Pandora's Hope

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Hoseok is almost beside himself with joy. So much joy that he took Nari out for dinner Sunday night. Their first real date.

They went out to a small chicken restaurant. Nothing fancy, but when asked this was the place Nari chose. They held each other's hands with pride. Fed each other food from their plates. Gave each other sweet kisses as they made their way down the street for ice cream. They did everything Hoseok had dreamed of doing with her.

He returned to work Monday morning feeling much lighter and happier than he has in months. Tuesday he takes her to work when he gets off. Her car is thankfully still there undisturbed.

As he's sitting at the bar as he's done many times, he can't help but smile thinking of how she'll be going home to him at the end of the night. It's then that he realizes she'll need a key to his place so she can come and go as she pleases. His place is her place.

Wednesday he gets a key made for her and goes to the bar to see her. She greets him with her usual smile and pours him a drink.

"Don't stay here all night," she says placing the cup in front of him.

"Why?" He asks.

"Because you need to get some sleep," she smiles. "You've been waking up early making me breakfast every morning then working all day. You don't need to stay here until 2 am every night when I'll be coming straight home to you."

"I can't believe you're trying to get rid of me already," he jokes.

"I see you all the time now, it's so annoying," she says playfully rolling her eyes.

"Fine, but what are you going to do if I'm sleep when you get there in the middle of the night?"

"Oh..." she says thinking of a solution. "I guess I'll just have to beat on the door until you wake up."

"Don't you dare!" He pulls the key out of his pocket and presents it to her across the counter. "Just let yourself in, and don't wake me up," he chuckles.

"Really?" She asks hesitant to take the key from him. "You're giving me the key to your place?"

"It's your place too if you want it to be."

"Of course I want it to be!" She says taking the key in excitement. She runs around the counter and gives him a kiss. "So does this mean you can actually get some sleep since you won't have to be up to let me in?"

"Yes, if you want me to leave that bad," he giggles stealing another kiss.

"It's not that I want you to leave, I just want you to take care of yourself. You don't have to worry about me so much anymore." She goes back behind the counter when she notices a customer approaching the front door. "Have a couple of drinks first though."

"How many drinks can I have before you kick me out completely?" He jokes.

"Since it's Wednesday you're not getting anything stronger than that sprite so drink all you want," she laughs stepping to the side to assist the other customer.

He stays a few hours until Nari finally gets him to go home. She tells him to eat something and get some rest. She also makes sure to threaten him if she gets in after her shift and he's still awake.

As much as he would love to stay up and wait for her he's not able to fight his sleep. After throwing some ramen and pork on the stove and helping himself to a bowl, he leaves some out in case Nari is hungry when she gets in and he falls right to sleep while watching videos on his phone.

He was so deep in his sleep that he never heard her come in. He woke up the next morning with her curled up next to him in one of his tshirts. It's become one of his favorite sights each morning.