Chapter Text
The kiss had been transcendental. It had been all consuming, the scent of Ik Jun right there and the heat of his breath and the wet moisture of his lips and his hands cradling her head with a gentle force.
But nothing compared to the look they shared after. Their eyes gazing deeply into the other’s, promises unspoken that while this would change everything, it would change nothing important. Her eyes had trembled slightly as the adrenaline from her bravery started seeping away, and he had of course noticed instantly, jiggling her cheeks to tell her she had done well.
Ik Jun had pulled her into his arms for a hug, though awkward with the car console between them, and she had drawn herself as tight to him as she could have. Their respective arms tightening on each other’s backs, holding on for dear life, even as they knew that there would be many more for they would never willingly choose to part again. But bodies, forty-year-old ones at that, could only hold awkward positions for so long, and they had to sit back in their seats.
A beat of silence passed, only the raindrops striking the car could be heard, for neither of them dared to take a breath with the tension in the car.
And then.
Laughter. Simultaneous. Both burst into laughter at the same time, the sort that was hard enough to make your cheeks hurt or do an ugly snort or clutch your belly as you struggled to breathe.
Ik Jun turned to her, but she knew her cheeks were bright red, so she motioned forward yet again.
“Look forward.”
“Yes ma’am.”
He held his hand out in the middle nonetheless, and she took it. They sat there in amiable silence, watching the rain, smelling the coffee, and holding each other’s hands until calmness returned.
It had been a long day for both of them, and the fatigue was setting in despite recent events, so he drove her home. Ik Jun parked his car at her lobby and told her to wait as he rushed out of the car. Only when he arrived at her side of the car, opened the door, and motioned grandly for her to step down, did she realise that he was trying to be chivalrous. She descended into giggles once more, aware that his cheesiness was only going to be taken to new levels from now on, not that she was complaining.
“Oh no, Ik Jun. This is so weird.”
He motioned her out more insistently, and even held out a hand to help her down before closing the door.
“It is,” he admitted. “But I can finally do this…”
Ik Jun stood there, arms cast wide open, waiting for her to come into his embrace. She went willingly, wrapping her arms around his waist as tightly as she could, half burying her face in his chest. His own arms enclosed her in a hug that was a thousand times heightened than even the one they had shared in the car. They settled into each other, as if they’d both been waiting for the day they were allowed to do this, and perhaps they had. And for herself at least, it felt like coming home.
All her senses were blocked by her awareness of him, nothing else in the world was real except for him in that moment. He whispered into her ear, and even in the softness, she could feel the vibrations through his chest.
“Song Hwa-ya, thank you for giving us a chance.”
She hugged him impossibly tighter.
“Thank you for being patient.”
Their hug came undone naturally, each stepping back, though their hands trailed down the other’s arms until they lingered at the palms. The new partners looked down at their joined hands, giving an experimental squeeze, eager to confirm that this was indeed real instead of a beguiling dream. They remained transfixed, only just barely aware of time passing by.
“You should go in.”
“Mm, let me know when you reach home.”
They parted and turned to go their separate ways. She, into her lobby and up to her apartment; him, back into his car for his journey home.
Like Orpheus turned back to Eurydice, afraid that she was no longer there and eager to see her, Song Hwa turned back to watch Ik Jun. But he was there, at his car, watching her – solid, real, and waiting patiently. She smiled brightly at the surety that was Ik Jun in her life.
“Ik Jun-ah, goodnight.”
“Goodnight, Song Hwa-ya. I’ll see you tomorrow.”