She waited.
The room was quiet except for his breathing, which was not quiet at all anymore.
His chest rising and falling fast. His wrists tugging lightly against the belt. Not hard. Just restless. The kind of restless that meant he was losing the argument with himself.
She stayed close.
Lips at his ear.
Waiting.
"Soorin." His voice had nothing left to hide behind.
"Mm."
"Please." The word came out rough and stripped all the way down. "Please."
"Please what," she said. "Specifically."
A pause.
She heard him swallow.
"Free it," he said.
"Free what, Haejin."
The muscle in his jaw moved.
"You know what," he said.
"I really don't." She pulled back just far enough to speak against the shell of his ear. "Say it properly or I go get a glass of water and come back in ten minutes."
"Haah..." The sound came out involuntary, frustrated, halfway between a groan and a breath. He caught himself. Reset.
Then:
