The gradual transition from deep sleep to wakefulness was a slow, heavy crawl. My eyelids felt as though they had been meticulously sealed shut with lead, completely refusing to cooperate with the bright morning light cutting through the curtains. My mind was a hazy, swirling cloud of half-formed thoughts and lingering exhaustion, a strange, deep-seated physical fatigue anchoring my limbs firmly to the mattress. I didn't know why, but today my body felt profoundly tired, as if the sheer momentum of the past few weeks had finally caught up to my bones all at once.
With my eyes still completely closed, I reached out a lazy, searching hand across the vast expanse of the bed. My fingertips lightly tapped against the plush fabric of the sheets, sliding over the crisp cotton, searching instinctively for the familiar, radiating warmth of the massive body that usually occupied the space right beside me.
Tap. Tap. Slide.
Nothing.
The space was entirely flat, the linen cool to the touch.
"Woon...?" I murmured into the darkness of my pillow, my voice a thick, incoherent morning rasp. "Woonseok... good morning..."
My words drifted into an empty room, met only by the quiet hum of the apartment's climate control. Slowly, reluctantly, I forced my heavy eyelids to crack open. The brilliant, unforgiving daylight flooded my vision, causing me to wince slightly as I pushed myself up into a sitting position against the headboard. I blinked against the glare, looking over at the empty half of the bed. The pillows were perfectly fluffed, the duvet neatly tossed aside.
A sudden, dull ache of disappointment bloomed in the center of my chest, accompanied by a soft, wistful sigh. He must have left already, I thought to myself, my shoulders slumping slightly as I pulled his massive, oversized blue knitted sweater tighter around my small frame. The lighting rigs at the studio must have been fixed earlier than expected. He left for his commercial shoot without me even getting a chance to say a proper goodbye.
As an independent professional who was fiercely protective of her own boundaries, I hated the feeling of being overly clingy. Yet, living with Jang Woonseok had completely rewired my emotional baseline. I hated missing his departures. I sat there for a long moment, a pout forming on my lips as I ran a hand through the thoroughly chaotic, wild bird's nest of my dark morning hair.
"I didn't even get to tell him to have a safe drive," I muttered aloud to the empty bedroom, letting out another long, dramatic sigh.
Dragging my heavy, tired feet out from beneath the warm covers, I slid off the edge of the bed. The cold air of the hardwood floor immediately bit at my bare legs beneath my short athletic shorts, making me shiver slightly. I walked toward the bedroom door, completely resigned to spending a quiet, solitary morning navigating my daily routine and household responsibilities.
I wrapped my fingers around the sleek metallic door handle and pulled it open, stepping out into the long, modern corridor of the luxury apartment.
The moment my foot cleared the threshold, a sudden, beautiful symphony of sensory details violently smashed through my morning gloom.
From the far end of the hallway, near the open-concept kitchen, came the distinct, rhythmic sound of a metal spatula softly scraping against a non-stick skillet. A second later, the rich, intoxicating, and completely mouth-watering aroma of sizzling butter, sweet maple glaze, and freshly brewed hazelnut coffee drifted through the air, instantly enveloping me in a cloud of pure domestic comfort.
My eyes widened in absolute surprise. He didn't leave.
A massive, brilliant, and completely uncontrollable smile instantly exploded across my face, completely obliterating every single ounce of my previous morning melancholy. My tiredness was completely forgotten for a split second as a wave of pure, childlike joy rushed through my veins.
Without a single thought for decorum, I abandoned my slow, heavy walk and quickly ran down the corridor. My bare feet made soft, rapid pattering sounds against the polished floorboards as I practically flew toward the kitchen island.
Woonseok was standing right in front of the massive designer stove, his tall, imposing, and incredibly broad frame back-lit by the morning sun streaming through the floor-to-ceiling living room windows. He had already showered, his thick, pitch-black hair damp and styled casually, clinging softly to the nape of his neck. He was wearing a fresh, perfectly fitted white linen shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his forearms, displaying the sharp, flexed tendons of his wrists as he carefully flipped a golden-brown pancake in the pan. He looked so devastatingly handsome, so completely serene in his domestic element, that it felt entirely illegal.
