"What are you doing here?" Haoran asked, his voice sharp.
"Maybe… 'Sea' can reply," Feng said casually.
"Sea?" Haoran echoed, puzzled.
"Yes. If there's a Hollow, there has to be a Sea too, right? Who else can answer but you, Aria?" Feng added with a teasing smile.
"Aria, let's go," Haoran said, his voice firm but calm.
Feng frowned, stepping closer. "Why? Why does Aria always have to go with you? Who are you, huh?" He crossed his arms. "And what problem do you have if we come here to the mall? Is this mall yours, that we have to obey you?"
"Yes, it's mine," Haoran said, standing tall, trying to assert control over the situation.
Feng raised an eyebrow, smirking. "Congratulations, man — you're basically the landlord of everyone's bad spending decisions."
I bit my lip, nervously glancing between them, silently praying for some miracle to help me out of this mess.
Haoran's jaw tightened, but he forced a small smirk. "If you're done with your comedy show, Feng, I suggest we move before the crowd gets any bigger." His tone was calm, but the flicker in his eyes said otherwise.
Feng crossed his arms. "Relax, Mr. Landlord. I was just appreciating your empire."
I sighed softly. "Can we not turn every conversation into a battlefield?"
Feng gave a small shrug. "Ask your guardian angel there. He starts it."
Haoran didn't reply — he simply turned toward me, his expression unreadable. "Let's go, Aria."
I hesitated for a moment but followed him quietly. As we walked away, Feng's voice called out behind us, "Careful, Aria — next time you might need a shopping permit from the Lee Group!"
Haoran didn't look back, but his hand clenched briefly before relaxing. I noticed — a faint smile touched my lips. He acts so composed, but sometimes… he's so easy to read.
The glass doors slid open, and the noise of the mall faded behind us — leaving behind tension, unspoken words, and a feeling that something much deeper was brewing between the three.
Walking outside, Haoran was quiet and distant. I tried to talk several times, but he didn't respond.
I sighed. Why does Haoran behave this way with me… why?
Finally, I stopped and asked, "What happened to you? Why are you behaving so childish?"
Haoran turned around, raising his eyebrows. "Childish?"
"Yes, childish! Even in the café, you acted the same way. Why do you dislike Feng so much? Today, you have to answer."
Haoran looked at me for a long moment, his expression unreadable. Then he said quietly, "And what about you?"
"What do you mean?" I asked.
"That night, you said I didn't tell you about Mr. Feng, and it bothered you. You showed your frustration, and I understood your emotions — I asked for forgiveness. But what about you, Aria? You didn't even say sorry. Instead, you're questioning me again."
I stood silent, unable to reply.
Haoran's voice softened, but his words carried weight. "What happened? No answer?"
Still, I couldn't speak.
After a pause, he turned around and walked away.
I stood there, watching his back fade into the distance.
The crowd moved around me, but everything felt frozen — like even the air refused to move until I did.
For the first time, his silence hurt more than his words.
I wanted to call him… just once.
But my voice stayed trapped somewhere between pride and guilt.
Maybe this is how distance begins — not with miles, but with a single unanswered question.
That night, I lay in the quiet darkness, the ceiling blurring above me.
Haoran's voice echoed in my mind — "But what about you, Aria?"
I smiled faintly, though it ached inside.
Maybe it wasn't anger that hurt me tonight… maybe it was care I didn't want to admit.
The world outside kept moving, but my heart stayed still —
stuck somewhere between pride and the wish that he'd turn back,
just once more.
In the morning, I woke up and went to freshen up. After that, I sat down to study. While I was reading, a little sparrow fluttered near the window and hopped onto my table.
The sparrow tilted its tiny head and chirped softly, "Why are you looking sad, Aria?"
I didn't reply. I just kept my eyes on the book, pretending to read.
The sparrow moved closer, pecking at a corner of the paper. "You humans always hide behind silence. But silence doesn't heal."
I sighed faintly, looking up. "And what do you know about that?"
The sparrow puffed its feathers. "More than you think. I've seen people lose each other just because they were too proud to speak first."
My hand froze on the page.
The sparrow looked at me once more, its eyes gleaming in the morning light. "Sometimes, a single word can bring back everything… if only you say it before it's too late."
Before I could reply, it flew away — leaving only a feather beside my notebook.
I looked at it for a long time.
Maybe… even the wind was trying to tell me something today.
I picked up the feather and looked at it briefly.
"I think I have to talk to Haoran before it's too late," I thought.
Without wasting another second, I grabbed my phone and texted him —
"Haoran, where are you?"
No reply.
I waited for a while, but the screen stayed silent.
So I called him. Once. Twice. Again.
But he didn't answer.
My chest felt tight with unease. Finally, I decided to go to his house.
Mr. Sheng opened the door, slightly surprised to see me.
"Master is not at home," he said politely.
"But where is he?" I asked, trying to keep my voice calm.
