seo minwoo.

@ahn minhee. minwoo chuckled at minhee's playful response, her words like a refreshing breeze on a warm morning. he appreciated her light-hearted banter, and he couldn't help but feel a sense of comfort in her presence, even after all these years.

as minhee's arm curled around his waist, minwoo's heart did a subtle somersault. her lips grazing his arm sent a pleasant shiver down his spine, and her whispered words left a trace of warmth that lingered even after she pulled away. "well, the arm is just fine, but later I'll might ask the kiss somewhere else. " he replied with a smirk, looking down at her with a teasing glint in his eye.

he watched as minhee made herself at home, searching for utensils and arranging the table. it was moments like these that made him realize how comfortable he was around her, how effortlessly they fell into a rhythm even after the years of separation.

while he prepared the breakfast, minwoo couldn't help but smile at her deadpan remark about apologies and a massage. he placed a plate of food in front of her and then took a seat across from her, pouring himself a glass of juice. "apologies and a massage, huh?" he mused. "I suppose I could manage that after breakfast. It's the least I can do for making you walk around so much earlier."

he took a bite of his food, savoring the flavors, and then looked at minhee. "you know," he began, his tone softer, "I'm glad we reconnected. it's been too long, and I've missed having you around." his words were genuine, and he hoped she could sense the sincerity in his voice.

they shared a history, a connection that ran deeper than just colleagues or friends, and it was moments like these, over breakfast, that reminded him of what they once had and what they might still discover together.

minwoo couldn't deny that what he felt for minhee was unlike anything he had experienced with other women. there was something about her that had always drawn him in, even during the years they lost contact. it was as if there was a magnetic pull between them, an undeniable connection that had only grown stronger with time.

as he looked at minhee, he couldn't help but admit, even to himself, that he was still uncertain about what his feelings meant for them. it was a complicated situation, their history filled with its own ups and downs. but being here with her now, sharing this intimate breakfast, just felt right.

@seo minwoo. secure. safe. warm. minhee rarely has been showered with such the past few years; compensated when exposed to earthly urges she has the need to constantly feed, a temporary fire quickly fades the moment she untangles herself off of another stranger's bed. a cycle that she finds a struggle with breaking over time, and in turn, she takes every withered roseate petals and disguised flames to be able to have /something/ for the day.

little does minhee know, something so mundane as breakfast in a room they share as of the moment gives her /that/ something she's looking for.

a quick stare down on her figure and she smiles, letting herself believe. a small, albeit confident, "thank you so much" tumbles immediately — checking herself with utmost joy until it simmers and leaves marks on her cheek in bright red. she doesn't allow herself to succumb into embarrassment, however, that her lips jut out in a quick pout in retaliation. "i still feel bad. it's a good feeling, by the way! something i can use an excuse to buy you something identical. something matching, like the other students say. …that would be cute, yeah."

words nothing but a sputter once it reaches on her tongue, shoved on the back of once minwoo's query reaches on the darkest corners of her head. there is no hidden malice in his words, a card laid out for a chance of a rather lighthearted banter — yet minhee still has a hard time picking among what cards she has in her arsenal as a reply. if still under the protection on her teenager skin, minhee would have no doubts on flirting back; let the bite hit harder than her bark in a blink. not in this day and age, (un)fortunately, not when she's a couple of heartbeat away to pass out in front of him.

granted, they have known each other for years she can count with both fingers. and, even if there's a short period of nothingness between both ends of their line, minhee should've gotten used to this: used to how he's carefree, how his playfulness is innate to him, how he carries himself in such confidence she have never seen on anyone else before. then again, some puzzle pieces are left hidden for a reason.

unsure on what card to pick, blindly entrusting how she will react, minhee curls her arm around minwoo's waist as carefully as she can — and squeezes to (briefly) distract the man from the fact that her lips brush on his bare arm as appreciation. "i can't reach your forehead just yet, so i hope one on the arm is as good." she managed to whisper on minwoo's skin, allowing herself to feel, before she pulled away with a pat on his side.

ever so stubborn, minhee stands on her ground as silently as she can despite minwoo's request for what seems like an eternity. not that she doesn't want to; she enjoys being a guest and being pampered early in the morning by the person she deeply trusts — then again, she is in his own space and home. a little something she can do to not let overthinking eat her up when she makes herself more comfortable. whilst minwoo is whipping up something for the both of them, minhee then — rather robotically — scans on his cupboards to look for utensils. clean set of kitchenware for two sit on his table, arranged neatly, a jug of water and a bottle of juice in the middle as unsure what his preference of drink was during the first meal of the day. even such small detail, she feels proud of herself doing so.

once settled on her seat, thumbs twiddled and stomach asking for a twinge of attention with every whiff of what minwoo is preparing for them, minhee musters up the courage to break the ice — intrusive thoughts winning over her filter without much realization (and even if her tone's similar to a deadpan, it is genuine). "will you be doing anything after? i mean, i could use a couple of apologies and a massage once breakfast is done. my legs are killing me, if you just know."

