Sea blinked in confusion, his voice barely a whisper, like he was speaking from a dream:

"I... I don't know. I can't see you, I can't tell... Just tell me, please..."

On the other end, Jimmy let out a soft laugh — but there wasn't a shred of warmth in it. It was hollow. Cold. Like it carried something he wasn't quite ready to say out loud.

"Aren't you the one who always tries to guess how I'm feeling?"

Sea froze. He blinked again, lost. He didn't understand why Jimmy was saying these things — why tonight felt so different.

"I... I don't know what you mean..." Sea bit his lip, trying to keep his voice steady. "Just turn your camera on. If you want me to guess, how am I supposed to do that if I can't even see you?"

This time, Jimmy didn't hesitate. His voice cut through like a blade, firm and clear — so much so that Sea forgot how to breathe:

"Then how long has it been since you let me see YOU?"

The question hit Sea straight in the chest. No soft edges. No room to hide. He fell silent. His eyes dropped, lashes trembling ever so slightly.

Every flicker of emotion, every shift on Sea's face — from confusion to hurt to guilt — Jimmy caught it all, even through the distance. Normally, by now he would've turned his camera on, softened his voice, teased Sea until he blushed to his ears. But not tonight. Not this time.

Because Jimmy knew — if he didn't stay firm with Sea now, they'd never bridge the invisible distance growing between them.

"How long," Jimmy continued, voice low — not cold, but so deep it stole the air from the room, "have you been hiding your real feelings from me?"

"I know I'm not the easiest person," he said, slower now. "I joke too much, I get moody, I don't always see the line until I cross it. And when you stay quiet, I think it's fine. I tell myself it's part of love — your way of being patient, of putting up with me..."

"But then what?" he exhaled, voice breaking just slightly. "When we're together, you only talk about the good stuff. You keep saying 'I'm fine,' 'It's nothing'..."

He paused.

"Sea... do you even see me as your boyfriend?"

Sea felt exposed. Completely, utterly bare.

It was like hiding something fragile you weren't supposed to have, thinking you'd stashed it away well — only to have it found in the most painful way possible. His cheeks flushed hot. His eyes blinked rapidly to stop the tears from coming.

One hand clenched the edge of his pillow, the other trembled slightly as he gripped the phone. He lowered his head, unable to look at the screen anymore. His bangs fell forward, shielding the guilt and anxiety shadowing his face.

Jimmy watched him through the screen — and his heart softened, painfully.

He almost turned his camera on. Almost let all of it go. Maybe tonight wasn't the night to push this. Maybe they were just too tired after the long day at the book fair.

So instead, he just sighed — barely audible.

"Go to bed early. We've got work tomorrow. I'm not mad at you, okay? I promise... Don't overthink it. We'll talk more tomorrow."

His voice softened near the end, like he was reaching through the screen to pat Sea's head gently.

"Be good. Don't cry. If you cry, my heart will ache. Alright?"

After the call ended, the phone screen went dark, leaving only the faint reflection of Sea's small face cast against the still night. He lay curled up under the covers, staring at the ceiling as if trying to find an answer somewhere in the silence above. Jimmy's words still echoed in his mind — every sentence, every word, slipping into the deepest corners of his heart.

Sea couldn't sleep.

Even though the exhaustion from an entire day at the book fair still ached in his legs and weighed down his eyelids, his mind was a whirlpool of thoughts. He tossed and turned, hugging his pillow, sighing, checking the time again and again. The ticking of the clock sounded like slow, steady drops of time falling into his chest.

Then suddenly — like a gust of wind sweeping through a dense cloud — Sea sat upright, his eyes lit with a strange kind of resolve.

He was going to see Jimmy.

It didn't matter that it was late. It didn't matter that he hadn't planned what he was going to say. All he knew was this: if he didn't see Jimmy, didn't say the things he'd been holding in his heart, he wouldn't be able to sleep tonight. Quietly, he grabbed a jacket, his phone, his wallet, and tiptoed to the door.

But just as he was about to go down the stairs, he ran into Pun — who was coming up with a warm mug of milk she hadn't yet taken a sip from.

"It's late. Where are you going?" she asked, voice still gentle, but her eyes full of concern.

Sea froze like a kid caught sneaking out. He bowed his head, sheepish. Pun leaned in and noticed the faint red rims around his eyes, the soft shimmer of unshed tears.

"Who upset you?" she asked, voice suddenly sharper. "Was it your boyfriend? Should I go find him and teach him a lesson?"

Sea panicked and rushed over to grab her hand, shaking his head wildly as he babbled like a little brother clinging for dear life.

"No, no — it's not that! We just... there was a misunderstanding. I just want to go out for a bit. I... I want to talk to him. I want to be the one to reach out this time. Please, P'Pun~~ let me go, please? If Mom or Dad ask, just tell them I forgot something at a friend's place."

