#reconnect

Kai had gotten a rare break and went back to the small town where he grew up. He could feel summer in the light breeze, and he wanted to enjoy these peaceful days before going back to the city and the fast pace of his job. After his mother made him dinner, he decided to go for a walk and let the calm of the streets wash him over that night.

He was thirsty, so he stopped at one of the few convenience stores that were still open and bought a bottle of beer. He walked slowly through the almost empty streets with the bottle in his hand. There were no cars, rushing footsteps or loud voices. There was only the sound of the wind moving through the trees in the distance and the occasional crackle of dry leaves underfoot. Everything in that sleepy town seemed to be at rest, which made him feel even more nostalgic and lonely.

He walked until he ended up at the playground in the town square, a place where he had spent lots of happy times as a child. He stopped when he got there to take in the familiar scene. The square looked almost the same but had changed with time: the paint on the wooden bench was peeling, the trees around the park were taller and the streetlights looked colder than he remembered. The little wooden playhouse, on the other hand, looked like it had just been fixed up. He smiled when he saw it, happy that the spirit of the place was still there.

Kai looked at every building and piece of playground equipment that seemed to hold the secrets of his childhood. The slide where he used to race down without fear, the swings where he felt safe, and the little house where so many promises had been made. He closed his eyes for a moment and felt like every little thing brought him closer to the boy he used to be.

This was the place where he had the most fun as a child and teenager, laughing, sharing secrets, and most importantly, with you.

"Y/N..."

He whispered the name softly, as if it had finally gotten away from the place where he had kept it for so long.

He drank some of his beer and all the memories of the two of you came flooding back. He could almost hear your laughter and the sound of your feet running across the playground for a second.

It was as if he had just come back to the first day you met, so clearly that it seemed like it had just happened.

Flashback

Kai was six years old when he walked hand in hand with his mother through the town square of the place they had just moved to. He looked around with wide, fascinated eyes: the trees swaying gently in the cool breeze, dogs running alongside their owners, people chatting on nearby benches. The place felt like something straight out of the bedtime stories his mother used to tell him.

“Don’t you want to go play for a while, sweetheart?” his mother asked gently.

But he only snuggled closer to her, shy as ever. When they sat down on a bench facing the playground, he watched the other children playing. He was curious, but hesitant. He wanted to join them, but he didn’t know anyone.

Distracted, he began fiddling with the zipper of his jacket when a small voice suddenly called out:

“Hey, you!”

Kai looked up and saw a girl with messy hair, scraped knees, and dirt on her hands.

You.

“Do you want to play with me?”

Feeling his cheeks grow warm, he looked at his mother for permission. She smiled and nodded. After a few seconds of hesitation, he gave in and walked toward you. You were beaming at him, showing a huge smile full of baby teeth and a few missing ones.

“What’s your name?” you asked curiously, your eyes bright as you looked at him.

“Kai,” he replied softly. Without hesitation, you grabbed his hand, completely natural about it.

“I’m Y/N,” you said confidently. “Now come on, let’s go to the swings!”

End of flashback

Kai let out a melancholic smile as he sat on the same bench he had once sat on years ago. He had no idea how you were doing; it had been years since the last time you had seen each other. After he left to study abroad, the two of you slowly lost touch, something that would have seemed impossible to anyone who had seen you together during childhood and adolescence.

The memory of your laughter and the warmth of your hand still lingered in his mind, bringing a sharp pang of nostalgia. Kai sighed, thinking about the distance between the shy boy he used to be and the man he had become. Despite everything he had experienced and all the places he had been, you remained a constant in his memories.

That city had been the backdrop of your story, and the time you spent together had become a permanent part of who he was.

The truth was that when he first began to understand his feelings, he realized that what he felt for you went far beyond friendship. He had been in love with you. But he never found the courage to confess it, convinced that you didn’t feel the same way. And besides that, since he was eleven years old, he had known that he would eventually leave—he would move in with his father, study music, and chase his dream of becoming a successful producer.

Time passed, and he achieved the professional success he had always wanted. Yet one persistent doubt followed him like a shadow.

What if I had told her how I felt before leaving?

The thought surfaced often, always unanswered.

But now it felt too late. Years had passed, and he didn’t even know where you were or what your life looked like anymore. Maybe you were married. Maybe you had children. Maybe you had even moved away, though deep down he always believed you would never truly leave that town.

