It was around four in the afternoon when Hajun entered my workshop. His entrance too silent to disturb me.

The downside is that he was too silent to even let me know he was there with me. This was both a good thing and a bad thing.

"I figured I would find you in here."

His voice startled me so bad I almost slapped everything off my work table. Hand clutched over my heart I whirled around. He wasn't even looking at me. Eyes roaming around the photos I had hung to dry.

In turn, I studied him.

He was such a strange sight for me to see inside my red room. It had been what, six month? an year? since I last saw him in here.

"You do realise what day it is don't you?" he asked, eyes zeroing on me. He already knew the answer, hence his going on without waiting for my reply. "It's Wednesday. You should've been at the cafe and hour ago."

Was there something I was forgetting? I'm certain my calendar was free the entire week.

"The get-together. Ring any bells?"

I slapped my hand over my mouth to stifle the gasp I took. Now the whole plethora of texts from Hyejin made sense. Oh, she was going to have my head for ignoring her. Not to mention she had reminded me last night when she brought dinner.

"Right," I said turning back to washing the film. More so for something to do, than out of necessity. "Yes. Well, ur-"

I couldn't lie. Not to someone who knew all my tells. Not to the one person who could read me like an open book.

Before I could come up with something to explain that I wasn't attending without telling him why, his sigh cut into the room. The sound ringing in the silence of the small room.

"Did something happen between you and Antieno?" He asked. Voice guarded, sounding as if he were stepping on eggshells. My shoulders stiffened as I turned to him again, hating how well he could read me.

Fingers pinching the bridge of his nose, his brows were creased with worry.

"Don't even think of making an excuse Haie. You've been avoiding the woods since Sunday, when you came into the cafe crying. Buying yourself with work and hardly spending time with anyone, not even stepping out of the house. Most importantly, your not finding for your muse."

He didn't have to spell it out to me what his words truly meant. Which is why I quickly shook my head, disagreeing with him.

"No, no, no, no. Nothing like that happened. We didn't fight or anything," I said.

He raised his eyebrows, unimpressed by my answer. I had all but ignored every other concern he had that didn't instigate me and Tio having fought.

I sighed, shoulders slumped as I plopped down exactly where I stood. Hands raking through my hair in a frustrated motion.

"I don't know," I said, voice whiny and tears instant in prickling my eyes. "I'm scared. I don't know what to do. My feelings are all a mess and I... I just don't know anymore Oppa."

A hand slid around my shoulder, pulling me against his side. His still body making it apparent that it was me who was trembling.

"It's only been a month Oppa, how can I already be so in love with him? If that is even what I'm feeling. I'm terrified I'm just tumbling into another rabbit hole of doom."

Burying my face in my hands I let out a dry sob. I hated the helpless feeling consuming me. Worse yet the fear I was feeling to face Antieno.

Sweet, kind, precious Antieno. Who didn't have a mean bone in his body. The same man who kept showering me nothing but affection and love. The most patient person I know, second only to Hajun.

As much as I feared to face him, his touch was something I yearned for. The warmth and protectiveness I felt in his arms.

Because even now, four days since I last saw him, the ghost of his touch remained. All I had to do was close my eyes to feel the phantom of his touch. The perfect meld of our lips against each other. His large palms in my hips. The heat of his touch. The hard chest pressed against mine. Our heartbeats mixing into one beat.

Just everything from that final moment together. I could feel it as if he was here. Holding me in his arms. Gentle caress and protective warmth.

"Why did you jump to the conclusion you're in love with him? Why not a harmless infatuation?"

Hajuns voice broke the silence that had fallen between us. His question snapping me out of my spiralling thoughts.

"Because what I'm feeling for him is ten time more intense than anything I ever felt for Jaewon. Because I want to run right into his arms and never let go of him. Because every time I close my eyes I can feel the phantom of his touch. I want to hear his voice, smooth and deep and warm like the concoction of coffee he makes. Because I miss him so much right now I want to scream."

Hajun chuckled, giving a pat on my head. "How did you realise what you were feeling for him? You're dense enough not to have realised it on your own. Wait - you didn't leave him after he confessed did you?"

"NO!"

I slapped a hand over my mouth, not having expected my voice to come out so loud.

"No, of course I didn't leave him hanging for an answer," I hissed, making an effort to keep my voice level.

That's how I found myself relaying what happened on Sunday to him. To the sweet whisper to his searing kiss. To realising the slow crawling of lava in my veins were because of him and more so what I felt towards him.

Hajun pursed his lips, but didn't comment. Head thumping softly against the table leg as he leaned against it, lost in thought.

"Antieno is not Jaewon," he said. Eyes glued to the ceiling, brows remaining creased.

I snorted.

"Yeah, I'm well aware of that."

"What are you so afraid of him for then. From what you said, he instigated the kiss. And I don't think you even think he was just using you."

I pressed my lips together, not wanting to answer this. I'll be the first to admit that my reasoning is embarrassing. Not even a valid concern I should be stressing over.

"What doesn't make sense is why you don't want to come to the party today. Its not like Antieno is gonna be there," he said when I gave him no answer.

"Oh that," I grumbled, waving a hand in the air. "Misuk keeps bugging me about Antieno and I don't know how to answer her. But I honestly did forget the party was today."

Hajun huffed before he stood up. Hand held out with a smile to help me.

"I'll talk to Misuk. For now come on, let's get going. Can't have the groom missing from my own party now can I?"

Laughing I accepted his hand. Reassured for the time being that everything will be okay.

A/N~

Hello Lovely Readers 👋

Sorry about not updating last week, I got busy around with something.

Anyways, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Let me know your thoughts in a the comments.

Rena~
💜💜💜