Hai woke up. Not on his own. Neither with a jolt nor a gasp. His eyes fluttered open, plain and simple, as they would after every nightmare. His chest heaved up and down restlessly like every other time that threatened his heart to break out of his ribcage.
The white ceiling looked crimson to him, blurred and unfocused. Despite blinking several times, the red didn't seem to leave his sight. Swallowing a gulp, he pursed his dry lips. Then he glanced at his left.
Nestled in his arm was Chunhua, sleeping soundly with a measured breathing. Her soft breaths tickled his chest like a delicate butterfly taking its first flight. He turned to lay on his left, gently wrapping his right arm over her waist and tugging her closer. She didn't look red to him.
The patter of raindrops splashed against the window darkened with the night's shade, and with the onset of this unexpected chill, it was only being in her proximity that his agitated heartbeats slowed down by the color of her warmth.