For a moment, a darker thought crossed his mind. What if she isn’t even alive anymore? Kai shook his head, pushing the thought away. Wherever you were, he just hoped you were happy.

What he didn’t know was that fate still had something in store for both of you.

“Damn it, where did I leave my wallet?”

You paced back and forth across the house, rummaging through bags, cushions, and every place the missing item might be hiding, but nothing turned up.

With a nervous sigh, you closed your eyes for a moment, trying to mentally retrace the steps of your day.

“I’m sure I left work with it… I didn’t use it at the market. I paid for the groceries with my phone… so where could it be?”

Suddenly, your eyes widened.

“Of course, the playhouse!”

Earlier, you had stopped by the playground to leave the flowers you had bought there. In a hurry to finish planting everything, you must have dropped your wallet from your bag.

“That’s it. It must be there.”

Relieved, you grabbed your phone and hurried toward the square.

When you arrived, you went straight to the playhouse, and luckily the wallet was right there, lying on one of the steps. A breath of relief escaped your lips. You sat down right there to catch your breath and calm your nerves.

As you looked around, you noticed a tall figure sitting on a bench a short distance away. He seemed to be looking in your direction. A chill ran down your spine. Feeling uneasy, you stood up, ready to leave, when a deep voice suddenly broke the silence.

“Y/N?”

Recognizing the voice, you turned around, blinking as if your eyes were playing tricks on you.

“Kai?” you asked in disbelief.

The man approached, and as he got closer you realized how much he had changed: taller, broader shoulders, and slightly longer hair. But the features you remembered from childhood were still there.

My God… he’s so handsome.

Completely surprised, you covered your mouth with your hands.

He smiled and, without thinking, pulled you into a tight hug. Kai was stronger now, but somehow he was still the same childhood friend.

“I can’t believe it!” you finally said, your voice still full of astonishment. “You… it’s really you!”

“I never imagined I’d find you here at this hour,” he replied, stepping back slightly and scratching the back of his head, clearly nervous. “You look… different.”

“Oh, really, Sherlock?” you teased, trying to hide your surprise behind a casual tone. “How many years has it been since the last time we saw each other? Eight, maybe?”

“Something like that.” He smiled awkwardly, his usual shyness now even more noticeable. “And you? How have you been? What have you been doing with your life?”

“I’m an architect. I work at city hall,” you replied with a small smile. “I’ve been working on revitalization projects around the city.”

“Wow, Y/N, that’s amazing! Seriously, that’s cool,” Kai said, genuinely impressed.

“Yeah… and you?” you asked. “I’m guessing you’re working with music, right? That was always your thing.”

“Yeah. I’m a music producer at a major record label in the capital,” he replied, a proud smile spreading across his face.

“I’m really glad to hear that,” you said, a hint of nostalgia in your voice but with a genuine smile. “Well, Kai… I should probably go. It was nice seeing you.”

You started to walk away, but he quickly reached out and grabbed your arm, stopping you.

“Look, Y/N… I’m not going to be in town for long,” he said, his voice slightly more hesitant than he intended. “So, I was wondering if you’d like to grab coffee with me sometime.”

You made a playful face, trying to hide the nervousness the invitation stirred in you.

“Did you seriously forget that I hate coffee?” you laughed, noticing how embarrassed he looked. “But I’ll accept a beer… like the one you’re holding.”

Kai looked at the bottle in his hand and suddenly his face lit up.

“If you’re not busy right now, we could grab a couple and just… talk for a while,” he suggested with a shy smile. “What do you think?”

You glanced at your phone, thinking about it. If you went home now, you’d probably end up watching some random movie and eating junk food anyway. At least a beer sounded like a good way to relax.

“Hmm… alright. Why not?” you said with a small smile. Kai returned the smile, clearly relieved.

After buying the beers, you both sat on the steps of the playhouse and talked for a while.

“The other day I ran into your mother at the market,” you said. “She told me she hadn’t heard from you in a long time.”

“Yeah… life in the city is a bit chaotic,” he sighed, taking a sip of his beer. “There’s barely any time between one project and the next. That’s why I decided to come visit during these few days off.”

“I get that. That’s exactly why I chose to stay around here,” you shrugged, taking a sip as well.

