The shrill sound of an alarm cut through the stillness of the apartment, pulling Hollow from the depths of an unusually heavy sleep. He groaned, his hand fumbling to silence the noise as his body protested every movement. The events of the previous night were a hazy blur, muddled by exhaustion and blood loss. Still half-asleep, he stumbled out of bed, his body moving on autopilot toward the bathroom.
His feet dragged across the floor, his mind foggy. The dull throb of his injuries barely registered as he reached the bathroom door. Without a second thought, he pushed it open.
Liliane sat on the toilet seat, her eyes widening in sheer horror as she turned to meet Hollow's groggy gaze. For a moment, time seemed to freeze as they locked eyes, both too stunned to react immediately.
"What are you—" Liliane's voice broke the silence, her face turning a shade of red so vivid it could rival a sunrise. She tried using her arms and body to cover herself from his unyielding gaze. "Get out!"
Hollow blinked, tilting his head slightly as if trying to process the scene in front of him. "Oh. You're here."
"Of course I'm here!" Liliane screeched, grabbing the nearest object, a roll of toilet paper, and hurling it at him. "Get out, you idiot!"
The roll bounced harmlessly off Hollow's chest as he stood frozen in the doorway, his expression calm yet faintly puzzled. "Why does it matter?" he asked, his voice groggy but genuinely curious.
Liliane's face somehow grew even redder. "It matters because... because it just does! Now get out!"
"I've seen your insides before… yet this is worse?" he muttered, recalling past battles.
Her face went crimson. "Th-that's not—!" Words tangled in her throat. She hugged herself tighter, shrinking down, almost trembling. "It just is! Okay?!"
She hurled the pharmacy bag next, her voice wobbling. "You idiot!", her words cracked in a cute childlike high pitch like she might actually cry.
Hollow blinked at the sharpness of her tone. For the first time he noticed the wet shine in her eyes.
He still didn't understand, but the wet shine in her eyes and the crack in her voice set something off in him. His instincts told him to back away. He muttered, "Alright, alright," and stepped back, shutting the door behind him with a reluctant click.
Behind the door, Liliane exhaled sharply, her hands covering her face. She shook her head, muttering under her breath, "Unbelievable…" Though her mind swirled with embarrassment, part of her confusion lingered. Why had it felt so intense in the first place?
Outside, Hollow leaned against the wall, frowning faintly. He didn't understand. He'd seen her bloodied, bruised, broken. Why did this, something so small, shake her more than all of that? And yet his chest burned, his heart beating too fast, the image of her and the sound of her voice circling in his head.
His gaze drifted down as if the sensation might be visible on his skin. His hand pressed lightly against his sternum. The beats were uneven, far too loud. A warmth spread through him, alien in its intensity, leaving his breath shallow and unsteady.
"What… was that?" he murmured to himself, furrowing his brow. The memory of Liliane's flushed face and hurried movements surfaced again, and his pulse quickened without warning. He didn't understand why, but something about the scene had unsettled him in a way that no battle or injury ever had.
"Humans are so… strange," he muttered, shaking his head. But even as he tried to dismiss it, the feeling lingered, leaving him restless and oddly aware of himself in a way he couldn't quite articulate.
Liliane finally emerged from the bathroom after what felt like an eternity, her face still flushed with a lingering mix of embarrassment and irritation. She avoided looking directly at Hollow, who was now sitting at the sofa next to the small table in the living room, leaning his face into his hand, elbow propped on the armrest.
"You could've at least knocked," she muttered, crossing her arms as she hovered near the doorway.
Hollow glanced up, his expression as neutral as ever. "I didn't imagine you were still around," he said simply, though his hand briefly brushed against his chest again, as if the strange sensation there hadn't fully faded. "I'm still not sure why you're so upset."
Liliane's mouth opened, then closed again as she tried to formulate a response. "Because it's… embarrassing!" she finally snapped, her hands gesturing wildly. "You don't just walk in on someone like that!"
He tilted his head slightly, his almost black eyes studying her with genuine curiosity. "But why? I've seen you injured, bloodied, and covered in dirt before. How's this any different?"
Liliane groaned, pinching the bridge of her nose. "It's just… something humans value, okay?" She stopped mid-sentence, realizing she was about to explain something she wasn't entirely sure she understood herself. Instead, she shook her head. "Never mind. Just… forget it."
