𝐉𝐢𝐧𝐮°¹─🌹💫

The rain never stopped in this part of the city.

Grey clouds draped the sky like a heavy curtain, blanketing the rooftops in shadows and whispers. You sat on the cracked rooftop of the HUNTRIX-Saja HQ, knees pulled to your chest, the edge of your hoodie soaked from the storm earlier. Your sword leaned against the wall beside you, still stained with black demon ash.

You hadn’t even noticed the footsteps until he sat down beside you. Quiet, calm… like always.

“Didn’t expect you to be up here,” Jinu said softly, pulling his hood over his silver hair. “Everyone’s asleep.”

You gave a quiet hum in response, not meeting his gaze.

The night was too loud in your head. The guilt, the failure, the questions. And he—he was always a little too much. The way his eyes lingered on you when you weren’t looking. The way his voice softened just a little when he said your name. You noticed it all, but you never dared to hope.

Tonight, though, he didn’t ask questions. He just sat beside you, the space between you radiating warmth even in the cold wind.

After a while, he said, “I heard what happened. You saved Zoey.”

You shrugged. “Barely. She wouldn’t have needed saving if I had been faster.”

“You still jumped into a nest of three Gwi-Ma without backup. That’s not nothing.”

You didn’t answer. Jinu tilted his head to look at you. “Yeoreum.”

The way he said your name—like it was something precious, something breakable. You hated that it made your chest ache.

“I’m fine,” you mumbled.

“No, you’re not.”

Your throat tightened. Why did it always feel like he saw straight through you? Like you were made of glass, and Jinu could see every crack, every bruise?

“Jinu…” you whispered, hugging your knees tighter. “What if I mess up again?”

He was quiet for a moment. Then: “You will.”

That made you look up, blinking at him.

“You’ll mess up again. I’ll mess up. We all do,” he said, turning toward you fully now. “But it won’t make me respect you any less.”

𝘵𝘦𝘥𝘥𝘺 𝘣𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘰 𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘰 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘴? 𝘙𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺?
...
𝙘𝙝𝙤𝙤 𝙘𝙝𝙤𝙤. 🚂