“Did you ever leave town?” he asked curiously.

“I did. After I graduated, I lived in the capital for a few months. But when my grandfather got sick, I dropped everything and came back,” you explained.

“Oh… and how are your grandparents?” he asked with a warm smile. “Your grandmother used to make the best chocolate cookies.”

A lump formed in your throat, and your eyes began to sting.

You avoided looking at him. With your head lowered, staring at the neck of the bottle, you finally said:

“So you really don’t know…”

“Don’t know what?” he asked, confused.

“Kai… they passed away.”

You finally looked at him and saw the smile fade quickly from his face.

“My grandfather stayed with us for only six more months. He fought hard, but his heart couldn’t take it. A year later, my grandmother passed away peacefully in her sleep.”

“Y/N… I’m so sorry,” Kai said, clearly shaken. “I… I don’t even know what to say.”

“I don’t think there’s much to say,” you replied with a weak smile, shrugging slightly. “My grandparents were very close. I always admired the relationship they had. My grandmother was incredibly strong. She stayed by my grandfather’s side through all his suffering, always telling him everything would be okay. But when he passed away… the light in her eyes disappeared. A part of her died with him.”

“That’s really sad,” he said softly.

You shook your head.

“It’s not sad. It’s love,” you replied, making his heart race. “The doctors said my grandmother was starting to feel the effects of old age. But I think she died of a broken heart.”

Kai remained silent, watching you. After finishing your beer and setting the bottle aside, you continued.

“I tried to stay strong, but it wasn’t easy. I was there, taking care of them alone, and sometimes the weight of it all was too much. And then suddenly… they were gone. And I realized I was truly alone.” You paused for a moment. “That’s when I understood that missing someone can feel like it’s killing you from the inside.”

“It’s hard to imagine you like that,” he said quietly. “You were the happiest person I ever knew. I’ll never forget how you came to see me every day when my parents separated, just to make sure I was okay.”

“Yeah… at least you had someone to lean on,” you said with a dry laugh.

Kai swallowed hard. Guilt tightened in his chest. He looked toward the horizon, then down at the bottle in his hand, and finally back at you, focused on your own fingers.

He tried several times to say something, but the words wouldn’t come. He couldn’t even imagine everything you had gone through. The regret was eating him alive.

“Y/N… I’m sorry we lost touch,” he said after a few seconds of silence. “I can’t imagine what it must have been like to go through all that alone.”

“Thank you, Kai, but it doesn’t matter anymore,” you said with a sigh. “It’s been three years. Time goes by fast. Eventually you learn how to deal with the pain and the loneliness until they become… manageable.”

Kai nodded slowly and finished his beer.

The two of you sat there in silence, lost in your own thoughts.

She’s so strong, he thought. He didn’t know how he would handle something like that. Yes, you had been hurt, but you carried yourself with a strength that was impossible not to admire. In truth, your resilience has always been one of the things Kai admired most about you. Whenever you got frustrated, you would scream into a pillow, then toss it aside with a sigh and say everything was fine.

Back when you were teenagers, Kai used to find it funny, especially the first time you showed him that “trick.”

Flashback

“Look, Kai, I know it’s hard that your dad is moving so far away, but try to see the bright side,” you said, sitting beside him on the Huening family’s couch. “You can visit him during summer vacation and bring me souvenirs!”

“Y/N, I know you’re just trying to help, but honestly, all I want to do right now is scream,” he replied, frustrated.

“Oh! I have an idea!” Your face lit up as you grabbed a pillow within reach and handed it to him. “Here.”

“What’s this for?” he asked, confused.

“When I get really upset about something, I hold a pillow in front of my face and scream into it,” you demonstrated. “After that, I calm down.”

He blinked a few times, staring at you in silence. Then he couldn’t hold it in anymore and burst out laughing.

You couldn’t resist his laughter and ended up laughing too, and soon the two of you were yelling into the pillow together, only to burst out laughing again right after. The sound of your laughter was like music to him.

While you distracted yourself with your phone a moment later, Kai found himself watching you quietly. He noticed your hair, the softness of your skin, the sweetness in your eyes, and the way you bit your lip when you were concentrating.

“Huening, why are you looking at me like that?” you asked when you finally noticed his stare, pulling him out of his thoughts.

