Dive // Jaeyi x Seulgi

Chapter 10

Jaeyi's fingers clenched against her knee.

She thought about the distance. The silence. The way Seulgi had turned away last night.

And before she could stop herself, she stood up.

Seulgi barely had time to react when Jaeyi reached her.

A hand on her wrist. A step forward. A breath too close.

Seulgi inhaled sharply, her back hitting the edge of the desk as Jaeyi caged her in.

"...Jaeyi—"

Jaeyi wasn't holding back this time.

She wasn't hesitating.

And Seulgi saw it.

Saw the quiet storm in her eyes—the ache, the yearning, the things Jaeyi had never learned how to say.

Seulgi parted her lips to speak, to ask, to say something—

But Jaeyi kissed her first.

A slow, searching press of lips. Like a question.

Like an apology.

Like something Jaeyi was finally allowing herself to want.

Seulgi gasped into it, her fingers curling into Jaeyi's shirt, but she didn't push away.

She didn't turn away.

Because this—this was what she'd been anticipating all along.

Jaeyi pulled back slightly, breathing unsteady, eyes dark and unreadable.

"...You never say anything," Seulgi whispered, voice trembling.

Jaeyi's lips hovered just over hers.

A second passed. Then another.

And then, so softly it almost wasn't there—

"Stay."

"Don't turn away from me again."

Seulgi felt her breath hitch.

Jaeyi's voice was quiet, but it carried the weight of everything she had never said before.

Seulgi should've been relieved. Should've felt the warmth of those words settle in her chest.

But instead—she hesitated.

Because what did stay mean to Jaeyi?

Was it for tonight? For as long as she was useful? Or was it something more?

Her fingers twitched against Jaeyi's shirt. She wanted to hold on, to believe that this meant the same thing to both of them.

"...For how long?" Seulgi whispered.

Jaeyi's brows drew together, like she didn't understand why she was even asking.

Seulgi swallowed hard. "You always disappear, Jaeyi." Her voice was quiet, but edged with something raw. "You want me to stay, but for how long? Until you decide to run again?"

Jaeyi's breath caught.

She didn't flinch. Didn't look away.

But Seulgi saw it—the way her grip tightened ever so slightly, as if she was afraid Seulgi would slip through her fingers right now.

Jaeyi didn't have the answer.

And Seulgi didn't know if she could live with that.

Her chest ached. She exhaled, slow and shaky, before resting her forehead against Jaeyi's.