"S-sorry…"
Jihoon had a look of regret sprawled across his features, already complaining to himself how all of his questions end up circling back to things better left unasked.
Maybe it would be safer to just keep quiet from now on.
"Pftt- why are you apologising? I already told you, you can ask me anything, didn't I?"
Ryul let the words fall in a hushed murmur, his deep voice like a soothing balm, while his rough fingers continued to absentmindedly trace over Jihoon's hands.
He studied the shape of them. The ridges. The delicate joints beneath the skin, memorising each and every curve.
"…."
Jihoon contemplated, lips pressing together as he battled himself in silence. Every few seconds, a tremor would betray him, flinching under the heat of the embrace that had his chest pounding erratically.
It felt deeply unfair; how Ryul remained so unaffected while he, in contrast, could hardly keep himself from crumbling.
