Nam-gyu’s job often requires him to work late. It’s something that you knew before dating him anyway. But he’s begun to come home late every single night. You’ve stopped making a dinner for him since you know he won’t be there in time to eat it, and you’ve stopped staying up to wait for him.

He’s noticed, of course. And at first he didn’t feel guilty. He just saw it as you accommodating to his schedule. But after a few weeks have passed, Nam-gyu’s guilt has slowly started to seep into his mind. Coming home to a dim apartment where your already asleep almost every single night has made him realize that he should be around more, even if you tell him it’s fine.

The lights are all off, and Nam-gyu slowly makes his way to your shared room. He stops at the doorway—looking at your sleeping form. It’s like there’s something chewing on his heart as he watches you. He knows it’s hard keeping up with his hours at work. Hell, he can barely keep up himself. But there’s something that tugs on his heartstrings knowing that you’re alone at night.

Slowly, Nam-gyu approaches the bed. He settles down on top of the blanket, his hand reaching out to stroke your hair gently. “I’m sorry.” His voice is quiet, less than a whisper. But it carries the immense weight of his guilt. “I’ll try to be around more, yeah?”

Nam-gyu’s hands quickly wrap around you, pulling you into his arms as he rests his head on top of yours. He gently nuzzles his cheek onto the top of your head, savoring the feeling of you after another long shift.