"Save!" Yeri gasped, lungs burning as she dashed into her dormitory building, beating the 10 p.m. curfew by mere seconds.
If this had been any other weekend, she would've been lounging on her plush bed at home, surrounded by pillows and playing with her golden retriever— carpet. But life had changed—thanks to her part-time job at one of her family's café branches, going home had become a luxury she could no longer afford, and the dorm had become a more practical option—closer to work, less stressful than commuting.
Today had been... odd. A strange yet surprisingly pleasant detour from her usual routine. After her bizarre encounter with Mrs. Neri, Yeri found herself cornered into having dinner with her. The conversation was weird, yes, but polite. Mostly.
Still replaying snippets of that unexpected meeting in her head, Yeri pushed open the door to her room and flicked on the light.
"You didn't have class today. Where have you been? And why weren't you answering your phone?"
The deep, stern voice echoed across the small space.
Yeri's heart practically jumped out of her chest that she forgot what most people would do—scream.
Was she dreaming? Hallucinating?
There he was—Shin Keir, stretched out like royalty on her tiny dorm sofa, his long legs claiming all the space.
"You—you—are you crazy?!" she finally exploded, the pitch of her voice reaching the sky.
Wait— Her room was on the third floor! Did he scale the wall like Spider-Man? Also, hello? Female dormitory! If he wasn't a hooligan, then what important reason could justify his illegal appearance?
"Where were you?" he asked calmly, as if he belonged there.
'I was exploring the deep caverns of your brain to see what's wrong with you!', she wanted to snap, but instead asked, "Do you even know where you are right now?"
He frowned slightly, rubbing his temples. "It's the weekend. No one's around. You didn't answer your phone—I thought something happened."
Yeri groaned, yanking her phone out of her bag. Sure enough—multiple missed calls and messages. Right. She'd put it on silent for work and then got caught up with Mrs. Neri.
Still, there was something called common sense, wasn't there?
If she thought her unexpected conversation with Mrs. Neri had already filled her quota for weird today, Shin Keir just took a whole crazy level by literally invading her room.
"Young Master Keir," she began through clenched teeth, "you do realize this is a girls' dormitory, right? I could get suspended. Or worse—my parents might find out and think I'm sneaking boys in!"
"They won't. And if they do, I'll just buy you a nice apartment next to the campus," he muttered coolly.
Yeri sneered. "Are you bribing me with real estate?"
He smirked. "Depends. Is it working?"
She rolled her eyes so hard they nearly left orbit. "No."
But that wasn't the point.
Yeri pinched the bridge of her nose. Talking to Shin Keir required a deep well of patience and a strong cup of coffee. She had neither at the moment.
"Where are you going?" he asked as she marched away.
She didn't respond—just headed to the bathroom. But the moment she stepped inside, she spun around with wide eyes.
"What did you do to my bathroom?"
"I cleaned it," Shin replied, like it was the most normal thing in the world.
"So where's my bear mug?"
"Upper cabinet," he answered without missing a beat.
Yeri opened the wrong cabinet. Shin corrected her. "Left side. Second door."
Yeri glared at him in frustration. "This mug stay's on the bathroom sink. That's it's rightful place."
"It doesn't match your bathroom's aesthetics." Shin reasoned.
Her brain short-circuited. Breathe in. Breathe out. Don't start a case file against this man.
She stormed back into the bathroom, brushed her teeth with vengeance, and emerged only to find him still there, comfortably reclining like he was at a luxury spa.
"Aren't you leaving?" she asked. "I want to sleep."
"Avoiding my question?" His eyes narrowed slightly.
With a sigh, Yeri walked over and sat on the opposite end of the couch. "I've started working part-time at one of my family's café branches. It'll be on weekends unless exams are coming up."
Shin frowned again, rubbing his temples. What was her father thinking? Wasn't he supposed to know Yeri's delicate constitution better than anyone?
"Reason?" he asked simply.
"Nothing serious," she shrugged. "Just learning more about the business—getting familiar with the products, understanding the employees and the customers demands."
Shin was quiet for a beat. That kind of research could be done with a few reports or by hiring competent staff. If her father truly wanted to prepare her for succession, she should've been working at the head office.
