(Hedi's POV)
The door closes behind her.
Soft.
Quiet.
But the sound lingers longer than it should.
I don't move.
Not immediately.
My hands stay on the steering wheel, fingers slightly tightened, eyes still fixed on the spot where she stood just seconds ago.
"…Xinxin."
The name leaves my lips before I can stop it.
Low.
Familiar.
Dangerous.
Because that name—
It belongs to a version of me I don't show anyone else.
I exhale slowly, leaning back.
She stayed.
She actually came back.
Just for a few minutes…
But she did.
And that's enough to mess with my head more than it should.
Because now—
I want more.
And wanting more is never a good idea.
—
By the time I reach home, the silence follows me.
My apartment is exactly the same as I left it.
Cold.
Still.
Empty.
The kind of place that doesn't feel like anything.
Not until she walks into it.
I loosen my tie, tossing it aside as I walk straight to the bathroom.
The shower water hits cold.
Sharp.
Grounding.
But it doesn't help.
Because no matter how much I try to clear my mind—
It goes back to her.
The way she said my name.
The way she hesitated.
The way she looked at me like I mattered more than anything else.
…That look is dangerous.
Because it makes me forget who I am.
And what I'm supposed to be.
—
(Anxin's POV)
I should be asleep.
I know I should.
I'm tired.
Exhausted.
Mentally drained.
But instead—
I'm lying on my bed, staring at the ceiling like it holds answers.
It doesn't.
My phone rests beside me.
Screen dark.
Silent.
And yet—
I keep looking at it.
This is ridiculous.
I turn to my side.
Close my eyes.
Try to sleep.
It doesn't work.
Of course it doesn't.
Because my mind keeps replaying everything from earlier.
The way he said "stay."
The way he looked at me.
The way I… actually stayed.
I press my face into the pillow.
"This is so stupid," I whisper.
But my hand is already reaching for my phone.
Before I can overthink it—
I press call.
—
(Hedi's POV)
My phone lights up on the bedside table.
And I already know.
I don't need to check.
But I do anyway.
Xinxin Calling.
A small smile forms.
Uncontrolled.
I pick up immediately.
"Couldn't sleep?" I say.
—
(Anxin's POV)
…Why is he like this?
"How do you always know?" I mumble.
"Because it's you."
That answer again.
Simple.
Effortless.
And way too effective.
"I just called," I say.
"At midnight."
"…So?"
"So you missed me."
My heart skips.
Just once.
But it's enough.
"Don't be ridiculous."
"Then why did you call?"
Silence.
Say something.
Anything.
"I was bored."
"Liar."
"You say that a lot."
"Because you lie a lot."
"I do not."
"You do."
I sit up, annoyed.
"…Didi Wang."
He exhales softly.
There it is.
That reaction.
"Stop."
"No."
"You're doing that on purpose."
"Maybe."
A quiet chuckle escapes him.
And that—
That's rare.
I freeze for a second.
When was the last time I heard him laugh like that?
Too long ago.
Way too long.
—
(Hedi's POV)
She called me "Didi Wang" again.
And instead of stopping her—
I let it happen.
Because I like the way it sounds when she says it.
Because it reminds me of something real.
"What are you doing?" I ask.
"Nothing."
"Thinking too much?"
"…Maybe."
"Go to sleep."
"You too."
"I will."
"Liar."
I smirk slightly.
"Sleep, Xinxin."
A pause.
Then—
"…Stay on call?"
That—
That catches me off guard.
She never asks for things like that.
Not directly.
But I don't hesitate.
"Always."
—
(Anxin's POV)
I don't even realize when I start relaxing.
When my breathing slows.
When the tension in my chest fades.
All I know is—
His voice is there.
Quiet.
Steady.
Familiar.
And somehow—
That's enough.
"I'm sleepy," I mumble.
"Then sleep."
"You're not going anywhere, right?"
A small pause.
Then—
"No."
And that—
That's all I need.
The last thing I hear before falling asleep—
Is his breathing on the other side of the call.
—
(Jisung's POV)
The hospital room is silent.
Dark.
Empty.
Or at least—
That's what it looks like.
Seo Jisung stands near the window, phone pressed to his ear.
His expression is completely different now.
No softness.
No teasing.
Just—
Cold calculation.
"I told you not to move yet," he says quietly.
A pause.
His eyes narrow.
"No. Not him."
Another pause.
Then—
A slow smile.
Dangerous.
Controlled.
"But her…"
Silence.
"She's interesting."
He tilts his head slightly, looking toward the door.
"And useful."
A beat.
"Keep watching."
His voice drops lower.
Colder.
"If he gets closer… we move sooner."
A pause.
Then—
"And don't underestimate her."
That's new.
He rarely says that.
He ends the call.
The smile fades instantly.
Replaced by something darker.
"…This is going to be fun."