An Old Friend ✔️

EIGHT

The question hung in the air, humid and suffocating. He didn't look away from me once, but his hand moved from my body to take hold of my face. His hands were strong and soft, and he held me so gently it made me close my eyes.

I was able to stop the tears from falling, and with the helps of his thumbs, my face was even dry.

"Please look at me."

His voice was calm and low, but I tightened them shut even more.

I can't lie to him.

I can't say 'no.'

I just can't.

"Please, Jin let me change my shoes." I whispered. I felt pathetic and desperate to get out of this situation and it was the only life line I had.

At least that's what I thought.

Suddenly his hands were off my face and hooking behind the back of my thighs. I let out a surprised 'yelp' as he brought me up into his arms. I wrapped my own around his neck and held on as he turned us and plopped me down on the table. Without saying a word, he fell to his knees and started to unbuckle my heals from my feet.

"What are you doing?" I asked a little out of breath.

"If your damn heels are cutting off the circulation of blood to your brain then I'm taking them off."

I wanted to laugh.

In any other situation that would have been funny.

He got one off and moved to the other and I tried to pull my foot away form him. "Jin, I can-"

But he jerked my foot back to a comfortable height for him to finish taking them off. Once he threw it across the room he looked up and stood tall so that we were eye level and he shamelessly spread my legs open so he could stand comfortably between them. I let out a small gasp at his forcefulness, it turning me on in the same instant.

Secretly.

He cupped my face with both his hands again making me look right at him. His expression was serious making me gulp with a dry throat.

"Do your feet feel better?" I nodded. "Good, then I'll ask you again; Do you still love me?"

"It's been 8 years Jin."

"That isn't an answer."

I let out a sigh and closed my eyes again. "Does it matter?"

"It matters very much Noona- open your eyes."

I did as he demanded. His voice was strong but soothing all at once. I could read him now. He was anxious, scared maybe. I raised my hands to take hold of his wrists tightly.

Here goes nothing.

It was like a rush of relief.

Like a weight lifted off my shoulders as the word rolled off my tongue.

I was never ashamed of it.

I was never ashamed of the facts.

They just scared me.

But right now, as I said the word, there was no fear.

"Yes." I said with a bold, steady voice.

His eyes searched mine and for a moment, I was at peace. I had finally told him that I loved him.

This was a weird time to do it.

Weird place.

Weird circumstances.