The alarm was ringing at what I consider an inhuman time for any normal person, but Michael was already awake.
"Come on."
"I hate you."
"You say that every time."
"And every time I'm being honest."
He laughed as he pulled back the curtains, letting the first pale rays of dawn flood the room.
We went for a run while the city was still half asleep. The cool air made me curl my hands in my sleeves, while Michael looked provocatively relaxed.
We ran in silence at first.
Then we started talking.
About trivial things.
About a movie we'd seen.
About a failed recipe Do-hyun had tried to make.
About my plans for the week.
When we reached the hill overlooking the city, the sun was slowly beginning its ascent.
We stopped there.
I took a deep breath.
The sky was a spectrum of blues, oranges, and golds.
And it was painfully beautiful.
I felt Michael's hand searching for mine.
Our fingers intertwined without a word.
We just stood there watching the sun.
It was as if the whole world paused for a brief moment to give us this memory.
Afterwards, we had a simple breakfast in a small café.
Coffee.
Warm bread.
And the sound of our laughter.
Then we went to work, walking side by side, holding hands like two children who refuse to be parted.
----------------------
I woke to the sound of rain.
The kind of rain that makes the whole world look gray.
Michael had already left.
An early meeting.
A text message was waiting for me on the table.
"Don't forget breakfast."
I smiled despite myself.
But the house felt empty.
Awfully quiet.
Even Do-hyun wasn't there.
I sat by the window.
Watching the raindrops slide down the glass.
I was supposed to enjoy this peace and quiet.
But something felt missing.
Sometimes sadness isn't caused by a specific event.
It's simply the absence of something you were used to.
And today was one of those days.
I didn't cry.
And I wasn't unhappy.
But I felt this light weight in my chest.
A weight like clouds.
Not a storm.
Just overcast skies.
----------------------
It was two in the morning.
I was sitting alone in the living room.
The lights were off.
And the house was quiet.
Michael still hadn't returned.
I called him once.
Then twice.
Then I stopped.
I know he's busy.
But worry doesn't listen to reason.
Every minute felt longer than the last.
Until finally, I heard the door.
He came in, looking tired.
Pale.
His eyes were heavy with weariness.
As soon as he saw me, he stopped.
"Why are you awake?"
I just looked at him.
Then I got up and hugged him.
Hold him tight.
After a moment, I felt his arms wrap around me.
"I'm sorry."
He whispered it softly.
I closed my eyes.
I wasn't angry.
I was just scared.
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I woke up late.
I left the room, still half asleep.
The smell of coffee filled the air.
Do-hyun was arguing with someone on the phone.
Michael was reading something on the table.
Sunlight streamed through the window.
The sounds of life filled the house.
I just stood there for a moment.
Looking.
Observing.
Memorizing the scene.
Then I smiled.
Because I remembered something important.
In the past, I used to come home to an empty house.
But now...
This place is truly my home.
Not because of the walls.
Not because of the furniture.
Not because of the rooms.
But because of the people in it.
The people who made ordinary days look beautiful.
And made sad days easier to bear.
And made me, for the first time in a very long time...
Feel that I'm not alone.
----------------------
I came home exhausted.
And I was expecting peace and quiet.
But I opened the door to find Do-hyun standing on a chair.
"What are you doing?"
"Trying to fix the lightbulb."
"Why?"
"Because it's broken."
"And you know how to fix it?"
Silence.
"Do-hyun?"
"No."
Eventually, the power went out in part of the house.
And Michael came back to find us sitting on the floor amidst the chaos.
He stared at us for a long time.
Then he said,
"I don't want to know."
I laughed until tears came to my eyes.
Do-hyun, on the other hand, was trying to defend himself in a way that only made the situation worse.
It was a ridiculous day.
But it was happy day.