“No, shh, you can’t—ow! No biting! Please sit for like five minutes until I can explain to Hyunwoo!” you plead through a crack between the bedroom door and its frame.

“Explain what to me?” His tone is casual, but it still sends a bolt of surprise down the length of your spine and you spring up too fast, colliding the top of your head with the door handle. Hyunwoo reaches out towards you to soothe the pain but you slam the door shut and swat his hand away.

“Hey, you’re home already?” you shout loudly, obviously overplaying your excitement about his return.

Hyunwoo’s forehead creases as the beginning threads of suspicion form that something is amiss; you are acting too out of character for the moment. He doesn’t press you though and steps in again to gently tilt your head forward and place a soft kiss to the injured area.

“Are you sure you’re okay? That looked like it hurt.” His chocolate eyes search yours for any sign of hidden pain and you find yourself nearly spilling all your secrets.

“Yes.” You push the throbbing pain to the side to grab his retreating hand and press your own kiss on the inside of his wrist, leaving a slight sheen of rose-tinted lip balm over his pulse point.

A familiar silence envelops the space around the two of you and while you know he won’t force you to say anything, you can’t stop the confession that rises to the surface of your lips. Damn this man and his infinite patience.

“So, uh, I have a surprise for you,” you admit shyly, directing your eyes to the loose thread jutting from his hoodie. Hyunwoo quirks an eyebrow but keeps quiet, waiting for you to talk at your own pace. “It’s in your room.” You jerk your thumb in the direction of the door behind you.

Hyunwoo nods and steps around you, catching your fingers in his with natural ease. He doesn’t let go as the fingers of his other hand curl around the handle of the door and slowly push it open. He pauses for a brief moment and stares into the room. Your heart thuds against your chest with all the rapture of a storm at sea, but Hyunwoo merely lowers himself to a squat and calls out.

There is a clatter of oversized paws and excited yips before Hyunwoo easily scoops up the puppy with one hand. It wiggles and squirms trying to get closer to his face and he brings it up before him with the hint of a smile hugging the corners of his lips.

“What’s its name?”

“It’s a girl and she doesn’t have one. I thought we could pick a name together,” you answer, the storm in your chest calming down to milder waters.

Hyunwoo looks up to you, paying no mind to the sharp teeth chewing on his hoodie string. “She’s ours?”

“Yep.” You kneel down to come level with him and give the floppy ears of the pup an affectionate rub.

Hyunwoo returns his gaze to the puppy still happily chewing through his hoodie string and contemplates her seriously. “I have a couple of names in mind.”