home, kim jungwoo

16

It's okay if you need to catch your breath.

THINGS ARE CHANGING

The rest of the day was spent packing up the house and Akina putting things she wanted to take back to South Korea in her suitcase. Due to her grandmother's will, she requested to rent the home which meant to keep the furnishings in the home but take personal belongings and put them in a storage center.

So the two went room by room, and took items of importance and packed them away. Throughout the process, she felt sadness a couple of times but every time it seeped back in she went back to the dream and listened to her grandmother's request.

There would be no denying that the two didn't play around. Throwing packing peanuts at each other and playing tag around the couch made the whole packing ordeal not as boring. The atmosphere was nice, laughs and now ease of conversation strengthened the link between the two.

When the sun started to set the two had luckily finished the time-consuming task and now all the boxes were stacked at the foyer, labeled with a black sharpie. They both exhaled a breath from exhaustion while plopping down on the couch in the living room.

Not saying anything, they just sat in silence until Jungwoo asked her a question, "So, are you ready to head back tomorrow? We could always stay for a little longer." Suggestion and concern were the base of his question as Akina responded jokingly, "I think you like this place, seems like you want to stay," she then responded truthfully, "I just want to head back, I miss that environment. I'm ready to leave."

Satisfied with her answer the two stood up from the couch, heading up the steps the two separated and went to bed, knowing that tomorrow would be another busy day. Falling into the bed peacefully she tried to sleep.

Even though she was exhausted physically, her mind was wide awake. So she stared at the ceiling, watching the fan spin round and round. But even that distraction wouldn't make her mind tired. Since the door was still open she looked out into the darkness of the hallway. Subconsciously, she wanted him to show at her door frame to tell her he also couldn't sleep.

But staring at the door didn't make him magically appear nor did it make her eyelids heavy with sleep. So she tossed and turned for a while hoping a comfortable position would help her sleep. With no prevail, she was still awake and was beginning to get irritated from it.

Sitting up, she fiddled with the hem of the oversized shirt thinking of the thought in her head. Decided for it, she took the covers off of her and shuffled out the room quietly turning left down the hall to the room where he was in.

The door was open as well and the small amount of light from the outside shined on the post of the bed, outlining where Jungwoo should be. Walking in between the door and the frame -not wanting to push the creaky door- she stopped, her mind telling her to turn around.

This feeling of wanting to wake someone up reminded her too much of the nerves when she would get sick then had to tell her grandmother. So she was ready to turn her heel and sit in the darkness until she would fall asleep.

"Can't sleep?" His voice said, making her freeze in her spot as he shifted, sitting up in the bed. "Uh yeah, how'd you know I was here, weren't you sleeping?" She asked, rocking back and forth feeling like a child. "You know I am a detective, kinda trained to be hyper-aware. You coming?" He answered while patting the empty spot beside him nonchalantly.

Her heart began to pound, stopping her voice from speaking so instead she nodded- even though he probably couldn't see it- and walked to the empty side of the bed. She felt nervous, her face heated up and she felt lucky that they were in the low-lit room.

Shifting his weight he laid back down on his shoulder so he now would be facing her, and she did the same. "So why can't you sleep?" he asked, breaking the silence. "Honestly, I don't know, my mind is just awake." she thought for a moment, "Maybe I'm just not as tired as I thought."

"Could be, is there anything I could do to help, a bedtime story?" He asked, wiggling his eyebrows playfully even though she probably couldn't see it. But she understood his language and laughed a little before speaking again, "I don't know, could you just talk about something?"

"Yeah," he gained some courage before spilling his thoughts, "When we first met I was nervous, it was silly but for some reason I was. Now looking back it was probably because I subconsciously knew you were my soulmate," he took a breath before continuing, "I remember when we were catching the culprit and she was holding you against your will, I was so scared and then like a dam broke and all these complex emotions hit me. It was painful but I'm glad it happened."

As he spoke about that incident -that truthfully had left her mind- she traced the small scar that was on her neck from that day. "I remember that. It was definitely not what I was expecting to encounter at my job." She said and he laughed at her response. "It's crazy to think that was the start of this ya know? It's crazy how it all works."

He hummed in response, obviously tired and sleep was calling his name. Unlike him, she was still not tired but she felt his tiredness, so not continuing the situation she let him fall into a deep sleep.

Minutes passed as she now has chosen to close her eyes hoping to fall asleep. In her attempt, he shifted slightly then he mumbled out in a breathy voice, "You're still not sleeping." Not responding hoping he would think he was wrong she tried to stay still, feeling awful if she disturbed his need for sleep again.

Since he didn't speak again she thought she had succeeded only for an arm to be wrapped around her in a comforting manner. His movement made the two get closer as her head was pulled into the crook of his neck as his head was above hers.

Frozen, not daring to move, her whole body was set ablaze, the soulmate bond going wild as the two are wrapped together. Her heart quickened and face was on fire to the point that she knew he would be able to hear and feel her nervousness.

But he didn't say anything, instead, he encased her tighter while his breathing played in her ear like a tune, and somehow lulled her asleep, her body relaxing fully into his grip.