Getting to my room, Jan quickly stood up and held me.
"Jina… I saw everything," she said, pulling me gently toward the bed.
She made me sit, her hands firm but careful, as if I would shatter if she loosened her grip. "Jina, you did the right thing."
I turned slowly and looked at her face. Her eyes were steady, convinced—too convinced.
"You think so?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper. A tiny drop of tears slipped down my cheek before I could stop it.
Jan noticed immediately. "Jina… are you crying?" she asked, brushing the tear away with her thumb.
"No. No, I'm not," I replied too quickly, my voice shaking despite my effort to sound calm. "I'm okay."
But I wasn't.
I looked at Jan again, silently, almost begging her with my eyes to say something else—anything else that would make my chest feel lighter.
"Jina," she said again, slower this time, "just know you did the right thing."
That was all it took.
"Jan…" I called her name, and suddenly my control snapped. The tears I had been holding back poured out all at once. I didn't even understand why I was crying so hard, but I let myself cry anyway. My shoulders shook, my breath broke, and I buried my face in her arms.
Jan hugged me tightly, rubbing my back in slow circles. "That guy is a vampire," she said firmly. "And you did what you were supposed to do. Don't ever feel regret for protecting someone who has protected you."
She held me until my sobs softened, until my breathing became uneven sighs instead of sharp cries.
"Jan… are you sure?" I asked again, pulling back slightly to look at her face. "Are you sure I did the right thing?"
"Yes, Jina," she answered without hesitation. "I'm sure."
I stood up and walked to the window, my legs heavy, my head spinning. I pulled the curtain aside slightly and looked down. The place where everything had happened was empty now. No Raven. Just faint traces of smoke dissolving into the night air, as if nothing had happened at all.
"They're gone," I murmured.
I turned back into the room and picked up my phone, staring at the screen without seeing anything. —After a while, I gently placed the phone back on the table.
"Jina," Jan said softly, lying back on her bed, "you need to sleep. And tomorrow, make sure you check on Minho."
I didn't respond. I only watched her as she turned to face the wall, giving me space.
I walked into the bathroom quietly and locked the door behind me. Standing in front of the mirror, I gripped the edge of the sink and stared at my reflection. My eyes were red, my face pale, my lips trembling.
That was when I finally let out another cry—this one quieter, controlled, desperate. I covered my mouth with my hand so Jan wouldn't hear. Tears slid down freely now, soaking into my palm.
I didn't really know why I was crying this much.
Part of me wished Raven had survived it. Another part of me didn't even know how it felt—anger, guilt, confusion, fear, relief—all tangled together.
I splashed cold water on my face, over and over, until my skin stung. Then I dried it gently with a towel and took a deep breath.
When I opened the door and returned to the room, Jan was already asleep. I lay down carefully on my bed, turning to face the ceiling.
Sleep didn't come.
Yoon's voice echoed in my head again—her warning, her fear. Then Raven's face appeared in my thoughts, the way tears rolled down his cheeks as he looked at me. The image refused to fade, no matter how hard I tried to push it away.
Finally, my thoughts drifted to Minho.
At least… the masked boy is safe, I told myself.
Maybe this is my way of paying him back. He had risked his life for me so many times. Maybe this was the only way I could protect him in return.
"Jina," Jan suddenly murmured from her bed, half-asleep. "Your voice is loud."
I froze.
Oh… I didn't realize I said it out loud, I thought.
"I'm sorry," I whispered, more to myself than to her.
I closed my eyes slowly, forcing my thoughts to quiet, and eventually—after what felt like forever—I drifted into sleep.