The Way I Loved You

Sunrise And Sunset

When Haein awoke, it took her a good minute to figure out where she was. She hadn't expected to fall asleep so quickly in an unfamiliar environment without her sleeping pills, but it felt like she knocked out the second her head hit the pillow. Pleasantly refreshed, she stretched, feeling the ache in her muscles which seemed to be prevalent more often than not these days. She wasn't sure if it was simply a side effect of her medication, or a result of her reduced physical activity due to her headaches.

For once, she didn't feel like diving under the covers and falling back asleep again like she always did. Even when she was CEO and she had alarms set early in the morning, she always got up out of obligation, because how could she become a successful chairwoman if she didn't even have the self discipline for such a simple thing? But today, she was genuinely excited to get up, excited to see what the day held. She had been worried that with her worsening illness, days like this would be hard to come by, so she took each win while counting her lucky stars.

As she pushed the door open just a crack, she spotted Hyunwoo on the couch, apparently still sound asleep. He was all bundled up in the blankets, sleeping peacefully like a baby. Behind him, sunlight filtered in through the curtains, illuminating the room with a warm glow.

Haein exhaled slowly. If this wasn't the ultimate picture of peace, she didn't know what was. She stood there for a while, trying to imprint the scene before her eyes into the deep recesses of her mind. This was the kind of morning she used to dream of before she got married, the idea of waking up and knowing the person you loved was right there beside you.

She sat on the edge of the sofa, admiring Hyunwoo's features as he slept. They didn't have many pictures together after their wedding photoshoot and they were in no relationship to take pictures of each other after that, so she didn't get much of a chance to study his face properly. At one point, it felt like she'd almost forgotten what he looked like since they only passed each other in fleeting moments in the hallways and avoided each other the rest of the time. It was one of the main reasons why she insisted on there being a photoshoot when they did their interviews, so she would have pictures she could admire again since staring straight at his face was out of the question.

How could I have been so lucky to land someone as handsome as you?

Holding her breath, she traced his features ever so gently, not wanting to rouse him. After that scare last night, she was more determined than ever to study his face, to remember every dimple and every line because she didn't want to be unable to recognise him again. While her brain was still working, she needed to carve this information into the depths of her mind, where her tumour hopefully couldn't reach. It would feel like the greatest crime in the world if she forgot his face.

She loved his face. Her Hyunwoo.

She couldn't help but smile at the thought. He belonged to her and no one else, she hoped to keep it that way. How could he have such a beautiful nose bridge and jaw line, yet look like an adorable baby in his sleep? He had far too many charms, it would be dangerous to let other women lay their eyes on him.

As she gave in to the temptation to cup his cheek slightly, he stirred, his eyelids fluttering as he instinctively tilted his face towards her palm. Embarrassed at being caught, she withdrew her hand quickly, not wanting him to know that she'd just spent the last fifteen minutes admiring his face.

"Did you sleep well?" He asked gently, his voice husky with sleep.

"Yes. I like this place. I fell asleep right away just like you."

He grinned, sitting up so he could be closer to her. "I told you. Do you want to sleep more?" He offered.

"No." She shook her head, moving to get up, but a pair of arms wrapped themselves around her shoulders and pulled her back down.