Evolution of a lover's heart | jjk

40

As you expected, it's around midnight when you're gently roused from your sleep by someone who you hours ago honestly thought you might never talk to again.

"Hey, we're here," Jeongguk informs softly, his large palm caressing your knee after the engine's been turned off.

You let out a small groan as you sit up straight and stretch your arms out in front of you. When you turn to him, he's already watching you. His black hair is a little messy like he's been running his hand through it a few times, and his dark eyes are big, careful yet warm.

"Stay the night? With me?" Hopeful.

Still sleepy, and with a yawn, you nod. Truth be told, after everything, you still can't even imagine unlocking your own front door and sleeping in your own cold and quiet apartment at the moment. Not if he asks you to stay with him.

Jeongguk gives a small, relieved smile.

You both get out of the car and head toward Jeongguk's building. It's silent, everything from the street in the midnight air to the air between you, but not uncomfortably so. You enter the code you know like the back of your hand, but Jeongguk is the one who opens the door, holding it for you.

He leads the way into the elevator—and when it subsequently dings at floor six—through the hallway to his door. You don't have the key anymore, anyway.

His apartment is dark, memories from the last time you walked inside resurfacing. But this time, Jeongguk reaches for the light switch and as soon as the light floods his home, you see that it has undergone some changes.

"Oh, you've... redecorated?"

"Yeah, I needed some, uh, change," he acknowledges, kicking off his shoes before breathing out a much quieter "and mostly a distraction."

After removing your own shoes, you peek your head into his kitchen and living room and then follow him into his bedroom.

"I think it looks nice," you comment.

To be honest, it does look nice, but knowing how it looked before and knowing him, the new layout looks a lot less planned and thought out. For instance, in his attempt to switch things up and move his couch and armchair around, his huge TV hangs a bit off center on the wall opposite the furniture. However, you definitely understand the feeling of needing a change.

"Eh, I wouldn't call it nice," Jeongguk scrunches his nose as he turns to open the door to his closet. "Maybe alright, but not nice. But I'll probably move it back soon, or try something else."

From the doorway, you watch him reach inside and pull out something you recognize as his pajama pants. With them in hand, he turns around.

"We're... going to bed now... right?" he asks, smiling shyly, but when you meet his eyes, you notice truly how tired and worn he looks. You suddenly feel bad for not taking turns driving.

"...Yeah," you agree softly. Although you've talked a lot tonight, there are still a ton more things unsaid and not discussed, but you don't have the energy or mental capacity to ask any questions tonight, and you don't want to keep Jeongguk up either.

Since some of your clothes are still where you left them in his closet, you quickly pick out a pair of shorts and a t-shirt to sleep in. In testament to how much you've missed the man behind you and how much you just want to be close to him, you find yourself stealing a quick glance at the white t-shirt of his hanging over the chair in the corner of his bedroom.

You haven't really worn a lot of his clothes, but god, do you want to. Goosebumps line your arms at the thought of pulling on one of his shirts, preferably one that he took off just for you. You want to feel the remnants of his body heat, his cologne, the scent of his skin and slight traces of sweat.