The hotel room was quiet except for the faint hum of the air conditioner. Luv sat at the edge of the bed, elbows on his knees, staring at the floor. His duffel bag lay unpacked in the corner—clothes neatly folded, a knife carefully wrapped at the bottom. Old habits.
Tomorrow he would see her.
He had faced gangs, blades, and betrayal without flinching. But now, the thought of standing in front of Ayu for the first time made his stomach twist in ways he couldn't control.
Would she see through him? Would she notice the cracks he kept hidden?
He exhaled slowly, running a hand through his black hair. He had told her he would protect her, no matter what. And he meant it. But part of him feared that when she looked into his eyes, she might see the truth—that he was still haunted, still scarred, still carrying the shadows of his past.
He pushed himself up and crossed to the window. The city stretched out before him, lights flickering like countless stars. Somewhere out there, Ayu was probably staring at the same sky, maybe wondering about him the way he wondered about her.
The thought steadied him.
For years, he had chosen solitude, convinced that distance was safer than trust. But she had changed that. Without even realizing it, she had pulled him out of the silence he had wrapped around himself.
And now, he wanted to believe—just once—that maybe it was worth the risk.
He pulled out his phone and opened their chat. His last message glowed on the screen.
"Especially then."
He traced the words with his thumb, then locked the screen and set the phone aside.
No matter what tomorrow brought—awkwardness, danger, even blood—he had already decided. He would stand by her. He would fight for her. And if the world tried to tear her apart, it would have to go through him first.
Sleep didn't come easily. But when it did, it was lighter than it had been in years.
For the first time, Luv dreamed not of shadows—but of a girl with jade-like skin and eyes that refused to break.