Ho-Seok was lying on the bed with a pillow supporting his back, his left hand wrapped in bandage. Nora sat beside him, holding a bowl of porridge. She kept blowing gently on the spoonfuls to cool them before feeding him.
Ho-Seok's cheeks were slightly puffed in annoyance. After all, he had just been betrayed by his own brother.
Nora lifted a spoon toward his mouth, but he refused to open it, deliberately looking away.
"Seodongsaeng…" Nora called softly.
Ho-Seok gave her a side-eye.
Trying again, she spoke in a cuter tone, "Seok-ah…"
"Devar ji " (Brother-in-law)
Ho-Seok sighed.
"You don't have to do this… My own hyung betrayed me… me, his own younger brother…"
He placed a hand dramatically over his heart as if deeply wounded. " For a teddy bear."
Nora calmly pushed the spoon into his mouth anyway.
"That's because your hands and feet work," she said matter-of-factly, "and the teddy's don't."
"You should've watched where you were going. Why did you even step into that puddle and fork in your hand?"
Ho-Seok mumbled while chewing,
"Hmm… you're right. I shouldn't have stepped there… but how did the whole house become such a mess in just a few minutes?"
Nora stuffed another spoonful of porridge into his mouth before he could finish complaining.
"You're right about one thing," she said with a small sigh. "You should really teach that cat some manners. She can't stay in one place for even a moment. She turned the whole house upside down."
Hoseok tried to speak again.
"Y-you—"
But Nora quickly filled his mouth with another spoonful.
"You should focus on eating properly and resting," she said firmly. "Finish your food first."
No Gul walked into the room and looked at the scene.
"You don't need to feed him like that," he said calmly. "It's just a minor injury. ."
Ho-Seok immediately frowned.
"My entire back feels like its bones are shattered… and my poor hands…"
" Now you're going to treat me like this? You… you cared more about your wife's gift than your own younger brother."
No Gul glanced at him coldly. "Stop making it."
Ho-Seok again being dramatic "See, sister-in-law?"
Nora quickly spoke up.
"Don't scold him."
Ho-Seok secretly smiled, glancing at No Gul just to tease him. Then he obediently leaned forward and took another spoonful of porridge from Nora.
No Gul stepped closer.
"Give it to me. I'll feed him… with my own hands."
Ho-Seok's eyes widened.
"No—no."
"I'll do it," Nora insisted softly.
But in the middle of the small tug over the bowl, the porridge suddenly spilled onto Ho-Seok .
"Hiss—!" he winced in pain.
"Oh! sorry! sorry !" Nora immediately leaned forward to clean it.
Ho-Seok quickly raised his hand to stop her, tight his lip with pain.
"It's okay… I'll do it myself."
"But—"
"He'll manage," No Gul said, gently guiding Nora away from the bed. "Let him handle it. You should go eat something."
After they left the room, Ho-Seok wiped himself off, muttering under his breath with an annoyed sigh—
"… I ended up with a disaster sister-in-law."
"And a bossy cat."
Dinner ended quietly.
Later—
The apartment lights dimmed into soft gold.
Nora stood near the dresser, fresh from the shower, towel draped over her shoulders as she gently dried her hair. Damp strands clung to her neck. The faint scent of soap lingered in the air.
The bathroom door clicked open.
No-Gul stepped out, hair still slightly wet, shirt loosely buttoned. He paused when he saw her.
For a moment—
He didn't move.
From the side, he watched her.
The way she tilted her head while rubbing her hair with the towel.
His gaze lingered longer than it should have.
Then—
Nora turned slightly.
Their eyes met.
A small silence.
She froze.
A faint blush crept across her cheeks.
He looked away immediately.
Calm. Controlled.
As if nothing had happened.
Without a word, he picked up a stack of files from the table .
Nora noticed him .
"You're done showering?"
No Gul gave a small nod.
"Hmm."
Nora hesitated for a moment before speaking.
"Seok likes food made by your hands… and I think I might have bothered you a lot today."
No Gul looked at her briefly.
"If you liked it, I can make it again tomorrow."
"And don't go to sleep with your hair wet."
He also picked up his laptop from the table.
"I have some work. I'll be in the study room."
With that, he quietly walked out of the room
The door closed softly.
Nora stood there for a second, holding hairdryer.
Her thoughts grew louder in the quiet.
(Everything seems fine…
Don't we sleep in the same room?
Is it because I move too much in my sleep?
No… that can't be it.
Maybe he's just trying not to make me uncomfortable.
Maybe he thinks I'll feel awkward…)
She exhaled slowly.
Still, a small uneasiness remained.
✦ Night Deepens ✦
The study room was lit only by the laptop screen.
No-Gul sat in silence, sleeves rolled up again, eyes focused on the shifting data and encrypted reports on his screen.
His face was unreadable.
But his jaw tightened occasionally.
The clock ticked past midnight.
Suddenly, his mind drifted to Nora from a few moments ago, when she was drying her hair.
The night deepened.
In the study room, the only light came from the laptop screen. Lines of encrypted data flickered across No-Gul's face.
Sometime past midnight, exhaustion finally claimed him.
He fell asleep sitting upright in the chair.
1:00 a.m.
A faint sound—
khht.
His eyes opened instantly.
Alert.
Still.
There it was again.
Footsteps.
Slow. Bare. Dragging lightly across the hall floor.
In one smooth motion, he opened the drawer and pulled out his gun.
Silencer already attached.
He moved toward the door silently, every step controlled, body melting into the darkness.
The hallway was dim.
Another step.
Closer.
He raised the gun—
And suddenly stepped forward, pointing it directly at the figure in front of him.
His irises had already shifted back to purple, and the fox-like claws had slid out, as if he were preparing for a hunt.
Nora.
She stood a few feet away.
Still.
Her hair slightly disheveled.
And around her neck—
The pink feather shimmered faintly.
A soft, unnatural glow.
At that moment, his purple eyes were calm, and the tension in his hand slowly eased as his grip loosened.
But Nora…
She kept walking.
Toward the gun.
Toward him.
Her eyes half-open.
Unfocused.
As if she wasn't truly there.
He took a step back.
Gun still raised.
"Nora," he said quietly.
No response.
He searched her face.
"No-raya," he whispered softer.
Nothing.
Her gaze remained distant. Dreamlike.
Lost.
He stepped back again.
His heel almost hit a vase behind him.
It wobbled.
He caught it instantly, steadying it before it could fall—without making a sound.
She kept walking.
Straight.
Toward him.
Finally—
He up the gun slightly and straight.
Gun is on point touched her forehead gently.
She stopped.
Completely still.
Then slowly—
She turned.
And began walking toward the window.
That's when he noticed.
She wasn't wearing slippers.
Bare feet against the cold floor.
He exhaled softly.
"She's sleepwalking…"
He lowered the gun fully and slid it behind his back.
Then—
He lifted his hand slightly.
A subtle pulse of energy rippled in the air.
Her body rose gently.
Horizontally.
Use his magic.
Carefully, silently, he guided her through the hallway.
Back into her room.
The pink feather's shimmer .
Her breathing evened.
He lowered her slowly onto the bed.
Adjusted the blanket.
Brushed a strand of hair away from her face.
His purple eyes remained for a moment longer.
Watching.
Guarding.
He sway his finger on her neck , feather shimmer and its begun fade.
His eye shifted back to normal.
— To Be Continued —