[1] Code: RED || KTH

Ch14: Actually A Softie

I flutter my eyes open and let out a breath, shifting in bed. I turn on my side, my eyes falling on Taehyung on the bed beside me.

I blink a few times to adjust my eyes to the darkness in the room, only realizing now how late it is. I slowly grab my phone from the bedside table to check the time, 1:12, it reads.

My eyes widen when it hits me that we've been sleeping for such a long time that it's after midnight already, and I put my phone aside, averting my gaze back to Taehyung.

There is an almost inaudible voice, and my heart skips a beat when I feel like someone else is in the room. It's definetly not Taehyung talking; I can see his eyes are closed so he's sleeping and the voice I hear is much softer than Taehyung's, which is very deep.

I slowly sit up on bed, opening my mobile's flashlight and scanning it around the dark room.

Nothing.

I shake my head. I must be imagining. But then it goes again, the low mumbles.

I get up from bed, and switch on the lamplight on the bedside table. The room is finally lit up, and I get to see every corner.

The voice stops, and as I check the bathroom, making sure it's empty, it starts again when I'm almost back to bed.

I stop in my tracks, in the small space between Taehyung's bed and mine. The voice stops and my eyes fall on the only other person with me.

I stand still, watching him sleep. His eyes are shut, and only now I realize he has beautiful long lashes. His lips are a little puffed up, making a small pout, and his cheek is pressed to the pillow he's hugging close, making his face look chubbier.

Innocent, is the word that comes to my mind when I see him like this. A literal baby. No one would guess he insults me first thing in the morning.

I stare for too long, watching his chest heave up and down with steady breaths, and when I'm about to look away, his lips part, and he lets out incoherent words.

It takes me a few seconds to process that these soft murmurs are, in fact, coming out of Taehyung's mouth, and I don't hold back from giggling when I get that he talks in his sleep.

I kneel down on the floor, and bring my face closer to his to hear what he's saying. Although it's almost impossible to figure out what he's saying, I could make out words like 'pets', 'soft', 'caress', and 'sleep'.

There were gaps in the middle, but whatever he's talking about is for sure something he wouldn't talk about when he's awake, so I stay silent and listen with no intention of waking him up.

He stops talking every few seconds, then comes out with a few sentences that I start to decipher. I sit more comfortably on the floor, my head leaning on the bed as I stare at blank space.

When Taehyung stops again for a while, I feel his breath fanning my ear and I shiver a little at our proximity, but shrug it off, knowing he's asleep.

However, when the silence stays for longer than it did before, I turn my head to him, and oh how I wish I didn't.

Our faces are very close, and what makes me gulp isn't how our noses are almost touching, but how his eyes are open, glaring at me.

From this close distance, I could very easily see how his pupils went narrower in a second, and I stumble back, clumsily standing up and falling on my bed. I crawl on top of it, and hold up the covers in defense.

Taehyung's still glaring, and he sits up on bed, his eyes on me.

"What were you doing?" He asks, his voice deep, hoarse, harsh. No way he was the same guy softly speaking a few seconds ago.

"Iㅡ Uhh... You talk in your sleep," I finally get the courage to say, and his face goes blank, the threatening look now gone.

"What?... " He trails off.

"You talk in your sleep," I repeat. "I heard you."

He blinks and looks away. "And what did you hear?"

"Nothing much, just a few words that let me know you're actually a softie," I say with a hint of teasing in my voice, and he turns to look at me again.

"Softie?" He raises an eyebrow then scoffs. "Bullsh*t."

I smirk anyway, and he looks away. I get up from bed, and walk towards him. He sends a glare and I continue, not affected whatsoever.

I stand right in front of him, my arms crossed over my chest as I smile down at him in triumph.

"Tell me, Taehyung," I say. "When was the last time you got pets?"

He raises his eyebrows. "Do I look like a dog to you?"

"All hybrids love it, don't try to convince me otherwise; I told you I know about you more than you do."

"It's none of your business."

I sigh. "Alright. What about a hug? The last time you hugged someone?"

"The last time I hugged someone I was actually inanhilating him," He says. "What are you trying to say?"

"Those guards at Daegu shelter, right?" I ask. "What did they do? Did they hurt you?"

"That's none of your business, again," He rolls his eyes, laying back on bed. "Now stop being creepy and go back to bed, filthy human."

I grin and he rolls his eyes again, muttering, "Are all humans that dumb or is it only her."

I shrug and climb back to bed even though I don't feel sleepy, but I just lay there, and a few minutes later, Taehyung is softly snoring and I chuckle.

Just how many hours a day does he sleep?