The hotel room welcomed them back with muted lights and a silence that felt heavier than before.
Suho's mind refused to settle. It circled endlessly around the same disbelief, anger, and the same ache. Yerin. The woman he had loved for years. The woman he had trusted. The idea that she could orchestrate something so cruel, so devastating, just to pull him back into her orbit felt unreal, like a bad dream stitched from someone else's life.
Yet even that shock paled beside the fear that clung to him now.
Hauen.
His eyes followed her every movement, every breath. Losing her once had carved something deep and irreversible inside him. The trauma of being separated from her for so long had affected him deeply. It had settled into his mind quietly, changing him. At times, he became suddenly sensitive, fragile in ways he never used to be. Every small moment made him afraid. A blink felt dangerous. A moment without her beside him felt like an invitation for fate to steal her again. As if she might disappear again if he blinked for too long.
It was past midnight, edging toward dawn, and he still hadn't slept.
He lay there clinging to her, arms locked around her waist, as if sleep itself might loosen his grip and take her away. His body was exhausted, bones heavy, muscles sore, but fear stood guard over his fatigue, sharp and unforgiving, refusing to let sleep come near him.
Hauen was breathing softly, fast asleep, her arms still wrapped around his waist. He looked at her quietly. Really looked at her, and the weight of the past year crashed into his chest.
A whole year. He had missed her unbearably. One whole year without seeing her, without hearing her voice, without feeling her warmth, without falling asleep in her arms. It felt like he had survived hell with his hands tied behind his back.
The moment she was back in his arms, all the strength he had forced himself to grow cracked open. He felt weak again, frighteningly weak, because all those months of suppression had finally found somewhere safe to spill.
He pulled her closer, pressing her back firmly against his chest, and pressed a soft kiss to her shoulder. His hold tightened unconsciously, desperate, trembling.
She stirred.
Her brows knit slightly as she woke, turning her head until sleepy eyes met his wide, restless ones.
"Teddy…" she murmured, voice thick with sleep. "Aren't you sleepy?"
"Not yet," he replied quietly.
Concern slipped into her expression as she turned fully toward him. Instinctively, he pulled her closer, guided one of her legs over his waist, anchoring her there. She chuckled softly, half-asleep, her hands rising to caress his cheeks.
"Why aren't you sleeping, Teddy?" she asked, her voice hoarse and gentle. "Tomorrow's a big day. A tired teddy with dark circles won't look good in front of people."
He blinked slowly, watching her. She held his gaze and sensed the uneasiness hiding beneath his calm. Taking a deep breath, she pulled him closer.
"Come," she whispered, wrapping her arms around him, silently assuring him that she was right here.
He immediately melted into her embrace, holding her tightly. His warm breath brushed against her skin, his lips resting near her collarbone.
"Sleep well, Yeobo," she whispered softly. "I'm not going anywhere. Not anymore."
He heard her words, yet his heart struggled to believe them. His arms tightened around her, pulling her as close as he possibly could. She kissed his hair and gently rubbed his back, soothing him with slow, steady motions.
His heart was racing, his eyes burning with exhaustion. He drifted close to sleep, only to jolt awake the moment his eyes closed. The fear had rooted itself deep inside his subconscious, keeping him alert, guarding him, refusing to let him rest.
She held him like that until his body finally began to relax.
Glancing at the clock, she saw it was already around four in the morning. Slowly, carefully, she eased back to check on him. His breathing was soft now. His body was still a little tense, but much better than before.
She gently slipped out of his arms.
The moment she moved, his eyes flew open.
She froze. The fear in his eyes rushed back instantly. She smiled at him at once, warm and reassuring.
"I need to pee," she said lightly. "I'll be back. You sleep."
With that, she stepped out of the bed and started walking toward the washroom.
But suddenly, she heard footsteps behind her.
She turned around and frowned. "Where are you going?"
"I'll come too," he said, almost like a child.
"What?" She let out a small laugh. "Suho, I'm going to the washroom. Two minutes. I'll be right back."
He looked down, struggling to say something, but the uneasiness on his face said everything.
"Suho…" she said softly. "I'm not running away from you again. It's just the washroom, teddy. Two minutes."
She cupped his cheeks gently, grounding him.
"Stay here," she whispered, guiding him to stop. Only after making sure he stayed, she stepped into the bathroom and closed the door behind her.
He stared at the closed bathroom door. After five seconds, he called out her name, "Hauena…"
"I'm here," her voice came from inside.
His shoulders loosened a little.
A minute passed. The silence grew heavy again.
"Are you there?" he asked, quieter this time.
"Yes, Mr. Kim," she replied, a hint of humor in her voice. "Let me pee in peace."
"You said two minutes," he argued, mild but anxious.
"It hasn't even been two minutes yet," she shot back.
He went quiet. Another minute crawled by.
The restlessness crept back in. He lifted his hand, about to knock.
The door opened.
She stood there with a very done expression on her face.
He immediately dropped his gaze.
She sighed.
Without a word, she walked back to the bed. He followed her like a shadow, silent and obedient.
They climbed onto the bed again, and he pulled her back close to his chest. She didn't resist. She let him hold her.
Ten minutes slipped by in that quiet.
She felt it. He still wasn't sleeping.
Finally, she let out a soft sigh and turned around to face him.
His eyes were wide open, fixed on her. Then, slowly, he looked away.
"Teddy," she whispered, brushing his hair back. "Sleep, my love. I'm not going anywhere. Don't be scared, I'll leave again."
Silence.
Then his voice broke. "You said the same back then… and the world took you away from me without warning." His breath shook. "Do you know how hard it was for me? I was happy and suddenly—"
He couldn't finish.
"I'm sorry," she whispered. "I'm so sorry you went through that pain. You didn't deserve any of it."
She lifted his face gently, kissed his forehead, her lips lingering. "I won't leave you. Never again."
He looked at her, heart still trembling, trust still bruised.
"I'm… I'm messed up inside," he admitted quietly. "I… I don't even know how to say it. But there is a fear exist in me."
"That's okay," she whispered. "But don't live inside that fear, Suho. It will only hurt you. Don't make me your weakness."
He blinked, breathing slowly. "I need time," he confessed. "Time to come out of this fear. I can't help it… I panic even at the thought of not having you beside me, again."
She caressed his cheek, and he leaned into her touch, melting.
His voice was barely audible.
"Just hold me… Make me trust that you're really here with me. Make me believe I'm not imagining you. Promise me that tomorrow, when I wake up, you'll still be there… beside me."
She smiled at his childishness, wrapped her arms around him, and kissed his hair again, warm and sure. "You're not imagining me, pabo. I'm real. I'm right here, holding you. And tomorrow, when you wake up, you'll find me beside you."
With every word she whispered, his body loosened, tension slowly draining away. His eyelids grew heavy, fluttering shut, though his arms stayed firm around her, protective, certain. Even the smallest movement from her side made him stir.
It took time. Soft reassurances. Quiet breaths shared in the dark. But slowly, finally, the fear loosened its grip.
As dawn crept closer, they drifted into sleep together, wrapped tightly in each other's arms, holding on as if the world could not pull them apart again.