Confident || Changbin

Healing

I'm free to go after I get the all-clear on my CT scan. No fractures, no bleeding. I'm to rest and take ibuprofen as needed. A concussion will heal on its own over time.

Changbin walks by my side until we make our way outside of the hospital, where he greets a man getting out of a black BMW. The man hands Changbin a set of keys before he gets into another vehicle that drives away.

"Come on." He guides me to the BMW.

"Why did you rent a car in New York?"

"I'm not making you take the train after what happened." He answers simply.

I don't understand his logic but I'm too tired to argue with him, so I let him open the passenger side door for me and I get inside.

As Changbin checks the mirrors and pulls away from the hospital, I realize that I've never seen him drive before. He looks authoritative in the driver's seat, and I find myself happy to be following his lead.

Damn it, why does he look so attractive doing the simplest of things?!

"Where are we going?" I speak up to break my train of thought.

"I'm taking you home, so you can finally get some sleep."

As expected, driving in the middle of the city takes some time. I'm lost in my head, caught up in Dylan and Changbin and my future. The silence in the car is deafening, so I vocalize one of my thoughts.

"Earlier...during your phone call with JYP, you called me your girlfriend."

I'm not sure if it's more of a question or a statement, but my obvious hesitation of the word has upset Changbin.

"I know I fucked up." He clenches his jaw, grips the steering wheel, and looks straight ahead. "But my feelings haven't changed."

Maybe I shouldn't have asked him to hold me when I'm not so sure about my feelings.

We remain quiet for the rest of the car ride, due to a mixture of confusion and exhaustion. When we pull up to my apartment building, an unexpected wave of anxiety hits me and suddenly my stomach is in knots.

"Changbin..." I whisper.

"What is it?" He looks at me, concerned.

"I can't stay here. Not yet."

He seems to understand right away and pulls out his cell phone. After a few quick clicks, he pays for something using a credit card.

"How does a suite at Park Hyatt sound? You can stay as long as you need to."

"Sounds expensive." I mutter.

He reaches over and puts his hand on the back of my head. "Let me worry about that. Should we go get you some clothes?"

I shake my head adamantly. "I don't want to go in."

"Okay." He takes off his seat belt and opens the car door. "Tell me what to grab and I'll be as quick as possible."

"My suitcase should be in my bedroom. I haven't even unpacked yet."

He steps out of the car, but leans in to look at me before heading inside. "Do you want Mila to take you to the hotel? Will you be more comfortable with her?"

This man. He's working overtime to make sure I have what I need. It's probably not fair to him considering my uncertainty about us, but I shake my head even harder than before.

"No. I want to stay with you."

I think I see a faint, involuntary smile on his lips before he turns to head inside. He hits a button on the key fob and the doors to the car click simultaneously, locking me inside. After just a few minutes, he reappears with my suitcase in hand. He places it in the trunk of the car before sliding back into the driver's seat, his face frozen with what looks like fear.