Zee's POV
The pain in my arm was more pronounced now that the adrenaline from the operation had worn off, but I refused to let it show. I had always been the kind to mask my discomfort, to push through whatever obstacle lay in my way.
But tonight... Tonight, it felt different. There was something about the way Joong had been there for me. Not just during the chaos, but afterward, when it would have been easy for him to pull away, to focus on his own safety. Instead, he had stayed. He had kept me grounded, even when I wanted nothing more than to slip into unconsciousness from the pain.
A nurse came in to check on me, her face friendly but professional, asking questions I barely heard as I glanced toward the door. I wasn't expecting Joong to still be here, but part of me couldn't shake the hope that maybe he would be.
He had become a constant, even when I hadn't wanted him to.
I hadn't realized it at the time, but the bond between us had been growingâslowly, imperceptibly. At first, it had been about the case. Just work, just the mission. But somewhere along the way, it became more than that. Joong had shifted from being just the junior officer in the team to... well, to someone I couldn't imagine not having by my side. And I hadn't even known I was allowing it to happen.
I heard footsteps in the hallway, faint at first but growing louder. My heart picked up its pace for some reason, a nervous flutter in my chest that I couldn't shake. I hadn't expected to be this... affected. But there it was.
The door opened and Joong stepped in, his face looking more tired than when I'd last seen him, but still, that determined glint in his eyes was unmistakable. He paused for a moment, assessing the room before walking toward the chair by the bed and sitting down with an air of nonchalance that didn't fool me for a second.
"How are you feeling?" he asked, his voice quieter than usual.
I gave a small smile, though it felt forced. "Better than I probably should be. You were right about me not being made of glass, huh?"
Joong's lips quirked up slightly, though it wasn't a full smile. "You're tougher than you look, Zee."
I raised an eyebrow at him, intrigued by the unspoken understanding between us. "So you've been saying."
He shifted in his seat, eyes not quite meeting mine as he spoke. "Look, I just wanted to make sure you're okay. You're not getting any more stubborn with me, right?"
I chuckled lightly, despite the pain. "I'll try not to be."
The silence stretched for a moment, and I could feel the weight of it between us, heavier than before. It wasn't uncomfortable, but it was a reminder that things had shifted. In more ways than one.
"Joong," I started, my voice lower than usual, "about what happened back there... I..."
His gaze finally met mine, sharp and intense, like he was bracing himself for something. But I couldn't quite figure out what I was going to say. I had a thousand thoughts, but none of them came out right. It was easier to focus on the case, easier to focus on work, but with him here... things felt real in a way I wasn't sure I was prepared for.
"You don't need to explain, Zee," Joong interrupted, his tone unusually soft. "We've both been through enough. I don't need you to say anything."
I opened my mouth to protest, but his hand was suddenly on mine, a gentle but firm touch. His hand felt warm against mine, grounding, reassuring.
"You don't have to say anything if you don't want to," he repeated, his voice steady, but his eyes held something... unspoken. "I'm just glad you're here. That we got through this."
I nodded, unable to find the words. His sincerity hit me harder than I expected, and I found myself swallowing down the sudden lump in my throat.
Joong's eyes softened as he leaned back in the chair, still holding my hand. "You're not alone, you know," he said quietly, almost as if he was speaking to himself more than to me.
And in that moment, I realized something: I had been holding back for so long, keeping my emotions locked away behind walls I had built out of habit. But the walls had started to crack, and Joong... Joong had been the one to push through them, even when I hadn't wanted him to.
I wasn't sure what this meant for us. I wasn't sure where things would go from here, but I knew one thing for sure: I couldn't ignore what was happening between us anymore.
"Joong..." I began again, my voice almost a whisper.
He looked at me again, his expression a mix of curiosity and concern. "Yeah?"
"I don't know what's going on... but I can't deny that you're here. And I'm... grateful for that," I said, the words coming out with a raw honesty that surprised even me.
Joong's smile was small but genuine, and I could see the relief in his eyes. "We're in this together, Zee. Always."