The evening air is cooler now.
Streetlights flicker on one by one along the road outside campus, painting long gold lines across the pavement. Cars pass occasionally, their headlights sweeping briefly over the sidewalk before disappearing again.
Eun-ji walks a step ahead.
Not rushing. Not slowing.
Just… walking.
Behind her, Kang Ji-ho follows quietly.
The silence between them isn't hostile anymore.
It's something softer.
But also heavier.
She can hear his footsteps matching hers automatically, like they always have.
A small smile almost forms on her lips.
Almost.
Then she notices it.
Her bag strap slips slightly off her shoulder.
Before she can fix it, Ji-ho's hand reaches out automatically, adjusting it back into place.
The movement is quick. Natural. Careful.
Like muscle memory.
For a moment neither of them speaks.
Eun-ji keeps walking, but her eyes soften just a little.
So you still do that.
She doesn't turn around, but she knows he's watching her.
After a few seconds she glances back.
Sure enough, Ji-ho's gaze is fixed on her.
When their eyes meet, he quickly looks away toward the road.
Suspicious.
Very suspicious.
Her lips twitch slightly.
"Are you planning to stare holes into the back of my head," she asks casually, "or should I start charging you rent?"
Ji-ho blinks.
"…I wasn't staring."
"Mm."
Eun-ji folds her arms.
"You were."
A faint flush creeps up the back of his neck.
"I wasn't."
She slows her steps slightly, now walking beside him.
"Pumpkin," she mutters.
Ji-ho stops walking for a second.
"…What?"
"You heard me."
She looks forward innocently.
"Pumpkin."
He exhales slowly through his nose.
"Why are you calling me that?"
Eun-ji shrugs.
"Because you're acting weird again."
A pause.
Then she adds lightly,
"And because it annoys you."
Ji-ho's lips twitch despite himself.
They walk a few more steps.
A couple exits a small convenience store nearby, laughing loudly. A motorcycle passes down the road.
Normal evening noise.
For a moment it almost feels like things are normal again.
Then someone calls out.
"Eun-ji!"
Both of them turn.
The statistics classmate jogs up the sidewalk toward them, holding a notebook.
"Oh good, I caught you," he says, slightly out of breath. "You forgot your notes earlier."
Eun-ji blinks.
"Oh— thanks."
He hands the notebook to her.
Ji-ho watches quietly.
Too quietly.
The boy glances at Ji-ho briefly, then back at Eun-ji.
"So… about the project tomorrow—"
"Yeah," Eun-ji says.
They talk casually for a moment.
But Ji-ho's attention isn't on the conversation.
It's on something else.
The faint scent in the air.
His senses sharpen suddenly.
Iron.
Blood.
His eyes flick downward.
The boy's finger.
A small cut across the knuckle, barely noticeable.
But the scent drifts through the air like smoke.
Ji-ho's jaw tightens instantly.
He looks away.
Focus.
Just focus.
The conversation continues.
Then the boy lightly places a hand on Eun-ji's shoulder as he leans closer to show her something in the notebook.
Ji-ho's head snaps up.
Something sharp flickers in his eyes.
The boy finishes talking and waves goodbye before jogging off down the street.
Silence returns.
Eun-ji turns toward Ji-ho.
He's staring at the pavement.
His shoulders are tense.
"Hey," she says.
No response.
"Pumpkin."
His head lifts slightly.
She studies his face.
"You look like someone just stole your favorite snack."
Ji-ho sighs quietly.
"It's nothing."
She narrows her eyes.
"You say that a lot."
Another silence stretches between them.
Then Eun-ji takes a step closer.
Ji-ho freezes.
The distance between them suddenly feels dangerously small.
She studies his face carefully.
His breathing.
The tightness in his jaw.
"You're weird today," she says softly.
His eyes lift to meet hers.
For a moment something almost vulnerable appears there.
"I'm always weird."
"Not like this."
She tilts her head slightly.
"Something's wrong."
Ji-ho's chest tightens.
Too close.
Her heartbeat is louder now.
He can hear it clearly.
Steady.
Warm.
Alive.
He looks away quickly.
"Nothing's wrong."
Eun-ji watches him for a long moment.
Then she sighs.
"You're a terrible liar."
He lets out a quiet laugh under his breath.
"Probably."
They stand there under the streetlight for a moment.
Neither moving.
Neither saying the things they're actually thinking.
Finally Eun-ji turns and starts walking again.
"Come on," she says.
Ji-ho follows.
After a few steps she glances sideways at him.
"…You know," she mutters.
"What?"
"If you're going to stare at me all the time, at least be honest about it."
Ji-ho almost smiles.
Almost.
But he says nothing.
Because the truth sitting in his chest is far more dangerous than staring.
And Eun-ji still hasn't noticed the way his eyes darkened for half a second when the scent of blood touched the air.
But if she had…
Things would have been very different....