As Hannah slept, Joseph lay on his side and studied her face in the faint glow of the room. Only at such close range could he see how much she resembled her mother. The shape of her lips, even the curve of her nose—every year the likeness grew stronger. It was uncanny, as though she had shed one skin and stepped into another.
He nestled his face into the pillow, a faint smile tugging at his lips as she twitched in her sleep, eyelids fluttering restlessly. She was probably trapped in a nightmare. Her breaths came heavy and uneven, her body shifting as though fleeing something unseen. Joseph had no doubt her dreams tormented her.
He reached out carefully, brushing a strand of hair from her face. But the moment his fingertips grazed her skin, her eyes flew open. He drew his hand back instantly, caught in the act.
She stared at him wide-eyed, not only shaken by the remnants of her nightmare but also startled to find herself sharing the same mattress with him.
"Why are you here?" she whispered, blinking too quickly, her voice a mixture of confusion and unease.
"The correct question," Joseph replied evenly, "is why am I here?"
Hannah stared at him for a moment before her gaze drifted around the room. On the opposite side, Tom snored softly, sprawled across his bed. Jin's bed, however, was conspicuously empty.
"Did I really lose consciousness after just a few sips of beer?" she asked, incredulous.
"Yes—because you're an idiot," Joseph said flatly. "You take medication every day, and you still swallowed alcohol. You're lucky you didn't drink more. Do you even know the consequences of mixing strong drugs with alcohol?"
Hannah pressed her hands to her face, groaning softly. "Won't I get in trouble for not going back to my room tonight?"
"So your health is the least of your worries?" His brow furrowed, his tone sharp. "Not bad. You'd be in far worse trouble if you tried sneaking back at three in the morning. The code at your door would give you away instantly. That's how they track us—anyone who comes back past curfew is caught right away. If you go out, you're back by two, or you stay out until morning. Remember that in the future."
She rolled onto her side, resting her cheek on her hand, her voice softening. "You take care of me… I feel like you've been playing the role of my brother ever since I told you I wished I had one. You did it in Chicago, too."
"I don't play your brother," he shot back, turning onto his back with a grunt. "Would you rather I leave you alone? I'm not such a pig. I wouldn't forgive myself if you got hurt because of your own stupidity."
"I know you like me now. That's why you're concerned. But… you're changing. More and more every day. You don't act like a monster without feelings anymore."
Joseph's brows knitted together. He glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. "A monster without feelings?" He snorted under his breath. "Stop flattering yourself. I never said I liked you. I stick around because teasing you gives me joy."
"You'll never admit it," Hannah said softly, "but I know what I know."
Joseph gave a short, nervous laugh. "The only thing you know is how to pee in the potty, little girl."
"There's nothing wrong with peeing in the potty," Tom mumbled suddenly in his sleep. His voice was thick with drowsiness. "When I was fifteen, the first time I drank with friends, I couldn't hold it at night and ended up peeing in my little brother's potty. Mom was shocked when she found it in the morning."
Hannah burst out laughing, watching as Tom turned over and buried his face in the pillow. "I'm not surprised she was shocked," she giggled.
Joseph just shook his head, muttering dryly, "He will never surprise me again."
The laughter faded, and Hannah's gaze wandered toward Jin's empty bed. Her voice grew thoughtful. "Do you know where he is?"
Joseph stiffened, his back to her. "Why? Do you miss him already? You're obsessed with him all the time." His tone sharpened into irritation. "If you want, go sleep on his bed. Maybe you'll feel him in the pillow."
"Am I a dog?" she demanded, indignant.
"I don't know. Maybe."
Her mouth dropped open in outrage. She clenched her fists, tempted to hit him, but she knew better. Even with their strange closeness, Joseph would give back harder than she could handle.
She swallowed her frustration and let the impulse pass.
*
Hannah closed the door behind her and leaned against it, her face sour with fatigue. Across the room, her roommate leapt down from her bed, mascara wand still in hand. A moment ago she had been painting her eyelashes, but now she greeted Hannah with a smile so wide it nearly split her face. She rushed forward and grabbed Hannah by the shoulders, bouncing with excitement like a child who couldn't contain a secret. Her eyes sparkled unnaturally, as though she had drunk some potion of joy.
"Where have you been all night?"
"I lost consciousness," Hannah muttered, knowing Bella wouldn't let her escape without an explanation. "Joseph had no choice but to take care of me." She turned her face away, trying to mask the embarrassment that crept into her voice.
The blonde clapped her hands in delight.
"You slept in the room of the dorm's most handsome guy? Girl, if that news gets around, you won't have a life. You're only a freshman!"
"So what?" Hannah shot back, folding her arms. "I've known them for more than two years. I don't give a damn what others think. This isn't high school—girls shouldn't act malicious just because they're jealous."
Bella raised an eyebrow knowingly. "You're right. It's not high school. It's worse. In college, girls can kill each other over guys."
Hannah's brows knitted together. "Hopeless."
"I'm serious—you need to be careful." Bella's voice softened, but her eyes gleamed with gossip. "This morning, when I was in the public bathroom on the first floor, I overheard some students. They were talking about you. Apparently, they saw Joseph carrying you in his arms last night. Now the rumor is spreading that you're together—that's why he ignores all the other girls."
