Felix and Chan were able to stay for two nights after Cleo woke up. True to his word, Chan did not bring up Cleo coming to Korea with them for the remainder of their time together. Felix spent a lot of time teaching Cleo about different video games. They would often pass time together on Animal Crossing or she watched him play Genshin Impact on his phone. When Chan wasn't working on his laptop he and Cleo talked about their childhoods. Swapping stories and discussing the differences they experienced growing up in Australia vs midwestern USA. Cleo's favorite moments were when Chan and Felix would recount stories from their trainee days. The two of them would banter back and forth so easily that Cleo could just listen and relax to their voices.
They insisted on staying in the hospital room with her and refused to leave no matter how often she insisted they go to a hotel to get some sleep. Instead, they huddled together on the small pull out couch the hospital provided. In the middle of the first night spent like this Cleo rolled over to find Chan awake and staring at the ceiling. As quietly as she could she got his attention and motioned for him to join her in the hospital bed. He crept slowly off the couch, careful not to disturb a sleeping Felix and tip toed his way over to her. She'd scooched as far over in the bed as she could to give him space to slide under the covers. Once he'd settled in he reached carefully for her, pulling her into his chest and wrapping his arms as softly as possible around her form. They laid silently, tangled up in each other until they both drifted to sleep.
On the day they were set to fly back Chan made Cleo promise over and over again to let him know when she would be discharged. She was just reassuring him for the third time when they were interrupted by a knock on the door. Chan crossed the room quickly and let in what was possibly the largest man Cleo had ever seen. Felix leapt up at the sight of him and crashed into him for a hug.
Cleo watched the scene in front of her with amusement. After the three of them were done greeting each other, Chan turned with a smile on his face. "Cleo, this is T. He was in charge of security for our last tour in America. Him and his team will be keeping an eye out for you when we can't be here."
She sat up straighter in bed, leaning forward to offer him a soft handshake, "It's very nice to meet you T, but Chan's overreacting. This isn't necessary."
Cleo didn't miss the eye roll Chan gave her. "Chan I'm serious. I've been on my own for a long time. The police will find Jason, I don't need protecting." She glared at Chan. "Although, I'm sure you're very good at your job, T" she added with a nod and a smile in his direction.
T returned her smile. "Hey little miss, I know this is hard, but from everything Chan has told me that bastard is dangerous and you're well worth protecting. You won't even know we're there most of the time."
Chan could see Cleo's skepticism and jumped in before she could argue more, "Besides, it's already set up. Let us keep you safe when we can't be here."
Cleo hesitated for a moment, wanting to argue more but knowing it was pointless. Finally, she sighed, "Alright. If it'll make you both feel better, I'll go along with this. But just know I don't appreciate being babysat and the second he's caught this is over."
Chan grinned, obviously relieved. "Trust me, it's just a precaution. We want you safe."
T added with a laugh, "Don't worry. You won't even notice we're there."
Felix had watched the exchange unfold in front of him with nervousness and once Cleo agreed to the extra security he could feel the muscles in his neck relax. With T and his team watching over Cleo they wouldn't have to worry about her. He knew she hadn't agreed to move back to Korea with them yet, but he was determined to convince her. Chan glanced at his watch and gave Felix a pointed look. They needed to be leave now if they wanted to catch their flight. With a sad smile he knelt down to kiss Cleo on the cheek and give her one last hug. "We'll be back soon okay? Text me every day."
She patted him on the cheek with a smile and promised to talk to him every day. Felix and T walked out of the room, airily announcing they would bring the luggage to the car, leaving Chan to say goodbye alone.
"Ah, I almost forgot", Chan reached for the ring on his finger, "I believe this belongs to you." With a twist he removed it, holding it out for Cleo to take. She picked it up and examined it for a moment before looking back to Chan.
"Actually, would you mind holding onto it for me? I'm not supposed to wear rings with this cast anyway so…", she'd barely finished speaking when Chan suddenly leaned down, pressing his lips to hers. Warmth spread from where their lips met, heating her cheeks and leaving her breathless. The kiss itself was chaste and sweet but it left Cleo's head spinning. When Chan pulled away she felt herself lean forward, as if unconsciously extending the contact between their lips.
Chan took the ring back from Cleo, twisting it halfway down his ring finger where it had been for the last few days. "I'll call you when we land okay? Don't forget- the second you know you're being discharged let me know."
Cleo's throat had suddenly constricted. It hadn't truly hit her that they'd be leaving until that moment. Blinking back tears, she nodded, not trusting her voice to remain steady. Unfortunately. Chan seemed to see right past her façade. He leaned down, enveloping her in one last hug. "I'll be back as soon as I can okay? Just stay safe until then." And with a final kiss on her forehead, he left for the airport.