@ahn minhee. "it's alright, precious," minwoo replied, his voice gentle and reassuring, accompanied by a warm smile that softened his features. "you really don't need to worry about the shirt. I've got plenty of them, and you can keep that one if you like."

As minhee stood closer, minwoo felt a delightful shiver of excitement brush against his skin. (she looks even ier wearing my shirt), he thought, a subtle grin tugging at the corners of his lips. he held back the comment, not wanting to make things awkward.

"actually," he continued, his tone slightly playful, "I think you look great in it. maybe even better than I do." his eyes met hers briefly before he shifted his attention to the task at hand. "and don't trouble yourself with returning it. consider it a gift, a small memory of last night."

when minhee offered help and mentioned his headache, he chuckled softly at her thoughtfulness. "a morning kiss would be the perfect remedy for a headache, don't you think?" he suggested, a mischievous glint in his eyes. he playfully jutted out his lips in a mock-pout before letting out a genuine laugh. internally, he marveled at her beauty and how at ease he felt around her.

"but really, you being here is more than enough," he added with a touch of sincerity, his gaze locked onto hers for a fleeting moment that felt like an eternity.

with a more serious expression, he gestured toward the chair. "please, have a seat, minhee. and I hope it's not hurt that much," he said, his voice lowering slightly. his eyes danced with the memories of their intense night together, a shared secret that made his heart race. he admired the strength she showed, both physically and emotionally, and couldn't help but feel a deeper connection to her.

@seo minwoo. everything feels like a dream. a fleeting moment of serenity towards something — a guilty pleasure, a forgotten life clattering the cages beneath her skin to make its presence known; a puzzle piece with colours a complete contrast to the scenery she is actively working with, yet fits perfectly amidst the chaos it will bring to the whole picture. a calm before the distant storm; storm not detected upon waiting for so long.

despite the unfamiliarity, everything feels warm and comfortable and right. minhee loves to bask in this feeling.

her cheeks immediately scrunches at the electrifying touch on her cheek, an alarm foreign all of her life. her inability to be able to see her surroundings immediately causes her to wince once again, face scrunched as the light greets her already blurry vision a merry morning with full enthusiasm.

the heat that gives comfort to minhee's bare shoulders follows along minwoo when he leaves his nestled part of the mattress; ice sharp and relentless on washing away any evidence of his skin on hers. this prompts the lady to chase the only thing that is familiar right now, such speed prompts a combination of a heavy weight sitting on the top of her head and her vision getting a little more blurry than usual. letting the blood rush on all places that feel ache and dull, she lets herself get lulled on remnants of warmth and scent that are not hers even for a little while. until she can still feel. until it's now stored in her head as an important memory.

minhee, despite being all too familiar with this routine, has never been so shy being put in the same situation after so long. for one, she was never the one to stay until daylight; excusing herself upon feeling her partner's body relax with slumber. it's a distant memory worming into her consciousness after blocking it for so long, embarrassment and shame soon making a home on her stomach in a rather unfamiliar churn. it probably is the amount of alcohol she consumed last night. her headache seconds the motion. she should control herself by next time.

once the ache completely and unapologetically settles in — a reminder of the bits and pieces of what went down during moonlight bleeds on her cheeks, her scattered clothing testimony of her trip to minwoo's place — minhee drags herself to his bathroom, taking her time with washing up and making herself presentable. with a mental promise of washing up a big shirt she found in the man's wardrobe before returning it back, she also takes her time with chucking their dirty clothes in the washer; she keeps the bed nice and tidy and ask minwoo about it later.

minhee quickly beelines to the kitchen, both hands glued to her side as she do so. "good morning. i'm sorry about this shirt but i'll wash this one before i give it back to you." her greeting is small, unsure, genuine nonetheless. a little bit restless, she stands closer to his side but not too close to disturb him on what he's preparing — a couple of heartbeat she needed before speaking up once again. "is there anything else that i can help you with, by the way? or do you want something to drink to help wash away your headache?"

@ahn minhee. as the soft rays of the morning sun began to filter through the curtains, a faint groan escaped from minwoo's lips. he blinked his eyes open, wincing slightly at the throbbing headache that was slowly making its presence known. as his gaze adjusted to the sunlight, he turned his head, and his heart skipped a beat at the sight next to him.

there, nestled amidst the tangled sheets and discarded clothes, lay minhee, her chest rising and falling gently with each serene breath. a soft smile tugged at the corners of his lips as he watched her peaceful slumber. memories of the previous night danced in his mind, the laughter, the shared kisses , the music, and the undeniable connection they shared after all this time.

reaching out, minwoo brushed a few strands of hair away from minhee's face, his fingers lingering as he traced the outline of her cheek. her beauty was captivating, even in the simplicity of sleep. He couldn't help but chuckle softly, his voice barely a whisper in the quiet room.

"good morning, princess," he murmured affectionately, his thumb grazing her cheek. "time to wake up and take a shower. I'll go whip up some breakfast for us."

with a gentle pinch to her cheek, he leaned in and pressed a featherlight kiss to her forehead before carefully untangling himself from the sheets. As he stood, he glanced back at her once more, a fondness in his gaze that spoke volumes of their rekindled connection.