I didn't call out his name. I didn't give him a single second of warning.
I rushed up right behind him, throwing my arms completely around his massive waist, burying my face flat against the solid, warm expanse of his broad back. I squeezed him with every single ounce of strength I possessed, anchoring myself to him like a stubborn little barnacle.
"I thought you left!" I exclaimed against his spine, my voice muffled by the expensive linen of his shirt, my heart hammering with a sudden, joyous relief.
Woonseok's entire body violently stiffened for a fraction of a millisecond, the sudden impact of my unexpected assault causing his hand to freeze mid-air over the skillet. But the absolute second his brain registered the soft, small warmth of my arms wrapped around his midsection and the familiar scent of his own sweater enveloping me, his rigid posture completely dissolved.
A deep, incredibly rich, and profoundly satisfied chuckle vibrated directly through his spine, sending a delicious tingle through my cheek where it was pressed against his back.
He smoothly turned off the burner, carefully setting the spatula down onto the counter. Without untangling my arms, he executed a slow, fluid pivot within my hold, turning around fully face-to-face with me. Before I could even adjust my grip, his long, powerful arms shot out, wrapping securely around my shoulders and pulling my messy-bun-headed self completely flush against his chest in a massive, overwhelming embrace.
He leaned down, burying his face into the crook of my neck, pressing a deep, warm, and lingering kiss right against my collarbone before shifting upward to kiss the top of my chaotic hair.
"How could I ever leave this apartment before giving proper goodbye kisses and cuddling my beautiful, sweet Butterfly?" Woonseok rumbled smoothly, his deep, velvety voice vibrating directly against my ear, sending a sudden flush of warmth to my cheeks. He tightened his grip, lifting me slightly off my feet as he swayed us gently from side to side in the middle of the kitchen. "Did you really think I would just vanish into thin air, Sana?"
I smiled deeply, letting my hands slide up his back to grip the fabric near his shoulders. "Well... your tablet said your shoot was rescheduled for the afternoon, but I thought maybe Minho called you early. I woke up and the bed was completely cold, Woon. It felt entirely too quiet."
"Minho knows better than to disturb my mornings with you unless the world is actively ending," Woonseok murmured affectionately, his large hand gently stroking the length of my spine, smoothing down the thick wool of his sweater.
As the initial rush of excitement from seeing him began to cool down, that strange, overwhelming wave of physical fatigue suddenly returned, crashing over my body with a vengeance. My eyelids instantly felt incredibly heavy again. The sheer warmth of his chest, the steady, rhythmic thud of his heartbeat beneath my cheek, and the comforting scent of sandalwood radiating from his skin acted like the ultimate sedative.
I let out a soft, helpless whine, completely relaxing every single muscle in my body. I let my chin drop against his chest, closing my eyes firmly as I stood there in his arms, entirely dead to the world, literally falling asleep right against his torso while he held me up.
Woonseok paused his gentle swaying, noticing the sudden, absolute dead-weight of my frame. He looked down, a profoundly soft, incredibly amused, and deeply lovesick smile breaking across his flawless features as he watched my eyelashes flutter shut in pure exhaustion.
"Sana?" he called out softly, his voice full of a quiet, trembling laughter as his hand gently cupped the back of my messy bun. "Butterfly? Are you seriously falling asleep on me while standing up in the middle of the kitchen?"
"Mmh..." I mumbled in a deeply lazy, completely incoherent tone, refusing to open my eyes even a fraction of a millimeter. I buried my nose deeper into his shirt, my voice a muffled thread of sound. "No... I'm not sleeping... I'm just analyzing the structural integrity of your chest muscles. It's a highly confidential police evaluation."
Woonseok burst into a loud, incredibly beautiful laugh that echoed through the quiet apartment, his chest vibrating violently against my face. "An evaluation, huh? Officer, your analytical skills seem a bit compromised today. I think my little Butterfly desperately needs more sleep."
"No..." I complained lazily, my words slurring together as I tightened my fingers weakly against his shirt. "I don't need sleep... I just feel incredibly, entirely lazy today. I don't know why, Woon. My arms feel like jelly, my legs feel like noodles, and I literally do not want to do anything at all today. Not a single thing. No chores, no writing, nothing."