“N-nothing,” he stammered. “It’s just… you’ve got something on your cheek.”

He reached out and gently, or maybe not so gently, touched your cheek.

“Ow!” you complained, rubbing your face. “Oh, you’re going to regret that!”

Within seconds, the two of you were locked in a pillow fight, laughing nonstop.

Kai’s parents heard your laughter and exchanged a knowing look. Smiling softly, they watched the two of you.

They were sure he would be alright, especially with a friend like you by his side.

End of flashback

The memory made Kai’s chest tighten.

He remembered how, when the two of you were together, nothing ever felt final. Back then, everything seemed endless, as if those days would simply stretch on forever. But life is always shifting, and over the years he had drifted away from what once felt permanent. Time had changed everything and yet those moments still lived inside him, touching him more deeply than he cared to admit.

He noticed your resolute gaze fixed on the horizon, and in that moment he understood something he had been avoiding for years. None of the emotions he had carried since that afternoon in his living room had ever truly disappeared.

Silence settled between you, heavy, filled with everything left unsaid. Each of you lost in your own thoughts, searching for words that seemed impossible to speak.

Kai didn’t know how, or even if he wanted, to break that silence. The truth he carried inside him was becoming suffocating yet doubt gnawed at him. Wouldn’t it be easier to simply let it go? So much time had passed.

He looked at you, feeling the urge to speak burn in his throat, but fear held him back. How could he express everything he felt after all this time? What could he possibly say that wouldn’t sound shallow, or worse, too late?

To hell with it, he thought. At least I’ll get this off my chest.

But just as the words were about to escape him, he hesitated, because at that exact moment, your eyes met his and suddenly he remembered the last time he had seen you.

His chest tightened all over again.

Flashback

Kai was sitting on the floor of his bedroom, surrounded by half-packed suitcases and clothes folded only halfway, trying to decide what would still fit and what he would have to leave behind. The house was far too quiet, broken only by the occasional sound of his mother walking down the hallway and the zipper of a suitcase opening and closing again without any real reason.

He couldn’t focus.

Everything felt wrong. Out of place. As if he were packing someone else’s life instead of his own.

That was when he heard a soft tapping sound against the window. He froze for a moment, frowning, thinking he might have imagined it. Then it happened again, a small, dry tap. Kai stood up and walked to the window, pulling the curtain aside.

You were standing outside, still wearing your prom dress. The light fabric reflected the yellow glow of the streetlamp, and your hair, carefully styled hours earlier, had already started to loosen, as if the night itself had begun to undo it. You were hugging your arms close to your body, clearly cold, but the moment you saw his face appearing at the window, you smiled.

He opened the window immediately.

“Y/N? What are you doing here?”

“I went to the dance.” You shrugged, as if the answer were obvious.

“I know,” he nodded, confused.

“But you weren’t there.” You tilted your head slightly.

The words hung in the air between you.

He opened his mouth to answer, but nothing came out. There wasn’t a good enough explanation.

“I… was packing,” he finally said.

“I know.” You nodded, then glanced toward the square across the street. “Come with me.”

He hesitated, but he didn’t say no.

A few minutes later, the two of you were sitting on the swings in the empty playground, the cold metal creaking softly with each small movement. The town felt different at that hour, quieter, as if it were holding its breath.

Kai couldn’t stop looking at you.

Not the way he always had before. Not like a friend. Not like someone who would always be there.

Something felt different now. More urgent. As if time had suddenly become shorter.

“You’re leaving tomorrow.” You looked at him suddenly; It wasn’t a question.

“I am.”

You nodded, staring at your feet for a moment, as if gathering courage. Then you stood up and held out your hand.

“Give me one last dance.”

“Here?” Kai felt his heart stumble in his chest.

“Here.” You smiled.

There was no music, but you stepped closer anyway, taking his hand and placing your other hand on his shoulder, guiding him naturally, as if this had always been obvious, as if it had always been meant to happen.

Kai rested his hand on your waist, hesitant at first, feeling the warmth of your body through the thin fabric of your dress.

You began to move slowly, small circles, almost imperceptible. The world felt smaller there, more bearable, as if, while you were standing in front of him, he wasn’t really leaving.

He looked at you and you were already looking at him, but there was something in your eyes he had never noticed before.

