the night had settled into a soft hush after the commotion of the day. the filming crew had packed up, the members were in their respective rooms, and the house had quieted to a peaceful stillness. you were curled up on the bed, wrapped in a blanket, and seungmin sat behind you, holding you gently with both arms as if afraid you might shatter. he hadn't let go of you since the moment he saw you crying earlier. he hadn't said much, just whispered things like “i’m here,” “you did so well,” and “it’s okay now.” but it was the way he held you—tight yet careful—that said everything.

"i keep thinking about how strong you are, you never show when something hurts… so when you cried earlier, i just—" he exhaled shakily, pulling you closer, tucking you deeper into his arms. "i wanted to take it all away, baby. i still do." your fingers lightly gripped his hoodie, comforted by the steady beat of his heart against your back. you could feel him rubbing slow, soothing circles on your side with his thumb, his other hand threading through your hair so carefully you almost melted into the touch.

after a while, he nudged your head gently and leaned in to kiss your cheek, then your temple, then your shoulder. “you know… i think seola wasn’t the only one who needed comfort today,” he said softly, a tiny smile playing at the edge of his lips. “you’re always putting yourself last. not around me. not anymore, okay?” his voice cracked just a little at the end, and when you turned your head to look at him, his eyes were already on you—filled with worry, but even more with love.

you didn’t have to say much. just a small nod and the way you buried your face into his chest again was enough. and he held you tighter, pressing one last kiss to your head. “you’re my girl,” he whispered like it was a vow. “and i’ll always be the one holding you when the world feels heavy. always.” and with the stars twinkling quietly outside the window and the soft rise and fall of his chest beneath your cheek, you finally felt like you could breathe again.