silhouette | jhs ✓

32. Revisits of the Past

"Stayed out late, slept over my friends house without telling my parents where I'd be." She shrugged, shaking her head. "They never cared enough to get police involved, though. I wouldn't show up at the house, and they'd just wait it out."

"But, every time I came home, they didn't question me." She felt her heart sting with each beat it took. Hoseok likely must have noticed the affliction in her voice as he began to squeeze her hand.

"But, Jimin did. He would come into my room, hug me, and tell me how worried he was for me. That's when I realized that I was stressing out a little twelve-year-old. I promised I'd tell him where I'd be at all times as long as he kept it secret. And he did."

A smile shook her lips awake, remembering how much Jimin meant to her at those times. "I still feel the need to tell him what I'm up to and where I'm going sometimes, it's just a habit. Once my Aunt offered me a room to stay, here, I took it. Without looking back."

Hoseok nodded, his eyes never leaving her, too absorbed in her story to even remember to blink and breathe.

"She's passed now, but she was one of the ones who validated my feelings. The one who got me into plants, and natural remedies. She's the reason why I major in what I study." Seren muttered, pinching her lips to hinder her urge to cry. "So, that's why I'd never wanna go back. It's too much to revisit."

She hadn't realized she shed a few teas until she felt Hoseok light skim his thumb across her cheek, catching her tears.

It was always difficult for her to reveal that part of her life, it felt as though she was not only revisiting the memories but she was also revisiting the emotions. She still wasn't fully healed from what she went through.

With Hoseok there to catch her fallen tears and console her, it made it different She knew she could trust him with anything, he would always find the right things to say and do to make her feel valued and validated.

Something she wasn't able to feel as a teenager.

"I'm glad you were able to tell me something like that. I know how hard it is to have to revisit memories like that. Not just because they're scarring, but because you feel like you're also revisiting the emotions you had during those times." Hoseok muttered, his voice as smooth as honey.

She nodded, her heart fluttering at how perfectly he described the emotions she was experiencing.

Seren placed her hand above his cheek. "How is it that you say exactly what I'm feeling? You tell me exactly what I need to hear every time, without fail."

He blushed, Seren saw a glimpse of it from the kitchen light behind her.

"I'm really sorry for suggesting you go back with your parents." Hoseok apologized, guilt weighing him down.

"No. Don't apologize, you had no idea." Seren kissed his cheek, her hand now resting on his nape. "Thank you for getting me to tell you about this, it was always hard for me to express my feelings about what I went through. But, when I tell you about it, it's just so easy, the words just flow out of me like nothing."

"I'm just glad you were able to get it off your chest." Hoseok empathized, brushing strands of hair off her face that stuck to her wet cheeks. "I guess we both went through some shit as kids."

"Yes. But you heal that part of me." Seren whispered.

"You heal that part of me, too." He whispered back.

His voice nearly ruptured her heart.

She had been through so many emotions that day, she could practically collapse on him and never wake up.

Without another word, his lips found themselves above hers, kissing her with gentle compassion and apology. It was enough to make her fall for him, to confess to him that she loved him. That she had loved him ever since they kissed in the jacuzzi.

She felt his hand stroke the side of her bare leg, his fingertips making her body shudder.

Seren slowly lowered herself, allowing the back of her head to lay above the pillow, Hoseok carefully planted himself above her, all while keeping their lips mended.

She placed her leg above his torso, her hands mixed in his hair, taking handfuls of him.

He quietly groaned against her lips when he felt their bodies touch, sparks of electricity entering them.

He released her, slightly panting.

"As much as I'd really want to continue this with you, I want you to sleep, Sen." He ordered, caressing the side of her head.

She blinked slowly, staring up into his eyes like they held the stars. "I can't sleep now. I'll miss you too much" Seren rubbed his back, her head falling into his massaging hand.

He chuckled. "Can I use your shower?"

She nodded. "Of course."

"Okay. How about I take a shower, and you can wait up in your room, and I'll meet you there after I finish?" Hoseok compromised, still wanting Seren to rest.

Seren loved the thought of that, the thought of sleeping next to him and feeling protected at night for once.

However, it also made her nervous.

"Y-yeah. You wanna sleep with me?" She questioned, almost baffled.

"Yes. Can I?" Hoseok asked, his eyebrows raised in hesitation.

"You can. I was just surprised that you want to sleep next to me." She nervously laughed.

He laughed with her. "What do you mean? I always think about how it would be to sleep next to you... I hope that doesn't sound creepy."

She smiled, finding him to be absolutely adorable. "It's not creepy at all. I think about it too."

"It can happen, if I can only get myself off of you." He stared down at their touching bodies, smirking.

"Please tell me you take fast showers?" She cajoled, removing her leg from his torso.

"I will." He kissed her forehead, lifting himself from her. "I don't wanna keep you waiting." Hoseok kneeled grabbing his bag from the side of his couch.

"Here, I'll show you how the shower works." Seren mumbled, getting off the swallowing couch.

"How hard can it be? There's hot and cold, right?" Hoseok asked, following her up the stairs, trying to keep his eyes down.

She hummed, "Yeah, something like that."

☾