✓ IF YOU STAY | HEESEUNG

8 - Those Eyes

"H-hey, Harin," Heeseung muttered while fixing his shirt. He seemed stressed and nervous, and the sight of Rose there made him afraid of what could happen.

"Oh, there he is." Harin smiled, pushing Rose's wheelchair closer to Heeseung. "Are you busy? I need you to do us a favor."

"I... well, I'm not." The way his hand couldn't leave the back of his neck gave away how nervous he was feeling. "Do you need anything?"

"Rose has an exhibition the next week and I want her to wear one of your dresses. You know, it's a very special day for us... can you do it?"

"In a week?" He repeated, his eyebrows furrowing. Harin looked at him with desperate eyes but that wasn't what caught his attention. It was the look in Rose's eyes. "I guess I... can?"

"Heeseung, you're seriously the best." Harin's words made him smile a little as he stole a glance at Rose. "I promise I'll make you your favorite ramen if you manage to do it. I know you will, anyways."

"That's a good deal." He chuckled and Rose looked away. She could see him glancing at her and she knew he was wondering if she told Harin about him or not. She wouldn't, not when he rejected her and made it clear that he couldn't love her.

"I think-" She started, wanting to just refuse Harin's offer because it would make both of them awkward and embarrassed, but he smiled at her.

"Congratulations." She could tell it was genuine, his eyes held some softness she couldn't describe. As if it was always there and she just never managed t see it.

"Thank you." 

"Rose, is it okay if you stay with Heeseung while I do some grocery shopping? He'll need to take your measurements, anyways." Harin said, staring at the two of them as they looked at each other with wide eyes. "I'll come back so we can go back home together."

"I don't think-" No. Please, no. 

"I'll be quick, okay?" Harin said as she stood at the door. "Heeseung, I believe that you'll do a great job."

"Yes." He nodded, slowly resting his hands on the wheelchair handles. Then before the two of them knew it, Harin was out of the store, leaving them alone in awkward silence. "So..."

"Sorry about... this whole situation." She muttered, fidgeting with her fingers as she looked down. "I didn't know Harin would-"

"It's okay." His hands detached from the handles and he sighed. "You're here as a customer. Let me just get the measuring tape."

Rose just stared at him as he walked to the backroom before he came back to her, holding a notebook and a pen in one hand and the measuring tape in the other. Her eyebrows furrowed when she spotted blood on his sleeve. 

"Did you get hurt?" She asked, genuinely worried, but he looked at her in confusion. "Your sleeve..."

He looked down at his sleeve only to see a splatter of blood that he quickly hid. "I... no. I had a nosebleed."

"Ah..."

"I haven't been getting much sleep lately, so..." He added, looking into her eyes and searching for a hint of something. 

"Oh." Rose just nodded and looked away. It was understandable, she couldn't sleep much either and it was because of him.

"Can I...?" He kneeled down, resting his hand against her leg as she widened her eyes. "I'll take your measurements."

With that, the look on his face changed as he focused on her. His hands traveled from her legs to her waist and his eyes locked with hers as he looked up. She felt the world stop when she realized how close his lips were to hers, and she could see them slightly part before he cleared his throat and looked away.

"Sorry." He muttered, eyes fluttering.

"It's quite hard to get my measurements when I'm like this..." She said, feeling sorry and bad, but he shook his head.

"No, it's okay. I..." He stood up and looked between Rose and the wall behind her. "I think I have an idea. Come on, I'll help you stand up."

"What?" Her eyes widened. "Are you crazy? I can't-"

"Just trust me, I'll hold you." He extended his arms, staring at her and waiting for her to let him hold her. 

"I..." Rose looked away and nodded hesitantly. Then before she knew it, his hands rested on her waist as he lifted her from her wheelchair and helped her stand up against the wall.

"Hold the handles." He said and she gulped, resting her hands on the wheelchair's handles as her heart raced inside her chest. Then she felt him let go of her and there she was, standing as she leaned against the wall and held into the handles. 

"Oh..." Her eyes started glistening as she looked down at her legs. 

"See?" He smiled, taking the measurement tape again. "Now let me just..."

Rose stared at him as he measured her height, kneeling right in front of her as he looked up from time to time and smiled. It made her realize that he really saw her as a customer, nothing more, nothing less.

He seemed like someone else. She didn't know how much his smile made him so charming and beautiful. After all, she never really saw. That genuine smile of his gave away his passion and love for what he does.

"We're done," He muttered and before she knew it, he placed his arm under her legs and carried her in his arms. 

"What-" Rose's eyes widened as she let out a gasp, her hands going around his neck as she held onto him.

"I'll help you sit over there." He said and pointed with his head at the couch in the corner of the place. "You'll be more comfortable there."

"T-thank you." She muttered after he helped her sit on the couch and he just smiled a little. It seemed to Rose that he was so different, not hesitant or distant. "Do you work... alone?" She asked in an attempt to lighten the mood.

"Well, yes." His hand went to the back of his neck, a gesture that he usually did whenever he was nervous. "I have a whole big team back in Seoul, but here, it's just me."

"Ah... I see." 

"Yeah." For a moment, there was silence as he wrote in his notebook. "Do you have any idea about how you want the dress to turn out? The color, the length, the neckline... you have a nice body, so any type of dress will suit you just r-"

Heeseung looked back at her with wide eyes when he realized what he said, only to see her flushed. "I..."

"Sorry. I g-got carried away." He sighed, looking back at his notebook. "So-"

"I want a dress that will make my soulmate fall in love with me." Her words made him freeze for a moment as he refused to look back at her. He couldn't look at her.

"I..." He gulped. "I think it would be best if you-"

"Heeseung." She called and he stopped.

"Yes?"

"Please come to my exhibition." He slowly raised his head to finally look at her, and the way her eyes were so soft and desperate made his heart race inside his chest. "I'll be waiting for you."