For a moment, he thought about saying something. Anything. He thought about telling you he didn’t want to leave, that you were the only thing that had ever made that town feel like home… But he stayed silent and so did you.

When the dance ended, you didn’t step away immediately. Your hand lingered in his for a second longer than necessary.

Then you let go.

“You should probably go back to packing,” you said with a small smile.

He nodded, but he didn’t move.

You started walking away toward the street. Then you stopped and looked back, as if expecting him to follow you. He didn’t.

You smiled once more before turning and walking away.

Kai remained there, standing alone in the middle of the empty playground, still feeling the warmth of your hand slowly fading from his, wondering what might have happened if he had said something different that night.

End of flashback

“The mood got heavy,” you said with a faint smile. “Sorry… I don’t know what got into me, bringing all this up after so long without seeing each other.”

“No, Y/N… if anyone should apologize, it’s me.” He finally broke the silence, gently taking your hand. “I’m sorry for pulling away. For not reaching out. For getting so caught up in my own life that I forgot how important you’ve always been to me. We grew up together.”

“But we drifted apart, Kai,” you replied softly. “And that’s just… life, I guess. It’s okay.”

“No, it’s not.” He sighed, shaking his head. “I was a terrible friend, and I’m really sorry for that. I just hope you can forgive me… and maybe we can be a little like we used to be.”

The pain in his voice didn’t go unnoticed, but you didn’t know what to do with it. You weren’t even sure there was anything to do.

“I understand what you’re saying, but honestly, I don’t think we can go back to how things were.” Your voice softened, but the wound was still there. “I missed you too. More than you can imagine. But things change.”

“They don’t have to,” he said, tightening his hold on your hand. “I want to fix this.”

“Look, Kai…” you sighed, gathering the courage to pull your hand away. “You started pulling away from me even when you were still here.”

“What do you mean?” he asked, confused.

You took a deep breath, feeling the weight of the words you were about to say.

“I liked you, Kai. More than anything back then. But you never noticed. And when I realized there was no chance you’d ever feel the same way, I gave up. I was alone during that time… and you were too, but in a completely different way.” The sadness in your eyes was impossible to ignore. “We were never on the same page. And the worst part is… you left, and I stayed. I kept hoping that, at some point, you’d fight for our friendship. But in the end, I understood that you had already moved on. So… I moved on too.”

Kai remained silent for a few moments, unable to find the right words. The pain in his chest felt almost crushing.

“I didn’t know that, Y/N. I… I had no idea how you felt. I never realized.” The sadness in his eyes was clear, guilt pressing down on him like a weight. “If I had known…”

He couldn’t finish the sentence. The words died in his throat, crushed by the weight of everything he was finally beginning to understand.

For years, he had believed silence was the safest choice, that preserving what you had was better than risking losing everything. But now, looking at you, he realized silence hadn’t protected anything at all. It hadn’t preserved your friendship, it had only guaranteed that the two of you would walk separate paths, carrying questions that were never answered.

His mind drifted back to that night at the playground, the way you had held his hand, the way you had looked at him as if you were waiting for something he had never had the courage to give. Back then, he thought he was doing the right thing. Now he understood he had just been afraid of not being enough. Afraid of losing you.

And in the end, that was exactly what happened.

“It’s okay, Kai. That’s all in the past now,” you said gently, resting a hand on his shoulder.

The touch should have been comforting, but instead it made reality feel even harsher. You were still trying to be understanding with him, when he should have been the one who had been there for you all those years.

He had spent so long convincing himself that the past was settled, that it was simply part of who he used to be, that he never stopped to consider you might have been waiting for him all that time.

“No, Y/N… it’s not in the past.” Kai held your gaze, his expression tense. “I was an idiot for not realizing it… and for never showing you how much I liked you too.”

“What?” you whispered.

“I’ve always liked you,” he continued, his voice quieter now, but steadier than it had ever been. “I just never thought I had the right to say it out loud. You were always… more. Stronger, more confident, more whole. And I thought if I crossed that line and you didn’t feel the same, I’d lose even the little I had. So, I stayed silent. But the worst part is… by staying silent, I lost you anyway.”

He let out an unsteady breath; his eyes still locked on yours.

“And that was the biggest mistake of my life.”

You didn’t answer immediately. Your gaze remained fixed on him, as if trying to recognize something that had always been there, something he had never fully allowed you to see.

