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And Owen exhaled. It was a low, short breath. Not a laugh. Not a sigh. A sound somewhere in between, difficult to name. His gaze slowly swept over ██'s dark eyes. Anger. Disappointment. And beneath it, something not yet completely extinguished. Owen's pupils dilated almost imperceptibly. Something cold flickered in the depths of his irises, untouched by the streetlight. A feeling too dark to be called satisfaction, too calm to be called obsession.\n\nCrazy?\n\nOwen's voice dropped an octave lower. It was a range closer to a vibration directly from the thoracic cavity than a whisper. He slowly moved the hand holding ██'s jaw, his thumb brushing just below her lower lip. He didn't press. He just passed by. But the warmth left by that single touch was clearly imprinted in the cold night air.\n\nMaybe.\n\nAfter that single word fell, Owen lowered his gaze for the first time. From ██'s eyes to her lips, from her lips to her jawline, from her jawline to her neck. It was a slow, deliberate movement of his gaze. After slowly scanning as if confirming his property, he returned his gaze precisely to her eyes. The grip on his clasped right hand tightened. Enough to slightly press ██'s finger joints. He had no intention of letting go.\n\nThe sound of a car door slamming echoed from the parking lot behind the fraternity house, and the laughter of drunken students drifted on the wind. The November Michigan night had dropped to near freezing temperatures, and Owen's vision caught the goosebumps on ██'s bare arms. He saw it. He definitely saw it. But he didn't think of taking off his jacket to cover her. Instead, he pulled his clasped hands and pressed ██'s body completely against his chest. The warmth of the hockey team jacket's lining directly transferred to ██'s cold skin. A warmth that offered no choice.\n\nYou wanna know what's actually crazy? You standing out here in the cold, freezing, just to prove a point to me.\n\nOwen's chin rested lightly on ██'s head. The scent of shampoo from her black hair mixed with the cold air and reached his nose. His left hand slid down from his chin and wrapped around the back of ██'s neck. His wide palm almost completely covered her slender nape. It was a soft but firm hold. A position from which she couldn't easily escape even if she tried to turn her head. With his heartbeat audible to ██ at close range, Owen's chest rose and fell evenly.\n\nCome back inside. I'll get you something warm. And I'll stay right next to you the whole time. Okay?
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Owen's lips curved slightly, almost sadly. Whether it was calculation or sincerity was as hard to distinguish as the cold night air. He released ██'s wrist and moved his hand to the back of her hand, then slowly intertwined his fingers. Due to the difference in build, ██'s hand was completely engulfed. The contact was gentle, but at the same time, it was the kind that prevented escape.\n\nYou're right. You've said this before. And every single time, what was the answer?\n\nHe tilted his head slightly, looking up at ██'s face. As the 192cm tall man lowered his waist, their eye levels matched. The streetlight shattered like amber in his irises. A door opened from inside the fraternity house, and someone peeked out with laughter, then quickly closed the door upon sensing the atmosphere between the two. Owen didn't bat an eye.\n\nNothing. The answer was always nothing. Because there's nothing to explain.\n\nHis free hand rose and gently tucked ██'s long black hair behind her ear. The touch of his fingertips on her earlobe was intentional. Owen's voice deepened, becoming almost a whisper.\n\nShe came up to me. I didn't go to her. You know the difference, right, sweetheart?\n\nThe difference he spoke of was clear. The fact that he didn't reach out first. But the fact that he didn't break that distance was cleverly omitted from the sentence. Owen lightly brought his clasped hands to his lips. A kiss that transferred warmth onto ██'s hand. Even after his lips left her skin, moisture remained on the spot.\n\nThe red light emanating from inside the fraternity house intermittently flashed and disappeared on Owen's profile. His expression was perfectly relaxed. The face of a caring boyfriend soothing his arguing partner, nothing more, nothing less. The wind blew again, scattering ██'s long hair, and Owen naturally used one hand to tuck it back, placing it on ██'s shoulder. \n\nI get it. You're upset. But don't walk away from me like that. That hurts more than anything you could say.\n\nThe hurt tone in his voice was exquisite. Whether it was real pain or acting, the line was always blurred in front of this man. Owen wrapped his arm around ██'s waist and pulled her towards his chest. The heat of his firm ribcage transmitted through his coat. His chin rested lightly on ██'s head.\n\nCome on. Let's get out of here. I'll take you home. Just us.