Pun looked down at her brother — all desperate, stubborn, and adorably pitiful — and let out a long, defeated sigh. "You really know how to wear me down, huh? Have I ever been able to say no to you?"

With her blessing, Sea felt like a balloon filled with courage. He jumped into a taxi, his heart thumping with nerves and determination. He recited Jimmy's address to the driver — a place he'd only visited once before when helping edit Day's manuscript.

The whole ride there, Sea sat in the back seat, gripping his hands tight, whispering to himself: "I'm going to tell him everything. I'm not going to run anymore."

When he arrived, he stood in front of Jimmy's apartment and rang the doorbell. And the moment the chime echoed through the hallway, Sea realized...

He might've been too impulsive.

He hadn't called ahead. Didn't know if Jimmy was already asleep after such a long, exhausting day. Embarrassment and worry curled tight in his chest, mixing with a sudden wave of guilt.

He was just about to turn and walk away —

When the door suddenly opened.

Jimmy stood there, hair still damp from his shower, dressed in a simple t-shirt and soft lounge pants. When he saw Sea, a flicker of surprise crossed his face.

"Sea? It's late — what are you doing here instead of sleeping? Standing out here in the cold... Come in. You're barely wearing anything, aren't you scared of catching a cold?"

His voice was the usual complaining tone, the one Sea knew so well. But to Sea, right now, it sounded sweeter than ever. Just hearing it made him feel reassured — Jimmy wasn't mad at him.

Sea followed him inside. A mug of coffee still sat steaming on the table, proof that Jimmy hadn't been planning to go to bed yet. As Jimmy turned back to him, Sea finally spoke, voice soft:

"I... couldn't sleep. I kept thinking that if I didn't talk to you tonight, I wouldn't be able to close my eyes at all."

Jimmy looked at him, eyes softening. "No rush. Sit down first." He gently nudged Sea toward the couch, then turned to head toward the kitchen. "Want anything to drink? I'll make you some hot chocolate."

But Sea suddenly reached out and caught his wrist, tugging him gently back. "No, it's okay... I just want to talk to you."

Jimmy looked down at him, then sat beside him. His voice was calm, like a breeze:

"Alright. I'm listening."

Sea looked at him, heart thumping. Everything he'd rehearsed on the way over — gone. Vanished. His gaze dropped to his lap, and it took a moment before he could force the words out.

"The truth is... when you asked if I really saw you as my boyfriend, I wanted to say yes right away. I've wanted that for a long time. But... I don't know if I deserve you. I'm not anything special, I'm not perfect... I'm scared that one day, when you really see me, when you notice all the flaws, you'll leave."

His voice trembled. His eyes slipped away from Jimmy's, unable to hold the weight of his gaze. But Jimmy didn't let him hide — he raised a hand and gently pressed a finger to Sea's lips, as if to quiet him.

"You dummy," he said. "Didn't I already tell you not to brush things off with 'I'm fine' just to shut me up?"

Then he pulled Sea into his arms, holding him like something fragile, something precious.

"You think you could handle me leaving?" Jimmy murmured. "I've never even considered it — and here you are, worrying yourself sick over something I haven't thought once about. Baby, if I hadn't been tough with you today, would you have just kept holding it in, keeping this distance between us? I don't want a well-behaved subordinate who only follows my orders. I want my boyfriend — someone I can spoil, love, and share the rest of my life with."

He leaned down and pressed a kiss to Sea's hair — soft and gentle, like comforting a little dog who'd been caught in the rain. His arms tightened around him as his voice lowered, deep and warm:

"Is that why you still haven't introduced me to your family? You're scared that if I leave one day, you won't know how to explain it to them, right?"

Sea looked up at him, eyes shimmering with something unspoken. But Jimmy's gaze was so steady, so clear, it stopped the words in Sea's throat. He felt it again — that strange, familiar thought:

He always sees right through me.

"I... it's not exactly like that—" Sea began, flustered.

Jimmy didn't let him finish. He leaned in and pressed a quick kiss to Sea's lips, then chuckled softly.

"That's exactly what it is," he said, grinning. "Didn't I tell you? With me, you don't have to play polite."

His tone was gentle, but laced with that familiar playful spark.

"You keep bottling things up, swallowing your frustration like it's nothing. And one day, when you can't take it anymore, you'll quietly walk away. And I'll be standing there like an idiot, not knowing what I did wrong or how I made you hurt. I'll feel like I'm being punished for a crime I didn't even know I committed."

Jimmy let out a quiet breath. His eyes gleamed with sincerity.

"You think just because you loved me first, I don't get scared of losing you? Sea, if you ever really walked away... where on earth would I find someone like you again?"

Sea dropped his head, burying his face in Jimmy's chest, overwhelmed by everything surging in his heart. He knew he'd always been a little insecure when it came to love — but maybe that's what made Jimmy's words feel like tiny fires, warming every corner of his soul. Gentle. Steady. Unwavering.

