Indifference amidst chaos

After finishing the milk, Shin led her down the hallway to rest. But just as they reached the door, Yeri suddenly spun around and gave him a judgemental look.

"Young Master Keir," she said suspiciously. "Isn't this your room?"

Shin blinked, not understanding her expression. "Hmm. You've stayed here before."

Yeri took a deep breath, already frustrated. "And you want me to sleep here again? What about you? What will people in this house think? What about your father? I want to sleep in a guest room."

Shin looked at her like she'd said something bizarre. "You don't want to sleep with me?"

"You—you—" Yeri stuttered, feeling like her brain had been drop-kicked out the window.

Why was he always like this?

Sure, they'd shared a bed few times before, but this was different!

There was a father figure in the house now! And her own father would faint if he knew she was sleeping in some man's bed, even if that man had saved her life.

If things kept going at this rate, she might be forced to take responsibility for this hooligan!

"What did you tell Master Keir about me?" Yeri asked suspiciously.

"Nothing," Shin replied with a nonchalant shrug. "Did he do something to upset you?"

Yeri quickly shook her head. She didn't want to be the reason for any misunderstanding between father and son, just the very thought sent a shiver down her spine.

"He's been very nice to me," she said.

Shin chuckled and ruffled her hair. "Go to sleep and stop overthinking."

"I don't want to," she said firmly. "I'm still the young lady of the Zhi family. If people think I'm promiscuous, it'll bring shame to my family!"

Shin looked mildly offended. "What are you talking about? This is my house. Who would dare talk behind your back?"

"And the guest rooms?" she asked, glaring at him.

"Weren't cleaned," Shin said without blinking. "And everyone's already asleep."

Yeri narrowed her eyes. With his personality? Like he'd ever care if people were sleeping when he needed something.

"I'll stay in my study," he added with a sigh. "Just use this room for tonight. It's only a few hours."

Yeri: "…"

In the end, she gave up the fight.

She really was tired and sleepy. The moment her head touched the pillow, her body started shutting down.

She wanted to take a proper bath, but the doctor had forbidden her from getting the bandages wet. So she settled for a light wipe-down with a damp towel. It wasn't satisfying, but it would do.

The moment she curled into the soft and warm bed, and smelling faintly like Shin Keir, her eyes closed involuntarily.

Sleep came faster than she expected, heavy and dreamless.

---

Past midnight, the door to the room creaked open softly. Shin Keir stepped in, careful not to make a sound.

The moonlight spilled through the curtain gaps, casting a pale glow over the room. His eyes immediately found Yeri, curled up beneath the covers, her breathing steady and gentle.

He let out a breath he didn't realize he'd been holding.

Just like her, Shin was troubled, restless in ways he couldn't fully name.

If this assassination attempt had happened before, when he had no ties, he could've handled it coldly like clockwork. Retaliate, clean up, move on.

But now…

He had a girlfriend.

And that changed everything.

What if she uses what happened last night as a reason to break up again?

What if… she begins to fear him?

What if the image of him killing someone haunts her, and one day, she ends up resenting him for it?

What if she blames me?

Shin quietly lay beside her, inching closer until he could feel her soft, even breaths against his skin. Her face, serene in sleep, looked even more beautiful under the moonlight. Her long lashes, resting gently against her cheeks, were almost hypnotic.

He studied her for a moment.

Every time they meet, he thought, her mind always seems to be filled with ways to escape him… to run away.

What bothered him most wasn't her rejection, it was her indifference.

She never asked why there were people trying to kill him.

Never asked how he managed to avoid a speeding truck, or why he fought like someone trained for war.

She just accepted it.

As if she wasn't part of it. As if she was just a bystander watching a scene play out from behind a glass wall.

That quiet detachment stabbed at him more than any blade.

What should I do…To make her care about me? To make her want to know me? To like me...

Really, truly like me?

His thoughts began to drift… no, pull as if something within him was responding to those emotions.

Dark. Deep. Familiar.

A strange haze clouded his mind, like whispers crawling out from a forgotten place.

His breath caught. His gaze slowly turned back to Yeri, and for a moment, his pupils shimmered, no longer their usual deep black, but a pale, eerie red.

"Your lies were the thorns of my torment... the echo of my misery."

Shin frowned, confused.

Who was speaking?

Was it… inside his head?

Unknowingly, he stared at her obsessively.

