In silence Seo counts her heartbeats. His hand remains running along her spine until they smooth and even, and her breathing deepens.
"Come," he says in the end. Hoisting her up by the elbows and slipping an arm around her waist. His voice is tender as if she is a child.
"Where -" Seol hiccups.
"To bed," Seo inclines his head. "You need to sleep."
"Don't want to sleep," she shakes her head in protest, hiccuping over a sob that refuses to be swallowed. "Silla -"
"We are not talking about Silla," he snaps at her a little impatiently. Furious at his own temper that he fails to keep. "It is not a place you can run to hide in." Hurt that flashes across her face makes him gulp. She's so easily broken that he fears the mere thought of her in Silla and the throbbing behind his eyes worsens at the thought. Seo allows himself the liberty of caressing her cheek with his thumb, heating the tear stained skin.
