The morning sun streamed through the curtains, bright enough to wake anyone still asleep. But Linda lay stubbornly still, her face buried under a pillow, trying to block out the light. She wasn't ready to move because she needed more sleep.
Sara glanced at the clock and frowned, she walked over to Linda's a bed. "Linda, you've slept enough," she murmured, tapping her gently on the shoulder.
When Linda turned, Sara gasped. Her eyes widening at the sight of the bruises. "What happened to you?!" she shouted.
Linda mumbled something incoherent, rolled over, and pulled the blanket higher.
"Linda," Sara called again, softer this time. "It's almost past breakfast."
Finally, Linda groaned and sat up, stretching with a pained sigh. Every muscle in her body felt heavy, her limbs aching as though she'd run a marathon. She dragged herself out of bed and shuffled toward the bathroom.
The warm water helped a little. When she came out, wrapped in a towel and dressed soon after, she felt only slightly better.
Sara was in the sitting room, playing a game when Linda joined her. Seeing her, Sara quickly set the controller down and hurried toward her. "Where did you even go last night? You look like you fought a mountain lion! And your face, Linda, did you fight someone?"
Linda gave a faint, tired smile. "I was attacked by a lunatic," she said simply.
"What?!" Sara's eyes widened in alarm. "You have to be more careful, Linda."
Linda only nodded quietly.
Sara sighed but decided not to press. "You hungry?"
"What did you have for breakfast?" Linda asked, heading for the kitchen.
"Just bread and eggs. We're basically out of groceries. I was thinking of going to the mall later. Like, I'm serious when I say I'm not going back to my new house anytime now. I seriously can't stay alone. By the way, I don't have enough money to visit the grocery store today. We can't keep having Ramen noodles and bread."
"Don't worry. Bills on me," Linda said casually, pouring herself a cup of tea. "I got some money yesterday."
Sara tilted her head, eyeing her playfully. "You're so mysterious sometimes. You refuse money from your parents, and yet you always pay the bills. Where do you even get it from? Don't tell me the person who beat you up also gave you cash," she teased.
Linda chuckled softly, raising a brow but saying nothing.
Just then, a knock echoed from the front door. Sara and Linda exchanged a glance. Linda sighed and went to answer it.
When she opened the door, she froze.
Standing outside were Sofia, Alex, and Jae Min.
Her eyes widened. "What are you guys doing here?"
The moment Sofia saw Linda's face, she gasped. "What the hell happened to you?" She rushed forward before Linda could respond, her hands hovering near Linda's bruised cheek.
Alex's expression shifted from surprise to anger. His brows furrowed, his jaw tightening. "Who did this?" he demanded, his voice low.
"I was attacked," Linda said, forcing a smile.
"By who?" Sofia asked.
"By a dark angel," Linda said quietly, leading them into the sitting room. "She had the most beautiful eyes I've ever seen."
At that, Jae Min's lips twitched into the faintest smile__one she quickly hid.
Sara came in just as Linda was about to narrate her ordeal.
"This is Sara, my friend," Linda said warmly.
"Sara, these are my classmates, and best friend, Sofia, Alex, and Jae Min."
Sara smiled politely and offered a small bow. "Nice to meet you all. Please, sit."
They exchanged pleasantries, and soon Sara returned with a tray of canned drinks and some snacks.
"Wait, you're serious? I mean, about the mysterious person that attacked you?" Alex asked, leaning forward, eyes narrowing.
"Do I look like I'm joking?" Linda pointed at her face with a half-laugh "Look at this. She fought with me like she was training me. She fought like a pro."
Jae Min, who had stayed quiet, leaned back in his seat. His expression was calm, almost detached__but his mind wasn't. So she remembered the eyes, she thought, a faintest guilt flickering inside her.
"Did she say anything?" Sofia asked.
"Not really," Linda said, her tone dropping. "She came at me like she had a reason. I tried to defend myself, but she was faster. I feel so useless."
"Don't say that," Jae Min said softly and everyone turned to him. "Anyone can get caught off guard." His voice was low but steady. "You must have been really impressive to last that long in a fight with a master."
Linda gave a small, tired smile. "Thanks. But I'm not taking this lightly. I'll train harder, find her again, and get a rematch."
Alex frowned, his eyes flicking briefly to Jae Min "You're serious?"
"Oh, dead serious," Linda said, biting into a cookie. "Next time, I won't go down like that."
There was a pause before Sofia let out a short whistle. "Damn, you're hardcore. Remind me never to get on your bad side."
Linda chuckled. "Don't worry, you're safe. Unless you start throwing ninja punches at me in the dark."
Everyone laughed, even Sara.
After a while, their conversation turned lighter.
"Now that exams are over, we'll barely see each other," Sofia sighed. "So annoying."
"It's fine," Linda said, patting her shoulder. "We can visit each other. Maybe twice a week, we'll hang out, train a little."
"Hell yeah," Sofia grinned.
They spent the next hours playing video games. Alex and Jae Min teamed up against Linda and Sofia___but the girls crushed them every round. Even Sara joined in, winning a match and smugly handing the controller back while Linda and Sofia cheered.
Alex leaned back with a groan "I swear you're cheating."
"Or maybe you're just bad, I told you to let me handle them." Jae Min teased lightly, a rare playful spark in his tone. Their eyes met, and for a brief second, something unspoken passed between them__something curious and quiet, like warmth flickering beneath the surface.
Alex blinked and quickly looked away, rubbing the back of his neck. "Tch, Whatever"
Jae Min smirked faintly, but his heart beat just a little faster.
Time passed quickly, and soon it was time to leave. Linda walked them to the door.
"This was fun," Sofia said, hugging her tightly.
"We'll visit again," Alex added, smiling.
Jae Min lingered for a moment longer than the others. "Take care of that bruise," he said softly, his voice lower than before.
Linda smiled "I will."
Then, with a quiet nod, Jae Min turned to follow the others.
Linda watched as they disappeared out of sight, her fingers brushing lightly over the fading mark on her cheek. Something about Jae Min's tone lingered in her mind__gentle, almost sounding guilty.
And somewhere deep inside, Jae Min felt guilty.