Something didn't add up.
"Still, you could've at least messaged me," he said.
Yeri blinked. "I forgot to take it off silent mode." Then something clicked in her memory. She tilted her head. "By the way, how many people have you told about me... or us?"
Shin stiffened slightly. "Why?"
"I ran into Mrs. Neri today. She know about us."
"Mrs. Neri? How do you know her?" Shin squinted.
"I first saw her at the hospital... and then again today." Yeri didn't elaborate.
Shin's expression darkened. "Stay away from that woman," he warned, tone turning cold.
Yeri tilted her head. "Why? She's not going to bite me, is she?"
"Zahn Neri doesn't like people poking into his private affairs. And as your doctor, don't provoke him—for now."
For now? That sounded ominous. Was he dragging her into some twisted conspiracy?
Yeri crossed her arms. "Don't worry. I have zero interest in their family drama. She just said hello."
Shin stared at her. "She greeted you?" He looked genuinely baffled.
That woman is like a statue—Saeki and Tristan couldn't even get a word out of her.
Was it because Yeri was... a woman too?
Shin pondered while massaging his temples again.
"Seriously, what's the matter with you?" Yeri asked.
"Headache. Haven't been sleeping well," Shin admitted.
Two unwell people seeking her as if she holds the ultimate cure.
Should she consider med school in college?
Yeri wasn't sure if she should scold him or feel concerned. If he was unwell, shouldn't he be resting or should have gone to the hospital? Instead he climbed here to scare the living out of her.
Her frustration wavered. He looked genuinely worn out.
She stood abruptly. "I might have something for headaches. Let me check—"
But before she could take a step, Shin reached out and caught her wrist gently.
"No need," he murmured. "It's just from lack of sleep."
"Then you should go home and get some sleep."
Shin chuckled softly. "I couldn't help it. I wanted to see you."
Yeri's heart betrayed her by skipping a beat.
Was he flirting with her? Or... was this something he would blurt out on ordinary days?
Their eyes locked. The air between them shifted, growing heavy with unspoken thoughts.
She swallowed hard. "Then what helps?"
His thumb brushed over her knuckles. "Maybe... the sound of your voice. Or just knowing you're near."
Was this man possessed? Bewitched? Cursed?
Or maybe she just had a deeply rooted prejudice, given his infamous reputation in the media.
It was hard to reconcile the headlines with the man sitting in front of her now—soft-spoken, tired, and unexpectedly tender.
Yeri sighed. "I think you've achieved your purpose. But the dorm supervisor and cleaning lady are doing a full room inspection tomorrow so you should really go."
"Only if you walk me to the window," he teased, his voice dipping a little lower.
She gave him a flat look. Right, coz the window is so distant it warrants an escort.
"I'm not waiting for you, goodnight." Yeri was too tired to argue further, she turned and crawled into bed.
The dorm was a modest studio layout, her bed tucked behind a rose-patterned movable divider. Yeri didn't feel unsafe sleeping with Shin's presence. After all, this wasn't the first time they'd shared a space.
Shin remained quietly seated on the other side of the divider. He didn't need to see her—just knowing she was close was comfort enough.
The dream had returned. Again. For nights now, it haunted him.
That strange, vivid place—the endless red forest. That woman who looked like Yeri but wasn't.
She wasn't human. He was sure of that now.
Last night, she'd sung to him. A hauntingly beautiful melody in a language he'd never heard before—one he doubted even existed.
Father Keir had drilled many things into him from a young age, and one of those was language. He could identify dozens just by hearing a few words. But this? This was nothing. It wasn't rooted in any nation, any history.
And that was what disturbed him most: not the dream, but how real it felt. Every detail—the scent of the forest, the cool air against his skin, the ache of helplessness. It wasn't just a dream. It was a place.
And yet, despite everything, he never once blamed Yeri. Even if she resembled the woman in that dream, even if some invisible thread tied them together—he didn't feel fear. He felt... drawn. Safe, even.
He stood quietly and walked over to her bedside.
She was already under the covers, maybe just too exhausted.
He sat on the edge of her bed, leaned down, and brushed a hand gently through her hair—lingering just a moment too long.
"Goodnight, Yeri," he whispered.