Hannah forced a smile, but it came out crooked. The whole thing sounded so ridiculous she almost couldn't believe it.
"So what? Are they jealous enough to plan beating me up for it?"
"The third-years don't like that a freshman has rolled them flat," Bella said with a shrug. "There's an unspoken rule in this dorm—freshmen stick with freshmen. You know what I mean?"
"Of course." Hannah sighed, collapsing onto her bed with exaggerated resignation. "Just being in the same building as Joseph is enough to make me hated. I'm starting to believe that knowing him really is a curse. When will it finally end?"
"It's not just Joseph," Bella reminded her, perching beside her bed. "It's all three of them. They're considered the coolest guys in the dorm. Girls are bound to be jealous. Everyone wants to be in your place." She hesitated, then admitted with a mischievous smile, "And I can't hide the fact that I do too."
Her honesty made Hannah lift her head in surprise, but Bella's expression remained warm, even sympathetic.
"You just have to be careful," Bella went on. "Don't walk alone. I can always accompany you. I hate third-years anyway. If it comes down to it, I'll scratch and pull their hair out for you."
Hannah let out a small laugh, though her voice carried a trace of seriousness. "I think being friends with handsome boys these days is very dangerous."
Bella sat down next to her and slipped an arm around her shoulders. "You've got yourself a good roommate, because I'm going to protect your ass." She kissed the top of Hannah's head dramatically, and Hannah burst into laughter.
"I think we're going to make quite a duo," Bella said with mock solemnity.
"I have no doubt about that," Hannah replied, her laughter lingering as the tension in her chest finally eased.
*
In the evening, when Hannah finally recovered her strength, she sat down in front of the cafeteria and let her eyes wander along the corridor. Her stomach twisted with unease—she hadn't seen Jin since morning. That was unlike him. He never vanished without a word. Something must have happened.
Her thoughts were interrupted by three girls standing in a group a few steps away, whispering to each other. From time to time they glanced at her and then bent their heads together, giggling. Hannah had no doubt it was about her and the rumor linking her with Joseph.
Bella had warned her to be careful.
"He probably fell for her pretty face. Should we disfigure it? Then maybe we'd have a chance." Their giggling was sharp and shrill, needling her until Hannah's muscles tensed with the urge to get up and shut them up herself.
"Joseph always goes for the top girls," one of them said, tilting her chin with bitterness. Hannah pulled her brows together. To her, the words were ridiculous. She had done nothing but exist, and somehow that was enough to draw hatred.
"Just look at how brazenly she stares at us. She thinks she's better just because she hides behind a third-year's back."
That was the last straw. Hannah stood abruptly, her steps sharp as she approached them, her eyes glinting with open defiance.
"I can take care of myself, idiots," she said coldly, crossing her arms.
The blonde's mouth fell open. "Idiots? What did you just call us?"
"Idiots," Hannah repeated with a mocking smile. Their stunned faces gave her a cruel satisfaction—they had clearly not expected her to be bold enough to strike back.
But almost at once, her focus shifted. Over the girls' shoulders, Jin appeared in the corridor, heading toward the cafeteria. Relief rushed through her, extinguishing her irritation in a heartbeat. She turned on her heel, leaving the three upperclassmen fuming behind her, and ran up to meet him.
"What did she just do?" one of the girls asked in disbelief.
"Someone feels like a princess," the taller one muttered, tossing her red hair. She bit her cheek from the inside and added darkly, "Let her be. We'll deal with her another time."
Hannah stopped in front of Jin, scanning his face as though searching for a crack that would reveal the truth.
"Are you okay?"
"Yes." He looked surprised. "Why wouldn't I be?"
"I know you were gone all night. You didn't tell the guys anything."
"I just had to go somewhere. Personal matters." He forced a small smile, but it didn't reach his eyes.
"I see," Hannah said softly, though doubt gnawed at her. He had been strange lately, distant, as if hiding something.
"Should we eat together?" he suggested.
She nodded, and they moved inside, collecting trays and sitting across from each other. The silence between them was heavy, broken only by the clatter of spoons. Hannah felt it in her bones: he was keeping something from her, waiting—perhaps—for her memory to return.
"It's strange, isn't it?" he finally said.
She lifted her gaze. "What is?"
"How awkward things have become between us. I'm afraid it'll stay this way until your memories come back." His hand gripped the spoon too tightly, stabbing at his food. "I realized you've started to remember. Eventually, you'll unlock everything. Then I won't have to pretend anymore."
"I don't understand. You've known me as Hannah from the beginning—so why this game? What are you hiding from me? Why can't you just tell me?"
"Because I promised someone I wouldn't say a word. From me, you'll never hear the truth. I keep my promises—no matter the cost. You must understand." He held her eyes, his own dark and unreadable. "It's better if you remember yourself. Then things will be clearer… for you. And easier for me."
Her throat tightened. "Did we… did we do something wrong?"
Jin's face fell into a worried frown.
"I think we did," he admitted quietly. "Because of it, I deceived everyone—even my father."
A chill shivered through Hannah. Fear pricked at her skin, dread whispering of things too dark to name.
"You sound so scary I'm starting to think we killed someone," she said with a nervous laugh, trying to dismiss the thought.
But Jin only lowered his gaze, swallowing hard.
Hannah froze, her hand flying to her mouth. His silence—his refusal to deny it—was worse than any answer.