The thread between us

It had been a few days, and Ji Ah's wounds had nearly healed.

In that time, Ryu Hwan had helped her more than she ever expected.

The arrogant, difficult dragon she once saw as impossible...

He had shown her a different side — one filled with quiet care and steady presence.

And somewhere deep inside her, a new image of him had begun to take root.

---

A Week Later...

Ji Ah stepped out of her room, stretching slightly as her limbs readjusted to movement.

"Where is everyone this early…?" she thought, glancing around the silent hall.

Even Ember was nowhere to be seen.

Feeling an odd stillness in the air, she entered the lift and descended into the lab.

The door opened — and there he was.

Ryu Hwan sat at a long table, his head slightly lowered as he studied the papers in front of him.

He looked up, surprised.

"You? Down here?" he asked.

Ji Ah raised an eyebrow with a soft scoff.

"What? Would you rather I stay locked upstairs like a prisoner?"

A small smile curved at the corner of his mouth.

"No, no... I was just asking."

She stepped closer.

"You said once I recovered, you'd discuss everything with me. I haven't forgotten."

"And I haven't either," he replied quietly.

Ryu Hwan reached for a small pouch lying on the desk and approached her.

 "Ask," he said, "whatever you want to know."

He poured the contents into a small device beside her.

The cores floated up, glowing softly as they activated on contact.

Ji Ah's gaze locked on them, then on him.

"What exactly happened that night? After I passed out... did you speak to the Wanderer?"

Ryu Hwan's expression darkened slightly.

 "This... situation is far more dangerous than what your Hunter Association has led you to believe," he said.

"What you're searching for isn't just a 'chamber' — it's a dimensional crack.

A fracture in the world itself. And the only one who knows where it lies... is the man who caused it."

Ji Ah's breath hitched. She went quiet, mind racing.

 "A dimensional crack? Caused by a human? How can that even be possible? Why would HQ hide something like this from us?"

Trying to shake the thoughts, she asked again,

"These cores... you have information on them, right? Can you tell me?"

Ryu Hwan looked at the glowing cores in silence.

 "Ji Ah… I didn't want to hide this from you. But this mission... it wasn't officially assigned by HQ."

"I requested it. Directly from Commander Seira."

 "What?" Ji Ah blinked, shocked. "Wait — what do you mean? Explain properly!"

 "I asked for it," Ryu Hwan repeated.

"Because I believe that what we're trying to find — that dimensional crack... and your parents — are connected.

And if we follow HQ's rules blindly, we'll never uncover the truth."

 "So you want me to just trust you blindly now?" she asked, voice low but tight.

He took a breath.

 "I know I haven't earned that trust. But I'm asking for it now."

Ji Ah didn't answer right away.

 "My parents... my mission... how is it all connected? And why would Seira assign something so critical off-record?"

Her voice was softer when she asked,

 "Then what do we do with these cores? HQ doesn't even know we have them."

 "We're not submitting them," Ryu Hwan said calmly. "At least not yet."

He hesitated before continuing.

 "There's something I want to ask you, but... I don't know if you'll agree."

 "Go on," Ji Ah replied, eyes narrowing slightly.

"I want you to stay out of HQ's contact for a while."

 "What?" Ji Ah's brows shot up.

 "Don't misunderstand. This isn't about control. It's about safety," he said quickly.

"There are things happening behind the scenes I don't fully understand yet.

And until I'm sure... I don't want you near anyone from the Nyx Association. Not alone."

Ji Ah stared at him for a long moment. Then slowly looked away, thinking.

 "Maybe... for now, I should listen to him."

 "Fine," she said at last. "I won't go anywhere alone. I won't contact HQ for now. Happy?"

Ryu Hwan nodded, relieved. But his eyes soon drifted back to the floating cores.

Something in his gaze shifted — deeper, unreadable.

Ji Ah looked

at him from the side, her thoughts restless.

"No one can tell what he's really thinking... not with that face.

What exactly is going on inside your mind, Ryu Hwan?"