He wanted to say no.
Wanted to protect himself.
Wanted to keep the fragile walls around his heart intact.
But his heart betrayed him.
After a long moment, he exhaled.
"…Alright."
Sonny blinked, then nodded quickly, nerves rushing back in all at once.
"O-okay," she said with a small laugh.
"Let me just get my things ..my groceries, I mean… haha… um.. "
She gestured vaguely behind her.
"I'll check out real quick and then we'll head home .. I mean your home .. your apartment. Haha…"
Sunghoon nodded, his heart racing despite his calm exterior. He watched her walk away, waiting quietly as she checked out, his mind spiraling with thoughts he tried desperately to control.
When she returned, bags in hand, he straightened instinctively, slipping his composure back into place.
"You still have the same old car, right?" Sonny asked suddenly.
"Our good old 2010 Mercedes-Benz?"
A bittersweet smile tugged at Sunghoon's lips.
Yes.
That car.
He nodded silently, memories flooding back all at once.. late-night drives, shared playlists, laughter echoing between these same seats.
"Aww… I'm so happy to be in that baby again !!" Sonny said brightly, already hurrying toward the parking lot.
Sunghoon followed, his chest fluttering at her excitement. Watching her smile over something so small .. and so them .. made his heart ache.
He unlocked the car and opened the passenger door for her, habit guiding his movements before he could stop himself. Sitting behind the wheel again, with her beside him, felt unreal. Like stepping into a memory he had never truly left.
She slid into the seat and inhaled softly.
"Still smells like cedarwood …" she murmured.
"Still smells… like you…"
His fingers tightened around the steering wheel.
"Yeah," he replied quietly.
"It still smells the same."
She buckled her seatbelt.. and then froze.
"Oh!" Her eyes widened.
"You kept them!"
She leaned closer, smiling softly.
"The little star stickers I put on the passenger seatbelt… years ago… awww…"
Sunghoon followed her gaze, a fond, almost fragile smile appearing on his face.
"Yeah," he said softly.
"I kept them."
A small thing.
But it meant everything.
He started the engine, the familiar hum filling the car, and slowly pulled out of the lot. The drive was quiet.. only the sound of the road and the low murmur of the radio accompanying them.
He kept his eyes on the road, stealing glances at her when he thought she wouldn't notice. Seeing her there, like she had been a thousand times before, made his chest ache with longing and restraint.
"You know what this brings back…" Sonny said softly.
"…hoon."
His grip tightened on the steering wheel.
"Yeah," he murmured.
"I know."
He remembered the drives. The laughter. The shared silence that never felt empty. Those memories were precious.. and painful all at once.
"I feel like I'm back to the days," she continued,
"when you used to wait for my shift to be over… and drive me home because you refused to let me take the bus."
A sad smile curved his lips.
"Yeah… those days," he said quietly.
"I remember."
He always had. Waiting for her had never felt like a burden. It had been love, pure and simple.
Silence settled between them again, thick with everything unsaid. His knuckles whitened as he gripped the wheel, emotions pressing against his chest.
He glanced at her once more, love and pain colliding inside him. He wanted to tell her how much those moments still meant.. how she still meant everything.. but the words stayed trapped in his throat.
"Are we almost there?" she asked gently.
He blinked, pulling himself back to the present.
"Yeah," he replied softly.
"Just a few more minutes."
The closer they got, the heavier his heart became. Having her beside him like this felt dangerous… and irresistible.
A few minutes later, he turned into a quiet residential street and parked in front of his building.
"We're here," he said, turning off the engine.
Sonny stepped out and looked around, taking in the peaceful surroundings.
"It's cozy," she said softly.
"The neighborhood feels so calm…"
Sunghoon nodded, a trace of sadness in his eyes.
"Yeah," he murmured.
"It's… peaceful."
He almost told her how empty it felt without her.
Almost.
She reached into the back seat and took one of her grocery bags .. the one filled with cleaning supplies and cooking essentials.
Sunghoon noticed it immediately.
She had come prepared.
The thought tightened something in his chest.
He unlocked the apartment door and stepped aside, letting her enter first. His gaze lingered on her for a moment longer than necessary.. longing, fear, and tenderness all tangled together.
As the door closed behind them, the quiet of his apartment wrapped around them.
And for the first time in months…
he wasn't alone in it.