Chapter 32
The morning light in Raiven's apartment was unforgiving. It didn't filter in; it sliced through the floor-to-ceiling glass, hitting the minimalist furniture with a clinical, surgical brightness.
Haru woke to the expensive, rhythmic hum of a high-end air purifier. For a few seconds, he stared at the ceiling, his mind a static-filled void. Then, the memories of the night hit him like a physical blow: the biting cold, the elevator, the desperate, clawing nightmare,and worst of all, the way he had begged Raiven not to leave him.
God, Sunghoon, you've truly hit rock bottom, he thought, dragging a hand over his face. He felt the urge to bury himself under the duvet and simply disappear. He could hear movement in the main living area, a soft rustle that confirmed Raiven was still there. He checked his phone: 11:22 AM. He groaned.
Didn't he leave already?
Pushing through the haze, Haru sat up and stretched. He was down to his boxers, but an oversized, fresh hoodie had been left at the foot of the bed. He pulled it on. It smelled faintly of Raiven's cedar-and-ash cologne.
Looking in the mirror, he looked surprisingly decent for someone who was hangover.
I need to learn this body's limits, he noted grimly. Even if he was Sunghoon in spirit, Haru's physical body wasn't built for the same excesses. He didn't want the "original" Haru to return one day to find his body trashed.
He braced himself and stepped into the hallway. He didn't bother looking for pants; they were both men, and Raiven had been the one to undress him, anyway.
The scent of fresh coffee acted as a guide to the kitchen. Raiven was there, eyes glued to a tablet, his expression unreadable and serious.
"Coffee is on the counter," Raiven said without looking up. "Aspirin is next to it."
Haru mumbled a low thanks. He downed the pills and took a long, restorative sip of the black coffee, watching Raiven's fingers fly across the screen.
The sharp ring of the doorbell broke the silence. Raiven stepped away, returning moments later with a delivery bag. He began transferring the contents into a porcelain bowl, the steam carrying a familiar, salty aroma.
"Is that... Kongnamul-guk?" Haru asked, his stomach giving an appreciative growl.
Raiven paused, looking up to gauge Haru's reaction. "I didn't know which one you'd prefer. Do you like it?"
"I'm not picky," Haru said, offering a small, tired smile.
Raiven slid the bowl of bean sprout soup toward him. "Thanks for last night," Haru murmured between spoonfuls.
"It was nothing."
The apartment fell back into a heavy silence. Raiven returned to his tablet, but the air had shifted.
"Aren't you going to work today?" Haru eventually asked.
"It's my personal day," Raiven replied simply.
He didn't mention that his manager had practically forced the time off, worried that Raiven was practicing himself into a collapse before the tour. Raiven rarely spent time in this apartment during the day; usually, it was just a place to crash and reset. Having Haru here, wandering around in a borrowed hoodie and boxers, felt strangely... domestic. It was a feeling he hadn't touched in years.
"World tour is coming up, right?" Haru pressed.
"Yeah. We've finished the choreography and the setlists. Just brushing up now." Raiven's tone was clipped, but not cold.
Haru finished his soup, cleaned the dishes, and then, emboldened by the lingering warmth of the meal, sat on the couch next to Raiven. He watched him from the corner of his eye, curious about the man behind the idol mask.
After a minute of being watched, Raiven let out a long sigh and set the tablet aside. He turned, his gaze landing on Haru,and then lingering just a second too long on the fact that Haru was still just in a hoodie and boxers.
"What is it?" Raiven asked.
"So, you're actually free today?"
"I guess." Raiven leaned back, his shoulders finally dropping an inch.
"Since I don't have much to do either... why don't we hang out?" Haru asked, turning his attention to the TV to hide his nerves.
"Hang out?"
"You know. Like friends," Haru said, finally meeting his eyes. He let confidence bleed through, showing his sincerity. "We've been through enough together that we should probably actually get to know each other." He added but he hoped he didn't sound too needy.
Raiven stared at him, caught between surprise and a deep-seated uncertainty. After a long beat, he gave a slow, reluctant nod.
"Good," Haru said, standing up with a grin.
"Let me just shower first. And," he added casually, gesturing to his bare legs, "you're gonna have to lend me some clothes."