I Let a Stranger In

Yet, she opened the door. Inside the house, the silence grew heavier—not uncomfortable, just… something hovering at the edge of it. Luna fidgeted slightly, already questioning why on earth she'd invited him in when—

grrrrrrrowl

Her stomach betrayed her in the worst possible way.

She froze.

No. Nope. Not now. Not in front of him.

Her hand flew to her stomach like she could somehow silence it. "That wasn't me," she blurted—way too fast.

Hyunsu raised an eyebrow. "I didn't say anything."

"Well… just in case you were going to."

GRRRRROWL. Louder this time. Loud enough to echo off the walls.

He tried. He really did. But he burst out laughing.

"I… I'm not hungry," she mumbled.

He tilted his head, smug. "Your stomach says otherwise."

She groaned, utterly mortified. "It's not hunger, it's… digestion sounds."

"Digestion?" he repeated, grinning. "So your stomach's just digesting pure embarrassment now?"

She whirled around, marching deeper into the house—mostly to get away from him, but also from herself.

"I regret this. I shouldn't have let you in…" she muttered under her breath.

Hyunsu chuckled behind her. "Too late for that. Come on, let's raid your kitchen before your stomach declares war."

Luna shot him a glare over her shoulder but said nothing. Mostly because the next growl might actually be a declaration of war.

She still felt awkward, stiff with hesitation at having him in her space. But Hyunsu? He was already in the kitchen like he owned it—opening the fridge, checking cabinets, completely unbothered.

"You up for some noodles?" he asked, waving a pack in the air with a grin.

Is this guy serious? How was he moving around someone else's home so freely without a hint of nervousness?

What she didn't know was—he was nervous. His heart was thudding against his ribs like a drum. The truth was, Hyunsu was completely overwhelmed by the fact that he was here, alone with her, in her house.

But classic Hyunsu—he'd never admit it. Not the way he felt. Not yet.

In no time, Luna found herself perched stiffly on the stool at the kitchen counter, arms crossed, watching him roll up his sleeves like he was about to perform surgery instead of boiling noodles.

"Are you performing a surgery?" Luna laughed, eyeing how seriously he was rolling up his sleeves.

The veins on his forearms flexed as he reached for the ingredients, his movements confident, practiced.

"You're in luck tonight," he said with a smirk that could make anyone suspicious. "You're in the presence of a culinary genius."

Luna arched a brow, amused. "Oh? A doctor, a scientist, and now a Michelin-starred chef?"

He gave a casual shrug, looping an apron around his waist like he'd done it a thousand times. "Of course. I save lives at the hospital and in the kitchen. A man of many talents."

She scoffed. "Sure. Until you burn my house down."

Hyunsu ignored her sarcasm, grabbing a pan with the same ease he probably handled surgical tools. The clink of metal echoed softly in the kitchen as he began chopping vegetables, moving with a quiet confidence. The rhythmic sound of the knife hitting the board filled the air—calming, almost hypnotic.

Luna, despite herself, stared.

There was something oddly captivating about watching a man cook. But it wasn't just the cooking—it was him. The slight furrow in his brow when he concentrated. The way his forearms flexed as he stirred the pan. The way he seemed… calm. Capable. Like this was his element, too.

This is so unfair. Why is he good at cooking? Why is he good-looking while doing it?Wait. What?What am I thinking? Get a grip, Luna.

She quickly turned her stool away, reaching for the remote. "Yeah, okay. Let's watch something. I need to… clear the air."

As she flipped through channels, she barely registered what was on—until a familiar face popped up on screen.

Her eyes widened.No. Freaking. Way.

She blinked, then immediately turned towards him to confirm if he was still in the kitchen.

He was. Noodles boiling. Wooden spoon in hand. Very much not inside the TV.

So what the hell—?

"Why am I seeing your face on TV?" she asked, voice high-pitched in disbelief.

"Oh, that? Right. The interview… I guess it's already airing." he said with a hint of nonchalance glancing at the screen.

She whipped her head toward him. "Okay, so I'm not hallucinating?"

He smirked. "You thought you were the only one seeing my face?"

"I didn't think that—I was just surprised, okay? It's not every day a guy cooks noodles in your kitchen and shows up on national television at the same time."

They both turned toward the screen as the interviewer asked, "What made you come back to your hometown and start working here again?"

Hyunsu's TV self gave a cheeky smile. "I'm here to impress my future wife."

Luna choked on air. Her mouth opened slightly, but no words came out.

On screen, the interviewer laughed. "Oh no… so many hearts are breaking right now. You're going to disappoint a lot of fans."

Luna shot him a sideways glare. "Isn't that a bit much? The interviewer's laying it on pretty thick."

Hyunsu turned to her, deadpan. "Why? You think I'm not attractive enough?"

For a second, she froze.

That look—those eyes—seriously?

She cleared her throat and turned away. I'm not answering that.

What is wrong with this guy?If he wants to know, he should go stare in the mirror like everyone else with a god complex.

