Morning arrived far too quickly, slipping into the room without permission.
Suho stirred.
His eyes flew open in a split second, sharp with instinct, heart already racing. His hand moved blindly to the empty side of the bed, and for one terrifying beat, panic clawed at his chest.
Then he saw her.
Hauen lay right there beside him, propped on one elbow, watching him with a soft smile that held no judgment, only warmth.
The tension drained out of him all at once.
He moved toward her without thinking, curling into her like muscle memory, burying his face against her chest, arms wrapping around her as if anchoring himself. His eyes closed again immediately.
She chuckled, fingers sliding into his hair. "Morning, Teddy," she whispered, pressing a kiss to the top of his head.
"Mmm… morning," he mumbled. "But I want to sleep more."
"It's eight thirty in the morning," she reminded him.
"I slept late," he argued.
"And who told you to sleep late?" she asked.
He went still for a second, then whined softly, "Don't scold me already… We met again after such a long separation. Love me gently."
She laughed under her breath, brushing her fingers through his hair. His morning clinginess was impossible to resist.
"But you have work, right? A big day for you. Your phone's been buzzing non-stop," she said.
"I still have plenty of time before the outlet opening ceremony. I can sleep a little more," he replied, eyes still shut.
"Ohhhk then sleep. I'll go—"
Before she could finish, he snapped his head up, eyes wide. "Where will you go?"
She chuckled. "Relax, Teddy. Let me finish."
He stared at her suspiciously.
"I meant you sleep, I'll get fresh," she completed calmly.
"No," he said immediately.
"You're not going anywhere," he said, rolling her beneath him and tugging the blanket over both of them.
"Sleep with me," he declared, eyes already closing again.
He completely trapped her, his weight warm and familiar, already settling in as if this was his safest place.
She sighed softly. "Don't you think this is a little too much, husband? I need to use the washroom."
"How many times do you need to go?" he muttered, eyes still closed. "You went earlier. Again? No."
"Teddy…" she called gently.
"Sleep," he mumbled, voice heavy with exhaustion.
She gave up, slipping her arms around him instead, holding him close. Within minutes, his breathing evened out, soft snores brushing against her ear like quiet music.
Exhaustion had finally claimed him.
She lay there smiling, holding him, knowing how drained he truly was. How much fear and stress he had carried, how little rest he had allowed himself.
So she stayed still.
Let him sleep.
Right there in her arms.
Late afternoon...
Suho was all set for the event, dressed sharp and trying to look calm. Hauen insisted she would stay back in the hotel room until he was done. At first, he was restless, worry clinging to him, but she slowly convinced him. She told him she'd be safe, that he could lock the room before leaving, that she would just rest.
In the end, he agreed. Reluctantly. Very reluctantly.
And, like always, Suho, being Suho, he still insisted she get him ready. Hauen didn't argue. She straightened his jacket, fixed his collar, and adjusted his tie with careful fingers.
He checked himself in the mirror one last time, a small satisfied smile forming. Then he turned to her."Thank you, Jagi," he said softly.
She smiled back.
He cleared his throat, adjusting his tie again, deliberately this time, as if waiting for something. She frowned. "What?"
His lips curved into a sulky pout when she didn't get it. He stepped closer, face suddenly serious, and wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her flush against him.
Only then did she understand. A smile spread across her face, warm and knowing, what he is upto.
Her smile flustered him, suddenly shy, suddenly undone. But he leaned in anyway, capturing her lips in a slow, tender kiss. Soft. Careful. Delicate. A kiss heavy with months of longing finally finding release.
She kissed him back just as gently, and when his hands pulled her closer, his breath trembled. His eyes misted even as they stayed closed, memorizing her warmth.
A hot tear slipped from each of them.
He pulled back, breathing unevenly, opening his eyes slowly to look at her. The same ache. The same fire. Love, longing, and desire all tangled between them.
She did not give him time to recover.
She pulled him back and kissed him again, harder this time, urgency replacing restraint. He stumbled slightly under the force, barely keeping up, laughing softly into her mouth.
Her fingers curled into his collar, tugging him closer, greedy, desperate, unapologetic, and clumsy at the same time. His laugh escaped again, breathless.
She groaned, refusing to stop.
"Jagi…" he finally murmured, gently pulling back, wiping his lips as if trying very hard not to smile. "Calm down."
He chuckled, flustered.
She frowned, clearly annoyed.
He wrapped his arms around her again, this time slow, careful, grounding both of them. "I'm sorry," he said with a shy smile. "You'll ruin my suit, Jagiya... I have to attend the event."
"You kissed me first," she protested. "Now you're making fun of me."
He chuckled again, kissing her cheek. "I wanted it soft and gentle. But you turned wild."
She glared harder.
He pecked her lips, still smiling at her reaction. "Stop glaring..." gaze softening. "I missed my hauenie too. But not now, Jagi."
She sulked just a little.
He smiled and kissed her forehead, lowering his voice. "Maybe tonight," he whispered. "Once I'm back."
Her face lit up instantly, a teasing smile playing on her lips.
He looked down, suddenly shy. She was about to tease him, "Teddy—"
"But no teasing." He cut in quickly, flustered.
She still stared at him, teasing him with her expressions, eyes full of mischief.
"Hajima," he protested, already blushing.
She laughed softly and suddenly wrapped her arms around his neck, jumping up and locking her legs around his waist. He laughed in surprise, holding her instinctively.
"Yaa… you'll ruin my suit," he complained, though his smile gave him away.
"Kiss me one more time, and I'll let you go," she demanded shamelessly.
He looked at her, about to argue, but she leaned in anyway and kissed him again. This time it was gentle, unhurried, like a promise sealed between their lips.
He melted instantly, holding her close, steady, and safe.
She pulled back, satisfied, eyes shining. "Come back soon, husband," she whispered. "I missed you so much."
"I will," he said softly. "Stay here," he said again, repeating the same instructions for the nth time. "Don't go anywhere. Don't give me another panic attack. And keep your phone on. I'll call you in between."
"Okay, Mr. Kim," she replied patiently, smiling. "I understood."
He leaned in and pecked her lips one last time before gently setting her down. He straightened his blazer, adjusted his tie, and ran a hand through his hair. She watched him with a fond smile.
"Take care," he said, pulling her into a gentle hug.
She hummed softly in response, resting against him.
At the door, he paused and looked back at her one last time before stepping out and locking the room securely.
She let out a quiet sigh, a small smile lingering on her lips. Then she hopped onto the bed, pulled the blanket over herself, and settled back to rest, warmth and comfort wrapping around her once again.