The room was quiet.
Only the faint hum of machines and the slow drip of blood marked the passing of time.
Kang Sera hadn't even realized when her eyes had closed.
One moment, she had been staring at the ceiling. replaying everything the system had told her-
And the next-
Darkness had taken over.
When she woke up, the first thing she noticed was the stillness.
The second-
Was him.
Han Jiheon stood a short distance away, his posture straight, his expression unreadable as he looked at her.
For a brief moment, neither of them spoke.
Then Sera blinked slowly, her gaze lingering on him for only a second before she turned her head away, clearly uninterested.
"...You're awake," he said.
She didn't respond.
Instead, she pushed herself up slightly, ignoring the faint heaviness in her body, as if his presence -and his voice-didn't concern her in the slightest.
A glass appeared in her line of sight..
Orange juice.
"Drink this," Jiheon said.
Sera glanced at it.
Then at him.
Then-
She looked away again.
"No."
A pause followed.
Subtle.
Tense.
Jiheon exhaled quietly, as if already expecting that answer. He stepped closer, lowering himself slightly so that he was now within her line of sight again.
"Don't be childish," he said, his tone calmer than before, though something restrained lingered beneath it.
Sera finally looked at him.
Her expression was blank.
Almost indifferent.
"...Are you talking to me?" she asked softly.
For a moment, his brows furrowed, but he didn't react to her tone.
Instead, he spoke again-
Slower this time.
Measured.
"...What happened earlier," he began, his gaze steady on hers, "was your fault."
Sera didn't blink.
Didn't react.
Didn't interrupt.
"Ara is in that condition because of you," he continued, his voice lower now, though no longer as sharp as before. "I lost control."
A brief pause.
Then-
"...I shouldn't have hit you."
Silence settled between them.
Sera stared at him.
Her face remained completely expressionless.
Her vision blurred for a second-
Darkness flickering at the edges-
"...Oh," she murmured.
Before she could fall-
A hand caught her.
Jiheon's grip was firm, steady, holding her upright without effort.
"...You're weak," he said.
"...You drained my blood," she replied flatly. "What did you expect? A dance performance?"
He didn't respond.
Instead, he picked up the glass again and placed it in her hand.
"Drink."
This time-
She didn't refuse.
Sera stared at the juice for a moment before taking a slow sip, her expression still distant, her silence deliberate.
No thanks.
No acknowledgment.
Just quiet acceptance.
The Ride Back
The drive home was silent.
Not the awkward kind.
Not the tense kind.
Just-
Empty.
Sera leaned her head against the window, her eyes half-lidded, her body still heavy from the blood loss.
Jiheon didn't speak. Didn't look at her.
But his gaze flickered toward her-
More than once.
Home
The moment they stepped inside-
A voice greeted them. Sharp.
Concerned.
"Where were you two?!"
Mrs. Han stood in the living room, arms crossed, her expression far from pleased.
"I turned around for a moment and you both disappeared," she continued, clearly upset. "Do you have any idea how worried I was?"
Sera opened her mouth-Then closed it.
"...We were busy surviving," she muttered faintly.
But before she could say anything else-
Her body swayed slightly.
Her eyes blinked slowly.
Once. Twice.
And then-She just... stopped.
Standing.
Still.
Asleep.
Silence fell.
Mrs. Han's expression changed instantly.
"...Oh my," she whispered.
Jiheon frowned slightly, looking at Sera.
"...Is she-"
"She's exhausted," Mrs. Han said softly, her earlier anger completely gone. "What did you make her do?"
Jiheon didn't answer.
Mrs. Han sighed.
"...Take her to the room."
A pause.
Jiheon didn't move immediately.
He simply looked at Sera for a moment-At how she stood there, completely unaware, her body barely holding itself upright.
Then-Without another word-He stepped forward.
And lifted her.
Effortlessly.
Sera.exe Restarting
Her eyes snapped open.
Wait-
For a second, she looked confused.
Then-
She realized.
"You picked me up?"
Her gaze slowly shifted.
From his face-To his shoulders-To his arms.
And then-She went silent.
Oh
Her eyes narrowed slightly, Observing. Analyzing.
Appreciating.
"...Okay," she thought calmly, "this is unnecessary."
Her gaze lingered. A little too long.
"...But not unwelcome."
Jiheon noticed.
Of course he did.
His steps slowed slightly.
His brows furrowed.
"...Why are you looking at me like that?"
Sera didn't answer.
Didn't even try to hide it.
You're stronger than you look," she said honestly.
A pause.
Then-
And you look strong."
Silence.
Jiheon's expression darkened instantly.
The moment they reached the bed-
He dropped her.
Not gently.
Sera bounced slightly on the mattress.
Hey-!"
She looked up at him, offended.
He looked down at her. Judging. Hard.
"Control your eyes," he said coldly.
Sera blinked.
Then-
Slowly-
A grin spread across her face.
"...Make me."
End Scene
Jiheon turned away.
But his expression-Was no longer calm.
And Sera-Laying comfortably on the bed-
Smiled to herself.
Because despite everything-
The pain.
The slap.
The tension-
She had learned something important.
He wasn't as untouchable-
As he thought.