Your heart was beating too fast. Part of you wanted to believe every word. Wanted to accept it as the truth you had always hoped to hear. But another part of you, more cautious, more wounded, didn’t know what to do with that revelation.

“Why now?” you finally asked, your voice quiet but steady. “Why are you telling me this now?”

The question wasn’t hostile; it was honest and somehow that hurt even more.

Kai swallowed hard, running a hand through his hair, visibly shaken.

“Because I finally realized losing you is the one thing I never got over.”

The silence that followed was different from the others.

You could feel the weight of his words, the way they filled spaces you had spent years learning to ignore. For so long, you had believed those feelings existed only inside you, something one-sided, something that needed to be buried so you could move on.

You had made peace with that version of the story, accepted that he would never be yours, but now he was standing in front of you, looking at you as if he had never truly left.

“You hurt me, Kai,” you said finally. Not with anger. Just truth. “Not because you left… but because you never gave me a reason to believe it was worth waiting.”

He nodded slowly, accepting every word, because he knew you were right.

“I know.” No defense, no excuses. Just the truth.

The air between you felt heavier now, filled with everything that had never been said. You studied his face, the features you still recognized, now marked by years, by choices, by absence. He wasn’t the boy you had once loved in silence, and you weren’t the girl who waited for him anymore.

“So, what happens now, Kai?” you asked gently but firmly, searching his eyes for an answer.

He sighed, trying to gather his thoughts. The uncertainty was still there, but now something stronger had taken its place, the determination not to let time and missed chances slip away again.

“I know things might never go back to the way they were, Y/N. We’ve changed. But I can’t just walk away without trying… without reconnecting with you. I don’t want to lose you again.”

Nothing that had been said could be taken back now.

Kai’s gaze, once filled with doubt, now remained steady on you. Your eyes seemed to be searching for an answer that went beyond words.

“I’ll ask you one more time, Kai,” you said quietly, leaning closer to him. “What happens now?”

“Whatever you want,” he answered, his voice almost a whisper, as if he had finally found the words he had been searching for all along. He got closer, closing the distance between you as the weight of everything left unsaid over the years hung in the air. “I just… don’t want to lose you, Y/N.”

You could feel the warmth radiating from Kai, almost intoxicating now. The doubt and pain that still lingered seemed to soften under the intensity of his gaze. Your heart began to race, and even though part of you wanted to pull away, your body refused to obey. Kai seemed to have a magnetic pull, drawing you closer, and you let yourself give in.

He leaned in, and you felt the gentle touch of his hand against your face. It wasn’t just the contact, it was the warmth of him, so intense it felt like it was spreading through every part of you. He didn’t pull back, and your eyes closed almost instinctively, as if your soul already knew what was about to happen.

When his lips finally met yours, the kiss was soft, gentle, almost delicate.

But the intensity quickly took over.

The warmth of his lips, the urgency of the moment… it felt as if time and distance had disappeared all at once. For a moment, the two of you lost yourselves in the sensation. Then the movements grew more desperate, as if you were finally finding your way back to each other. Your breaths mixed, deepening a kiss that had waited far too long to happen.

Kai, his hand still cupping your face, deepened the kiss, and a wave of warmth spread through you, making you surrender completely. The taste of beer still lingered on his lips, but now there was something else there, something that spoke of everything that had been hidden, everything that had been wanted.

When you finally pulled apart, the air between you felt different. Warmer. Heavier. As if something long trapped inside both of you had finally been released.

Kai was still standing far too close, close enough for you to feel his breath and realize you hadn’t stepped away. His heart started pounding.

He wasn’t imagining it, you were still there.

His gaze dropped for a moment, not deliberately, but inevitably. Your lips were still slightly parted, your breathing uneven, your chest rising and falling too quickly. You looked just as affected as he felt, and that realization shattered the little control he had left.

Almost without thinking, his hand returned to your face, his fingers brushing your skin with a caution that didn’t match the urgency burning inside him.

“Y/N…” he started but didn’t finish. There was nothing left to say. You didn’t step back and that was all he needed.

The next kiss carried no hesitation. No doubt. It was firmer, deeper, as if he were finally allowing himself to do something he had denied himself for years. And this time you responded with even more intensity, with hunger, with desire.

