Dreaming /#FebruaryJamFestival/

10. But getting to hold it lets go of the magic

Jin looked so innocent while she slept. Kwang brushed the hair from her face while enjoying the Jin that could have been if the weight of the world hadn't crashed down on her shoulders at eighteen. She was beautiful either way. Innocence had its allure, but so did maturity and grit. His Jin, because she was his now, had survived and thrived. Her ability to persevere shamed him. What had he ever had to live through? His parent's divorce? Military service? Jin's disappearance from his life?

Kwang's eyes landed on the well-healed scar on Jin's chest. Obviously done by an artist, her incision was as discrete as possible, but it was a prominent badge of honor. Someone had cracked open her chest and touched her beating heart, and she survived.

Kwang pulled Jin closer to him. She murmured her complaint at his movement but nuzzled against his chest. He wanted to protect her, but what could he protect her from? The world she traveled in was foreign to him. Her success was born from her resilience and strength.

"Go to sleep!" Jin's drowsy voice commanded. "All your thinking woke me up."

"Was I thinking too loudly?" Kwang teased as he leaned in to steal a kiss.

"So loud. I'm surprised the neighbors didn't complain," Jin answered with a sleepy smile and returned her head to his chest.

"I'll try to keep it down then," Kwang promised. He really should get some rest; he had surgeries scheduled for the following day. Jin's deep rhythmic breathing told Kwang she had fallen back asleep. This time he closed his eyes to join her, enjoying the magic of this moment.

When Kwang's alarm went off, Jin had repositioned, so her back was to him. Her body curved seductively into his, and Kwang felt himself respond to her shifting position. His alarm kept pestering him, erasing all erotic thoughts from his head. He kissed the back of Jin's neck and scooted out of bed to turn off the vibrating clock. When he got back to the bed, Jin had flipped over and was nuzzling his abandoned pillow. Kwang's lips twitched as he tucked her into his blanket. It was nice to be missed.

Jin was sitting up in bed with the blanket wrapped around her when Kwang returned from his shower.

"Wow, you look good wet," Jin announced with a wicked grin. Kwang felt his face warm and hoped he didn't look like a blushing school girl. The rest of his body responded to her as well, making him wonder if they had time for another go before work. Jin looked like she was wondering the same thing, then her phone rang. She hesitated before answering it, but the moment passed, and Kwang walked towards his dresser to get dressed.

Kwang listened as Jin made arrangements for clothes to be delivered and supplied his address when she asked.

"I could have loaned you something," Kwang offered while he slipped on his undershirt. Arms encircled his chest, and a blanket dropped over him as Jin's head lay on his back.

"Hmm, I don't think it would go over well in my meeting if I were wearing men's clothing."

"Meeting?" Kwang looked at his clock. It was barely six in the morning. Surely she would have time to go home to get dressed before any meeting.

"Nila will be by with my clothes and a car to bring us to the train station. We are supposed to have a lunch meeting in Daejeon today."

"Oh, then I guess you should shower. I can lend you something until Nila gets here."

"That would be great," Jin reached over Kwang and grabbed a t-shirt out of his drawer. "This will do for now. Are there towels in the bathroom?"

"Yes, the fresh ones are hanging next to the shower."

"Great, see you soon."

"Okay, I'll go start breakfast. Is tea okay?"

"I don't drink caffeine, so anything herbal will be fine, or just water," Jin answered as she disappeared into the bathroom. Kwang shook his head as he tried to imagine life without caffeine. Alcohol, he could live without, but his favorite stimulant, never!