In the end, maybe they were both a little foolish when it came to love — fumbling in how they showed it, afraid of what it might cost to lose it.

The two of them stayed curled up together on the sofa, Sea nestled in Jimmy's arms, his breathing slowly evening out. As the knots in his heart began to untangle, his eyelids fluttered closed, slipping into sleep. Jimmy, meanwhile, picked up Day's manuscript to reread, occasionally glancing over at the peaceful face of his sleeping boyfriend beside him.

A little while later, Sea stirred. He rubbed his eyes and mumbled sleepily:

"How long was I asleep? I should go home... P'Pun is probably waiting for me."

He started to sit up, but Jimmy pulled him gently back into his chest, wrapping his arms around him again.

"You weren't out that long. Just about ten minutes. Go home? You came all the way to Papa's house this late, and now you think you can just leave? Don't you know, once you enter Papa's house, there's no way out?"

That last teasing "hmm?" whispered right next to Sea's ear made his whole face flush red. He knew exactly what Jimmy meant — if he stayed, his next destination wouldn't be the sofa, but the warm bed waiting in the back.

Not wanting to get teased any further, Sea protested:

"If I don't go back, P'Pun will come drag you out herself. I still owe her a full explanation before she lets me off the hook!"

Jimmy laughed heartily, clearly delighted that his little Sea was finally learning how to talk back. He gave Sea's cheek a playful pinch, then ruffled his hair fondly.

"Alright, alright. I'm just teasing you. I'll take you home. Let's go."

Before they left, Jimmy made sure to drape a thick coat over Sea's shoulders, grumbling like he always did:

"How many times have I told you not to go out dressed like this? Do you think the weather is a joke? Do you even know what cold is?"

Sea simply smiled, warmth blooming quietly in his chest. Those little rants — they were Jimmy's way of saying "I love you" the most.

When Jimmy pulled up in front of Sea's house, he barely had time to say goodbye before the door opened. Pun stepped out, like she had been waiting for him the whole time.

Jimmy walked Sea all the way to the door. Sea still had his hand in Jimmy's, reluctant to let go. In that quiet moment — under the soft golden glow of the porch light, with the hush of the night around them — Sea took a deep breath, looked up, and said gently:

"P'Pun... this is Hia Jim. He's... my boyfriend."

Jimmy gave a polite nod, his expression calm and composed.

"Good evening, Pun. It's quite late today, and I wasn't comfortable letting Sea come home alone, so I brought him back myself. I hope, sometime soon, I can properly visit and introduce myself to your parents."

Pun nodded in return, then turned to Sea with a softer voice:

"Go on up to your room. Mom and Dad have already gone to bed. I have a few words I'd like to say to P'Jimmy — just the two of us."

Sea froze for a moment, glancing uneasily at Jimmy. He looked worried — as if afraid something uncomfortable might arise between the two people he loved most. But Jimmy simply smiled, his gaze warm and reassuring, silently signaling: It's alright, little one. Go on upstairs.

Sea gave a small nod and quietly made his way up. Once in his room, he walked over to the window, pulling the curtain aside just enough to peek down. He saw P'Pun and his Hia Jim standing in the yard, talking. A moment later, Jimmy returned to his car — but he didn't drive off right away.

Sea picked up his phone, about to message him, but a LINE notification popped up first:

"Good boy. I saw you peeking from the window. Sleep tight. I love you."

Sea typed a short reply:

"Drive safe. Text me when you get home."

Those three little words — I love you — still made Sea's heart skip uncontrollably. He didn't dare write them back, just sent a sticker of a little bunny hugging a big red heart, then tossed his phone onto the pillow.

Lying in bed, Sea couldn't fall asleep. He turned from side to side, then eventually grabbed his phone again. After a long pause, he finally gathered his courage and sent a much longer message on LINE:

"There was something I wanted to tell you earlier... but I was too shy to say it out loud.

The truth is, my love for you has always been there.

I've liked you for three years now, ever since I quietly admired you from afar. Back then, I only wished I could be near you — even just as a junior colleague.

I never thought that wish would come true — and even more than I hoped for.

So no matter how much time passes, my feelings haven't changed.

My love... is strong enough to endure the wear and tear."

As soon as he hit send, Sea shut off his phone and pulled the blanket over his head, face burning with embarrassment. He didn't dare check for a reply. His heart was pounding wildly, like it might burst through his chest at any moment.

If he'd waited just a little longer — just a few more minutes — he would've seen the message Jimmy sent back:

"I've known you liked me for a long time, Sea. I've also known your love is gentle — and built to last.

But I want to honor every bit of love you've given me.

And I want to say this to you clearly:

From now on, I want to be your safe place.

Don't hold back. Don't be afraid anymore, little one.

When you're with me, you can show every part of your heart.

I'm right here. And I'm not going anywhere."