Woonseok's dark eyes softened into a look of such absolute, terrifying tenderness that it could have melted glaciers. He smoothed a stray lock of hair away from my face, his thumb gently brushing across my cheek.
"It's completely okay, Butterfly," he whispered deeply, his tone shifting into something intensely protective and sweet. "When I am right here beside you, you don't need to worry about a single thing in this world. You don't have to lift a finger. If you want to be lazy, I will be lazy with you. If you want to do nothing, I will take care of everything."
Before my sleep-befuddled brain could even begin to process the profound sweetness of his words, I suddenly felt the terrifying sensation of gravity completely shifting beneath me.
Without a single word of warning, Woonseok bent his knees and smoothly slid one massive, solid arm behind the back of my knees, while his other arm securely locked around my upper back. With a single, completely effortless lift, he swept my entire body up off the floor, cradling me securely against his chest in a classic bridal carry.
"Ah!" I let out a soft, startled gasp, my eyes violently snapping open for a fraction of a second as my hands instinctively flew up to clamp tightly around his neck for balance. "Woonseok! What are you doing?!"
"Just executing my duties as your personal caretaker, Officer," Woonseok smirked down at me, his dark eyes flashing with a wicked, playful amusement as he immediately began long, confident strides away from the kitchen, moving directly down the corridor toward the master bathroom.
I let my head drop back against his shoulder, my heavy eyelids instantly closing right back up as the sheer comfort of being carried took over my lazy soul. "Woonseok... where exactly are you taking me? My eyes are completely closed, I cannot navigate this flight."
"To the bathroom for a fresh shower," Woonseok replied smoothly, his voice echoing slightly as he pushed open the heavy bathroom door with his shoulder, stepping into the massive, marble-tiled sanctuary.
"But you smell incredibly clean and fresh," I murmured sleepily, my nose twitching against his collarbone. "You have showered already, Mr. Idol. Why are we back in here?"
Woonseok stopped walking, standing right in the center of the spacious bathroom, directly between the massive glass-enclosed rain shower and the deep luxury soaking tub. A devastating, dangerous smirk curled the corners of his lips as he leaned his head down, his warm breath fanning directly against my ear.
"I have indeed showered, Butterfly," he whispered teasingly, his voice dropping into a low, gravelly register that made my heart give a violent, unexpected thud. "But you haven't. And since you just stated that your arms are like jelly and you literally cannot do anything today... I am officially taking you for a shower myself."
My brain completely short-circuited.
Every single ounce of my lingering sleepiness vanished into thin air, violently replaced by a wave of pure, unadulterated shock. My eyes snapped wide open, my gaze locking onto his smug, teasing face.
"I don't want to!" I squeaked, my face instantly turning a brilliant, burning shade of crimson. I frantically began to squirm against his iron grip, my hands pushing against his chest. "Jang Woonseok! Let me down! I want to just stay like this... in your arms! On the couch! Not in the literal shower!"
"I know you want to stay in my arms, Butterfly," Woonseok chuckled deeply, his grip completely unyielding as he easily absorbed my weak struggles. He walked a step closer to the glass enclosure, his eyes sparkling with pure, unmitigated mischief. "That's exactly why I am going into the bathroom with you. To give you a good, thoroughly fresh bath myself so you don't have to waste a single ounce of your precious energy. See? I am incredibly thoughtful."
"Ahh! Woon! Stop teasing me!" I screamed softly, my face burning so hot I was certain steam was about to start rising from my skin. I reached up and delivered a soft, utterly powerless punch right against his solid, muscular shoulder. "You are absolute trouble! Stop it!"
Woonseok's expression suddenly shifted, his smirk widening into a highly intense, thoroughly wicked grin as he leaned his face down until his nose was almost brushing against mine. "Who says I am teasing you? Officer Rashi, I am completely, deeply serious."
I stared into his dark, sparkling eyes, and for a terrifying, heart-stopping second, I realized that this beautiful, unhinged superstar might actually be completely serious. The sheer mental image of us navigating a shower together in my current flustered, messy-bun state caused a literal panic alarm to go off in my head.