Hollow shrugged and leaned back in his chair. "If you say so."
The silence that followed was awkward, though neither seemed to know how to break it. Liliane eventually busied herself with tidying up the supplies she had used to treat his wounds the night before. The repetitive motion calmed her nerves, though her mind still lingered on the surreal events of the morning.
"Do you… feel any better?" she asked after a while, her tone quieter.
Hollow considered the question, his gaze drifting to the bandages wrapped around his torso. "I suppose," he said. "Though I'm not sure what you were expecting. I don't think I'll heal in a day as a human."
"That's not what I meant," Liliane said, setting the last of the supplies into the pharmacy bag. "I mean, with everything that's happened. Do you feel… I don't know, like you're starting to understand more about this place?"
Hollow paused, his brow furrowing slightly. "In what way?"
She hesitated, unsure of how to phrase her thoughts. "Like… being here. In this world. Do you ever wonder what it all means?"
Hollow's lips twitched into the faintest hint of a smile. "You mean, do I sit around and ponder my existence? Not really." He glanced at her, something softer in his gaze now. "But I do think it's strange."
"Strange how?" she pressed, genuinely curious.
He gestured vaguely toward his chest. "The way this body reacts. The way my mind keeps… remembering things. It's all so unfamiliar, but at the same time, it feels like it's always been there. Like instinct."
Liliane studied him for a moment, her irritation from earlier fading into something closer to empathy. "Maybe that's just part of being human," she said softly.
Hollow's gaze lingered on her for a moment longer before he looked away, his expression thoughtful. "Maybe," he murmured.
The quiet returned, but this time, it felt less strained. Liliane sat across from him, her fingers absently toying with the edge of her coat. Despite everything, a small part of her felt… at ease. For now, at least, the storm had passed.
The first rays of sunlight barely peeked over the horizon as Hollow's alarm blared, snapping him and Liliane out of their shared moment of quiet reflection. Liliane glanced at the clock, her face twisting in disbelief as the numbers 7:13 glared back at her.
"We're late," she said flatly, the realization sinking in.
Hollow blinked, his grogginess still evident. "Late for what?"
Liliane gave him a look. "Work. You know, the thing we both still need to keep up this whole 'human life' charade?"
It clicked for him, and with a faint groan, Hollow dragged himself off the couch. "Right. Work. I forgot that was a thing."
As they scrambled to get ready, Liliane paused, her gaze dropping to her bloodstained clothes from the night before. She winced, realizing she couldn't possibly go to the office looking like that.
"Do you have anything I can borrow?" she asked, her tone less demanding and more pleading. "I can't exactly show up like this."
Hollow shrugged and motioned to his closet. "Take your pick. Not much variety, though."
Liliane rummaged through his limited selection of clothes, finally settling on a clean, crisp white office shirt. She slipped it on, the fabric hanging slightly loose on her frame. "This will have to do," she muttered, buttoning it up quickly.
They arrived at the office almost an hour late, stepping through the glass doors together. Hollow's usual indifferent expression and Liliane's slightly flushed cheeks were enough to catch the attention of the gossipy receptionists near the front desk. Their eyes darted between Hollow and Liliane, clearly taking note of the oversized shirt she was wearing.
Liliane, oblivious to their curious stares, walked ahead toward her department. Hollow, however, caught the murmurs and raised eyebrows, though he didn't seem to even understand or care about the meaning of it.
When Liliane finally reached the archives, Mei was already at her desk, scrolling through her phone with one hand and munching on a pastry with the other. Her eyes lit up the moment she saw Liliane walk in.
"Lily!" Mei called out, her voice carrying its usual playful edge. "Well, well, look who decided to show up." She squinted, her gaze lingering on Liliane's oversized shirt. Her grin widened mischievously. "Wait a second… is that a guy's shirt?"
Liliane froze mid-step, her fingers brushing over the hem of the shirt. "Oh… yeah. I, um… had to borrow it."
Mei arched an eyebrow, her curiosity instantly piqued. "Borrow it? Why?"
Liliane hesitated, her eyes darting to the papers scattered on Mei's desk. "I… didn't spend the night at my place," she said carefully.
Mei's pastry stopped mid-air. She blinked at Liliane, then leaned forward, her tone dropping to a teasing whisper. "Wait. You didn't-oh my god, Lily. Did you do this because of Scarf Guy?"
Liliane tilted her head, confused. "What? Scarf Guy?"