True to his word, Chan called Cleo the moment the flight touched down and the pilot indicated they could use their phones. He had just finished filling her in on their plans for the next few days when he spotted Chul waiting for them with a company van. Ending the call with a hasty, "I'll call you later", he and Felix squared their shoulders and made their way over to their very angry manager.
Once they were in earshot they were met with a terse, "Get. In. The. Car.", before Chul turned on his heel and took his place in the passenger seat. Exchanging sighs, Chan and Felix clambered into the van. All things considered it could have gone much worse. They spent the 30-minute drive back to the hotel being screamed at for their insolence and stupidity, but it quickly became apparent that there would be no repercussions. They hadn't been spotted so none of their fans had any idea they'd taken a detour out of the country and their tour had so far been a huge success financially for the company.
Just after they pulled up to the hotel Chul tried for a final threat, "If you don't put an end to this ridiculous 'relationship' I will make sure that girl is the one who pays for it."
Felix had already exited the van with Chan close behind him when Chul threatened Cleo. Without so much as a glance at Felix, Chan slammed the van doors shut. Reaching into the front seat he pulled Chul halfway over the center console by the collar of his shirt. "Let's get one thing clear. I don't care who you are, you will not threaten Cleo. You will not so much as think her name. If I ever hear you say another bad thing about her or any of the members speaking to her, you're fired. Do I make myself clear?"
He released Chul and exited the van without waiting for a response.
The next few days felt like they flew by. Felix had asked Cleo's permission to share her phone number with the rest of the members which led to her being nearly constantly entertained. Seungmin and I.N. would challenge her to games, Minho sent cat pictures, Han and Felix added her to their group chat where they exchanged memes, Changbin asked her opinion about TikTok challenges he should participate in, and not a single day passed without a video call from at least one of them.
The day she was given word from her doctor that they'd be discharging her in the morning she called to let Chan know. He quickly video called her as he shared the news with the group. The eight of them cheered for her, jumping up and down and yelling words of encouragement. She hung up with a smile, feeling lighter. The next morning all she could think about was getting home and taking a shower. She'd been able to rinse off a few times during her stay at the hospital but between the lukewarm shower water and the filmy feeling soap she never felt properly clean. A shower had to be scalding to be proper, in her opinion. She was just imaging the smell of her shampoo when someone knocked on her door.
T entered, he was holding a bouquet of flowers and grinning at her. While Cleo still wasn't convinced security was necessary she did like T. He was incredibly easy going. His entire presence radiated peace and safety. "Oh my gosh T, those are beautiful! You didn't need to do that!"
"Of course I didn't have to, I wanted to! But I actually have another surprise for you…", and he turned to the side revealing Chan behind him.
A noise between a gasp and a squeal left Cleo. A rush of emotions flooded Cleo as she managed to stammer out, "Chan! What are you doing here?"
Chan stepped forward, a grin splitting his face, "Couldn't miss the big day, could I? Brought you a little surprise too!", and he held up a small bag for her to see.
T drove the two of them back to her apartment. As they got out of the car he caught Chan by the arm, "Don't forget. I'll be back at 6am, can't have you missing your flight." Chan groaned in response.
"Short trip, huh?" Cleo tried not to let her disappointment seep into her voice. She kept her eyes firmly on the sidewalk in front of her as they made their way into her building.
Chan pressed a hand to her lower back in an effort to steady her gait. "It is. We have a show I need to get back for, but I'll be back again as soon as I can. Come on, let's get you inside."
Being back at her apartment felt strange. There was no sign of her fall on the stairs, any blood stain must have been washed away by management. Her hesitation at the spot however did not go unnoticed by Chan. He watched her face carefully, pulling her slightly closer to him as he urged her forward. Her lungs had constricted, and her mind was filled with the sound of screaming and flashing lights. Once inside with the door locked she felt like she could breathe again. She gave Chan a grateful smile before sighing, "I can't wait to take a shower. I can finally wash this all away."
He grinned back at her, "I'll order us some food while you shower okay?"
Cleo hesitated, "Actually… never mind. Forget it.". She turned for the bathroom, but Chan stopped her short. "What? What is it?".
Staring at a spot somewhere over his right ear Cleo practically whispered, "I can't get undressed without help…" It took a few moments for Chan to comprehend what she was implying. Once he understood he felt the tips of his ears burn red. "Oh. Well. Uhm. Of course.". But she was already shaking her head, "Forget I said anything, I'll figure it out!" Before she could turn completely around he caught her gently by the waist. "I'll help you." He murmured while tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. It was Cleo's turn to blush.
