After Yuda lowered her to the ground, he didn't let her go; instead, he forced their dance to continue.
What should have been an enjoyable dance felt suffocatingly tense. Aya could feel Yuda's gaze piercing through her, and a chill ran down her spine. She was terrified that he was just another predator targeting her.
"Don't worry," he whispered.
Somehow, the weight of his words caused her defenses to crumble. Aya fell silent, her heart calming in a way that felt unnervingly comfortable. Her movements became as fluid as the audience had imagined they should be.
"Tell me," he murmured, his voice laced with the charm of a man used to winning over girl. "Are you interested in me?"
Aya shot him a look of pure irritation.
"Unfortunately, I'm much more interested in that Coin of Hope."
It was a clear demand for him to return it, but Yuda obviously wasn't going to give it up that easily. Aya spent the rest of the dance trying to decipher what was going on inside his head. When the music finally stopped, they stood locked in each other's gaze. Aya pointedly maintained her scowl, making sure he knew exactly how much she resented being forced into this.
As they stepped off the stage, a soft but enthusiastic round of applause broke out. Aya, however, had eyes only for Yuda—and they were full of suspicion. While the next pair took the stage and drew the crowd's attention away, Aya reached out her hand without even looking at him.
"Give it back," she demanded.
Instead of handing over the coin, Yuda caught her hand in his, a permanent smirk etched onto his face.
"You really are fascinating. I never thought I'd meet a woman who didn't fall for this handsome face," he teased.
"I don't fall in love easily," she snapped, yanking her hand away.
"Is that so? Then is there someone else in your heart?"
Yuda pointed toward her chest, leaving Aya speechless. She stood there in stunned silence, wondering why on earth he would ask such a thing.
"I—?"
"Don't... don't say a word. I was wrong; I shouldn't have asked you that," Yuda cut her off, giving her no chance to respond.
What is wrong with this guy? He's a freak, Aya thought irritably.
"Hey!" she called out, but Yuda quickly pressed his hand over her mouth to silence her.
"I want to ask you something," Aya said after shoving his hand away. "Why are you busy playing 'date' with me instead of using the coins to grant a wish so you can go home?"
"That's for me to know," he replied
ambiguously. "I need some entertainment, too. Besides, my lifespan is much longer than yours."
"What does that even mean?"
"I'm being serious. But you still haven't answered my question," Yuda said, circling back to his previous point.
He wanted to know if there was someone else in her heart. If she could have shouted it, she would have.
"I'm not in love with anyone. If I felt anything for someone, it was just a fleeting moment of admiration. But what about you, Yuda? Why do you find it so easy to 'love' someone you just met?"
Aya threw the question back at him. "Or are you just looking for a toy to pass the time?"
Yuda only offered a thin smile, his eyes fixed on her. After a moment, he reached out and slid her glasses back onto her face—the ones he had let fall to the side of the stage earlier.
"I almost forgot about my glasses," Aya muttered.
"Do you want to know why I fall in love?"
"I don't want to know anything about you. Just give me the coin right now."
"Why are you in such a hurry?"
"Because I'm worried you're just playing with me. I'm worried you're planning something. That's what I feel, and if I'm right, are you just interested in my..."
Aya trailed off, turning her face away with a sharp click of her tongue. It was becoming clear that getting her coin back was going to be an uphill battle. It was maddening.
"In your... what?"
Yuda stepped closer, moving into her personal space after fixing her glasses. Aya tried to back away, but he caught her by the waist and tilted her face up to force her to look at him.
"In your body? Is that what you meant?" he guessed. The smile never left his lips, leaving Aya frozen.
Was this a feeling of dread, or some twisted sense of excitement? She didn't know, but she knew one thing for sure: he was far more dangerous than Ficky.
"Whoa, what a weird couple. Amazing!" one of the onlookers cheered.
Flustered, Aya wrenched herself free from Yuda's grip and bolted out of the venue. Once outside, Yuda called after her, "Where are you going?"
"Away from you! You're dangerous!" she shouted back without looking, disappearing into the crowd.
Yuda actually looked pleased. He found her reaction refreshing. Without her knowing, he began to shadow her from a distance.
Aya walked for what felt like hours, asking everyone she met about Ficky, describing him as best she could. Eventually, she found a quiet, peaceful small park to rest in. She sat on a white bench, watching people pass by, until she heard footsteps behind her. She turned around sharply.
"It's you again. Why are you following me?"
"I thought you might be anxious because of a certain someone, but it turns out it was another man entirely," Yuda said with a sigh. "I never imagined my love would be so one-sided."
"Just go away. I don't need your help anymore. I just want to be alone."
Without being asked twice, Yuda turned to leave, tossing her one last sweet smile—the kind he clearly thought would make her swoon.
"Hah... at least I'm finally rid of him," Aya sighed deeply.
As she sat there, she remembered the one thing she had forgotten: the coin. If she asked Ficky for help, he'd just mock her for losing it, but on the other hand, she didn't want to deal with Yuda again.
"Ugh, why does it have to be Yuda?! He's the one who stole my coin, and now he's acting so weird!"
She exhaled in frustration. She couldn't deny that trying to survive this world alone was impossible. She couldn't even manage that in her own world, let alone here.
"Dammit, this is so annoying! Why do I have to collect these coins just to go home? This is all that person's fault! Who even are they!?"
Aya vented her rage on the grass beneath her feet, kicking at it before standing up to continue her journey. "One coin is still worth everything. Even if he needs it too, it's still mine!"
Her resolve was set. But not long after, she ran into Yuda yet again. He wore the same smug expression, as if he had been waiting for her, knowing exactly that this would happen.
"Yuda, I want that coin back. Hand it over, now," Aya demanded, her brow furrowed and her eyes sharp with anger.
Yuda didn't say a word. He just stared at her, his thoughts unreadable.
"I'll do whatever it takes... if it's for that coin," Aya muttered.
Seeing his opening, Yuda looked away and surreptitiously licked his lips, his eyes gleaming as they flickered back to Aya's face.