The Stockholm Syndrome

Through Insecurities...

"Sohyun-ah?", Yeri called out to Sohyun who was staring at the dark sky through the window.

"Huh?", startled, Sohyun responded.

"People are already sending in congratulatory messages on your discharge... but you're still in the hospital room", Yeri reminded her while dragging the trolley bag away.

"I'm coming...", Sohyun said while making her way out of the room.

After checking out of the hospital, they were picked up in a car. While the manager drove the car, Sohyun and Yeri took the backseat with the luggage between them. The dark night sky, the faint street lights and the bright stop lights never managed to get Sohyun's attention.

The phone call fiasco that occurred hours ago kept Yeri's mouth shut through the entire 1-hour travel back home. And Sohyun stared into the blank space, with her consciousness fully dedicated to the phone that was held tightly in her hand. As they approached the destination, routine roads and familiar sights passed by her; by the time their car reached, the entire city silenced. Carrying the luggage on their own, Yeri and Sohyun got down and thanked the manager. "We'll manage with the luggage... you need to hurry home, the entire city is almost asleep!", Sohyun assured before sending off her manager. The weight of the luggage and the staircase in the patio demanded her strength and steady mind. The stable consciousness of her memory replayed a familiar sight that passed by her just a moment ago in the car around the street corner. When the luggage managed to enter the house, Sohyun took off in a different direction. Seeing Sohyun running away, Yeri who just took off her shoes, retracted and went after her. Worried about Sohyun's condition, Yeri just took off without grabbing her phone.

Lifting her long skirt in one hand, Sohyun ran through the street as her eyes wandered every corner of the alley. Sohyun stopped at a few meters' distance upon catching a familiar silhouette of a person, with his face covered in mask and hair under a cap.

Taehyung.

He waited behind a tree beside a lamp post to catch a glimpse of her condition and leave without a word. But when she saw through his camouflage and came for him, he was rendered speechless. He walked onto the road under the street light revealing himself before her.

The distance between them never vanished as they stood motionless. When their eyes met, the world came to still. There were no tears, no words, not a silence but just the pounding of their hearts and breathlessness from running.

The night was cold, but the buried emotions burned them. The words that struck his throat brought him pain.

Sohyun never closed the space between them. Forgetting the tunes of time, she stood puzzled, holding her skirt still, at the incomprehensible sensation that surged at the sight of him.

She waited for the words to take her insecurity away; he waited for her assurance to stay by his side. In the moment where the distance should be closed, they waited never taking a step closer.

They crossed miles and walked on the cold streets just to see each other... but inexplicable hesitation and the undefined expectations stopped them at just few steps away.

With a faint sad smile in the corner of his lips, he outstretched his arms for her embrace; defining his expectation; for her forgiveness, for her warmth and... for her love. Though he extended his arms, his eyes bore the fear of rejection and every second that went by while waiting for her took his breath away. Because it will take only a fraction of second to take a step back, but it will consume his lifetime to digest the rejection.

Sohyun's eyes that stared at his outstretched arms; the eyes that looked at him clearly, suddenly blurred in its vision with tears. The dammed-up anger, frustration, anxiety and pain transformed into tears.