The sudden creak of the door made Noah start, his heart skipping a beat.
He turned just in time to see it swing open, revealing Emily standing in the doorway.
"Aren't you done…" she began, her words trialing off as her eyes fell on him.
Noah's upper body was bare, droplets of water running down his toned shoulders and abs.
For a moment, she just froze, her mouth slightly open, as if she hadn't expected to see him like this.
Noah's lips parted, confused about why she was staring like that.
Her cheeks flushed almost immediately, and she quickly turned her head to the side, trying to avoid looking at him directly.
But he caught the faint quiver in her shoulders, the subtle awkwardness in the way she shifted her weight from one foot to the other.
Before he could say anything, she moved, dashing out of the room.
The door clicked shut behind her before he could even form a word.
He exhaled, his chest relaxing slightly despite the lingering rush of adrenaline.
"There she go again," he muttered, a small, dry chuckle escaping him. He shook his head, lips curling slightly in a smirk as he looked around the room.
He was in Emily's room. He let his eyes wander across the space, taking in the details.
It was unmistakably her. Soft pink bedsheets covered the mattress, neatly spread but with the subtle wrinkles of daily use.
A few stickers were plastered across the walls—small, playful designs of stars, moons, and cartoon animals.
They weren't arranged meticulously, but there was a rhythm to their placement.
Even the faint scent in the air carried hints of her, which was like a mix of lavender and vanilla.
Noah couldn't help but chuckle softly.
'First time in her room…' he thought, letting the words sink in. He had been to her house countless times, but never here.
And now, standing here, damp, muddy, and bare-chested, it felt a little strange.
Her earlier words echoed in his mind: her parents wouldn't be around for a few days, so it was fine for him to stay.
She didn't know the full story of what had happened to him today.
And yet, without hesitation, she offered to help him.
That thought alone made some warmth spread in his chest.
He glanced down at the towel she had given him, the fabric soft but clearly a spare she had set aside for emergencies.
Even that small gesture made him pause, smile tugging at the corners of his lips.
He shifted the towel around himself, letting it cover as much as possible while he considered his next move.
A soft knock echoed against the door. He looked toward it, narrowing his eyes slightly.
Emily's voice came again, still hesitant, still stuttering, but softer this time, almost fragile: "So… you're done now?"
Noah's gaze narrowed, lips pressing together as he shifted slightly on the bed.
'Shit… what am I even going to wear?' he thought, his eyes widening in realization.
His previous cloths were already ruined, stained forever by the mud that clung unto them.
Even if he could somehow wash all those mud away, there was no way he would ever wear them again.
Even the towel currently on him was merely a spare which Emily borrowed him.
"There might be… a little problem," he said again, voice low, careful, almost reluctant to speak it aloud but necessary. "I don't have anything to wear."
A soft, hesitant voice came from the other side of the door. "Y-yeah… that's right."
Moments later, the door swung open again. Emily stepped in, her eyes immediately finding his bare chest.
She froze for a moment, her gaze lingering longer than necessary.
She coughed lightly, a soft, almost embarrassed sound, her head tilting just slightly as she tried to break her gaze.
In her hands, she held a simple shirt, pale in color, and a brown knicker, slightly crumpled but clean.
Her fingers gripped them nervously, and she threw them at him, still acting awkward.
Immediately she threw it, she bolted out of the room once again, clicking the door shut behind her.
Noah caught the clothes clumsily from the air, letting out a low exhaled.
"Well… thanks," he muttered softly, shaking his head with a faint chuckle.
He quickly changed, tugging the shirt over his head and adjusting the knicker around his waist.
The cloth was loose, oversized even, and he realized almost immediately why.
The clothes weren't hers—they were her father's, old garments that had somehow been set aside.
Once dressed, he sank onto the edge of the bed, letting out a sigh as he ran a hand through his damp hair.
A few minutes passed, and then the door opened once more.
Emily stepped in, her eyes immediately finding him again.
She paused, staring for a long moment, and Noah caught the faint shift in her expression.
She suddenly chuckled, causing his brow to raise in confusion.
"Those clothes… they look funny on you," she said, her voice teasing but gentle.
Noah looked down at himself and couldn't help but nod.
He let out a small, dry laugh, shaking his head.
Emily's gaze softened slightly, but then her expression shifted, becoming more complicated.
She studied him carefully, her brows knitting together as though trying to piece together some puzzle she didn't yet fully understand.
Finally, after a few seconds of silence, she asked, "So… are you going to tell me what really happened now?"
Noah's eyes narrowed and he leaned back slightly.
He then took a deep breath, and started narrating everything that happened to her, making sure to leave out the part about the system of the strange dark place br found himself after dying.
Instead, he only said he fainted, then woke back up to find himself already buried alive.
It wasn't like it was that far from the truth also…
Emily listened, her eyes growing wider with each word coming from his lips.
When he finally finished, a tense silence fell.
Emily's mouth opened slightly, and she didn't speak at first. She remained still, staring at him, in doubt about what she just heard.
Her hands clenched into fists at her sides, and a soft, trembling voice muttered, "They… beat you up to near death, and then… buried you… leaving you to die?"
Noah's eyes flicked to her, noticing the beads of tears that had already started to pool in her eyes.
They threatened to spill over, and Noah's chest tightened at the sight.
He moved forward instinctively, shifting slightly on the bed.
"Hey… hey, you don't have to worry," he said softly, reaching out just slightly. "I'm fine. You can see… I'm fine."