Chapter: Lego
The door opened suddenly.
Win, who had been standing near the wall with his hands in his pockets, reacted before his mind could catch up. His body moved on instinct. He jumped back sharply, heart slamming against his ribs, breath stuck in his throat as if something terrible had just rushed toward him.
His eyes widened.
But instead of danger, instead of something sharp or frightening, something small stumbled into view.
White.
Tiny.
Fluffy.
It stood there for a second, blinking up at him with round black eyes, its pink nose twitching as if trying to understand why the tall human in front of it looked so shocked.
Win froze.
The fear drained out of him so fast that it left him dizzy.
"…Oh."
The little puppy tilted its head, ears flopping to one side. Its tail wagged once. Then again.
Win let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding. His shoulders relaxed, and the tension in his body melted away.
Without thinking, he crouched down.
"Hey…" he whispered softly.
The puppy took a hesitant step forward, then another. When Win reached out, it didn't back away. Instead, it sniffed his fingers and licked them clumsily.
Win smiled.
Carefully, as if afraid the moment might break, he lifted the puppy into his arms. The fur was unbelievably soft—warm, clean, and comforting. The puppy wriggled for a second, then settled against Win's chest as if it belonged there.
Behind him, someone laughed.
A quiet, amused sound.
"Ohhh," Ter said, leaning casually against the open door. "You are the first one who doesn't run away."
Win looked up, surprised. "Run away?"
Ter nodded. "Most people do. Some scream. Some jump back like their life depends on it."
Win looked back at the puppy in his arms. "How can anyone run away from this?"
The puppy responded by licking his chin.
Win laughed softly.
"Oh—what's his name?" Win asked.
"Lego," Ter said.
Win blinked. "Lego?"
Ter smiled slightly. "Cute name, right?"
Win thought about it. "Cute… yes. But strange." He tilted his head. "I thought something like Cotton. Or Snow. Or something soft."
Ter chuckled. "Everyone says that."
"Then why Lego?" Win asked.
For a moment, Ter didn't answer.
It was just a second. A tiny pause. But Win noticed.
Ter reached out and gently scratched the puppy behind the ear. Lego's tail wagged wildly.
"When I got him," Ter said slowly, "I was saving money."
"For what?" Win asked.
"A Lego game. Limited edition." Ter's smile turned faint. "I'd been saving for months."
Win waited, listening carefully.
"Then one day," Ter continued, "I saw him."
Ter's eyes stayed on the puppy.
"He was small. Dirty. Shaking." Ter swallowed. "Trying to bark like he was brave."
Win felt something tighten in his chest.
"I spent that money," Ter said quietly. "All of it."
Win looked down at Lego with new understanding.
"So," Ter finished, forcing lightness into his voice, "I named him Lego."
"Oh…" Win whispered.
He hugged the puppy a little closer. "Lego, you got new friends, huh?"
Lego wagged his tail and licked Win's nose.
"Hey—!" Win laughed.
"Careful," Ter said. "He chooses favorites."
Win smiled, but something else stirred inside him. Something warm. Something protective.
For a moment, everything felt normal.
Then Ter turned away.
"Where are you going?" Win asked.
Ter didn't answer.
He walked toward the kitchen counter, phone already in his hand. His eyes stayed fixed on the screen, fingers moving quickly.
"…Ter?"
No response.
Win frowned. "Hey."
Still nothing.
"Ter," Win said louder.
Ter finally looked up. "Yes?"
"What are you doing?"
Instead of answering directly, Ter turned the phone toward him. "I got a request."
"A request?"
"A girl," Ter said casually. "She followed me. I think I'm interested."
Win stiffened.
"What?"
Ter raised an eyebrow. "Are you serious right now?"
"You're serious?" Win asked, disbelief sharp in his voice. "You really want to do this?"
"Why not?" Ter replied.
Win didn't look happy at all.
"Show me," Win said.
Before Ter could react, Win grabbed the phone.
"Hey—!"
Win ignored him, scrolling through the girl's profile. Her pictures were perfect. Too perfect. Smiles that didn't reach the eyes. Captions that felt calculated.
Win's jaw tightened.
"Wait for me," he muttered.
"What are you doing?" Ter asked.
Win typed quickly, sending the profile to someone else.
Check her.
Background. Personality. Everything.
Ter stared at him. "Win—"
"Do you want what happened before to happen again?" Win asked quietly.
The room went silent.
Ter's expression changed.
"…Okay," Ter said after a moment. "My lord."
Win crossed his arms.
"Okay, okay," Ter sighed. "You're my guest today." He forced a smile. "Let me make something for you."
Win said nothing.
"You like coffee, right?" Ter asked. "I'll make one."
