The morning sun was cruel. It streamed through the kitchen window with a cheerful, relentless brightness that felt like an accusation against the shadows lingering in Ye Rou's soul.
She stood by the stove, stirring a pot of congee. Her movements were mechanical, jerky. Every few seconds, she would stop and stare at the wall, her face flushing a deep, sudden crimson as a flash of memory—of wet fingers and a whispered name—assaulted her mind.
She looked wrecked. Dark circles bruised the skin beneath her eyes. Her hair, usually neatly pinned, was fraying at the edges. She felt raw, hollowed out, and terrifyingly sensitive. The fabric of her dress brushing against her skin made her flinch.
"Just a dream," she muttered to the bubbling rice. "Just a dream. Act normal."
Creak.
The sound of a door opening made her jump so hard she nearly dropped the ladle.
"Morning, Mom."
Kai walked into the kitchen.
If Ye Rou looked like a storm-battered flower, Kai looked like the sun itself. He radiated vitality. His recent Level Up and the Strength 14 upgrade gave him an imposing physical presence that seemed to shrink the small room. He wore his Academy uniform, the dark fabric stretching tight across his broad chest.
He walked with a predator's grace, silent and heavy.
Ye Rou couldn't look at him. She stared fixedly at the pot, her knuckles white on the handle.
"G-Good morning, Kai," she stammered, her voice thin and brittle.
Kai pulled out a chair and sat down, the wood groaning under his weight. He rested his chin on his hand, studying her back. He saw the tension in her shoulders. He saw the way her legs were pressed tightly together.
The [Dream Walker] had been a resounding success.
"You look exhausted," Kai noted, his voice laced with a concern that sounded genuine but felt like a trap. "Did you not sleep well?"
Ye Rou froze. He knows. No, he can't know. It was in my head.
"I... I slept fine," she lied, forcing a laugh that sounded more like a choke. "Just... old age, I suppose. Woke up a few times."
"Really?" Kai hummed. "I thought I heard you."
Ye Rou whipped around, terror in her eyes. "Heard me?"
"Yeah," Kai said casually, reaching for a teapot. "You were tossing and turning. Making noises. Must have been a really intense dream."
He poured the tea, the liquid amber streaming into the cup. He looked up at her through the steam, a faint, knowing smirk playing on his lips.
"Was it a nightmare?"
Ye Rou felt the blood drain from her face. Noises. Did I scream his name? Did I moan loud enough for him to hear through the wall?
"I... I don't remember," she whispered, turning back to the stove to hide her trembling hands. "I never remember my dreams."
"That's a shame," Kai said softly. "I had a crazy dream last night too."
He took a sip of tea.
"I dreamt I was back here. In this house. But it was different." He paused, letting the silence stretch until it was suffocating. "And you were there, Mom."
Ye Rou dropped the ladle.
Clatter.
It hit the floor, splattering hot congee across the tiles.
"I'm sorry!" she gasped, dropping to her knees to clean it up with a rag. Her heart was hammering so hard she thought it might burst through her ribs. He had the same dream? Is that possible? Did we... did we connect?
Kai watched her scramble on the floor. The sight of her on her knees, flustered and submissive, overlapped perfectly with the image of Mrs. Lin from yesterday.
He stood up. He walked over to her.
"Let me help," he said.
He crouched down beside her. He was too close.
Ye Rou stopped scrubbing. She was paralyzed, staring at his hand resting on the floor inches from hers.
"You're shaking," Kai whispered.
He reached out and covered her hand with his. His palm was hot, rough, and large. It engulfed her trembling fingers completely.
"Mom," Kai said, his voice dropping to that husky register that made her insides turn to water. "Are you sure you're okay? You seem... afraid of me."
"I'm not," Ye Rou breathed, unable to pull her hand away. She looked up at him. His eyes were dark pools, absorbing her light. "I'm just... tired."
"Then rest today," Kai commanded gently. He squeezed her hand. "I have to go. The mission starts tonight. I might be gone for a few days."
He stood up, pulling her up with him effortlessly. His strength was overwhelming; she felt like a doll in his grip.
They stood chest to chest in the small kitchen. Ye Rou looked up at him, her lips parted, her eyes hazy with confusion and suppressed lust.
"Be careful," she whispered.
"I will."
Kai didn't step back. Instead, he leaned in.
He wrapped his arms around her for a goodbye hug. But he didn't hold her like a son. He held her like a lover. One hand pressed flat against her back, right between her shoulder blades. The other hand rested lower, on the curve of her waist, dangerously close to her hip.
He pulled her body flush against his.
Ye Rou gasped as she felt the hardness of his chest against her breasts. Her nipples, already sensitive from her midnight activities, reacted instantly, hardening against his uniform.
Kai held her there for five long seconds. He let her feel his heat. He let her smell him. He let the memory of the dream bleed into reality.
"Don't miss me too much," Kai whispered into her ear, his breath hot on her neck.
He pulled back, giving her a charming, innocent smile that didn't reach his predatory eyes.
"Bye, Mom."
He turned and walked out the door, the morning light swallowing his silhouette.
Ye Rou stood alone in the kitchen. Her legs gave out. She slumped against the counter, sliding down until she hit the floor. She hugged herself, her body trembling violently.
The spot on her waist where he had held her burned.
"I'm going crazy," she sobbed into her knees. "I'm losing my mind."