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━━𝒜fter what had unfolded between them in the cramped, steamy bathroom the night before, Mira had done everything in her power to avoid Myunggi. She didn't trust herself to face him-not with the memories of their entangled bodies still searing her mind. She had hoped the chaos of their grim reality would provide a distraction, but her heart hammered every time she thought about what happened.

Now, she sat perched on Namra's bed, her legs crossed tightly, trying to act as if she were interested in the commotion around her. The room was a hive of noise-people yelling over one another, debating the games and whether to continue them. As usual, the loudest voice belonged to her ex, Thanos, whose arrogance grated on her nerves. Of course, Thanos wanted to continue. The games were his twisted playground, a place where he could flaunt his strength and authority. She silently wished for his downfall, imagining him succumbing to the same brutal fate he eagerly condemned others to.

Mira bit her lip and stared off into the distance, her gaze fixed on a crack in the wall. She tried to focus on anything but the heavy weight in her chest. Her thoughts spiraled deeper, and the cacophony around her faded into white noise.

Then she felt it. A shift. That unshakable awareness that someone was watching her.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw him-Myunggi-leaning casually against a nearby bunk bed, his sharp eyes fixed on her. Her stomach tightened, and her pulse quickened. Myunggi wasn't just standing there; he was watching her, waiting. His presence was magnetic, as though it had its own gravitational pull.

Mira quickly stood, her fight-or-flight instincts kicking in. She pushed past the crowd, attempting to slip out of the room before he could corner her. But Myunggi was faster. His hand shot out, firm but not forceful, grasping her wrist and pulling her behind the rows of beds where the shadows provided a veil of privacy.

"What the hell, Myunggi? That's kidnapping!" Mira hissed, yanking her arm free. She rubbed her wrist, her skin stinging from his grip. She glared at him, but the glimmer of regret in his dark eyes made her pause.

"Mira," he said softly. His voice was usually smooth and confident, but now there was a slight waver to it. He opened his mouth to say more, but no words came out. He looked at her with a mixture of frustration and vulnerability that twisted something deep in her chest.

"Why are you avoiding me?" he asked, his tone low but direct. There was no anger in his voice, only the weight of hurt and confusion.

Mira froze. She hadn't expected him to confront her, let alone so openly. For a moment, all she could do was stare at him. His features were sharp, but there was a softness to his expression that made her heart ache. His dark eyes, usually unreadable, were now filled with something raw. Pain. Hurt. Longing.

"I-I'm not avoiding you," she stammered, her fingers instinctively reaching for the pendant around her neck. She twisted it nervously, avoiding his gaze.

"You're lying," Myunggi said, stepping closer. His voice softened, but his intensity only grew. "You always play with your necklace when you're nervous."

Mira's breath hitched. He was too close now, the warmth of his body overwhelming her. His scent-a mix of clean soap and something inherently him-clouded her thoughts. She tried to step back, but the wall of bunks pressed against her back.

"I don't know what you're talking about," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Stop." Myunggi's voice was firm but not harsh. "Just stop pretending. I know something's wrong. You've been avoiding me all day, Mira. You can't even look me in the eye."

His words cut through her defenses like a blade. Mira clenched her fists, trying to summon the anger that usually came so easily to her. But instead, all she felt was a tidal wave of emotions-guilt, fear, and something dangerously close to longing.

"It's nothing, Myunggi," she said, her voice shaky. "Just drop it, okay?"

"Nothing?" Myunggi echoed, his voice rising slightly. He ran a hand through his dark hair, his frustration evident. "You call this nothing? What happened last night wasn't nothing, Mira. It wasn't just some random mistake we can pretend didn't happen."

Mira's chest tightened. He was right, of course. What happened between them hadn't been meaningless. It had been intense, passionate, and unlike anything she'd ever experienced. But that was exactly why she couldn't face it. Couldn't face him.

"Why are you doing this?" she asked, her voice breaking slightly. "Why can't we just forget about it and move on? It's not like it meant anything!"

The moment the words left her mouth, she regretted them.

Myunggi flinched as if she had slapped him. His jaw tightened, and for a moment, he looked away. When he turned back to her, his eyes were darker, harder.

"Is that what you really think?" he asked, his voice eerily calm. "That it didn't mean anything?"

Mira opened her mouth to respond, but no words came out. She wanted to lie, to say yes, to make this all go away. But she couldn't. Not when he was looking at her like that-as if she were the only thing in the world that mattered.

"You're lying again," Myunggi said, taking another step closer. His voice dropped to a whisper, and the raw emotion in it sent shivers down her spine. "I can see it in your eyes, Mira. You felt it too. Don't deny it."

Mira's defenses crumbled. Tears pricked at the corners of her eyes, and she looked away, unable to hold his gaze any longer.

"Of course I felt something," she admitted, her voice barely audible. "But that doesn't change anything. It doesn't mean we can just-just be together. Not here. Not now."

"And why not?" Myunggi demanded, his frustration boiling over. "Why does it have to be so complicated? We're already in this hellhole, fighting to survive every damn day. Why can't we at least have each other?"

"Because it's dangerous!" Mira shot back, her voice rising. "Getting close to someone in a place like this is a death sentence. You know that as well as I do. If we let our guard down, if we let ourselves care too much-"

She stopped, her voice breaking.

"You think I don't know that?" Myunggi said, his voice quieter now. "You think I haven't thought about all the ways this could go wrong? But I don't care, Mira. I don't care about the risks. All I know is that when I'm with you, I feel like I have something to fight for. Something worth surviving for."

Mira's heart ached at his words. She wanted to believe him, to let herself feel the same way. But the fear was too much.

"I can't do this, Myunggi," she said, her voice trembling. "I just can't."

Myunggi reached out as if to touch her, but she stepped back, her eyes brimming with tears.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, her voice barely audible.

And then she turned and walked away, leaving him standing there in the shadows. Her heart felt like it was breaking, but she didn't look back. She couldn't.

Myunggi watched her go, his hands clenched into fists at his sides. He wanted to go after her, to make her see that they were stronger together than apart. But he knew Mira too well. She needed time.

As the chaos of the room resumed around him, Myunggi leaned back against the bedframe, his mind racing. He wouldn't give up on her-not yet. But for now, all he could do was wait.