As carefully as he could he edged her shirt over her shoulders and broken arm. His eyes remained firmly shut but at a sharp intake of breath they flew open, "What? What happened did I hurt you?"
"No," Cleo's eyes were now shut, and she was holding a hand pressed to her ribs. "It's just sore. I'm okay"
Chan's eyes skated over the skin under her hand. It was painted black and blue with unpleasant splashes of green. She was, in his opinion, decidedly not okay. Seeing her undressed like this was the first time he could truly appreciate the damage that bastard had done to her. Finding a small strip of skin that was unmarred he couldn't help but run a fingertip gently across.
"Chan", her voice was soft, but it brought him back to himself. He squeezed his eyes shut again. "Chan can you help me balance so I can get my leggings off?"
He nodded, swallowing. He knelt down in front of her. She placed his hands gently on her waist to hold her steady as she began to shimmy her bottoms to her ankles. Balancing with a hand on his shoulders she stepped out and forward, the small step bringing her flush to his chest.
He froze. His hands still resting just above the swell of her hips. The heat from her body seeping through his shirt and warming his chest. As she turned to enter the shower he tipped his face forward slightly. His lips just grazing the skin over her hip.
He turned to exit the bathroom but paused when he heard her hesitate.
"Could you... I mean, would you mind… can you stay? Please?" Her voice was so sad and scared sounding, like she expected him to decline and leave her there alone. He turned. She was facing away and had one foot in the shower, her forehead tipped to the side to rest on the glass door. For the first time he noticed a tattoo on her back, an arrow. He wondered what other secrets she held.
"I'll always stay", and as she finally stepped into the shower he leaned against the tile wall, sliding until he was sitting next to the shower. The glass shower door had a frosted strip across the middle that allowed Cleo some privacy. Chan settled in on the tile floor while keeping an eye on Cleo's form in his periphery. Steam slowly filled the bathroom as soft groans floated from inside the shower.
Cleo had turned the shower up to as hot as she could stand, needing to scrub away the smell and memory of the hospital. As the heat washed over her she could feel her muscles begin to relax, tension she hadn't known she'd been carrying melting away. She rotated slowly under the stream, savoring the feeling. Once she felt she'd adequately burned away all traces of the hospital she reached for her shampoo. With the bottle in hand she began to contemplate how exactly she'd go about washing her hair. She couldn't lift her left arm away from her chest due to the broken clavicle and the broken wrist prevented her from using her right hand as well. Not to mention too much movement tugged on the broken ribs, making it difficult to breathe.
Sighing, she slid the shower door open and peered out at Chan on the tile floor. He was sat with his head tipped back against the wall, his arms propped on his knees in front of him. His eyes were open but trained straight ahead. A small smile passed over Cleo's face, his attempts at maintaining her modesty did not go unnoticed. Unfortunately, desperate times called for desperate measures and the state of her hair was definitely desperate. "Um, Chan?", his eyes snapped to her at the first syllable out of her mouth. "I can't… Could you… I mean," she took a deep breath "I can't wash my hair without help. Can you help me?"
He rose to his feet without hesitating and before she could brainstorm the best method to go about it, he stepped into the shower fully clothed. She stared at him in astonishment as his shirt became soaked and stuck to his chest. "What're you doing?!"
Chan chuckled, reaching for the bottle of shampoo. "I'm helping you wash your hair, turn around". His sudden entrance in the shower had left her too surprised to feel self-conscious. She followed his command and turned to face the shower head, her back to his chest. Gently he began massaging the shampoo on her scalp. Her eyes drifted closed and she found herself leaning back, pressing her weight against him. He smiled at the soft groans that escaped her mouth. Carefully, he turned her to face him, allowing her hair to be rinsed under the hot water. She stared up at him, water droplets caught on her eyelashes. He kissed the tip of her nose before turning her back once more and repeating the process with conditioner.
Cleo couldn't remember anyone treating her with such reverence or care. His touches were softer than any she'd felt before, as if he were afraid she'd break. She was glad for the water as a few tears escaped. When he was done he pulled her to his chest. His wet jeans rough against her thighs, she held herself there letting the weight of the past weeks fall off her. The hot water began to cool, Chan turned the faucet off and reached for a towel. With the same amount of gentleness, he toweled her off, skating softly over her bruises. He didn't bother with his soaking clothes until she was completely dry and dressed in pajamas. Only then did he peel the ruined outfit off. "I don't suppose I could throw these in your dryer?"
