The sun rose slowly.
The light fell upon the ruined courtyard… gently.
As if nothing had happened.
---
But we were still standing together.
Too close.
---
So A wouldn't let go.
Her fingers were still clasping my hand.
Weakly.
But… firmly.
---
Aki stood on the other side.
Her hand on my shoulder.
And for some reason…
she wasn't in a hurry to move away either.
---
'Are you going to stay like this…?' she said quietly.
---
So-A flinched.
But she didn't let go.
---
"W-what's the matter?"
---
"Nothing," Aki smiled. "It's just that he'll collapse right now if you don't let him go."
---
"Hey…" I tried to protest.
---
And immediately staggered.
---
"See?" she said calmly.
---
So A looked at me in alarm.
---
"Sit down!"
---
I was literally forced to sit down on the remains of the stone slab.
---
And then—
they stayed close by.
---
Too close.
---
So A crouched down in front of me.
Looking me straight in the eye.
---
'Does it hurt?'
---
'A little.'
---
'You're lying.'
---
I smiled.
---
— A bit more than a little.
---
She exhaled quietly.
---
And gently touched my cheek.
---
Warm fingers.
---
My heart started racing again.
---
— You're an idiot… — she whispered.
— But…
---
Pause.
---
— …my idiot.
---
I froze.
---
Aki, standing to the side, chuckled quietly.
---
"Wow. Have you gone that far already?"
---
"Shut up!" So-ah snapped, blushing.
---
But she didn't pull her hand away.
---
On the contrary…
she ran her fingers over my skin.
Wiping away the blood.
---
"Next time…"
she looked me straight in the eye.
---
"Take me with you."
---
I nodded.
No kidding.
---
"I promise."
---
A pause.
---
Aki suddenly sat down beside me.
---
— Then take me too, — she said.
---
I turned to her.
---
— You're not falling behind anyway.
---
— That's not it, — she replied quietly.
---
And for a second…
her gaze grew serious.
Deep.
---
— I… don't want to lose you either.
---
Silence.
---
I hadn't expected that.
---
And…
I couldn't think of anything to say.
---
So I just nodded.
---
"Then don't fall behind."
---
She smiled.
---
"I'm not going to."
---
So Ah suddenly leaned closer.
---
Too close.
---
— Ha Jin…
---
— Mm?
---
— Thank you.
---
And…
she hugged me.
---
For real.
---
Without hesitation.
---
I froze for a second.
---
And then…
I slowly hugged her back.
---
Warm.
Real.
---
Aki was watching us.
---
And…
she sighed.
---
"All right… you win."
---
She came over.
---
And…
gently pressed herself against my side.
---
'But I'm here too.'
---
We froze.
---
The three of us.
---
Broken.
Tired.
---
But…
alive.
---
And for some reason—
happy.
---
The wind had finally returned.
---
Light.
Warm.
---
It swept across the courtyard…
and carried away the last traces of tension.
---
'You know…' I said quietly.
---
— What?
---
I looked at them.
---
— If that's the price for power…
---
A pause.
---
— I agree.
---
So A smiled.
---
Aki snorted.
-- -
— Just don't get too big for your boots.
---
We laughed again.
---
But somewhere deep inside—
something was watching.
---
Quietly.
---
And with interest.
---
Because this silence…
won't last long.