The house looked the same, but something felt different. Maybe it was the lingering tension from Jiho's slow-paced progress or the realization that our sessions had started to feel… less like work.
Jiho opened the door before I could knock. His expression was neutral, as always, but the slightest crease on his forehead made me wonder if he'd been waiting.
"You're early," he mumbled, stepping aside.
"You're on time," I countered, slipping past him into the living room.
He didn't respond but shot me a brief glance before shutting the door.
---
We started the session on the couch, discussing his social interactions—or lack thereof. Jiho wasn't being difficult, but his answers were vague, almost evasive.
"What do you think makes people scary?" I asked, trying to steer the conversation.
"Everything," he said flatly. Then, realizing how that sounded, he added, "It's not them. It's… me. I hate being watched. Like I'm under a microscope."
"That's fair," I replied. "But sometimes, people aren't watching to judge. They're just… curious."
Jiho tilted his head, considering this. "Curious about what?"
"About you," I said, meeting his eyes.
His gaze lingered, sharp yet hesitant, before he quickly looked away. "I don't get why."
I didn't press further. Instead, I shifted closer, trying to make the silence comfortable. The proximity must have startled him because his knee accidentally bumped into mine.
"Sorry," he muttered, pulling his leg back so quickly that he almost tripped over the corner of the rug.
"It's fine," I said, stifling a laugh. "The rug didn't stand a chance."
Jiho shot me a withering look, but his ears turned pink.
---
The session took an unexpected turn when I suggested a break.
"You need to relax. Let's have some tea," I offered.
"I don't drink tea," he replied, but I was already in the kitchen.
A few minutes later, I returned with two steaming mugs. Jiho reluctantly took one, staring at it like it was a foreign object.
As I sat down, my hand slipped, spilling a few drops on his sleeve.
"Oh no, sorry!" I grabbed a napkin and leaned forward to dab at the spot.
"It's fine," he said, but didn't move away.
Our faces were close—too close. I could feel his breath hitch slightly, and when I glanced up, our eyes locked. The moment stretched, awkward yet magnetic, until Jiho abruptly leaned back.
"You're clumsy," he muttered, avoiding my gaze.
"And you're rude," I shot back, trying to play it off.
---
As the session ended, I stood up, brushing imaginary dust off my jeans. Jiho walked me to the door, which was unusual.
"Thanks for the tea," he said quietly.
I paused, caught off guard. "You're welcome."
As I reached for the doorknob, Jiho spoke again, his voice barely audible. "You don't… have to come back if you're too busy."
I turned to face him. "I'm not busy. Besides, you're stuck with me for a while."
Something flickered in his expression—relief, maybe? But he quickly masked it with a shrug.
"Goodnight, Jiho," I said, stepping out.
"Goodnight," he replied, closing the door slowly, as though reluctant to let the moment end.
The sun had barely begun to rise when my phone buzzed on the nightstand, pulling me from a restless sleep. I groggily reached for it, squinting at the screen to see my best friend's name.
"Hello?" I mumbled, still half asleep.
"Are you alive, or are you still in zombie mode?" My best friend's voice was cheerful, as usual.
I rolled over, squinting at the clock. "Ugh, way too early for you to be this energetic, Lisa."
She laughed on the other end. "Come on, I know you're not a morning person, but you can't skip breakfast, okay? You'll be a grumpy mess all day if you don't eat."
"I'll eat, I'll eat," I replied, sitting up in bed and rubbing my eyes. "I'm just not in the mood for small talk today."
"Small talk? You're the one who needs to be the one with a little bit of sunshine in your day, not me," she teased. "What's going on, though? Big session with Jiho today?"
I froze at the mention of Jiho. The session was on my mind, and now that she'd brought it up, the nerves crept back in. I didn't want to admit it out loud, but a part of me was anxious about what might happen next. "Yeah. Just another session."
"Uh-huh. You sure that's all?" Lisa's voice was laced with suspicion. "What's going on between you two? Something's different, I can tell. Don't try to hide it."
I sighed, running a hand through my hair. "You're reading way too much into it."
"Or maybe you're just not admitting what's right in front of you," she shot back, a playful lilt in her voice. "You know, it's okay if you're feeling a little... I don't know... something for him."
I felt the heat creep up my neck, a blush spreading across my face. "No, it's not like that. I'm just his therapist."
"Yeah, yeah. Whatever you say," Lisa replied, clearly unconvinced. "But if you start developing feelings for him, just don't make it awkward, okay? No crossing boundaries."
"Okay, therapist," I muttered, shaking my head with a half-smile. "I've got to go now. The session's in an hour."
"Alright, alright. Go get 'em, tiger. And don't forget to eat. I'll call you later."
"Thanks. Talk soon."
I hung up and stared at the phone for a few seconds. The morning felt unusually heavy. Taking a deep breath, I swung my legs over the side of the bed, determined to shake off the unease. Today would go fine, I reassured myself.
The next session came quicker than expected. This time, Jiho didn't wait at the door. I had to knock twice before I heard his familiar footsteps approaching.
The door opened, revealing Jiho in his usual neutral expression.
"You're late," he remarked.
"By two minutes," I countered, brushing past him.
He didn't respond but shut the door and followed me into the living room.
---
As we started the session, I noticed Jiho seemed… distracted. He wasn't fidgeting, but his answers were even shorter than usual.Before starting the session, we shared a few moments of silence. It was strange, the tension that hung between us. He wasn't looking at me, but I could tell he was thinking. He was always so careful with his words, yet there was something about his stillness that felt like he was waiting for something to happen.
"Did something happen?" I finally asked.
"No," he replied too quickly.
"You're not a very convincing liar," I said, crossing my arms.
Jiho glanced at me, his brow furrowing slightly. "Why does it matter?"
"Because I care," I said before I could stop myself.
He blinked, clearly caught off guard. "You… care?"
I felt my cheeks heat up but held his gaze. "Of course. You're my client."
His expression softened for a split second before he looked away. "Right. Client."
---
Later, as we transitioned into a practical exercise, I suggested we try role-playing a social scenario.
"Pretend you're at a café, and someone asks to share your table," I explained.
Jiho looked skeptical but agreed. "Fine. Go ahead."
I moved to sit across from him, pretending to hold a coffee cup. "Hi, is this seat taken?"
Jiho glanced at the empty chair and hesitated. "No… but I don't think I'd say that."
"What would you say?"
"Probably nothing," he admitted, running a hand through his hair.
"Well, that's not very inviting," I teased. "Try again."
This time, Jiho leaned forward slightly, his expression softening. "You can sit if you want."
The tone of his voice, low and hesitant, made my heart skip unexpectedly.
"Uh, good," I stammered, quickly breaking eye contact.
---
When the session ended, Jiho surprised me by walking me to the door again.
"Thanks for today," he said quietly.
"You're welcome," I replied, stepping outside.
As I turned to say goodbye, my foot caught on the edge of the doormat, and I stumbled forward. Before I could hit the ground, Jiho's hands shot out, grabbing my arms and pulling me upright.
"Careful," he said, his voice firm but his grip gentle.
"Thanks," I muttered, feeling my cheeks heat up.
Jiho didn't let go immediately, his hands lingering for a moment too long. When he finally stepped back, his ears were bright red.
"You're clumsy," he muttered, looking anywhere but at me.
"And you're rude," I replied, smiling despite myself.
---
As I walked away, I glanced back to find Jiho still standing in the doorway, watching. He quickly looked away when our eyes met, but the faintest hint of a smile played on his lips.
---
!