Cleo led him to the closet that held her washer and dryer, "I can't believe you did that." She meant to sound chastising but couldn't hold the amazement from her voice. Once he'd thrown his clothing in the dryer and changed into a pair of low-slung gray sweatpants they collapsed together on the couch. He gathered her onto his lap, pressing his face to her neck. "What do you want to do for the next," he checked his watch, "12 hours before I have to leave?"
"Mmmmm, can we just stay like this?"
Chan laughed, "Of course. But we should order some food first." Doing his best not to disrupt her on his lap he extricated his phone from his pocket. "What do you feel like?"
At the thought of food Cleo sat up straighter. "Something spicy. The only spice the hospital used was black pepper." Chan stared at her like she was crazy. "Spicy?! How spicy?"
"As spicy as you can find!", She laughed at his expression. "Don't worry, I won't make you eat it. You can get your mild flavored food, but I want my lips to burn." Shaking his head, he went back to ordering.
Thirty minutes later and Cleo was sweating as she ate her Pho with extra chili's. Chan stared at her, dumbfounded as she turned red and continued to eat with gusto. "There is something seriously wrong with your taste buds" Cleo just grinned as he shook his head.
"Oh, I almost forgot my surprise." Chan turned to the counter where he'd deposited the small bag he had brought with him. "It's from everyone."
Wrapped in tissue, Cleo found a thin gold chain. Attached to the chain at equal intervals were 8 small gold disks, each stamped with a members initial. Centered between the disks was a diamond, twinkling the reflection of her lights back at her. Speechless, Cleo turned to Chan. "This is… beautiful Chan. Thank you"
He took the necklace from her hands, indicating she should turn around. He swept her hair, still wet from the shower, to the side and fastened the necklace around her neck. Turning her back around, he touched the diamond in the center with a trembling finger. "We are so grateful to have met you, Cleo. I don't think any of us could imagine our lives without you anymore, especially me."
Tears had spilled onto Cleo's face at Chan's words. There were no words she could use to express that it was she who should be grateful for them. Noticing the tears, Chan bent forward to kiss them from her cheeks before pressing his lips to hers. Before she could deepen the kiss, he pulled away, breathing a little heavier. "We should get you back to the couch, I don't want you overexerting yourself".
Wistfully, she allowed herself to be led back to her couch and pulled back into his lap. She spent a few minutes taking some selfies with Chan to send to the rest of the guys with a heartfelt thank you for the gift. In response she received a group photo from Felix, each of them held up a heart or thumbs up. Accompanying the photo was a message,We love you Cleo, can't wait to see you again. Keep getting better.
The rest of the evening passed comfortably. They watched movies and enjoyed the limited time together. Halfway through the second movie Chan looked down at Cleo folded in his arms. Her eyes were closed and her face relaxed. Gathering her up closer he lifted her and carried her to the bedroom, laying her gently down. As carefully as he could he crawled in next to her, tucking them both in.
When he woke up the following morning it was still dark outside. Checking his phone for the time, he had about 20 minutes before T would arrive to bring him to the airport and start keeping watch over Cleo for him. He rolled over slowly, gazing at Cleo's sleeping form. Gently, so as not to wake her, he tucked a wayward strand of hair behind her, grazing her cheek as he did so. He must not have been as gentle as he thought because at his touch Cleo opened her eyes.
"What time is it?" She managed through a poorly stifled yawn.
"Too early." He murmured in the darkness. "I've got to get going soon though"
Through the darkness he could see her expression shift from relaxed to tense. "I'll be back as soon as I can, okay?" He tried to reassure her.
When her frown persisted, he took a thumb and smoothed the crease between her eyebrows, leaning in for a kiss. Cleo sighed into his mouth, mumbling against his lips "I never want you to leave". Chan rubbed the tip of his nose back and forth over hers. "Me either. But remember, you can come with us anytime you want. There's plenty of space in our apartment for you."
With a sigh, Cleo leaned away. "I can't just uproot my entire life, Chan"
"Shhhh"He followed her until their lips met again. Before the conversation could continue his phone began to ring. It was his turn to sigh and pull away. "That'll be T. Don't forget, he and his team will be keeping an eye on you. If you need them for any reason just send an SOS text to the number he gave you, okay?"
He watched her intently until she rolled her eyes and agreed. "I'll be back before you know it. See you soon, Love" and with a lingering kiss he rolled from her bed and began gathering his belongings into his backpack. Cleo watched him leave with a sinking feeling in her heart. She knew she could trust him to be back as soon as he could, but it didn't soothe the emptiness she felt as he walked out the door.