He reached out and pulled Yeri into his arms, holding her close, tight, as if that would chase the voice away.

"I loathe the poison laced in your allure, and despair beneath your chains of crimson bloom..."

His grip tightened slightly. Could it be that strange dream again?

But whatever it was, he didn't want to think about it now.

'It doesn't matter,' he thought. 'As long as she's beside me.'

---

The next day at school

Yeri had already yawned about a dozen times since the start of the morning class.

Before arriving, she had guzzled down two cups of coffee and even that wasn't enough to keep her fully awake.

"Are you sick again?" Nina leaned in and whispered, nudging her arm.

Yeri glanced down at her own outfit, a school-issued PE uniform, and gave a small nod.

Not really sick, just tired. Dead tired. But her arms and one leg were bandaged, so wearing her usual school uniform would attract too much attention.

If there was one upside to having a weak constitution, it was that no one questioned it when she wore something odd or bundled herself up like a walking cocoon. Teachers just assumed she was sick again and left her alone.

Weird privilege, but it worked.

---

During lunch break, Yeri stretched and groaned. "I'm gonna nap in the clinic. Skip lunch today."

"Sure," Nina said, worried. "Want me to save you some sandwiches?"

Yeri shook her head, yawning again as she made her way down the hall.

Earlier that morning, when Shin woke her up, she had a faint suspicion he'd slept beside her. But she had no evidence… just a strange warmth lingering on the other side of the bed.

Still, at least he kept his word and brought her back to school. He even prepared breakfast, rich, elaborate, and far too much for a normal student.

Even if she nearly died because of his situation, she couldn't deny that he had protected her.

So… she had to thank him. That much was clear, Yeri thought as she walked.

But another part of her couldn't help but wonder, back in the car, why did he look at her like he didn't want her to leave?

Was it because he was worried she might distance herself after what happened?

Or was there something else?

Was she not curious?

Honestly? No.

Because Yeri wasn't blind to how the world worked.

She might look like a delicate, overprotected daughter of the Zhi family, but she wasn't ignorant. She knew how these powerful families operated, how some were affiliated with mafia groups, how blood and power often came hand-in-hand.

Even her own family had ties. Vulture, their affiliated organization was no small name.

So what happened with Shin Keir last night and knowing he had enemies out for his life?

It wasn't shocking, but rather sad.

Yeri thought, people carry their own demons. Their own baggage.

Especially those born into wealth and power.

Just because someone didn't struggle financially didn't mean they lived an easy life.

Maybe that's why she hadn't questioned Shin Keir about the assassination attempt, his uncanny reflexes, or his deadly calm, because she didn't need to.

His actions told her everything.

The way he fought, moved, reacted, none of it was new to him. Last night probably wasn't even the first time he came face-to-face with death.

---

After school, Yeri returned to her dorm in a half-daze. She wasn't sleepy anymore, but she was mentally fried.

She wanted to finish her assignments early.

And if she still had time, maybe she'd play Tartarus for a bit to unwind.

Nina had asked her to join a group movie night, but she'd politely declined.

She just wasn't in the mood.

When she opened the door to her dorm, the familiar scent of roses greeted her like always.

She hummed a quiet tune and went to the fridge for a bottle of water.

But the moment she opened it, she froze.

Boxes.

Boxes and boxes of beautifully packaged food were stuffed inside.

She opened one—grilled lobster. Another—steamed crab with lemon butter. A third—scallop pasta with truffle oil.

Her eyes widened as she recognized the restaurant logo.

It was that seafood place she had mentioned to Shin Keir once. They never got to eat there because they were too busy dodging bullets that night.

How in the world did he fill my fridge with these?!

Did he climb into her dorm again?!

But she shook her head. That didn't make sense, it was still daytime.

And judging by the weight of the boxes, they weren't exactly discreet. He'd have drawn a lot of attention.

Out of pure exasperation, she called him.

It only rang once before he picked up.

Shin's deep, magnetic voice echoed through the quiet dorm room.

Yeri cleared her throat and held the phone a little away from her ear. "How did you get all this food in my fridge?"

"Did you like it?" Shin replied, sounding proud. "I tried one of the seafood sets and it was delicious."

"That's not what I asked," Yeri muttered.

"Don't worry," he added. "I didn't break any rules. I asked Jj to deliver it. He's your school guardian, remember?"

Yeri was speechless.