"…Okay."
As Ter moved to the kitchen, Win looked around the house.
It was neat. Too neat.
Minimal furniture. Everything placed perfectly. No mess. No warmth.
It didn't match Ter at all.
Then Win noticed them.
Two CCTV cameras mounted high in the hall.
"Ter," Win said.
"Yeah?"
"Why are there cameras here?"
Ter paused.
"Oh," he said quickly. "Just for security."
His expression was strange.
Too controlled.
Then he changed the topic fast.
"Coffee's ready," Ter said. "Come on. Let's check that project you were talking about."
Win took the cup slowly.
His eyes never left Ter.
Something wasn't right.
And Win knew it.
In his arms, Lego shifted slightly, unaware that beneath the calm surface, something dangerous had already begun to grow.
They sat at the table with the project file open between them.
Win leaned forward, scanning the details carefully, his fingers tapping lightly against the page. His expression slowly turned serious—the kind Ter recognized well.
"Hm," Win hummed. "For this project… we'll need a lot of material."
Ter glanced at him. "How much is 'a lot'?"
"A lot," Win repeated firmly. "Boards, tools, wires, components—proper quality ones, not cheap stuff."
Ter let out a slow breath. "That sounds expensive."
Win shrugged. "Necessary."
He closed the file and leaned back in his chair. "I'll get all of it tomorrow."
Ter looked at him. "Tomorrow?"
"Yeah," Win nodded confidently. "I'll manage."
There was a brief silence.
"Then what about today?" Ter asked, resting his elbow on the table. "What do we do now?"
Win thought for a moment. His eyes drifted lazily around the room.
"Hm… do you have games?" Win asked suddenly. "Let's play something."
Ter blinked. "Games?"
"Yeah. Anything," Win said casually.
Ter shook his head almost immediately. "That's not a good idea."
Win frowned. "Why?"
"I'm not into games," Ter replied. "Never really was."
Win raised an eyebrow. "Seriously?"
Ter shrugged. "Seriously."
Another pause settled between them.
"Well then," Win said slowly, standing up, "what do we do now?"
Ter leaned back, thinking. His gaze shifted toward the hallway leading to his room.
"…I think," Ter said, "we can watch a movie. In my room."
Win looked at him. "A movie?"
Ter nodded. "Yeah. It's quiet. Comfortable."
Win considered it for a second. "Okay."
Then he suddenly snapped his fingers. "Oh."
Ter looked up. "What?"
"I bought snacks on the way," Win said. "They're in my car."
Ter sighed internally. "So…?"
"So go and grab them for me," Win said smoothly, already walking toward the couch. "I'll find a good movie."
Ter stared at him. "Why me?"
Win reached into his pocket and tossed his car keys casually in Ter's direction.
"Please," Win said lazily. "I'm tired."
Ter caught the keys on instinct.
"You—" Ter started.
Win flopped onto the couch, stretching comfortably. "I'll pick something nice. Trust me."
Ter clenched his jaw. "You are unbelievable."
Win smiled. "You love me."
Ter glared at him.
"…Okay. Fine," Ter muttered. "But find a good one."
Win saluted him. "Deal."
"And no horror," Ter added sharply as he walked toward the door.
Win grinned. "Relax. I won't traumatize you."
Ter paused at the door and looked back. "I'm serious."
Win waved him off. "Go already."
Ter shook his head and left.
As soon as the door closed, the house fell quiet again.
Win stretched deeper into the couch, phone in hand as he scrolled through movie options. His expression was calm, but his mind wasn't.
His eyes drifted toward the hallway.
Toward the cameras.
Security, Ter had said.
Win didn't believe that—not completely.
He selected a movie, set it to pause, and waited.
Outside, Ter unlocked the car and opened the trunk. Snack bags rustled as he grabbed them, his mind drifting despite himself.
Win was acting too normal.
Too relaxed.
That bothered him more than anything else.
Back inside, Win heard the door open and sat up straight.
"You took long," Win said casually.
"You're welcome," Ter replied, tossing the snacks onto the bed. "Did you pick something?"
Win nodded. "Yeah."
Ter glanced at the screen. "This isn't horror, right?"
"No," Win said. "It's… calm."
Ter didn't miss the pause.
"…Okay," he said slowly.
They settled onto the bed, snacks between them, the movie starting quietly.
Lego curled up near Win's leg, already half asleep.
For a while, neither of them spoke.
But even as the movie played, Win's eyes occasionally flicked away from the screen.
Toward the corners of the room.
Toward things Ter hoped he hadn't noticed.
And somewhere deep inside, Ter felt it too—
That this calm moment wouldn't last long.