You Are In Love.

 

Her studio room was so dark, if not for the few rays of moonlight passing through her sheer curtains.

Sejeong has her back turned facing the wall with the blanket over her.

Sehun, both arms and eyebrows crossed, sleeps on the futon she prepared (begrudgingly) beside her bed.

They just had an argument.

 

One look, dark room

Meant just for you

Time moved too fast

You play it back

—I told you to be cautious of people. And don't be too kind. Sejeong, sometimes you're a bad judge of character.

—I know when to draw the line. I'm sorry I'm not as guarded like you, oppa.

She recalls the conversation they had a while ago. Sejeong covers , trying to make her sobs inaudible to him.

They have just been dating for four months. And sure, within the course of four months they've had banters left and right, but this was their first major disagreement. Something strawberry ice cream couldn't fix as easily.

Waving the blanket to the side, Sejeong is mildly surprised to see the lights in her apartment all turned off and her curtains closed. Sehun must have done all that.

She takes a peak at her boyfriend below and sees he has already fallen asleep.

Sejeong slowly gets off the bed, careful not to wake him up. Then she lies down beside him, cuddling closer, burying her face in his chest.

Because they are in a relationship now. It should not be the winner getting the comfortable bed while the loser suffers through the night.

It's either both of them sleep on soft mattress, or both endure the hard floor.

Whichever, as long as they are together.

 

"Sorry," speaks Sehun. Ah, so he was awake. Maybe he couldn't sleep well too. He shifts a bit to accommodate her in his arms. A few heartbeats later, he feels warm tears wet his shirt.

 

. He just made her cry.

 

"Shh, don't cry, love," he coos, resting his chin on top of her head. "It's stupid Sehunnie's fault..."

Sejeong gazes upward. He had a lone tear streaming along his sculpted nose. She wipes it away.

They have hurt the other recklessly this time.

"Me too. I'm sorry."

 

-

 

Buttons on a coat

Light-hearted joke

No proof, not much

But you saw enough

On days when they can, they would spend the night in Sejeong's apartment. Hers was less known and less conspicuous–somewhere paparazzis and sasaengs wouldn't camp out.

They were both looking forward to this overnight which took a bit of tweaking (with the help of their managers) just so it could fit into their schedules. The plan was to cuddle all night and fall asleep while watching Netflix.

It has been five months since they started seeing each other.

Sejeong is woken by her alarm. Six thirty seven she reads from her phone. She missed the first ring but there's still plenty of time to cook breakfast and make his bath. But before she takes off, she turns to her side where Sehun was. He was lightly snoring.

Looking at him gets her charged for the day. Her eyes and lips widely smile as she gazes at him adoringly. After she's had her fill admiring his beauty, she begins playing housewife.

A little later, she takes a seat on the edge of her sofa bed to wake Sehun up.

"Oppa, you have a flight at 11. I need to send you back or manager hyung will get mad at me."

He didn't respond. To be honest, he does look so tired that if it were only up to her, she'd let him sleep in some more. What could he possibly have done last night that got him so– oh.

 

"Oppa... wake up," her voice almost in aegyo.

 

Nothing.

 

"Wake up, oppa!" Now her voice was getting impatient.

 

Still nothing.

 

He left her no choice.

 

She pinches his nose until he is jerked awake.

 

Sehun gasps for air, confused. The first thing he saw was his girlfriend's eye smile flashing extra brightly in front of him. Suspicious.

 

"Get up," she says, pulling him to stand.

 

When they were done with breakfast, she buttons his coat as they bid their farewells. They will not be seeing each other for at least two weeks from now. She isn't usually this way but five months into their relationship, Sehun has learned that buttoning his shirts by the doorway is Sejeong speak of: I'm being clingy. I don't want you to go. I'm going to miss you. Sad face.

So he lets her button his coat because he would miss her dearly as well.

 

"But be honest," he says. "Did you try to kill me earlier?"

In turn, he makes light-hearted jokes before parting. This was Sehun's way of assuring them both that they are doing fine and they can make it until they meet each other next.

"I did no such thing," she denies but not without a smirk betraying her not guilty plea. When she is done buttoning, he pats his chest twice, trying her best to be nonchalant about not seeing him for the next few weeks.

 

Off you go.

 

-

 

Small talk, he drives

Coffee at midnight

 

The light reflects

The chain on your neck

He says, "Look up"

And your shoulders brush

 

No proof, one touch

But you felt enough

 

In their sixth month, Sehun and Sejeong have adapted well into dating secretly.

Everyone around them has been supportive. Jongin even joked that their managers are so devoted in fixing their schedules that they talk more than he and Sejeong.

He is thankful for their help, of course. But there are times when Sehun wanted to be spontaneous.

"...so yeah. But you know how mom is right? I told her Doenjang needs to lose weight but I think what she hears is to give the poor dog more food." Sejeong says on the other line.

It's almost midnight and based on her night routine, she's already in her pajama onesie curled in bed, eyes drooping from sleepiness.

Only, she doesn't sleep yet. She fights off the drowsiness because she wants to keep talking to him as long as they can. Sehun hasn't been in Seoul for almost a month due to stunt training.

"You don't have anything tomorrow, right?" He asks.

Sehun could hear her yawn. "N..no… how about you?"

"Sejeongah."

"Hm?" her tone barely has any strength now. Too sleepy.

"Come outside."

"..."

"I'm here."

 

/

 

She was wrapped in two layers of outerwear but Sehun laughs to himself when he noticed that she was still in her onesie. He has the cutest girlfriend, ever.

"Hi, love," he greets her, arms (and black padded jacket) wide open.

"You…!" was her back greeting. This was so risky what the hell was he thinking?

But Sejeong hurries into his arms anyway. Sehun encloses her in a tight, longing hug and she falls deep into that space that was reserved for only her.

 

/

 

He hands her favorite coffee to her when she rides his car. She thanks him, eagerly taking a sip and reels in the relief of warm coffee at midnight.

They only have one and a half hours before the world wakes up. So Sehun chooses a highway that is not close to the main roads to drive in.

He had no destination in mind. His music was the stories she had already told him in their phone calls. He needed to leave again after their joyride.

 

But no matter.

 

(He takes her hand.)

 

Because she is here.

 

And she is enough.

 

/

 

In their sixth month together, Sehun was now sure this is love.

 

You can hear it in the silence, silence, you

You can feel it on the way home, way home, you

You can see it with the lights out, lights out

You are in love, true love

You are in love

 

 

---

END.