"Put me down! Put me down right now!" I yelled, laughing out loud in sheer, blushing embarrassment as I began violently swinging my legs back and forth, trying to break his balance. "Jang Woonseok, I swear to god, I am a trained officer, I will use tactical maneuvers on you!"
Woonseok let out a loud, booming laugh that echoed beautifully off the marble walls. Realizing he had successfully pushed me to my absolute limit, he slowly, carefully let my feet slide down until they touched the warm tiled floor, though his large hands remained securely locked around my waist, keeping my body trapped closely against his.
"Why, Butterfly?" he whispered, his head tilting lower, his face incredibly close to mine, his dark eyes fixed entirely on my burning cheeks. "You don't want me to get you a bath? Don't you trust my skills?"
"Stop it!" I gasped, burying my face in my hands for a brief second to hide the explosive blush before glaring up at him with faux outrage. "I know your tricks, okay?! You are a menace , Mr. Idol! Now go! Leave the bathroom! I am coming out after I properly freshen up on my own!"
Woonseok let out another soft, lingering chuckle, his eyes raking over my flustered state with immense satisfaction. He slowly began to step backward toward the bathroom door, but right before he crossed the threshold, he paused, leaning against the frame with a devastatingly attractive smirk.
"Don't worry, Butterfly," he said, his voice dripping with an immense, playful innocence. "You just freshen up normally. You don't need to get a full bath if you're too tired. I wouldn't dream of forcing you... but honestly, if you change your mind and want to, we can completely shower together again. Just give me a shout."
"You absolute pervert! Get out!" I shouted, grabbing a plush clean hand towel from the rack and violently hurling it directly at his head.
Woonseok ducked laughing, effortlessly catching the towel in mid-air with his lightning-fast reflexes. With a final, cheerful wink that completely devastated my remaining sanity, he shut the bathroom door behind him, leaving me alone in the quiet room.
I stood there for a solid minute, staring at the closed door, my heart hammering a frantic, wild rhythm against my ribs. I lifted both hands to my cheeks, feeling the intense heat radiating from my skin. A soft, helpless, and incredibly joyful giggle escaped my lips.
He is absolutely completely unhinged, I thought, a deep wave of warmth filling my entire soul. But god, I love him so much.
Exactly fifteen minutes later, the bathroom door opened and I walked out, feeling significantly more human. The warm water had successfully washed away the heavy, lingering fog of sleepiness, leaving my skin glowing and my mind relatively sharp, even if that strange, deep-seated physical tiredness still faintly tugged at the back of my muscles.
I had changed into a simple, incredibly cozy light grey woolen top and a pair of matching soft pajama pants. My dark hair was still twisted up into a chaotic, messy bun on the top of my head, a few damp strands curling softly against the back of my neck.
I walked into the dining area, where the sun was now illuminating the massive wooden table. Woonseok had already laid out a beautiful breakfast spread: a towering stack of perfectly golden, fluffy pancakes dripping with maple syrup, a dish of fresh mixed berries, crisp bacon, and a steaming mug of hot hazelnut coffee waiting right by my usual seat.
I slid into the chair, picking up my fork and taking a massive, blissful bite of the pancake. The sweet, buttery flavor exploded across my tongue, causing me to let out a deeply satisfied sigh.
"Thank you, Woonseok," I said softly, looking across the table at him as he sat down with his own mug of black coffee. I chewed thoughtfully before a soft, slightly guilty frown touched my lips. "You know... you are seriously spoiling me completely every single day. You make breakfast in the morning, i make dinner at night"
Woonseok raised an eyebrow, taking a slow sip of his coffee. "And what exactly is wrong with me spoiling my girlfriend, Officer?"
"I want to make breakfast!" I complained softly, poking a piece of bacon with my fork. "I don't want you to constantly get late for your massive shoots because you're busy standing over a stove making me food. I should be the one taking care of these things sometimes, especially with your insane schedule."
Woonseok set his mug down onto the table with a soft clink. His expression instantly shifted from playful to deeply serious, his dark eyes locking onto mine with an immense, heavy sincerity.