When you finally broke apart, time seemed to slow. The world around you faded into silence, distant and unreal, as if nothing existed beyond that moment. You could still taste him. You could still feel the warmth of his hand against your face. Your heart was still beating far too fast.

Kai didn’t move away. His eyes remained fixed on yours, as if he were trying to memorize every detail. There was something different in his expression now, something rawer, more honest.

“I’m here now,” he said quietly, his voice still unsteady. “And I don’t want to leave again.”

He hesitated for a moment, as if the words were still new even to him.

“So… what happens now, Y/N?”

You didn’t answer right away. You could feel his breath against your skin, warm and too close. You could feel your own body responding to his presence, to his honesty, to the courage that had come late, but was real.

For so long, you had buried the version of the two of you that might have existed, convincing yourself it was gone forever, but he was here and, for the first time, he wasn’t hiding.

You stepped a little closer, your faces separated by barely any distance. Your fingers brushed against his arm in a light gesture, but full of intention.

“I want you to make love to me, Kai.” Your voice came out softer than you intended.

Kai fell silent for a moment, surprise flickering across his face, mingling with the intensity of the desire now hanging between you. His eyes held something deeper than simple longing, relief, uncertainty, and perhaps quiet gratitude that this moment was finally real.

“Are you sure?” he asked, his voice rough, as if he needed to hear it again to know this wasn’t just a dream.

You smiled, calmer now, though the desire in your eyes remained clear. Without hesitation, you took his hand and placed it against your waist, pulling him closer.

“I’m sure.”

The simple gesture, combined with your certainty, said everything. There were no more doubts, no more hesitation. The two of you were ready to move forward, ready to surrender to the feeling that had resurfaced after so many lost years.

“Come on,” you said softly. “Let’s go inside.”

You pulled him toward the playhouse. Kai had to duck slightly to pass through the small doorway, which made you laugh. As soon as he stepped inside, he sat down and pulled you onto his lap.

Kai held you even closer, and the intensity of the moment took over again. Your lips met once more, but now with greater urgency, greater need. His hands began to explore your body gently, each warm touch, each careful movement feeling like a step toward something new and yet strangely familiar.

Your heart raced as your body responded to his, and the need to be close to Kai, to connect with him in a way that felt almost written by fate, finally became real.

When you pulled apart again, breathless, both of you knew that what had just happened wasn’t simply a moment of long-suppressed passion. Something bigger was beginning between you, something that, this time, wouldn’t be broken.

“Now… this is our moment,” Kai said. His voice was low but filled with conviction, as if he had finally found himself. He kissed you again, deeply, and this time both of you knew there was no turning back.

Slowly, your hands began to slide along his torso, slipping beneath the black shirt he was wearing. Kai’s skin was warm, and it didn’t take long before you pulled away from the kiss just enough to lift the fabric over his head.

He quickly did the same with you. Your blouse soon landed somewhere on the floor of the playhouse, the dim interior lit only by thin beams of light slipping through the small windows. It was enough for you to see each other’s expressions, every reaction.

His mouth found your neck almost immediately, moving between slow kisses, gentle bites, and lingering touches of his tongue. The heat between you kept rising, and a soft gasp escaped your lips as your hands tangled in his dark hair.

His fingers paused at the strap of your bra. For a moment he hesitated, glancing up at you. When you nodded, he released a breath he hadn’t even realized he’d been holding.

“You’re even more perfect than I imagined,” he murmured when he saw your boobs free.

Without wasting another second, his mouth closed around one of your nipples while his fingers teased the other.

The sound that slipped from your throat betrayed how much you were enjoying it. Your fingers tightened in his hair, pulling slightly. Kai seemed to like that, because he began to suck harder, more eagerly.

Soon your hips began to move against the outline beneath his jeans, drawing a low groan from him as his hands tightened around your waist.

“Do you feel what you do to me?” he murmured in your ear, his voice rough.

Your eyes fluttered shut.

“Yes… and I like it very much,” you whispered, wrapping your arms around him as you kept moving.

“Don’t do that,” he warned softly, gripping your waist tighter. “You’re going to drive me insane.”

“Maybe that’s exactly what I want,” you replied, your foreheads touching. “Punishing you for leaving all those years.”

“If that’s the punishment,” he said with a crooked smile, catching your lower lip gently between his teeth, “I’ll happily accept it. But let me take you to heaven first.”

