Chapter 11: The Morning After
Jae-min woke first, the soft morning light creeping through the curtains. His eyes blinked open slowly, adjusting to the dim glow of the room. A warm weight pressed against him—a familiar sensation. His gaze lowered to find Soo-bin sprawled across his chest, her soft breaths steady as she slept soundly. Her limbs were tangled around him, one leg draped over his thigh, her arm resting possessively on his chest as if she was holding on to him even in her sleep. The night before had clearly taken its toll on her.
She looked peaceful, her cheek pressed against his skin, her hair a messy halo around her face. The contrast between her current state—soft, vulnerable, and completely spent—compared to how wild and chaotic she had been the night before, made Jae-min smile. She was always full of energy, so seeing her like this, worn out and clinging to him, was a rare sight.
Gently, Jae-min shifted beneath her, his muscles still aching slightly from last night's intensity. As he moved, Soo-bin stirred, a small groan escaping her lips as she instinctively tightened her hold on him, her face nuzzling against his chest. For a moment, she clung to him, unwilling to move from the warmth of his body.
"Come on," Jae-min muttered softly, half-amused, half-sighing, his hand brushing against her back as he tried to maneuver her off him without waking her completely. "You're like a cat."
"Mmm... what time is it?" she muttered, her voice heavy with sleep. She stretched lazily, her limbs still sluggish from exhaustion.
"Early enough," Jae-min replied, sitting up, the sheets slipping down his bare chest as he stretched. He glanced down at her, unable to resist a chuckle. "You looked a lot more wrecked last night than you do now. It's like you woke up a new person."
Soo-bin blinked up at him, her cheek smushed against the pillow. She smirked, trying to hide her exhaustion with a playful glint in her eyes. "What can I say? I'm a quick recovery. I bounce back."
Jae-min raised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced. "Yeah? Because last night you were practically begging me to stop."
Soo-bin shot him a glare, though her lips twitched with amusement. "That's because you're a freak," she teased, rubbing her face as if to shake off the lingering sleep. "You should come with a warning label."
Jae-min chuckled, running a hand through his messy hair. "Maybe I should. Though I seem to remember you being pretty into it. What happened to the cheeky girl from yesterday?" He leaned down closer, his voice lowering as he added, "You were a mess."
Soo-bin's eyes fluttered open, her lips quirking into a half-grin as she met his teasing gaze. "A good kind of mess."
"Yeah?" Jae-min's fingers brushed against her collarbone, grazing lightly over her skin as he pulled back. "You look like you slept through a storm, though."
Soo-bin snorted, rolling her eyes even as a sleepy smile tugged at the corners of her lips. "Thanks," she said sarcastically, pushing her tousled hair back from her face. "You sure know how to make a girl feel special in the morning."
Jae-min grinned, clearly enjoying himself. "Just being honest."
Soo-bin shot him a mock glare before propping herself up slightly, glancing down at her reflection in the nearby mirror. Her hair was a disaster, sticking up in all directions, and her skin still bore the flushed marks of their night together. "I look like I survived a hurricane, not a storm."
Jae-min shrugged nonchalantly. "Same thing."
Jae-min laughed as he stood up from the bed, rolling his neck as he stretched. The movement made his muscles tense and ripple beneath his skin, drawing Soo-bin's gaze. She admired him for a moment, her eyes tracing the toned lines of his chest, the defined ridges of his abs, and the curve of his waist.
"Well, at least one of us looks decent in the morning," she muttered, her voice tinged with playful jealousy.
Jae-min glanced over his shoulder, catching her staring, a cocky smirk playing on his lips. "You think so?"
"Don't fish for compliments," Soo-bin replied, dragging herself up into a sitting position. Her hair was a mess, her skin still flushed from sleep, and her body still sore, but she couldn't help the grin that tugged at her lips as she watched him.
With a stretch, Jae-min turned toward the bathroom, his back now exposed. Soo-bin's eyes immediately fell on the faint red lines tracing his skin—her handiwork from the night before. Nail marks, deep and trailing down his shoulder blades. The sight brought a wave of satisfaction over her, a mix of pride and smugness rising within her. He deserved it after how rough he'd been, and seeing the evidence made her smirk even more.
Serves him right, she thought, biting back a laugh.
Her fingers absentmindedly brushed over the sheet, remembering how intense things had been, how he'd pushed her to her limits. The fact that she'd left her mark on him felt like a small victory, a sign that he wasn't the only one with control.
Jae-min headed into the bathroom, the door left slightly ajar as the soft sound of water running filled the room. Soo-bin stretched out on the bed, enjoying the momentary peace. Her body still ached from the night before, but she couldn't wipe the smug grin off her face, especially after seeing the nail marks she had left on him.
A few moments later, the sound of the bathroom door opening caught her attention. Jae-min reappeared, towel slung low around his hips, his hair damp and tousled from the quick shower. He was still drying his neck when his fingers brushed against something on his skin. His eyes narrowed as he caught a glimpse of himself in the bathroom mirror. There, right on his neck, was a dark, unmistakable hickey.
He turned toward her, a mock glare on his face. "Seriously?" He pointed to the mark on his neck. "You gave me a hickey while I was asleep?"
Soo-bin raised an eyebrow, utterly unbothered as she leaned back on her elbows, grinning smugly. "What can I say? You looked too peaceful, had to mark my territory," she teased, her voice dripping with mischief.
Jae-min scoffed, though he couldn't help the small smile creeping onto his face. "That's a little petty, don't you think?"
"Petty?" Soo-bin smirked, her pride growing. "You deserved it after everything you put me through last night. Consider it payback for the sore legs."
