It was dark. Pitch-black. I was all alone, struggling to breathe as the silence enveloped me and crushed my hopes to ever get out of here. My fingers touched the dusty ground around my tired body, moving over cracks and loose stones. I couldn’t see a thing and had to rely on my other senses to find a way to escape from this hellish place. When my hands found a wall next to me, I hesitated, following its rough surface with my touch, hoping to find some sort of hole I could use to escape. I took short and uneven breaths, my panic rising higher. It was unbelievably hot in here and it felt like I couldn’t get enough oxygen in my lungs, no matter how many times I inhaled. Desperately, my fingers moved over the heavy pieces of debris trapping me in a tiny space. Dust trickled on my face. I heard a faint rumbling and froze in fear.

 “H-Help! Can anyone hear me? Please help me!” I cried, my voice shaky and weak. I fell silent and listened for an answer, but my surroundings were silent and the endless darkness seemed to swallow all the noise I made. It encompassed me, made my insecurity and trepidation grow the longer I was trapped here. I wished to leave the darkness, wanted to see the comforting light of the summer sun, but at this moment I didn’t know whether I would ever be able to enjoy its warmth and brightness again.

I awoke with a start, shooting up from the bed and inhaling frantically. At first, I wondered where I was and why Baekhyun was nowhere to be found, but then I remembered he was sleeping in a different room. I had gotten used to being with him during the night and since he wasn’t here, I was uneasy. Breathing a sigh, I got up to turn on the lamps. I regretted not leaving them on, but sometimes I felt pathetic for my silly fear. It was childish, and yet I couldn’t get over it.

I rubbed my eyes, standing restlessly in the middle of my room while attempting to calm down, but it was difficult. The nightmare had been so real. It had all been like six years ago when I had been trapped all alone in the darkness with only my fear accompanying me. Everything had started to go wrong that day. I hated remembering it.

When I checked the time, I breathed a sigh, knowing I should go back to sleep. It was 3 am, too early to get up. I would be a zombie tomorrow if I did that… My gaze fell on the door, remaining there for a while. Undecidedly, I shifted my weight from one leg to the other, not knowing what to do. Would it be okay to go to Baekhyun’s room at this hour? “No, of course not. What are you thinking?” I scolded myself. “You’re pathetic, Hyorin. Just deal with it.”

Deciding to get something to drink, I walked over the dark hallway to the kitchen, where I searched for a glass. The first cabinet I opened was empty, but in the second I found what I was looking for. I opened a bottle of water and poured it into the glass before drinking it. As I leaned at the counter, I already felt exhausting wash over me. What should I do? I didn’t want to be alone right now.

Reluctantly, I went back to the hallway, steps slowing in front of Baekhyun’s door. I lingered there for what seemed like an eternity while I contemplated if I should disturb him or not. Biting my lip, I ultimately decided to open the door, entering the dark room. I closed it behind me, vaguely making out the outline of his body on the bed. He stirred, having heard the noise I made. When he blinked, opening his eyes, he stared at me in visible confusion.

“Baekhyun?” I whispered unsurely, taking a step forward.

“What are you doing here?” he asked in a husky voice.

“Um… I had a nightmare,” I explained quietly. He was silent for a few heartbeats, but then he reacted.

“Come here,” he murmured, making space for me and lifting the blanket. Not having expected this, my eyes widened, but I didn’t hesitate and got on the bed next to him. He let the blanket fall over us and I was surrounded by warmth. I slid closer to him, prompting him to put his arm around me, pulling me to his chest. Blushing, I looked up at his face, only to see he had his eyes closed already, looking relaxed. I smiled to myself and snuggled up to him, feeling the rise and fall of his chest as he breathed. It was cozy and his presence made me feel safe. I fell asleep fast, not waking up until it was late morning.

Only when a distant voice reached my ears, I regained consciousness, but I was too tired to move and since it was so comfortable, I didn’t want to either.

“Guys, they’re sleeping together!” Lay sputtered, sounding taken aback.

“You creep, that’s private! Why are you watching them?” Xiumin hissed somewhere in the background.

“Uh… wait. You have it all wrong. They’re not sleeping together as in…”

“Lay, I don’t want to hear the details. Just shut up and close the damn door,” D.O. grumbled. Seconds later, I heard a click. Not dwelling on the weird conversation, I soon forgot about it and drifted off to sleep.

An hour later, I woke up again because I felt movement around me and heard a low chuckle. When my eyes opened, I needed a second to comprehend I was lying in Baekhyun’s bed. He was close, his arm resting on my waist. “Are you awake now, kitten?” he teased. “It’s noon.”

“We should get up,” I said, frowning and about to move away, but I hadn’t counted in Baekhyun’s stubbornness. He rolled over, hovering over me to prevent me from leaving. Leaning on his elbows, he looked right in my eyes, mesmerizing me with a single glance. My breath hitched, our sudden proximity making me blush. Did he have any idea what he was doing to me?

“No, not yet,” he said huskily, his breath ghosting over my lips in a manner that nearly drove me insane. He tilted his head, his smirk widening when he saw me falter. My heart was beating faster in my chest. He had such a strong effect on me, it was maddening.

As he leaned closer, his lips lingered next to my ear and I felt his toned body pressing up against mine. Desire washed over me and I had to hold back a moan when his lips briefly touched my skin. “You’re staying with me,” he whispered teasingly. He moved lower, breathing a soft kiss to the side of my neck. It was light as a feather and surprised me. My skin tingled where he touched me.

“What are you doing?” I finally managed to say, my breathy voice giving away how much his actions affected me. He smirked, lying back down next to me to watch me.

“What do you mean?” he asked innocently, blue eyes gleaming in malicious joy.

“You know exactly what I mean, you damn devil,” I mumbled, blushing harder.

The others didn’t quite look us in the eyes when we entered the kitchen, confusing me with their weird behavior. I caught Xiumin and D.O. exchanging a look and wondered if something had happened. “Did I miss something?” I asked.

D.O. coughed, glaring at Xiumin and Lay to shut them up before they could say something. “No,” he replied, not looking at me. The tips of his ears turned red, leading me to believe he was embarrassed. Had I done something strange? I couldn’t think of anything, though.

“You’re all being ing weird,” Baekhyun commented dryly.

“I wasn’t the one who…” Xiumin started but was cut off by D.O.

“Just forget it, okay?”

“No, I want to know. You’re making me terribly curious,” Baekhyun drawled. He stood behind me in the doorway, his arm curled around my waist while he rested his chin on my shoulder. Baekhyun was a lot clingier today than usual, but I wasn’t complaining because it made me feel happy. His touches were like a drug to me; intoxicating and ad