The afternoon sunlight spilled softly across the marble floors of Suho's study, glinting against his laptop screen as he sat through yet another online meeting. The voices of board members droned faintly through his earphones, graphs, numbers, and quarterly plans that usually held his focus, but today, his attention was miles away.
A sudden movement outside the glass wall caught his eye.
He turned slightly, and for a moment, the world outside the meeting froze him in place.
There she was, Hauen.
In the small garden below, she was watering the plants, moving quietly between the rows of flowerpots that lined the terrace. The soft yellow of her dress glowed under the afternoon light, and the pale sweater loosely hanging from her shoulders made her look… gentle, almost unreal. Her hair was tied back, a few loose strands brushing her face whenever the breeze passed.
She wasn't smiling, not really. Just focused, delicately adjusting the water pressure, leaning in to touch a leaf that had bent under the spray. She looked… peaceful.
His heart raced without warning.
The voice in his earphones called his name, but he didn't respond. His gaze stayed fixed on her, the way sunlight kissed her hair, the way her lips curved unconsciously when she noticed a new flower blooming. Something stirred inside him, soft and quiet, like the first ripple on calm water.
Why does she look so... different today? he wondered.
He told himself it was nothing new; he'd seen her dozens of times, in countless moments far more intimate than this. When she'd pressed cold cloths to his forehead during a fever. When she'd helped him walk, her hand steadied his trembling body. When she'd scolded him for skipping exercises, her eyes were fierce and caring all at once.
But this, this felt different.
His heart was racing, and he didn't understand this feeling completely.
The sound of his own name jolted him back. "Mr. Kim?"
He blinked, straightened his posture. "Ah.., yes, I'm here." He adjusted his mic, eyes darting away from the window as if caught doing something forbidden.
The meeting continued. Words flew by, profits, clients, deadlines, but none of it registered. His mind was still outside, where sunlight tangled with her hair.
After the call ended, he leaned back in his chair, pulling the earphones from his ears. Silence filled the room, except for the faint sound of the air conditioner.
He turned again, unable to resist.
She was still there, now crouched down, carefully trimming a dry stem, talking something, maybe with the plants? or butterflies? Her sleeves had slipped back, revealing the slim curve of her wrist, wet from the water spray.
His chest ached strangely.
What's happening to me…? he thought.
It wasn't supposed to be like this. They were nearing the end of their contract. Just a few more days and she'd leave. That's what they both knew, what they both had silently agreed upon. He had no right to feel anything, not this pull in his chest, not this warmth rising uninvited in his heart.
He took a deep breath, running a hand through his hair, trying to push away the thought.
Maybe it's just… gratitude, he told himself. She's been there with him through everything. Anyone would feel attached after all this time.
But deep down, he knew gratitude didn't make your pulse quicken when you saw someone laugh. Gratitude didn't make you forget how to breathe for a moment.
He looked at her one last time before turning back to his desk.
She tilted her face toward the sky for a brief second, closing her eyes as the breeze brushed against her. The corners of her lips lifted slightly, and the sight carved something fragile and beautiful into his chest.
Suho closed his eyes, trying to steady the storm inside him. Because he wasn't just afraid of losing her. He was afraid of admitting why the thought of losing her hurt so much.
Two days before the contract ends
The house was quieter that night.Even the wind outside moved softly, as if it didn't want to disturb the silence that had settled between them since dinner.
Suho sat in his study for a long time after dinner, staring blankly at the same line on the screen that he'd been trying to read for fifteen minutes. His thoughts kept circling back to the same thing: two days left.
Two days, and she'd be gone.
He leaned back, closing his eyes. Something inside him twisted painfully at that thought, something he couldn't name, Something he is confused about, something that both frightened and warmed him.
Unable to stay still, he stood up and walked towards her room. Her door was slightly open, and the soft sound of clothes rustling inside. He hesitated for a moment, his hand hovering near the doorframe.
Through the small gap, he saw her, Hauen, kneeling beside an open suitcase on the bed, carefully folding her clothes. Her hair fell loose across her shoulder, and her expression was calm, almost too calm.
For a moment, he just stood there, watching. His chest ached quietly, a strange pain.It hit him then, the space she filled in his life, in his home, in his every routine. He had gotten used to her voice echoing through the halls, her laughter lighting up dull mornings, her quiet presence beside him when things got hard.And now… she was leaving.
He blinked rapidly, forcing the sting in his eyes to go away. Then he knocked on her door, softly.
"Come in," she said, without turning.
He stepped inside. The faint scent of her perfume lingered in the air, warm, soft, familiar.
"Why are you packing already?" he asked quietly.
