The darkness kept approaching me swallowing the ground I just passed across. Also the grunt of nature was threatening me from running away. Why was that following me? What did I do wrong?

I tripped. My knees were slashed opened cause of the friction with uneven earth surface. I couldn't just lay down there and wait for it to come and crush me. I needed to run to survive

Why was I not able to move? Can my legs not still there? Can I be more dumb? Run! Run! RUNNNNNNN!!!!!

“ Hey, I'm here. I'm here, okay? ”

He helped me get up from the ground at the same time when the grunt of beast faded into the darkness. His touch was softer than before, I  realised him but he wasn't who I expected him to be

“ Se-Sehun! ”

" Hey, hey, what'd happened? What's wrong? "
My breaths sucked sharply into my throat according to the fear of the nightmare I just escaped. That was insane. It'd been a long period without nightmares in my sleeps since highschool. I thought I could escape and conquer my deepest fear but now it came back, just like the appearance it used to come at my bad memories of childhood

The same nightmare during my 7 years old age, right after mom passed away

That's impossible. Same dream came back to say hello to me and why when I was just finding happiness. And another thought hit me hard in my chest when I remembered those eyes of him while staring at Chanyeol's worried eyes set. He just came into my dream. May be it was just a random dream my brain produced

It regretted me thinking of other man in front of the man who was worried about me, and worsening when that man was just looking me and only me. I shrugged those thoughts and accepted the glass of water he extended to me. The flow of cool water messaged every wall of my throat and freshened my exhaustion immediately

" Are you ok? "
His tone was laced with calmness and softness tending to at least lessen my tiredness with his sweet voice. His hand was playing up and down on my back bringing me closer to his chest every past seconds

" I'm fine, Chanyeol. I'm fine "
I struggled to escape from the skin contact, not that I disliked skinship with him, just I gotta gather my instincts alone on myself. His expression again overwhelmed with worries as soon as his grip was broke from my body. Whatever happened in my dream, it affected upon my mood for sure and I couldn't deny the fact that I had a scowl upon my brows

" Why would you say you're fine when you're obviously not? "
His remark completely flayed the protection upon my feeling right away. I knew he'd listen to me if I opened up, but I still wanna maintain some aspect of my weakness as a pride

* You know too much, Chanyeol. Too much *
Sitting up straight, I reached towards the nightstand where the water existed, and poured myself another glass of water to at least have an excuse to avoid his question

" Hey, I.... love you "
The rasp was running upon the key of the words and my heart was beating unrhymed with my brain. I didn't look back. The deep meaning of those words beat me up to death and I could say I was embarrassed or reddened

His arms approached around my body, staying contact with my skin to his bare chest simulating a heavy heat of his heart with mine. I never thought every morning, I was hearing those words in reality not in dreams. So it's true. He'd been saying those confession since day 1 of our marriage. It's non of my imagination or hallucination. It wondered me to keep hearing the same words every morning but now everything got revealed and the owner of those sweet nothings was non other than Chanyeol

" Chan,yeol "
My lips quivered to form his name. Before I even had the chance to complain, his arms were already capturing me into a tight hug, as if they're afraid I might slip out of their bond

" Moah "
The heck. He gave a kiss to my temple, like just now. His breaths weren't heavy either his chest weren't tensed up. He's already enjoying me freezing against his embrace with throaty snickers through his lips

" Chanyeol "
Aiming to scold him for his harsh manners these latter days, I sharped his name in a flat tone. But all I got was an epic fail. That man would never change

" Moah "
This time was a different side. Now my both cheeks were redden with the slight crimson gradient. He must've lost his mind acting so audacious upon me and that showed we were at a new level of relationship right now

" Stop it already. Can you? " 
I begged with a whining tone still not facing him back but I could sense that grin upon his face right now. Non other than smiling, he wasn't capable for now. That's right his type. His fingertips lingered to the crook of my waist gripping me mildly before he took a spin as a surprise. My mouth fell apart and brought out a gasp in sudden

" No, I can't " 
His smirk was something daringly challenging me to dispute him, so that he had an excuse to violent something bigger and worse than this situation. I didn't dare. I just wished I could scratch that smirk apart from his lips but too bad for me, too good for him I never grew my nails longer than it should be. This is the second time he's getting over his bad luck at my lack of long nails

