---
(Hyunjin's POV)
Karina was still in my arms when her breath slowed and her eyelids fell shut.
She'd fallen asleep.
I gently laid her down on the bed and pulled the blanket up to her neck.
I couldn't stop looking at her...
She was the only girl I ever felt truly comfortable with.
Since we became friends, there hadn't been a single thing she hid from me.
She'd shown me all her scars.
And me?
I knew them all.
I knew she felt safe with me — and that meant more to me than anything else.
But one question kept eating away at me like poison:
When she learns the truth... will she still trust me?
The fact that I lied to her is driving me insane.
But I can't tell her everything.
Not yet... It's too soon.
For now, I just need to make sure she doesn't feel alone.
She's already had enough loneliness in her life.
These thoughts kept swirling in my mind until sleep finally took me...
---
(Karina's POV)
When I opened my eyes, I was in Hyunjin's bed.
Then it all came rushing back — I'd fallen asleep in his arms last night.
And for the first time in a long time, I had a dreamless sleep.
No nightmares.
As I sat up in bed, the door creaked open and Hyunjin walked out of the bathroom...
Wearing a towel.
Only a towel.
My eyes immediately locked onto his body and—
I screamed!
Pulled the blanket over my head — I was melting from embarrassment!
💬 + "What's your deal, girl? We're roommates now, better get used to it."
– "Are you kidding me?! Get used to what, exactly?!"
He didn't answer.
I slowly peeked from under the blanket, just enough to check...
And once I saw he was dressed, I threw the covers off and rushed out of the room.
– "Nice going, Karina… real smooth. It's like you saw him naked, not the other way around!" 😖
As I grumbled to myself, I heard Hyunjin's mom calling from the kitchen:
💬 – "Where are you, sweetheart? Come have breakfast!"
When I stepped into the kitchen, I was met with a full table — all kinds of delicious food.
I stood frozen for a second, then walked up behind her and hugged her tight.
– "Thank you, auntie. You really didn't have to go through all this trouble."
💬 + "It was nothing, dear. We had to celebrate, after all."
– "Celebrate what?"
Right then, Hyunjin suddenly appeared behind me like a shadow.
💬 + "Yeah, celebrate what, Mom?" 🙄
She smiled at both of us.
💬 + "Karina's freedom, of course! Freedom from those awful witches!"
Both Hyunjin and I burst out laughing.
That's when the door swung open and, like always, Jeongin flew into the room and hugged Hyunjin's mom tightly:
– "Greetings, my dearest friends! I know you missed me terribly 😌 but Mom comes first!"
💬 + "Pretty sure she's not your mom, dude!"
And just like that, the chaos of the three of us began again 😅
We all sat down around the table.
Hyunjin's mom placed a bowl of rice in front of me — but I couldn't eat.
It wasn't the food… it was me.
Something was tightening in my chest.
But I didn't know how to say it.
Then, out of nowhere, Hyunjin swapped his bowl of food with mine.
💬 – "Why'd you switch the food?" his mom asked.
💬 + "No reason... I just felt like it."
She said nothing, but I looked at him —
and I knew he understood.
He's the only one who knows why I can't eat certain things...
And he never asks.
Because he knows that his silence is the safest shelter I have.
Breakfast ended, but the warmth around the table stayed.
Jeongin, as usual, was talking nonstop — none of it made any sense, but that was part of his charm.
💬 – "One day, they'll write books about me! The Epic Tales of Prince Jeongin the Magnificent!" 😌
💬 + "Uh-huh. Just make sure you learn to button your shirt right first, Prince Jeongin the Messy."
Jeongin looked at him, stunned — then burst into laughter.
I smiled, too...
Our laughter was real.
But deep in my heart, that darkness still lingered.
---
Later, I walked into the garden.
Sunlight was filtering through the tree branches, warming my face.
I closed my eyes.
Just for a few seconds, I let myself pretend I was okay.
But when I opened them, I thought I saw a shadow — right beyond the wall.
I whispered to myself:
– "Did they find me…?"
Before I could think more, Hyunjin's voice came from behind:
💬 + "What's wrong? Why'd you flinch?"
– "Nothing... I just saw a shadow, that's all."
He smiled, but there was a flicker of worry in his eyes.
He quickly walked toward the wall and looked around.
💬 + "There's no one there. Maybe you imagined it…"
But I knew.
I was sure.
Something — or someone — was there.