《我明白》-[w.jh]

[9: hiding]

Seoyul was vaguely aware that the bed wasn't hers. It felt unfamiliar to her; this mattress was so much softer than the one at home, probably because her idiot sister knew she hated hard mattresses and ordered one extremely hard one for her.

It wasn't until she forced herself to open her eyes did she realise what a comfortable position she actually was in.

Her hand lay across Jun's chest, although she didn't remember it getting there. It must have somehow ended up there while she was in her sub-conscious, she deduced. Not like there could be another reason for it anyway.

In a way, it was a good thing. She could feel his soft heartbeat at her fingertips.

Her hand slowly moved towards his face, running her fingers down his skin, admiring his facial features. His jawline was defined, and his skin was just so...smooth. She wondered for a moment if he had a skincare routine.

She smiled seeing him look so peaceful.

"You're so beautiful," she whispered, even though she knew he couldn't hear it.

It was as if she'd uttered a spell when her fingers left his face. Jun slowly blinked the sleep away from his eyelids and turned to face her.

"Darling." That one word made her heart race. He had said it so quietly, she knew that it was meant for her and her alone.

"Junhui." She said equally silently, not wanting to break this beautiful moment.

He smiled. "We could wake up like this every morning."

Seoyul sighed. "I know."

Jun reached for her left hand. "Maybe...if I ever got the chance to, I could slip a ring onto your finger."

Her heart skipped a beat.

Does he...does he know?

"I want to be with you, Seoyul. I want a life with you. I want you to be mine. Mine and mine only." He brought her hand to his lips and kissed it lightly.

Seoyul didn't know what to say. On one hand, her heart was bursting to tell him that she'd found a way, she'd found a way to end their misery of being separated; they could be together after all. Yet she held back, afraid that if she told him, afraid that if she took away his soul, his life force, he would perish and leave her forever.

Once souls are taken from their owners, even if they are returned, they may never survive.

That was what someone had once told her. After that, she'd gotten cautious of how she's taken souls, always putting them to a deep sleep while she rid them of their life forces. She used to let them go about their daily lives without their souls before bringing them back. Even if she didn't know them in person, it still hurt her to see them in a frail, helpless, souless state.

"Do you want that?" Jun asked, noticing her silence.

"Of course."

That went without saying.

He smiled, pushing back the covers and sitting up on the bed. "Do you want breakfast? We could go to that place with those waffles you like."

Seoyul sat up too, frowning. "Isn't that place really expensive?"

Jun sighed. "It's just once."

The girl couldn't help but jump out of bed and ran off next door to change.

And Jun couldn't help but wear a silly smile on his face at the sight of his girlfriend so happy.

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