"Butterfly, what are you even talking about?" he asked, his voice low and incredibly earnest. "This is barely anything. This is the absolute bare minimum I can do for you. You are here in this apartment all day, and on top of that, you are constantly doing the heavy household chores from eight to twelve o'clock every single day."
He leaned forward, resting his forearms against the table, his gaze unblinking. "I am gone for hours at a time, locked inside studios or standing under production lights. I can't even help you with the daily physical weight of running this place during those hours. So how can you say I am spoiling you just because I flip a few pancakes in the morning? It's the only time I get to physically take care of you."
I stared at him, my heart swelling so painfully with affection that it felt tight. I set my fork down, looking into his serious, fiercely protective face.
"Mr. Idol... that is exactly what a true partnership is," I said softly, a beautiful, gentle smile breaking across my face. "We both carry our own weight, and we support each other where the other cannot stand. It's not about who does more; it's about making sure the other person feels loved and secure in the spaces we share."
Woonseok's serious expression slowly dissolved, a soft, incredibly beautiful warmth illuminating his dark eyes. "That's exactly right, Butterfly. I am just doing the exact same thing... just maybe a little bit less than you."
"It's more than enough," I murmured, my voice thick with emotion. "You have done entirely more than enough for me, Woon."
I quickly finished the remaining bites of my breakfast, wiping my hands on a napkin. I stood up from my chair and walked around the long table, intending to give him a quick, reassuring kiss before he had to leave.
But the absolute second I came within arm's reach of his chair, Woonseok's long arm shot out like a lightning bolt. He wrapped his hand around my wrist and gave a sudden, firm pull.
With a soft gasp, my balance vanished, and I fell directly onto his lap. Woonseok instantly wrapped both of his massive arms securely around my waist, burying his face directly into my shoulder, holding me against him like a giant, stubborn child.
"Oh, my sweet Butterfly," Woonseok whined dramatically into my neck, his voice muffled and full of a sudden, deep reluctance. "I don't want to go for this shoot today. I really, truly do not want to leave this kitchen. Let's just stay exactly like this for the next twenty-four hours."
I burst out laughing, my hands automatically coming up to gently stroke the back of his styled black hair. "Mr. Idol! You have to go! You are a professional, remember? The brand directors are literally waiting for you. Go, or you will get incredibly, terribly late, and Minho will personally come up here and murder both of us."
"Let him try," Woonseok muttered shamelessly, though he slowly lifted his head from my shoulder, his dark eyes looking up at me with an intense, lingering adoration.
Deep inside his chest, Jang Woonseok's heart was hammering with a completely different kind of excitement. While he was playing the part of the reluctant, whiny boyfriend, his mind was operating at a thousand miles per hour, visualizing the absolute grandeur of the amusement park proposal surprise he had secretly finalized at midnight.
He needed to drop the hook. He needed to ensure she would be completely ready, dressed beautifully, and waiting for him by the evening, without triggering her sharp police analytical systems.
Woonseok loosened his grip around my waist slightly, though he kept me sitting firmly on his lap. He reached up, his long fingers gently pinching both of my cheeks, pulling them outward slightly in an incredibly fond, teasing gesture.
"Fine, fine, I am leaving," Woonseok sighed dramatically, his eyes sparkling with a hidden, profound intensity. "But I want to spend more time with you tonight. You know... you mentioned to me earlier that you absolutely, deeply love amusement parks. You love the lights, the rides, the whole atmosphere."
I blinked, my brow furrowing in absolute, utter confusion as he released my cheeks. I stared at him blankly.
"When exactly have I ever said that to you?" I asked, my voice full of genuine bewilderment. "Woon, I have never told you that in my entire life. I haven't been to an amusement park since I was a young teenager."
Woonseok's lips curled into a wide, devastatingly smug smirk, his thumb softly tracing my jawline. "Oh, really? You don't remember? You told me last night, Butterfly. You were completely, beautifully drunk, riding on my back through the streets of Seoul, and you were literally shouting to the entire neighborhood about how much you love amusement parks and how you wanted to ride the carousels with your husband."
