“How did we fight so much in the past?” you wondered as you snuggled into Kihyun’s side and looked up at the man. “We’ve been together now for eight months without a single argument.”

“That’s not exactly true,” Kihyun mentioned with a chuckle, playfully bopping you on the nose. “We bicker often.”

“You know what I mean.” Sitting up from his side, you reached for one of his hands instead and fiddled with his fingers. “Those moments in the past happened from stupid things like what we bicker over now.”

“I was jealous a lot back then. You were always so carefree and talked to anyone. I think a lot of the fights stemmed from my insecurities. I was worried I was going to lose you. And then I got an ego boost every time you came back. I can’t say I’m proud of my actions back then, but I understand them a little more now.”

“Because of the therapy you did?”

Kihyun nodded.

“I’m proud of you. I just cried until I didn’t anymore and never really focused on why I would act as I did. Ashley reminded me that I was really stressed during university. It’s funny that you saw me as carefree.”

“What I see now is a different woman from back then, and I want to only focus on the one I’m holding within my arms now,” Kihyun announced, slipping his arms around your waist and scooted in close. “I love you.”

“Love you too.”

“Can I bring it up again?” Kihyun asked, and you cocked your head to the side with interest. “I know, there’s no rush. But at the same time, we’re both paying rent for places we hardly stay in for more than two days in a row. You’ve stayed here for a week, and I was at yours for ten days last time. Let’s move in together, yeah?”

You had been withholding from saying yes for the past month to moving in together with Kihyun again. It wasn’t that you didn’t know how to share a space with him. You were practically living together now.

The idea of it being official worried you. At least with two homes, you had something to fall back on if something were to go awry.

Yet, you could tell this whole relationship was different from the last. You were both mature and more balanced with each other. You could grant each other space when you needed it and equally comforted the other when feeling needy. You knew what you had with Kihyun was better than any relationship you had in between your first one with him.

It was time to take another leap.

“Okay, let’s move in together. Should we move here or go back to mine?”

“I don’t care which one we pick,” Kihyun announced, kissing you happily. “I just want to be with you always.”

---

 

It was bound to happen, eventually.

You couldn’t go the rest of your life as Kihyun’s partner without fighting at least once. And whilst it wasn’t as scary as you thought it would be, you were sitting on the bedroom floor crying, wondering if moving in together three months ago had been the right decision after all.

You had only started fighting with Kihyun when you moved into his college apartment too.

No, you told yourself, sniffling back your tears. This isn’t like back then.

Because it wasn’t. You knew this was just a typical couple’s fight. Everyone had them. Kihyun had been stressed with work lately and snapped at you. Even though he had already apologised for it, you ran off to the bedroom and locked the door, his knocking to be let in soon stopping.

You guessed he had left to get some fresh air.

Getting up, you approached the door, stopping in the threshold when Kihyun looked up at you. His gaze washed over yours, and he smiled softly. “Are you okay?”

“I thought you had gone out.”

“Do you want me to?”

You shook your head, diving into his arms and holding on. You didn’t cry anymore, nor did you rush to imprint your lips upon his. You simply held onto him as he did the same to you in comfortable silence.

“It’ll get better, right?”

“Our responses to when this happens?” Kihyun questioned, and you nodded into him. “Of course. You’re scared thinking of what happened before. I can’t say I didn’t worry about it either, but I know we’re both capable of approaching things differently now.”

“I still have my clothes on,” you remarked, and Kihyun laughed.

“Would you like to take them off?”

“No. I like this way better. We never solved anything by physically reconnecting as we used to. I don’t need to feel you inside of me to know things are okay like I did back then.”

“Good. Because I’d much rather this too. Talking it through, holding each other calmly. This is how things will get better.”

“Do you reckon we’ll be like this forever?”

“Well, maybe I might want to show you I’ve still got the ability to blow your mind now and then when we’re old and grey after a fight,” Kihyun suggested with a mischievous grin, and you laughed heartily.

“Let’s make a deal with each other now,” you stated, and Kihyun waited for you to continue. “When we fight in the future, we never go to bed without talking it out first.”

“I like that. And even if we do need to separate from each other to cool down, we don’t leave the house to do it.”

“Deal.”

Holding out your hand, Kihyun shook it firmly, and you both smiled at each other.

Fighting wasn’t so bad anymore.