"It was an accident, I’m sorry. It won’t happen again Haeun...I swear.."
As they pulled back from the embrace, Haeun studied Yeongsoo’s face, searching for the right words. "Maybe... maybe you should find another room for tonight," he suggested gently, trying to keep his tone calm. "Just to give us both some space to think. I don’t want to keep arguing or feeling like this."
Yeongsoo’s expression shifted, a flicker of hurt crossing his features. "Are you... are you really asking me to leave?"
"Yes," Haeun replied, his voice steady yet soft. "I want us both to have a moment to breathe. I think you need some time to reflect on everything that happened today. And I need some time to sort through my feelings, too."
A long silence settled between them, and Yeongsoo glanced away, his mind racing with thoughts. "I just got you back, Hyung. I don’t want to lose this. Lose you."
"You’re not going to lose me," Haeun reassured him, his heart aching at the vulnerability in Yeongsoo’s voice. "I just... I need you to understand that it’s okay to feel overwhelmed. But taking that out on me isn’t fair."
Yeongsoo rubbed the back of his neck, his posture tense. "I’m sorry for taking it out on you. I really am. It won’t happen again. But I don’t want to be apart right now."
"I know," Haeun said, his voice soothing. "But sometimes being apart can help us come back together stronger. Let’s take the night to reflect and reset. It doesn’t have to be permanent."
Yeongsoo let out a deep breath, wrestling with the idea. "Okay... if that’s what you think is best. I’ll go find a different room." His voice was low, laced with defeat as he stepped back, the distance between them now more than just being physical.
Haeun felt a pang in his chest as he watched Yeongsoo turn away, the weight of their earlier exchange still heavy in the air. "Just remember, I’m here," he called after him, trying to inject some warmth into his tone. "I’ll be waiting for you to come back."
"Yeah... I’ll be back," Yeongsoo replied, his voice barely above a whisper as he walked away.
Haeun stood rooted in place, his heart aching as he listened to Yeongsoo’s footsteps echo down the hall. Once he was out of sight, Haeun took a deep breath, releasing the tension he hadn’t realized he’d been holding.
As the hours passed, Haeun tried to occupy his mind with light distractions, but his thoughts continually drifted back to Yeongsoo. He wondered if he was okay, if he was reflecting on their conversation or just wallowing in frustration.
Finally, as the clock ticked past midnight, Haeun decided to reach out, his heart racing as he pulled out his phone. He hesitated, staring at the screen, debating whether to text him or just let him be. But the longing for connection outweighed his fears.
Hey... I’m here if you want to talk.
He hit send, his finger lingering over the screen as he waited for a response, hope and worry intertwining in his chest.
Haeun’s heart raced as he heard the thud at the door, breaking the tense silence that had settled over the house. Concern surged through him as he approached the door.
"Yeongsoo?" he called softly, unlocking the door and pulling it open.
The sight that met him sent a wave of worry through his chest. Yeongsoo sat on the floor, resting against the doorframe, his head bowed and his hands clasped tightly in front of him. The dim light from the hallway cast shadows on his face, revealing the turmoil etched in his features.
"Yeongsoo!" Haeun rushed to his side, kneeling down to meet him at eye level. "What happened? Are you okay?"
Slowly, Yeongsoo lifted his head, his eyes red and glistening, the weight of emotions he was carrying evident. "I didn’t want to leave," he admitted, his voice low and shaky. "I thought maybe some space would help, but it just made everything feel worse. I didn’t want to shut you out, but I didn’t know how to handle everything I was feeling."
Haeun felt a mix of relief and sympathy wash over him. "You didn’t need to go, I shouldn’t have told you to leave." he said softly, reaching out to touch Yeongsoo’s arm. "I wanted you to stay with me. I thought you needed a moment, but I didn’t mean for you to feel like you had to leave when I should have comforted you."
"Hyung," Yeongsoo replied, looking down at the floor, frustration mingling with shame in his expression. "I thought if I could just think things through on my own, I could come back clear-headed. But all I could think about was you and the baby, and how much I wanted to be here."
"Then why didn’t you just come back?" Haeun asked gently, concern etched in his voice.
Yeongsoo hesitated, his brow furrowed. "I didn’t want to drag you into my anger, my frustrations. I thought it would be better to sort it out alone first."
Haeun sighed, shaking his head. "We’re in this together, remember? I don’t want you to carry that alone. You can talk to me about anything."
"I didn’t mean to hurt you," Yeongsoo murmured, his voice cracking. "I just— I thought maybe if I kept my distance for a bit, it would help."
"Distance doesn’t help," Haeun said, his tone firm yet understanding. "It only makes things worse. I want you here, Yeongsoo, even when it’s hard. We need to be open with each other."
Yeongsoo looked up, vulnerability in his gaze. "I’m really sorry. I thought I was doing the right thing."
Haeun reached out and gently took Yeongsoo’s hands in his own, grounding him. "Just don’t run away next time, okay? I want to be with you through this. We can’t let misunderstandings push us apart."
After a long moment of silence, Yeongsoo nodded, a hint of relief washing over his features. "Okay. I won’t run away again."
They shared a quiet moment, leaning close, feeling the weight of their emotions start to ease. Haeun felt a warmth spreading in his chest, knowing they were both trying to navigate the complexities of their relationship together.
"Let’s get off the floor," Haeun suggested gently, standing and pulling Yeongsoo up with him. "We can talk in the living room, and I can make us some tea. It’ll help us clear our heads."
"Yeah, I’d like that," Yeongsoo replied, the corner of his mouth twitching into a small smile.