Light A Flame || Hoshi

Chapter 29

The apartment door quickly unlocked, a freezing Jang-mi shivering into the foyer. She shook off her coat and hung it on the hanger. As she was about to turn around, she suddenly felt something wrapping around her torso and let out a small squeal.

It was indeed just Hoshi.

"Yah! Don't do that-" she whined, pecking him on the cheek.

"Sorry, love. Had a nice day at work?" he asked, taking her frozen-out leather boots from her and placing them carefully onto the shoe rack.

She sniffled from the cold. "Work was fine. The commute, however?" She gestured to her legs, which only had a pair of sheer tights protecting them from the harsh outdoors. "Let's just say, whoever told me a skirt and tights would suffice in this weather was very, very mistaken."

He "oh"d sympathetically. "It's already March, but the weather is stuck in December."

Jang-mi nodded. "Tell me about it," she sighed.

After she finished changing and took off her makeup, the pair sat on the bar stools around the kitchen island. Jang-mi was eating a leftover pizza whilst Hoshi had his Jongga kimchi straight out of the giant tub.

"You know," he began. "Me and the guys were discussing enlistment."

Her eyes quickly shifted from the pizza to him, then she nodded at him to carry on.

"It's not- it-" he sighed. "It won't be simple. We're planning on going in units so there's always a team for content and things to keep Carats engaged. I'm planning on going in the first unit, there'll be 3 of us leaving to start."

Jang-mi finished her pizza and spoke up. "So... do you know when that'll be?"

"They're not quite sure yet, but probably after Jeonghan hyung's birthday. It's me, him and Cheol hyung. We're still deciding how best to do it, but it probably won't be much different to what we're discussing already."

She looked on as the expression on his face shifted, turning solemn and even a little awkward. It was hard for her to not be affected by it, seeing how happy and carefree he usually was around her. This was definitely something very impactful for him.

Jang-mi smiled assuredly, gently wiping some kimchi from the corner of his mouth with her thumb.

"This is something you have to do. And it may be hard for me-" she said, brushing a few bits of hair out of his face, "and I might be a bit selfish..." she continued, pinching his cheek a bit, causing his face to flush bright red.

"But," she leaned in close, her face inches from his - she could see the warm light of their kitchen reflected in his dark eyes, like lakes taking in the moon's light at twilight. "That means, I get to have you, fully, for those 7 months before you have to go. Deal?"

He gently kissed her, as if unable to resist her proximity. "How could I ever say no?"

"Well, I guess that's just the effect I have on you."

He smirked a little. "See, the moment was so good before you said that," he laughed.

"What do you mean? The moment is still great!"

"Aand now it's ruined. Alright, let's go. You get to have me - so that starts from right now, I assume?"

**