"I'm sorry, Miss Aria," Mr. Sheng said quietly. "I don't know."
I frowned, narrowing my eyes. "You really don't know… or pretending not to, in front of me?"
Mr. Sheng stayed silent, lowering his gaze.
That silence was enough.
I understood. Haoran must have told him not to tell me anything.
But if he thought I'd stop there… he was wrong.
I looked at the closed gate of the Lee residence and whispered,
"I will meet you, Haoran. No matter what."
I was searching for him everywhere — the park, the café, even near the old bookstore he liked.
But he was nowhere.
Then suddenly, a memory flashed in my mind —
that small house Haoran once took me to.
A quiet place at the edge of the city, surrounded by trees and soft silence.
Without another thought, I decided to go there.
Something in my heart whispered that I'd find him there…
or at least, find the answer I'd been running from.
I went to the house and rang the doorbell.
Haoran opened the door — surprise flickered in his eyes.
"Why are you here?" he asked, his voice calm but uncertain.
"I don't need to tell you," I replied. "You said it's our research lab, so I can come here anytime, right?"
Without waiting for a response, I walked inside.
I sat on the sofa, pretending to look around, though I already knew every corner of this place.
Haoran quietly followed and sat beside me — but instead of speaking, he opened a book and began to read, as if I wasn't even there.
The only sound was the soft rustle of pages turning — and my heartbeat that refused to slow down.
"Haoran," I called. He didn't reply.
I called again. "Haoran!"
Still nothing.
"Are you mute?" I asked teasingly.
He nodded, pretending to be serious.
I took the book from his hands. "Now it's done. You're angry because of Feng, right? But Haoran, I don't know why you don't like him. I have to talk to him to find the truth behind those shadows and the magics."
Haoran looked at me quietly, then said, "Then why were you hiding from me?"
"Because I knew if you two met, you'd both end up doing something to interrupt the conversation. And see? It happened."
Haoran sighed softly. "But you should've told me once."
"Okay, okay, your highness. I'll tell you everything that happens to me, okay?" I said with a grin.
Haoran blushed and looked away.
Before I could say anything else, I noticed something in the corner.
"Haoran, what is that?" I asked.
"Oh, that's a small locker I found in my home's storeroom," he said casually. "But I don't know the password. I asked my mom and dad, but they didn't know either, so I brought it here."
I stood up and went near the locker. It looked really old, with faded carvings. For a moment, I wanted to open it — but then I ignored it and went back to Haoran.
Just then, Yana called me.
"Hello?" I answered.
Yana replied, "Hello Aria! Can you come to the park?"
I asked, "Why?"
Yana replied excitedly, "There's a fair going on in the park! Please come here, we'll enjoy together!"
I smiled. "Okay, I'll come," I said and cut the call.
When I looked up, I noticed Haoran was staring at me.
"What happened?" I asked.
"I want to go with you," he said.
I replied, "No, you can't go."
Haoran made a face like a sulky child, turned his head away, and said, "Okay then, I won't talk to you."
I couldn't help but smile and said softly, "Okay, you can go then."
His expression immediately changed; his eyes lit up. "Okay! Wait a minute, I'll be right back after dressing up!" he said, running toward his room.
I looked at him and laughed quietly — no matter how much he tried to hide it, sometimes Haoran was just like a kid.
In the park, Haoran and I were searching for Yana when suddenly she came running toward us, waving.
"Hey! I'm here!" she shouted, slightly out of breath.
I smiled and waved back. The moment she reached, we hugged each other warmly.
Then Yana looked at Haoran, eyes wide. "Haoran also came here?" she asked in surprise.
I nodded.
She leaned closer and whispered in my ear, "How did you make Haoran agree to come to the fair? I'm really excited to wander around with the CEO's son!"
I smiled awkwardly, trying not to laugh. Haoran, pretending not to notice, casually ran his fingers through his hair — styling it with that effortless attitude of his, as if the wind itself worked for him.
Then we three wandered through the fair, laughing and exploring every corner.
We rode the merry-go-round, the tiny toy trains, and even tried the shooting stall — Yana missed every shot but still cheered like she won a prize.
The night lights twinkled around us, filling the air with music and laughter. For a while, it felt like the world had forgotten about magic, shadows, and secrets.
After a few rides, Yana turned to me with a sparkle in her eyes. "Aria, come with me! Let's get cotton candy!"
While Yana and I went to buy cotton candy, Haoran said he would wait on the bench. We weren't gone for long — just a few minutes.
As we walked back, I noticed a girl standing near him… no, actually sitting beside him — a little too close. Haoran looked tense, his shoulders stiff. He moved slightly away, pretending to check his phone, but she leaned in even closer.
I slowed my steps. "Who's that girl?" I whispered to Yana.
Before Yana could answer, the girl suddenly said,
"Haoran, I like you… will you go out with me?"
The words struck like lightning. Haoran's eyes widened.
Just then, I shouted —
"Haoran!"