He's free for the rest of the day and with you is the only place he craves to be...

Your apartment is cramped and out of his way but he’s at your door within minutes of his last text message.

You watch him toe out of his expensive shoes and push them over by your old sneakers. The red-soled loafers make the dingy Nikes look ridiculously pathetic and he grins at you curiously when you snicker to yourself.

“It looks funny?”

Pulling the knitted cap off of his shaved head, he runs his fingers through the dark brown bristles and eyes you quietly underneath droopy eyebrows. Even with all the confidence in the world, he can’t ever get enough of your reassurance.

“No, it’s cool.” You smile at him, accepting his body into your arms. “It suits you, Ji.”

He’s silent, giving you his weight to hold. Like all the times before, you support him. Bracing yourself so he can lean on you.

“You’ve been busy lately.”

You’re only making an obvious observation but he’s immediately apologetic.

“Yeah. I’ve been meaning to call.” Muffled and meek in the crook of your neck.

He tenses beneath your palms and it makes you feel guilty. You’re not trying to be confrontational.

“I know.”

The wide circles you rub into his back loosens him up some. His breathing evens against your skin and he’s not too far from sleep. Like all the times before, you comfort him. Being one of the few normal and stable forces within his chaotic world.

Suddenly, he heaves a big sigh into your hair like he’s expelling more than just air from his lungs. Like he’s finally taking the load off and hanging it up.

“I missed you, you know.”

You smile as he snuggles into the curves of your body, searching for a place to hide for a while.

“I know, Ji.”