" Let go. I have to wash my face "
His bond got broken with a dispatch of my force and he seemed not to love the way I ditched him at all. All while being apart was better for him. Just as I loosened up my exhibition upon him, he acted clingy out of no where. And there's non other being except attachment with someone like physically which infuriated me. I better let him know that I hated clingy type since it wouldn't get along well if he kept his clingy self towards me

~•~

It only took about 3 minutes to complete my face wash and brushing teeth, and I exited the bathroom only to face the vacant bedroom without him. My eyes scanned every corner of the wide room in order to see him, still working the towel to wipe the droplets of water on my face

The mirror pointed out that my face had turned into a withered mask with the lack of care on the skin, and a few redden break outs were reddening some area on my temple and jawlines. That made me remember my face condition in the puberty at my middle school. I still could picture myself with acnes and break outs with a short cut hair always flaring my hair to at least cover some acnes with the hair. How insecurities hunted my state school life. That brought out a giggle from my mouth and I tried to shrug the embarrassment immediately

Then the bedroom door cracked opened by Chanyeol's breathless steps. I almost got heart attack at his barge in, and glared at his face a square seconds straight. But something hit different, his clothes. I clearly remembered he only had a sweat pants, but now that a brownish round sunglasses were taking place on his eyes and that black hat he rarely wore also existed above his head. He looked like he's taking a picnic

As soon as he dragged the bridge of the glasses down, I could meet his quizzical look questioning me silently. I finished messaging my skin with moisturizer and slowly intertwined my fingers also spreading the skin care into my hands too. But still my head was in the cloud singing baby shark do do do. His eyes examined my body from up to down still resting his glasses on the bridge of his nose exposing a little bit of his eyes. That look kind of offended me since I felt like he was checking me out with filthy thoughts in that big sly head of his

" C'mon. Didn't you say you want a new phone? "
He jerked his phone in his hand as if gesturing me about it and approached towards me asap, returning to tilte his glasses upwardly over those round coaled eyes again. That's when my soul glued back to me from north pole, and I got to remember my request last night

* Yeah, right new phone *
His expression was lit up with ease and carefree. I was sure he got no hint this time too. He'd be still dumb and numb till I vented out again. One thing in my heart was still stinging me slowly, and yet I wanted him to figure out by himself, not the confession from my mouth. This time, there'd be no warning about what I felt inside

* He must figure it out by himself *

" Wait downstairs. I'll be there in 10 minutes "
I gave him a promise before pushing him out of the room forcefully

" So go..... "
He looked fit and ripped but there's one problem at there. He's like 3 times heavier than me and as expected it took me a long while to accomplish pushing him out of the room. His lazy ass was a next level to my energy storage and he just smiled impeccably, while I was about to faint at ditching him out the room. When I finally put him on the outside floor of bedroom, I gave a hard slap on his chest with a grit furiously. He's not more than a naughty at all

~..~•~..~

He's such a professional at the outside world. I couldn't just stop admiring at his behaviours and tone standing proudly in front of the staffs, and discussing about all those new updated devices and smiling right here and there. He got no innocent or stupid vibe except envious social skills. And there were stolen glances which belonged to me for him which he didn't notice

* Cooking, web developing, socializing, singing, taking care of me. You have so much flairs aren't you Chanyeol? *
My thoughts were lingering all over him and he couldn't even notice my stares upon him. But the point was, there's not only me, other females inside the apartment were also gazing at that stunning man, which made me proud of my being and shook my head in pleasure

" Babe, which one you like the most? "
It froze me to realize I was being regarded as " Babe " from Chanyeol the Park in the middle of the crowd. No, not at all. It was regardlessly embarrassing. His cheesy personality seemed to not dissipate sooner seeing him half smirking to my side profile knowing I flinched at the nickname

" The silver one "
I gestured to the silver of the left among violet and pink ones. It's Samsung S21 ultra 12G and the screem size was wider than normal 5G. There're phantom violet, grey, pink, black, silver and white. Both all colours were enticing just that I liked plain and simple more. Chanyeol seemed to get flinched at my gloom choice and knitted his one brow at me, asking why I chose the silver in gestures. And with a shrug I ignored him and continued roaming the different devices inside the apartment. Everywhere I laid my eyes was shining with sparks and dazzling drugging me slightly, so I just wished we could leave the spot as soon as possible