A sudden, violent explosion of hot scarlet blood rushed directly to my face. My jaw literally dropped open as the memory of my drunk, chaotic self shouting in the dark streets flashed before my eyes.
"Oh... oh yeah," I whispered, utterly mortified, covering my face with my hands as Woonseok let out a rich, delighted chuckle at my embarrassment.
"So," Woonseok continued smoothly, pulling my hands away from my face so he could look directly into my eyes. His tone shifted into something incredibly excited and bright. "Let's go on an amusement park date today. Tonight, right after I finish my commercial shoot. What do you think?"
A massive, brilliant smile instantly broke through my embarrassment. My eyes illuminated with an absolute, pure excitement, and I practically bounced on his lap.
"Seriously?!" I exclaimed loudly, my voice full of an uninhibited, joyous thrill. "An amusement park date? Just the two of us? Oh my god, okay! I will completely, beautifully be ready! I haven't eaten cotton candy in years!"
But just as quickly as the massive smile had appeared, it suddenly, violently vanished from my face. My expression dropped into a deep, worried frown, and my shoulders slumped.
"But... wait," I muttered softly, my analytical brain instantly crashing back online. "Woonseok, it's a weekday evening. The main metropolitan amusement parks will be absolutely, completely full of thousands of people. The crowds will be insane."
Woonseok's smirk widened into something profoundly deep, a look of ultimate, hidden triumph flashing through his dark eyes. If only you knew, my sweet Butterfly, he thought to himself, his inner monologue screaming with a ridiculous joy. There won't be a single soul there except for us. I literally bought the entire park for you.
"I know, Butterfly," Woonseok lied shamelessly, his face a mask of casual assurance. "But don't worry about the crowd. I will completely cover up. I'll wear a massive baseball cap, a heavy mask, and dark clothes. No one will ever be able to recognize me in the dark. I've done this a hundred times."
I let out a soft, slightly wistful sigh, leaning my forehead lightly against his shoulder. "Okay... but honestly, it would be a bit exhausting with all the hiding, you know? Constantly looking over our shoulders, worrying about paparazzi, staying in the shadows... it takes away a little bit of the magic."
I paused, shaking my head slightly to dismiss the negative thoughts. I lifted my head, offering him a bright, deeply moving, and intensely grateful smile.
"But fine! It doesn't matter," I said softly, my voice rich with an immense warmth. "As long as you are right there with me, it will be the most perfect date in the world. Thank you, Mr. Idol. Thank you for remembering what my chaotic drunk self said."
I patted his chest firmly, sliding off his lap onto my own feet. "Now, go! Seriously, leave! Minho must be waiting downstairs in the van right now, probably biting his nails down to the bone."
Woonseok stood up from his chair, his tall frame instantly dominating the space. He didn't move toward the door immediately; instead, he stepped forward, wrapping his massive arms around me one last time, pulling me into a deep, lingering, and incredibly tight embrace that felt like a silent vow.
"Okay, my Butterfly," he murmured into my hair, his voice suddenly thick with an intense, unshakeable emotion. He pulled back slightly, leaning down to press a warm, lingering kiss right against my flushed cheek. "I am leaving now. Be ready by five o'clock, okay? Wear something comfortable but beautiful."
"I will," I smiled, my heart fluttering wildly.
Woonseok turned around, grabbing his car keys and his designer jacket from the counter. Walking toward the front door, he opened it smoothly, stepping out into the outer corridor. He paused, turning his head back to look at me standing in the center of the warm apartment.
"Bye, Sana," he said, his brilliant, flawless smile illuminating the entire hallway. He raised his hand, waving a cheerful, lingering goodbye.
"Bye, Mr. Idol! Have a safe shoot!" I called out, waving back with a massive smile.
The heavy security door clicked shut with a solid, echoing thud, leaving the apartment in a sudden, quiet stillness.
I stood there for a long moment, my hand still halfway raised in the air, a soft, content sigh escaping my lips. The physical tiredness in my muscles was still faintly there, but my heart was soaring higher than the clouds. An amusement park date, I thought, a giddy, breathless thrill rushing through my chest as I turned toward the bedroom to select the perfect dress. I can't wait for tonight.