at full speed, the horrible sound of glass shattering grating against his ears. He felt his heart shatter into a million pieces, it hurt so much that he thought he was dying.

It was all his fault.

"No... No! HONG HAEIN!"

He jolted up in bed, soaked in cold sweat. Hands shaking, he fumbled for the light switch, wanting to reassure himself that it wasn't real.

It's just a nightmare, it's not real. Haein is fine. I saved her from that truck in time.

But was she?

The fear of losing her forever was fresh in his mind. What if his nightmare became a reality? He was terrified, his heart galloping in his chest as he drew shaky breaths.

He needed to make sure that she was okay. It felt like she might just slip through his fingers at any moment if he didn't. Scrambling to his feet, he left his room, trying his best not to wake up the rest of the household.

When he entered the room, he was greeted by a cool breeze which soothed his aching lungs. The curtains fluttered ever so slightly, in the same rhythm as the steady rise and fall of Haein's chest. He relaxed slightly. She was fine, her room felt alive somehow, compared to the still air of his room. It made him feel less suffocated, like he wasn't trapped in a nightmare.

Carefully, he padded over to her bedside, bending over to study her face. His hands still trembling, he reached out to touch her cheek ever so slightly, relieved to feel the warmth of her skin and the life that continued to flow through her veins. She was here, and she was okay.

"Hyunwoo? What are you doing here?"

Haein had nearly gotten the fright of her life when she opened her eyes, only to see her ex husband hovering over her like a ghost. She would've scolded him for creeping her out, but something about his demeanor told her that something was up.

"Hey, are you okay? Do you need something?" She asked groggily, sitting up so she could see him better.

His hair was dishevelled, stray strands plastered to his face which was clammy with sweat. His eyes were red rimmed, as if he'd just cried and he was breathing too hard.

"Hyunwoo. What's wrong?" She cupped his cheek immediately, feeling the instant heat beneath her fingers. "Are you running a fever?" Her pitch rose as the concern set in.

"Sit down." She commanded, pulling him onto the bed when he still didn't respond. It scared her to see him like this. He was always calm and collected, he had never been so shaken that he couldn't answer her. Even that time when she'd nearly gotten run over, he'd yelled at her for being careless. This was a whole new level of scared.

He simply stared at her, his eyes brimming with tears. She could feel him trembling in her grip, and feel him desperately fighting against the panic. Was he having a panic attack?