Luna kept her eyes glued to the TV, pretending—trying—to be unbothered. But her mind was sprinting in all directions at once.

"Why would he say something like that on national TV? Was it a joke? He's obviously joking. Right? Right?!

It was probably scripted. Most interviews are, anyway."

Out of the corner of her eye, she could feel Hyunsu watching her.

"Another question," the host continued. "We heard Mr. Harwell from Miracle Hospital paid a hefty amount to get you on board. Can you tell us more about this new project?"

Hyunsu let out a small laugh, brushing it off. "It wasn't that much money. I came because I have a purpose here. The project is something we call AIDR—Artificial Intelligence Dream Replay."

He glanced at the camera with a steady gaze. "Who wouldn't want to know what they dreamt? It's a whole new world… waiting to be understood."

Luna froze.

"I had a dream last night… but I don't remember what it was. But when I woke up, I cried. I cried a lot."

Her teenage voice echoed in her mind—words she'd once said with teary eyes and trembling lips.

What are the chances? Is this just a coincidence? Or... 

The host on screen leaned in. "But what made you explore in this? There are so many groundbreaking projects happening—what made you choose this one?"

Hyunsu's smile faded, replaced by something far more serious.

"I'm not doing this to stay ahead of anyone in the industry. In fact, I once published a paper suggesting that a significant amount of mental stress can be relieved through dream therapy. It's part of our ongoing research too."

He paused, his tone softening, gaze unwavering.

"Even if there's just one person out there who can benefit from everything I've worked on… I'd still do it. All of it. For that one person."

His eyes on the screen were pointed directly at her. Even though he was only a few feet away, it felt like he was speaking from another world—and still, somehow, only to her.

Does he… mean me?

Her breath caught in her throat. Her mind spun.

The host, clearly moved, offered a gentle smile. "That sounds deeply personal. A lot of hidden truth behind your research. But we won't press it further. Just one final question from the audience: When will this be available to the public?"

Hyunsu exhaled. "We're close. Very close. I can't disclose an exact date, but sooner or later… people will experience the benefit."

"You've worked on some pretty groundbreaking research. But this one—this dream therapy project—it feels different. Why dreams, specifically?", the host asked.

"Because dreams don't lie. You can hide your truth when you're awake. But at night, your heart speaks. Loudly. Whether you like it or not. You just have to hear it, in this case, you can see it."

Luna's throat tightened. He wasn't looking at the interviewer anymore. His gaze had shifted slightly—toward the camera. Or maybe... toward her.

Don't look at the camera too long, she'll catch on. She can read anyone too easily.

Interviewer (softening): "If there's one thing you wish people understood about dream therapy, what would it be?"

Hyunsu (quiet, honest): "That healing doesn't always start with answers. Sometimes... it starts with finally being seen. For real. Even if you're broken. Especially then."

The TV felt too loud. Her heart too loud. Her skin flushed. Because she knew that look. She knew what those words meant. And she didn't know if she was ready.

Interviewer (playfully raising an eyebrow): "And earlier you said you're here to impress your future wife—was that a serious confession or just a charming line?"

Hyunsu (smiling, but there's something more in it now—raw, unfiltered): "It's serious. There's someone I couldn't forget. Not even once. And maybe... I've been waiting for the right moment to say it."

He came back for someone. He must really liked this girl. Luna's chest ached with a unfamiliar ache.

"Thank you so much for today's interview 'Tech in Med', we will meet again in next ep...." the host said, but Luna didn't hear the rest.

Her ears were ringing. Her heart thudding.

She turned to him slowly, voice barely above a whisper. "Do you think it'll really help?"

She didn't say what it was. Didn't say who needed help. But it was written all over her face.

Hyunsu didn't flinch. "Do you want to try it?" he asked gently, meeting her gaze across the steam rising from the kitchen counter.

She said nothing.

Her mind was a storm—memories, feelings, fears—colliding inside her.

Hyunsu's voice was soft, unwavering. "It's my life's work. And I'm proud of it. I'll make sure it helps YOU."

Still no answer.

She stood up quietly, walked away, and closed herself inside the bathroom.

Water ran from the faucet, but it did nothing to quiet the noise inside her head.

Meanwhile, Hyunsu stood in the kitchen, setting the table, a quiet worry etched into his features.

Is she okay? What is she thinking?

He leaned against the counter, exhaling slowly.

Luna… come out. I want to know what you're feeling. I want to tell you everything. I did all this for you. It will help you. I will help you…

But his thoughts never made it to his lips.

He simply waited.

Quietly. Patiently. For her.

It took some time. He was revolving in circles, his eyes flicking toward the hallway every few seconds, waiting for her to return. But in his mind, everything was sprinting.

Is she worried about the 'wife' thing? No way. She wouldn't even take that seriously… right?

Or did my words hit hard?

Then again… she didn't say anything.

God, what do I even say to her?

May be she is worried about the experiment whether it helps her or not.

I should do something, how can I make her feel okay and secured. How can I say that she is safe and I can help her?