Entranced

Clash

The sounds of mixing breaths and crunching feet on gravel were the only ones surrounding the air as Kyung carried Hyejeong to the Logistics trailer.

Hyejeong's arm was curled around his neck, the other resting on his shoulder, and she peered at him while biting her lips nervously. Her breaths were too quick, and she was feeling like she was about to faint in his arms, except that they felt like a protective embrace keeping her from lolling back right there and then. She couldn't explain how he managed to do it, preventing her like that, because previously all she was feeling was the wind knocking out of her body.

She tapped the side of his neck. "You can put me down, you know," she said.

The answer was immediate. "I don't really want to."

Hyejeong looked at him uneasily. "But...you're getting tired."

Kyung let out a laugh. She missed that laugh. "We're almost there, don't worry, I can handle it."

She frowned. "If you insist, Kyung."

He looked at her, his gaze soft, his voice light, contrasting against the adamant tone. "I do, Mi-seol. And don't you dare tell me otherwise."

She decided to let it go, lowering her face against his shoulder, her forehead leaning against one side of his neck as her hand hooked around the other side. She sighed softly.

Thinking back to that day when he had complained about having to carry all the books and papers from her trailer, she realized he was just playing with her. He was exceptionally built underneath all that seemingly weak exterior that he had; there never was a time when she caught him grunting while he carried her.

She felt his hand against her back, the pad of his thumb caress her through the layer of fabric, and she shut her eyes as she calmed her unsteady breathing.

Reaching the trailer, Kyung all but kicked down the door as he entered, slamming it behind him as he made his way to lower her into one of the couches. He went to the cupboards at the back, and she heard a clink of glasses as he appeared with two glasses of tea, with floating ice cubes, handing her one.

Then he too collapsed beside her, gulping down the drink and exhaling loudly.

Hyejeong regarded him, her face leaning against the soft upholstery of the couch. It was as if the fire in her cheeks required as much contact with cool things as possible, and also because her head might fall backwards without anything to support her.

Hyejeong sipped the tea, letting the coldness and the sweet berry flavour seep through her body as she shut her eyes.

A memory popped into her mind.

She opened her eyes and glanced across her. "This reminds me of that time I ran away from Jiho," she said softly, "And you chased me down and made me tea."

Kyung turned to her, perhaps reminded of it as well.

"And look," he pointed out, "Here we go again. Except you're running away from Taewoon-hyung instead."

Hyejeong heaved a tired sigh.

Who'd have thought it would turn out this way, she thought, feeling her symptoms come back, except this time she felt like she was about to break down in ugly tears.

Kyung placed his glass on the coffee table and shifted as if in tune with her emotions, and turned to her, taking her hands in his, "Deep breath, in."

She inhaled.

"Aaaaand deep breath out."

She exhaled.

He smiled faintly as he repeated the process for the next few minutes, until she began to breathe normally. While she breathed, he rubbed his thumbs on the back of her hands, calming her.