The room was dim, the soft glow of the moon casting faint shadows across the luxurious penthouse. The night air was still, and the only sound in the room was the faint rustle of the sheets as Seo-jin slept, her body curled up tightly against Min-jae. Her arms were wrapped around him like a vice, her head resting on his chest as she clung to him, her breath steady and peaceful. It was a contrast to the tumult that churned within him.
Min-jae lay motionless, his chest rising and falling in slow, deliberate breaths. His heart, however, was racing, thrumming with an intensity that had been building for years. His gaze lingered on Seo-jin's serene face, her soft features relaxed in sleep, completely unaware of the storm brewing inside him.
He had fought it for so long. The urge to release his emotions, to finally show her the depth of his feelings, the love that had consumed him for so many years. But tonight, with her in his arms, asleep and vulnerable, he couldn't hold it in any longer.
With slow, deliberate movements, he carefully adjusted himself so that he could face her. His hand gently cupped her cheek, his thumb brushing over her soft skin. A pang of tenderness struck him, but it was swiftly followed by a sharp ache of longing. He had loved her for so long, in silence, in pain, and now that she was here—now that she was finally his again—he could no longer keep the floodgates shut.
His chest tightened as the words he had kept buried for so long surged to the surface. Min-jae leaned down, his lips brushing softly against her forehead as he whispered, his voice barely above a breath.
"I love you, Seo-jin. I've always loved you."
His fingers traced the curve of her jaw, as though memorizing the feel of her skin beneath his touch. But this time, there was no calculation, no restraint. The love he had buried for so many years, the obsession, the need to make her his, all of it poured out of him in a silent rush. His heart beat faster, louder, as if it could no longer keep up with the intensity of the emotions flooding through him.
Min-jae pressed his forehead gently against hers, closing his eyes. The overwhelming tide of love, mixed with years of frustration and desperation, surged within him. He let the feelings flow, giving them to her even though she couldn't hear him, even though she wouldn't understand the depth of it all until she woke.
"I've changed for you. I've become this man for you, just so you'll never leave me again."
His voice cracked slightly, a tremor of raw emotion escaping him. The vulnerability, the rawness, it was all there—no longer hidden behind walls of pride or control. He was unguarded, completely open. The love that had driven him to such extremes, the devotion that had shaped every decision, every action, it was all laid bare.
He tightened his grip on her, pulling her closer, needing to feel the warmth of her body against his. His lips hovered near her ear, whispering words of love that she would never hear in her sleep, but that he needed to say regardless.
"I would have died for you... and now I've built myself for you. Everything, everything I've done, it's all for you."
Min-jae pressed a kiss to her temple, his hands shaking slightly as he stroked her hair, his emotions raw, untamed. His love, which had once been a silent burden, now felt like a weight lifted, even though she was unaware of it. His chest ached with the depth of what he was offering her, but there was a quiet relief in letting it go.
He stayed like that for a while, his body tense with emotion, his mind swimming with the need to express everything he had kept inside for so long. The world outside may have been unaware of the silent outpouring taking place in that bed, but for Min-jae, it was a moment of catharsis, of surrender.
As the night deepened, he finally pulled away, leaving a soft kiss on her lips—more of a touch than a true kiss, but a promise nonetheless. He stared down at her, a bittersweet smile playing on his lips. He knew she wouldn't remember the love he had just given her, but he didn't care. This was for him. For the years of waiting. For the transformation. And for the one person he had always loved, even when she couldn't love him back.
Min-jae let out a long, shuddering breath, his chest heavy with the aftermath of his release. He could only hope that one day, she would understand. But for now, he was content with this—content to hold her, content to love her in his own way, even if it was through silence.
Seo-jin remained blissfully unaware, her grip on him tightening in her sleep, as if responding to the warmth and affection he had just given her, even if it was in her dreams.
Min-jae closed his eyes, letting sleep take him, his heart still racing from the overwhelming love he had just allowed himself to feel.