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彡┆13

i let out a dry, humorless laugh as i press my mask back against my face. "actually, i do."

he steps forward slightly. "tiger-"

"now." i demand.

the silence that follows is heavy, charged with something neither of us wants to name. then, finally, he exhales slowly, and i know i've won this round. but somehow, it doesn't feel like a victory.

—————

i wake up in a different room.

it's nearly identical to the last one - same dark walls, same cold atmosphere, but it feels off. or maybe i do. i shift under the covers, as i stare at the ceiling.

i was stupid. stupid to kiss him back. stupid to let myself get caught up in whatever that moment was. i should've pushed him away. should've never let it happen. instead, i let him touch me, let him kiss me, let myself want it. i groan, rubbing a hand over my face. what the hell is wrong with me?

he's a stranger. someone i don't even know. someone whose face i've never even seen. and yet... i still feel the weight of his touch lingering on my skin.

suddenly my phone rings, cutting through the silence of the room.i glance at the screen, and my stomach twists.

hana?

why would she call me? she knows better than to disturb me when i'm away on business. she never has before.

"hana?" my voice is sharp. "why are you calling me?"

before i can say anything else, i hear it. she's crying. not soft, quiet tears. it's panicked crying.

"jia-" her voice is shaky, barely holding together. "dad is in surgery. they don't know if he's gonna make it."

for a second, everything stops. my breath, my thoughts, my ability to process what she just said.

"what the hell happened?" i demand, my voice sharper now, almost desperate.

"he collapsed," she chokes out. "the doctors - they said there was bleeding in his brain. i don't know what to do-"

my chest tightens, my entire body locking up. dad was sick, i knew that, but this? this wasn't supposed to happen yet.

"where is he?" i ask, already moving to stand up, already knowing that i need to leave.

"at the hospital, jia, please-" her voice cracks, and it's the kind of sound that makes something sharp pierce through me.

hana cries easily. she always has. but not like this. this is different. this is fear. i swallow, gripping the phone so tightly it might break.

"i'll be there," i say, my voice cold, determined. "stay with him. don't leave his side. do you hear me?"

"yes-"

the call cuts off before she can finish, and i don't even hesitate. i need to get out of here. now.

i storm through the halls, my heart pounding. when i reach the frontman's door, i don't hesitate. i raise my fist and knock. hard.

no answer. i knock again, harder this time, loud enough to demand attention. after a few seconds, the door swings open. he stands there, tall and imposing as always, but there's a flicker of surprise in the way he looks at me.

"tiger?" his voice is low.

without hesitation, i step inside, brushing past him.

he closes the door behind me, his movements slow. "look, if this is about yesterday-"