Chapter Thirty-Seven
Angel Vessel
"Listen to me Nam Woohyun. I love you. I'm furious that you think acting like this is not going to make me suspicious. You know better than anyone what kind of person I am. But I'm not going to be a fool. Tell me you don't love me. Tell me that every thing that happened since you revealed yourself to me meant nothing and I'll walk away." My shoulders shook and I was trying very hard to keep my voice steady. I had confronted him and gave him a choice, but I didn't know if I was just opening myself to more pain by doing so.
He stayed quiet, still. "At least respect me enough to look at me." My voice became thick because I was now holding back tears. I didn't want to cry in front of him if he was going to say that he didn't love me, even though part of me knew that something was really wrong.
He looked up and tears rolled down his cheeks. I felt my breathe hitch and I walked over to him and squatted down to eye level. "Nam Woohyun." I breathed his name, afraid that saying anything more would cause my own breakdown.
His hand reached out to touch my cheek, but he curled his fingers at the last minute and was going to withdraw and I grabbed his hand. His eyes widened briefly from our contact. What we had been doing on the floor should have been the most intimate of actions, but me holding his hand in mine showed me just how deep of a connection we had.
"I..." He started. "Can't."
"What can't you do?" I asked. But he was quiet again. I took a deep breath and I let go of his hand to hug him. His hands came up immediately, but hesitant to touch me. Like he wanted to hold me too, but he was trying to push me away. But he finally wrapped his arms around me and his shoulders shook. A chill went down my spine. Why was he like this?
We stayed like that for a long time. "We don't have to talk. At least not right now. But can you just let me hold you tonight?" I asked softly. I was struggling, but I realized that Woohyun needed me right now, even if he didn't want to need me.
His nod was almost unnoticeable. I took off my ruined blouse and pulled him under the covers. I didn't say anything and cradled him to my chest. His hands wound tightly around my waist and he closed his eyes after searching mine for something. And he quickly fell asleep. It was looking at his sleeping face that the realization hit me. He hadn't slept comfortably in a while. His body was relaxed and his forehead sweat-free. I had so many questions, but I knew that tonight, I would just have to be happy being able to hold him.
I brushed his hair out of his face gently. And I kissed his forehead and then rested my chin on the top of his head and closed my eyes. I would also be getting the best night of sleep I had in a while.
When I woke up, Woohyun was gone. But a fresh t-shirt was on the pillow next to me. I put it on over my camisole and tossed the ruined blouse into the trash.
I sat on the bed trying to gather my thoughts. I hadn't felt him leave. I should've woken up. I picked up my phone and checked my messages. I called Myungsoo back. "Sorry Myungsoo. I know I'm being irresponsible and unfair to you. But I...I stayed with Woohyun last night. We didn't do anything." I said quietly.
The line was quiet for a second. "Thank you for finding me important enough for an explanation." He replied. "Myungsoo-ah...you'll always be important to me. Always." I said. "Thats all a guy wishes to hear from the woman he loves." He said and I took a deep breath.
"Will you listen to what I have to say about what Woohyun said to me that day, now?" He asked. "Yes." I answered.
"He told me to take care of you, that you were mine. That all he wants is for you to be safe and happy. I punched him because he was treating you like a thing that could be passed around." Myungsoo explained.
"He must've really pissed you off. You're never angry." I said and he chuckled.
"You're just more easily angered." He observed.
"Are you okay, Minji?" He asked. "Yeah. I'm okay." For now.
"Want to have dinner tonight?" He asked. "I owe you one, don't I?"
"You do." I could hear the smile in his voice and we said our goodbyes.
I called Woohyun, but I expected as much when the call went to the answering machine. Thinking back to the night before, I tried to recall not how I felt, but how Woohyun did. He was fragile and he was hurting because of something and despite me always being by his side he was finding it hard to come clean.
I contemplated how I should find him. Drive around town? Call him non-stop? I sounded like a clingy girlfriend. I closed my eyes to calm down. He was my guardian angel...then he would sense I would be in trouble. I grabbed my things and ran outside the club. The flow of traffic was steadily increasing. "Well here goes nothing." And I ran right into the street.
Author's Note: REALLY Sorry I haven't updated. Life runs away sometimes. I have a lot of the fic written but really wanted to be able to sit through and it and make sure that I was going the way I wanted with it. I'm going to be updating in succession now. Thank you to my loyal readers for keeping up with my slow fic. I promise I will try to finish it in the most timely manner possible :D.
Enjoy <3
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