~•~

Chanyeol: How's that? You like that?
He wondered driving out of the parking still gazing at me rather than the front. It's kinda worried me for further accidents, so I quickly nodded and poked his cheek to face straight to the front

Chanyeol: Oh, so aggressive
There was a neigh of his giggles inside the car and he kept taking my side profile now and often in stolen glances. Also my attention gathered upon the newly device I just got. It's interesting that I asked him to buy me a new phone not because I need luxuries but because I needed him to understand my hints. But still he was clueless as always

~...~•~...~
~ Flashback ~

Chanyeol: I should delete his contact but, as you said, you're unstoppable, so I won't. You choose

He pulled my hand and splayed my palm afar. He slowly landed the phone in my hand while sighing a mistaking premise

Chanyeol: I wish you throw this phone and, accept me to buy you new one
His soft words put me in a trance full of mysteries and complexion which made me forget the reality for a epiphany

* Is he this kindhearted? *
He again put me into the train of philosophical speculations

Chanyeol: I wish you leave your past behind and walk with me to a future. Just you and me
His words always meant two different directions, back and forth, north and south, love and hate. I had no idea which one was the one he actually meant

Chanyeol: Good night

He tugged himself under the blankets and sealed his eyes while I was frozen on my own feet asking myself so many questions, which had no answers to be replied

* Am I attaching to the past? What does he mean " leave my past behind and walk with him to a future, just him and I "? *

I got stuck and messed up under his words. He's right and I was the one who's wrong. He deserves someone who maintained loyalty to him till she gave in her last breath. A marriage was something that shouldn't be broken easily. Even though I never felt him that way, he deserved a good wife. Right there, I picked out my phone and reached to contacts display list. There Sehun. Our love story had completed not happily but drastically. We had no hope

* I'm sorry, Sehun. I'm sorry *
My heart broke into pieces of trashes when I decided to delete his contact, our texts and everything about him. My heart ached at the thought of him leaving me with no memories of him alone. But we weren't meant to be so there's no option for me. May be, may be next life, we would meet and love again. I wasn't sure but I knew our page had been reached to the end for this life

Y/n: Bye, Sehun-ah,by-bye
My tears soaked my cheeks striking it coldly and my breaths hitching silently. I had to oppress them not to reach to sleeping Chanyeol. Quickly I wiped them away and threw the phone out of my reach, in order to escape from crying over the fact that I deleted my love out of my life. It'd only hurt and crash me than I was suffering

~ END OF FLASHBACK ~
~...~•~...~

I still remembered the ache in my heart just in replaying about that night. Sehun also never contacted me those days back then. He could just give up and found another girl to love him, cherish him and take care of him. Well, a single girl is better than a married girl anyways. I just thought he moved on very early and it's time for me to move on someone who cared for me with his heart, who'd take care of me till he died. I was getting used to his presence now. Not only his presence, his smile, his tease, his scent, his care and his love

* Should I just say it out rather than waiting him to recognize? He wouldn't remember what he said anyways. I should just say it out *
I sucked a deep inhale and turned to his side profile, observing his features slowly in the thought of reminding something he said to me

* But wait, wait. Like “ Hey, Chanyeol. Remember, you told me to let you buy a new phone and walk with you to a future, right? And that's why I told you to buy me a new phone ” Duh, what's that Oh Y/n? That's too straightforward *
I shrugged out the first suggestion and winced in failure with an annoyed expression

* But why would I remind him? He should just remember it. That bastard. I can't believe he forgot that *
He somehow felt the gloom glare from me and looked back to me, searching for my eyes immediately. His hands swayed back his locks proudly bragging about his gold Rolex on his wrist, and tilted his chin to me mysteriously

Chanyeol: Why? Something's on my face?
I just couldn't tell him the reason why I was staring at him like he's my prey and let out a scoff rolling my eyes to the ceiling of the car

Y/n: Why did you call me babe?
Immediately, I remembered him giving me a nickname, and barked happily at the fact that I just found an excuse to scold him

Chanyeol: Oh, that babe?
He made an impeccable face like he's purring me to kill him now with asking or just calling me " babe " again. Seemed to loved my frustrated expression so so much

< END OF CHAPTER 28 >