Jae-min groaned, running his fingers over the dark spot again. "I have to go out today, Soo-bin. People are going to see this."
She shrugged, clearly enjoying his frustration. "Good. Let 'em wonder." Her grin widened, a sense of pride swelling in her chest. First the nail marks, and now the hickey—he was practically branded.
Jae-min shook his head, though there was a glint of amusement in his eyes. "You're ridiculous." He moved toward the mirror again, clearly contemplating whether to attempt covering it up or not.
Soo-bin's smugness only grew. "You know, you've got that whole tough guy image going. I'm sure a little hickey won't ruin your street cred."
He shot her a playful glare. "Yeah, well, I still have to explain why it looks like I got attacked by a vampire."
Soo-bin couldn't help but laugh at his mock glare. "Oh, come on, like you didn't have it coming," she teased, a smug grin spreading across her face. "You deserved it after last night."
She leaned back, eyes gleaming with mischief. "Think of it as payback. Besides, it's not like you're completely innocent either. You're just lucky that's all I did."
Jae-min rolled his eyes, clearly not too upset, but still playing along with her teasing. "Yeah, well, next time, remind me not to fall asleep near you."
Soo-bin's pride only increased at the banter, her grin smug. "Too late for that. I've already marked my territory."
Jae-min chuckled, shaking his head again as he turned back toward the bathroom. "You're impossible."
"You love it," she shot back, her voice filled with playful triumph.
As he disappeared into the bathroom once more, Soo-bin lay back against the pillows, feeling thoroughly satisfied—not just from the night before, but from the fact that she had left her mark on him in more ways than one.
Jae-min finished getting dressed, his movements quick but efficient as he checked his reflection one last time. After some minor grumbling, he had managed to cover the hickey Soo-bin had left on his neck with some concealer he found in the bathroom. It wasn't perfect, but it would do. He smirked at his reflection, shaking his head at the memory of her teasing him for it earlier. She's impossible, he thought, but there was something about that he couldn't help but enjoy.
He glanced back at the bed, where Soo-bin still lay, curled under the covers, her eyes half-closed as she drifted in and out of sleep. It was rare for him to leave someone alone in his apartment, especially after a night like last night, but with her... it didn't feel strange. In fact, it felt oddly natural.
Trust. That was what it came down to, he realized. He trusted her more than he wanted to admit, more than he trusted most people.
"Spare key's in the drawer by the door," he called over his shoulder, slipping on his jacket as he got ready to leave.
"Mmm... thanks," Soo-bin mumbled, still too tired to fully acknowledge him, but her voice laced with its usual cheekiness.
Jae-min shook his head, smiling softly. "Don't steal anything while I'm gone."
Soo-bin managed a lazy smirk. "No promises."
With one last look at her, Jae-min grabbed his helmet and headed out, the door clicking softly behind him.
The room fell silent again after Jae-min left, and Soo-bin lay there for a while longer, letting herself relax in the lingering warmth of the bed. Her body still ached from last night, the soreness in her legs a constant reminder of just how intense things had been. She stretched lazily, eyes half-closed, a quiet smile playing on her lips.
For the first time in a while, she had time to just... think. Normally, their interactions were playful and light, filled with banter and teasing, but now, lying alone in his bed, her thoughts wandered into more dangerous territory.
What are you doing, Soo-bin? she thought to herself, her fingers absently tracing the edge of the sheets. She had told herself over and over again that this was just fun, nothing serious. But being here, in his space, after a night like that... it made it harder to pretend she wasn't catching feelings.
With a sigh, she buried her face into the pillow, inhaling deeply. His scent clung to everything—the sheets, the pillows, even the faint smell of his cologne still lingering in the air. It made her chest tighten in a way she wasn't ready to deal with yet.
Damn him and his stupid perfect smell.
She lay there for a while longer, but eventually, the quiet solitude got to her, and curiosity began to creep in. Groaning softly, she dragged herself out of bed, her legs still wobbly as she stood. She stretched again, running a hand through her tangled hair as she padded around the room.
Soo-bin's eyes scanned his apartment, taking in the little details. It was neat, but not in a way that felt sterile. Personal. Lived-in. She wasn't snooping, not really, but she couldn't help but peek around, curiosity getting the better of her.
And then, she spotted it—a black jumper hanging off the back of a chair near the window. She wandered over, picking it up and bringing it to her nose without even thinking. God, his smell...
It was intoxicating. Warm, musky, and undeniably Jae-min. Soo-bin closed her eyes for a moment, letting herself enjoy it before a mischievous grin crept onto her face.
I'm stealing this, she decided, hugging the jumper to her chest. He had been rough last night, so it was only fair that she got something out of it. Besides, it wasn't like he'd notice it was missing. And even if he did... He deserves it.
With one last glance around, she slipped the jumper over her head, letting it fall comfortably around her. It was far too big for her, but she didn't care. It smelled like him, and right now, that was all she needed.
Curling back into bed with the jumper wrapped around her, Soo-bin sighed contentedly. The room was quiet again, but the warmth of his scent surrounded her, grounding her in a strange, comforting way. She had never thought she'd enjoy lingering in someone else's space like this—especially his—but here she was, completely enveloped by him, even in his absence.
Damn you, Jae-min, she thought, feeling a mix of frustration and affection bloom inside her. She hated how easy it was for him to get under her skin, how effortlessly he made her feel... everything. She pulled the oversized jumper tighter around herself, the faint scent of him still clinging to the fabric. How did it come to this?
But as her eyes grew heavy again, a soft smile played at the corners of her lips. Whatever this was—this confusing, intoxicating thing between them—she wasn't ready to walk away just yet.