Seventy-Three

I groaned when I opened my eyes. However, I shut them immediately. I had gone into such a deep dreamless sleep again that I was unwilling to part with the abyss so quickly. It was way too bright in the room for my eyes. Then, I felt movement beside me and a voice spoke. "You awake?"

"Yes… What time is it?" I mumbled.

"10:23."

10:23 am?!

Eventually opening my eyes, I saw Changmin going through his phone which was in his left hand. I considered getting up to sit beside him but then decided not to and stayed where I was. My body still felt a little creaky from slumber. "You're telling me that I slept for more than 12 hours?"

"Yes. It's a good thing, isn't it? Ah. Don't forget the four hours of sleep before that." He reminded.

"Crap… This is a record." Unbelievable!

"You were probably that exhausted. Now that you have no work to worry about and since you're here with me," he put the phone away and turned in to hug me. "-and after last night, it all probably hit you hard. So, now you know what you need to do if you can't sleep."

"What? Have sex with you?"

"Hm." He rolled over to meet me face-to-face. "I'll tire the hell out of you." He then kissed me and smiled warmly. "Good morning, Jeongwoo-ya."

All of this was going to be a little impossible once we leave here.

I had not wanted to think about how this would soon end as soon as I woke up but it was the first thought that crossed my mind. "Good morning."

"You holding up good?" He lay on his side facing me and asked.

"Still aches but I'm okay." I replied. "Probably not up to making breakfast though."

"That's okay. There's cereal and some basic stuff. I can manage at least eggs and toast." He said. "You hungry?"

"Very."

"Okay." He laughed and sat up, stretching. "You can take your time. I'll go start on breakfast after brushing."

"Mm. Thanks." I nodded and watched him as he got off bed, stretched some more and then made his way to the bathroom. When the bathroom door shut. I turned my eyes to the ceiling.

We… had actually done it. We had actually come this far.

I looked out the window at the trees and sighed.

To think that we had only six more days here… Somehow time never seemed to be on our side.

I glanced towards the bathroom door again.

… I should get up and get ready for the day once he goes to prepare breakfast.

The table had already been set with the fried eggs and toast that he had prepared when I left the bedroom. Changmin was not anywhere in the room though. I checked the bedroom again to ensure that I hadn't missed him. The other bedroom was also empty.

Had he stepped outside?

"Hyung, where are you?" I called out from the living area.

"Outside." I got a reply instantly and the front door opened right after.

So, he was outside. "What are you doing there?"

"Nothing in particular. Come over." He waved, gesturing for me to step out.

Without asking him why, I joined him outside the door. He had his hands on his hips and a smile on his face as he looked out over the wooded scenery that spread out before us. "Isn't it beautiful?"

I couldn't hide the smile brought on by his sudden sentimentality. Was he really this happy with how things were? "Yes. It is beautiful." This sense of contentment is beautiful.

I took his left hand in my right and intertwined our fingers, leaned against him and looked ahead. The smile stayed.

It really was a splendid way to greet the day.

"We can go for a walk around the property later today." He spoke after a while of silently relishing in this perfect morning. "Some time in the evening."

"Mm. We didn't get to go around yesterday. I won't sleep today." I agreed.

"We'll see about that." He chuckled and turned back to the door. "Shall we eat? Nothing could possibly have gone wrong with eggs and toast but if there is anything, bear with it, please."

Geez… "I've found myself a useless partner, haven't I?" I snickered.

"Aw. I may not be a good cook but I can be useful in the kitchen if you tell me what to do."

"That so? I'll remember that." We sat down to eat.

"You're still a very silent sleeper." He said a little into the meal.

"Jaehyeon Hyung's told me that too." I nodded. Changmin had told me that even when we were trainees. That had not changed about me.

"I snore if I've had a stressful day."

"Lucky. I tend to not sleep at all." I scoffed.

"How's that something to just casually disregard?" He raised an eyebrow at me. "That's how you ended up collapsing, right?"

"Ah. Don't remind me…" Oh. "Come to think of it, Baekjae Sunbae had told me that you had ditched a team dinner to come see me at the hospital."

His eyes narrowed and the corner of his mouth twitched. "That Baekjae…" He looked away. "I was worried, okay? You don't need to pick on the minor details."

I wasn't going to pick on it. "I was happy that you had come, no matter what you had to ditch for it."

"It was a good thing too, that I came." He shrugged and resumed eating. "The way you cried that time…"

"Mm. I'll admit that you won me over a little back then." I muffled a laugh.

"Just a little?" He pouted.

"A little." As if there was anything left to win over. I was not going to tell him that though. "But I'm glad it was you, Hyung."

"I'm glad it was me too." He smirked. "Your crying face isn't bad, you know? Especially from last night."

The hell? I gave him a poker face.

He simply chuckled and returned his attention to his food. Nothing about that had surprised me though. He was probably holding back for both our sakes but he definitely was the type to sneak in a dirty reference here and there whenever he could.