“Then lead the way, love,” you whispered.

He quickly unbuttoned your shorts. You did the same with his jeans, and with some effort the last remaining pieces of clothing disappeared as well.

The admiration between you burned on your skin.

Kai had always been handsome but seeing him naked surpassed every fantasy you had ever imagined. And to him, you looked like something out of paradise. The way his gaze traveled slowly over your body only made the desire inside you grow stronger.

“I can’t wait anymore… I need you now,” he breathed, suddenly searching his pockets in frustration. “Damn. Y/N… I don’t have a condom. Do you?”

“It’s okay,” you said softly. “I’m on the pill.”

Kai bit his lower lip, trying to control himself.

“You’re really trying to drive me crazy,” he laughed quietly, pulling you closer.

Without looking away from him, you stepped forward, your heart racing as if each beat answered to his presence. No words were necessary. The way you looked at each other said everything.

You touched his face gently, almost reverently, and he closed his eyes, leaning into your touch.

“Come here,” Kai murmured, his voice thick with desire.

Still holding your hand, he sat down on the pile of clothes and pulled you closer. With his free hand he stroked himself quickly before looking back at you.

“Ride me.”

You positioned yourself carefully and slowly lowered yourself onto him. He was big, and you had to move slowly. Kai closed his eyes for a moment as your warmth surrounded him. The sensation between you felt electric and delicate at the same time, as if every movement carried meaning. For a few seconds the world seemed to stop, then you began to move.

You couldn’t hold back your moans, your eyes rolling back as pleasure spread through you. Kai’s half-lidded gaze moved between your face, your body, and the way you moved against him.

“Fuck… you feel so good around me,” he groaned. “Maybe I wasn’t the first… but I want to be the last one to feel you like this.”

“Keep going like that,” you gasped, “and maybe you will.”

You were completely lost in him, feeling his body against yours, each movement slowly erasing the years that had once separated you. The world outside disappeared and for that moment, there was only the two of you.

“Fuck, Y/N… pussy so good, taking everything like a good girl” he groaned, gripping your hips.

You pulled him closer instinctively, and Kai wrapped his arms around you, your bodies pressing together as your lips met again in a quick kiss, both of you breathing hard. Kai’s movements became faster, more instinctive as he felt himself getting closer.

“Don’t stop, Kai,” you moaned.

“Are you going to cum, baby girl?” he asked hoarsely. “Cum for me.”

A few more movements were all it took. Your body tensed as the pleasure finally broke over you, tightening around him. Kai held your hips firmly in place as he followed moments later.

For a few seconds neither of you could breathe then your eyes met. You shared a slow, meaningful kiss. It began soft, almost like a confirmation that you were finally standing in the same place. But soon it deepened again, as if both of you were trying to reclaim the time that had been lost.

When you finally pulled away, something in Kai’s eyes had changed. The hesitation was gone. So was the fear that had kept him silent for so many years. He was learning what it meant to have you like this: without distance, with a connection deeper than anything he had imagined.

You smiled, still a little stunned by what had just happened, but with no regret.

“I’m screwed,” he sighed softly, still inside you. “I don’t think I’ll ever be able to live without your pussy again.”

You laughed and gave him a playful slap on the shoulder.

“I don’t want to think about the future right now,” he continued, scratching the back of his head. “But I’d really like to try… if you want. Can I take you out sometime?”

“Of course,” you said with a teasing smile. “I’ll clear my schedule for you. But like you said… I don’t want to think about the future. I just want to enjoy right now.”

“Right now,” he murmured, his voice low with lingering desire, “I’m here. With you, Y/N.”

“Good,” you said with a grin. “We can continue this in my bedroom. What do you think?”

“I’m definitely in.” You both got dressed quickly and headed toward your house.

For the first time in years, you felt ready to move forward, to live in the present without barriers. And tomorrow? That belonged to the future, but for the first time in a while, it felt promising.

elle speaks²: thanks for reading ♡

disclaimer: this is a fanfiction created by me. the characters of TOMORROW X TOGETHER and the song mentioned are used for creative purposes only. this story is not affiliated with BigHit Entertainment or TXT, and all content is fictional and does not reflect reality. the song “Playground Love” is owned by its creators and used here without profit.