Mei rolled her eyes, waving the pastry like it was obvious. "Yes, Scarf Guy! You know, the guy you had a whole thing about. You wanted to return his scarf, then got mad when you saw him talking to another girl. That guy." She narrowed her eyes playfully. "Don't tell me you went and stayed at some other guy's place because you were jealous."
Liliane blinked, her expression blank as she tried to process the entire plot that Mei had just unraveled. "Jealous? Why would I be jealous? I just needed somewhere to stay."
Mei threw her hands up. "Lily, come on! That's exactly what someone would say if they were jealous! You're wearing a guy's shirt, you stayed at his place, and you're acting all weird about it. Admit it, you did this to get back at Scarf Guy."
Liliane frowned, completely oblivious to the implication. "No, it wasn't like that. I just… ran into Hollow, and things got complicated. That's all."
Mei froze, her pastry almost slipping from her fingers. "Wait. Hollow? Is that a real name?"
Liliane froze, suddenly realizing her mistake. "Oh… um, I mean his name is Hunter." Trying to correct herself quick.
Mei's eyes widened. "Wait a second... Hunter? You're saying Scarf Guy is actually named Hunter? And you stayed at his place?!"
Liliane blinked, tilting her head slightly as if this was all perfectly normal. "I suppose so, yes. Why?"
Mei's jaw dropped as she stared at Liliane like she'd just sprouted wings and horns. She slowly set her pastry down, her movements exaggeratedly reverent. "Lily… I don't know whether to fear you or worship you."
Liliane blinked again, her confusion deepening. "What?"
Mei leaned back, running a hand dramatically through her hair as if she'd just been outdone in some grand competition. "You absolute bird of prey. I thought you were this clueless, clumsy bumpkin who couldn't tell north from south in the city, but here you are! Catching your prey before I can even figure out his name!"
"I don't understand," Liliane said, her brow furrowing.
"You don't need to," Mei said, smirking. Then she leaned forward with a cat-like smile. "Alright then, confess. How big was it?"
Liliane tilted her head, confused. "How big was what?"
Mei smirked, holding up her hands and forming a small gap between her index fingers. "You know… it."
Liliane's brow furrowed. "I don't... "
"Don't play innocent with me," Mei interrupted, her grin widening. "Alright, here. Tell me to stop when I get it right."
With exaggerated seriousness, Mei began increasing the gap between her fingers. Liliane stared, trying to puzzle out what exactly Mei was referring to, but remained silent.
Mei widened the gap further, her eyes flicking to Liliane expectantly. Still no response. The gap grew larger and larger, surpassing anything remotely reasonable, her arms spread so wide she nearly knocked over the pastry bag beside her.
Finally, Mei gave a mock-serious look, holding her fingers apart. "Lily, if it's this big, I'm leaving the country."
Liliane tilted her head. "What's that supposed to measure?"
Mei groaned, laughing. "Oh my god, you stayed at his place and you still don't get it?"
Liliane shrugged, perfectly earnest. "He's just… Ho—Hunter. What's the big deal?"
Mei threw her hands up. "The big deal is you showing up here in his shirt! Everyone who sees you is gonna think the same thing."
Liliane glanced down at the oversized fabric, frowning. "Well, I couldn't wear mine. It was covered in... " she stopped, realizing she almost said blood. Her voice faltered. "…stuff."
The word hung in the air.
Mei froze. Her eyes widened like she'd just connected the dirtiest dots possible. "…Stuff?" she whispered, scandalized.
Liliane nodded innocently. "Yes. Stuff."
Mei slapped a hand over her mouth, stifling a laugh. "Oh my god. You have no idea what that sounds like, do you?"
Liliane blinked, confused. "What does it sound like?"
Mei leaned back in her chair, shaking her head in disbelief. "Forget it. Just know you've basically walked in waving a giant neon sign that says 'we spent the night together.'"
Liliane frowned softly. "…But we did."
Mei went completely still. Her grin froze, eyes narrowing just a little like her brain was buffering. For a second, she actually considered the possibility that Liliane might genuinely not understand what she was saying.
Then Mei let out a sharp laugh, leaning back in her chair. "You know what? Forget it. You're impossible, Lily."
Liliane puffed her cheeks, defensive. "I don't understand what's so funny…"
Mei finally waved her off with a chuckle, shaking her head. "That's the best part!"