「Stalker Unknown || Saeyoung Choi x Reader」

「ten」

The police were kind enough to escort you back to your apartment upon realizing that you had no way back home. You drifted off to sleep fairly easily during the car ride back, to your surprise. After everything that happened to you merely hours before, you would've assumed sleep would've been hard to come by. You didn't realize until then just how physically and emotionally drained you felt.

Your dream was dark; absolutely nothing in sight. You would've thought that you weren't dreaming at all if it wasn't for the fact that you were capable of moving around. The further you walked, the more the dark scenery seemed to get lighter and lighter. Just when you thought something was finally becoming visible, the police car arrived at your apartment, snapping you awake.

You thanked the officer before heading into the building and towards your designated room. Everything about you felt empty as you walked through the long hallway. You yearned to feel something - anything - but you couldn't. It was almost as if your emotions were stuck on pause.

When you opened the door to your apartment, you were surprised to see Saeyoung already there, pacing around the room as he waited for you. The second he saw your body standing in the doorway, he rushed over to you. His arms were around you in an instant and his face was buried in your hair. He hardly even noticed how rigid your body was or how dazed your thoughts were.

It was in that moment that whatever dam was holding back your emotions shattered and everything came pouring out. You started bawling into Saeyoung's neck, making loud sobs that nearly shattered his heart into pieces.

He may have stopped Hye from hurting you, but you weren't truly unscathed. You would never be able to forget everything you saw that night.

"It's my fault, isn't it?" you asked, your words barely comprehensible. "It's my fault that Hye turned into what he is. I was a horrible friend to him and I was completely blind to his feelings."

Unshed tears shimmered in Saeyoung's eyes at just hearing how broken you sounded. He hushed you softly as he swayed you in an attempt of comfort.

"It's not your fault, [name]. Even if you could go back in time to try to change things, it wouldn't work. He was a ticking time bomb just waiting to explode. If it wasn't his feelings for you that detonated him, it would've been something else. There's nothing you could've done."

Pulling your head back, you desperately tried to wipe your tears from your eyes upon seeing the wet splotches you left on his favorite shirt. If he noticed, he didn't seem to care. He only seemed focussed on you.

"Then... why do I feel so empty inside?"

That was all it took. Only those few words needed to be said to shatter his heart into pieces. He knew that feeling all too well and despite everything he did in an attempt to protect you, he wasn't able to avoid having you feel that gut-wrenching pain that he suffered through every day.

"That's because you lost someone you loved dearly..."

You looked up at him in shock at the tone of his voice. Your breath hitched when you realized that this pain you felt now was the same pain Saeyoung had to endure every day since having to leave Saeran. Despite everything he wanted for you, he couldn't prevent you from suffering through the same pain that he did.

"I'm sorry," he whispered before placing a kiss on your head. "I'm so sorry you feel this pain."

Brushing away your tears, you smiled at him. You weren't about to let the pain consume you. Saeyoung had suffered so much more, yet he still managed to put on a brave face every day. If he could do it, so would you.

"Everything is okay - I'm okay because I still have you by my side," you told him, placing your hand on his cheek.

Psychological pain was unavoidable in this situation. It would take time, but you'll eventually manage to push through it with his help. What you needed to do was to forget about the past and focus on the future that lies ahead of you.

In the end, he saved you and that's all that mattered.