She looked up at him with a small smile. "Just preparing. I can't pack everything in one night before, so I started now. Just two days left."
Two days. Her casual tone stabbed at something fragile inside him.His hands clenched slightly by his side.
"Why are you standing there? Sit," she said gently.
He nodded and moved closer, sitting at the edge of her bed. He tried to sound normal, but his voice came out softer than usual. "You said… you'll stay until I recover fully."
Her hands paused mid-fold.
"I will, Suho. I'll be around, I'm not disappearing," she said, smiling lightly. "I'm just going back home. The contract will end, and this marriage… will end."
He swallowed. That word, end, hit him harder than it should have.He looked down to hide the emotion burning in his eyes. "Which means… you'll leave in two days?"
"Kind of."
He couldn't look at her anymore. His gaze dropped to the floor, and the next words slipped out before he could stop them. "I'm going to miss you like hell."
Her eyes softened. She went up to him and sat beside him, her presence warm and steady. Gently, she reached out and held his hands.
"Don't miss me too much," she said softly. "And why would you miss me? I'll be right here in the same city. You can call me whenever you want, and we can hang out whenever you want. I'll be there for you, okay?"
Her voice was light, comforting, but he heard the tremor in it. He looked up, meeting her eyes for a fleeting second. his eyes begged her to stay. His heart screamed for him to say Don't go. Stay. Please stay.
but he couldn't. His legs trembled, his chest tightened, and the words stuck in his throat. A fear held him back, fear that if he confessed what his heart was slowly realizing, he might lose her forever. So he swallowed his feelings and forced a small smile.
But she noticed the tremor in his hands, the heaviness in his breath, the way his voice faltered. She could sense something different, though she didn't push. Because part of her was afraid too, afraid that if she asked what he truly felt, she'd break whatever fragile peace they had left.
But deep down, she wanted him to stop her, to say Don't go, Hauena.
But he didn't.
She smiled instead, cupping his cheeks gently."I'll come to every doctor's appointment, alright? And we still need to find out who tried to harm you. I'm not going far."
He nodded wordlessly.
"Promise me you'll be available whenever I miss you," he murmured.
She smiled, trying to lighten the air again. "Of course, my teddy bear," she teased, squeezing his cheeks playfully.
He chuckled faintly, the sound easing the ache in his chest for a moment.
"Aren't you sleepy yet?" she asked.
He shook his head. "No. I just… wanted to give you something. And I—" he paused, then added in a low voice, "I missed you already."
Her eyes softened again. "What is it?" she asked.
He reached into his pocket, pulling out a small velvet box, and handed it to her. "Just… something small."
She opened it, and her face lit up. Inside lay a delicate gold chain with a simple pendant that shimmered softly under the room light.
"Wow," she smiled, eyes wide. "It's beautiful. Thank you, Teddy."
His lips curved. "I'm glad you like it. I wasn't sure what kind of jewelry you prefer."
She looked up, her expression warm. "This is one of the best gifts I've ever received."
That made him smile wider, a quiet, manly pride blooming across his face.
"Wear it," he said softly.
She nodded and reached for the clasp, but before she could, he stopped her. "Let me."
She hesitated, then nodded and turned around, her back facing him. He gently moved her hair to one side, exposing the curve of her neck. His heart started to race. Her scent, her soft hair brushing his fingers, a small mole near the edge of her nape caught his eye, and something about it made his pulse race, his throat go dry.
He swallowed hard, fingers trembling.
What are you doing, Suho? his mind scolded him. He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself, and carefully hooked the necklace in place.
"Done?" she asked softly.
He blinked, snapping out of his daze. "Uh..., yeah. Done."
She turned to face him, the pendant now resting perfectly against her collarbone. "How is it?"
His gaze lingered there for a moment longer than it should have. Then, with a small smile, he said quietly, "It looks beautiful on you."
She smiled back. "Thank you, teddy bear."
"It's nothing compared to what you've done for me," he murmured.
"Don't start again, Suho," she said, narrowing her eyes playfully. "Or I'll make you run a marathon right now."
He laughed softly. "I'm ready to run a marathon… if it's for you."
Her heart skipped a beat. She blinked, caught off guard, as he looked away with an awkward smile.
"I mean—" he stammered, scratching his neck, "you're my best friend. I should at least be willing to do that much."
She smiled faintly, looking down, her heart oddly warm. but his words lingered in her heart like something out of a fairy tale.
You're worth running a marathon for, Hauena, he thought silently to himself.
Just like that, time passed quietly as she packed her things. They talked about everything, random memories, jokes, future plans, everything except what their hearts were truly aching to say. Both of them were afraid… afraid that one confession might break the fragile bond they'd built, or worse, make them lose each other forever.