They sat on a quiet bench nearby, the streetlights painting soft halos around them.
She reached out first, wiping the tears that still slipped down his cheeks, stubborn and slow, as if they had memorized the way. Then she took the edge of her scarf and gently pressed it to his nose.
He let her.
His head hung low, shoulders slumped. His nose was red, his face flushed from the storm he had just survived. His eyes were bloodshot, swollen, shining with leftover ache. His hair was a mess, strands falling untamed across his forehead.
She brushed his hair aside carefully, fingers tender, then wrapped her scarf around his neck, shielding him from the cold night air.
He stayed silent.
Just breathing. Just sniffling once more, trying unsuccessfully to stop his running nose. His lips trembled faintly, betraying how close he still was to falling apart again.
He had so many questions.
Too many.
But right now, none of them could find their way to his tongue. His thoughts were tangled, dissolving one after another. All he could do was exist in her presence, like a child who had finally found his way home.
Right now, he looked painfully adorable.
She studied him for a moment, and a small smile crept onto her lips.
Again, he tried to wipe his nose, embarrassed, annoyed, failing miserably.
She chuckled softly and wiped it for him, using the scarf already wrapped around his neck.
He didn't protest.
She smiled wider, leaned in, and kissed the tip of his nose.
He still didn't look at her.
She cupped his cheeks gently, thumbs warm against his cold skin, lifting his face until he had no choice but to look at her. His gaze tried to slip away, stubborn even now.
"Why aren't you talking, Teddy?" she asked softly, her voice barely louder than the night.
He sniffed again, wiping his nose with her scarf like a sulking child.
Her lips curved in quiet fondness. "Are you mad, Teddy?" she asked again, bending slightly to catch his eyes.
This time, he looked.
His bloodshot eyes met hers at last. Raw and unguarded. And the moment they did, his lips began to tremble again, emotion crashing back like a broken dam. His eyes filled instantly.
Her heart clenched.
She didn't wait.
She pulled him into her arms, tight and protective, as if she could shield him from every hurt he had carried alone. He wrapped his arms around her immediately, burying his face against her shoulder, holding her like he was terrified she might disappear again.
"I hate you," he burst out, voice cracking, muffled against her shoulder. "How can you run away like that?"
His words poured out, messy and unfiltered.
"And who was that man who called me and told me to come here? Where were you all these months? Who was that person? Why didn't you contact me if you were fine?" He pulled back just enough to look at her, eyes burning. "I searched for you all over Korea, and you were here? Why did you run away, Hauena...?"
His voice rose, breaking with every sentence.
"I would have proved your innocence in court. I would have gotten you out of all the accusations. But you left," he said, sounding exactly like a wounded child. "When I woke up… you were gone. Why did you do that?"
She felt her chest ache with every word.
"I knew you were innocent," he continued, voice trembling. "I knew something was wrong. Everyone told me you were a traitor, but my heart didn't believe them. Because I know you. You don't do things like that. I trusted you."
His breath shook.
"I knew you were still my angel," he whispered. "But before I could prove you innocent… You left. Do you know how much trouble that caused?"
"I almost lost you forever," he said, his voice breaking. "Haraboji forced me to marry Yerin. I've been carrying her emotions while slowly dying inside myself."
His eyes burned with pain.
"I was abandoned. Every day I was fighting just to hold on to you, to keep you alive in my heart."He swallowed hard. "Do you even know what your parents went through? If you hadn't disappeared, this chaos would never have happened."
His voice cracked. "Do you realize how lonely I was? How helpless? Do you know how much Bora missed you? Did you ever think about how I would survive without you?"
Tears spilled freely now.
"You promised me you'd never leave," he sobbed. "Then how could you leave your Teddy bear just like that?"
Silence fell between them.
Then, softly—
"I didn't run away, Suho."
He froze.
Slowly, he pulled back and looked at her. "What…?" His breath caught. "What do you mean?"
Her eyes were glossy, filled with tears she had been holding back for too long.
"I was kidnapped," she said quietly. "And they showed the world a version of me that didn't exist. They made it look like I was a coward. A traitor. Someone who ran away."
His heart shook violently at the truth.
"Who did that?" he asked, fury igniting instantly, his soft eyes hardening with fire.
She smiled faintly at the sudden shift, at how her fluffy, gentle teddy could turn fierce in a second for her.
She cupped his cheeks, grounding him.
"I'll tell you everything," she said softly. "But please… stay soft for now." Her thumb brushed his cheek. "I missed my soft, caring, fluffy Teddy bear."
His shoulders slowly relaxed. The fire dimmed, replaced by ache and relief and love so deep it hurt.
He pulled her into his arms again, holding her tightly, protectively. He kissed the top of her head, hiding her against his chest as if the world no longer deserved to see her.
"I love you," he murmured.
"I love you too," she whispered, wrapping her arms around his waist.
They stayed like that, wrapped in silence, warmth, and relief.
Until a voice cut through the night.
"If your crying episode is over," it said lightly, "shall we proceed further?"
Both of them stiffened instantly.
Suho's grip tightened around her protectively as he looked up, eyes sharp now, scanning the shadows beyond the golden streetlight.
Slow footsteps echoed closer.
"And don't worry," the voice continued smoothly. "I kept my promise. I brought your wife exactly where you could find her."
Suho's jaw clenched.
"Who are you?" he demanded, pulling her slightly behind him.
The figure stepped into the light at last, face half-lit, smile unreadable.
"That," the man said calmly, "is a conversation we're about to have… very carefully."
To be continued...