Yuna:
The night had deepened without me realizing it.
The sky above us was no longer painted with soft colors—it had turned into a quiet, endless black, scattered with faint stars. The pool lights reflected gently against the water, creating ripples of gold and blue that moved with the wind.
And somewhere between the drinks, the laughter, and the silence—
Elena started talking.
At first, it was light.
Small things.
Ethan's habits.
The way he hated delays.
How he never trusted easily.
How he rarely let anyone stay close to him for long.
I listened carefully.
Every word.
Every detail.
Because this was the part of him I didn't know.
The part he never showed me.
"…He wasn't always like this," she said at one point, her voice softer than before.
I leaned slightly forward.
"…Then what was he like?"
She paused.
Just for a second.
Her fingers tightened slightly around her glass.
"He—"
And then she stopped.
Completely.
Her eyes shifted away.
Like she had said too much.
Like something inside her warned her to stop.
"Elena?" I called gently.
She blinked.
Then smiled.
Too quickly.
"Nothing."
I frowned.
"That didn't sound like nothing."
"It's not important."
"It is to me."
She looked at me.
And for the first time—
She hesitated.
Not playful.
Not teasing.
Just… unsure.
"…Some things aren't mine to tell," she said quietly.
My chest tightened slightly.
Because I knew—
That was the truth.
And yet—
It still felt like something was being kept from me.
Before I could ask again—
She changed the topic.
"So," she said, leaning back casually, "how did Luca end up working with Ethan?"
The shift was obvious.
But I let it happen.
For now.
"…It's a long story," I said softly.
"I have time," she replied.
I looked at the water for a moment.
Then began.
"After my mother died… Luca changed."
My voice slowed slightly.
"He left home."
She listened quietly.
Not interrupting.
"He didn't tell anyone where he was going," I continued. "He just… disappeared."
"And then?" she asked softly.
"He joined the military."
Her eyebrows lifted slightly.
"That explains a lot."
I nodded.
"Yes."
I paused.
Thinking back.
"…That's where he met Ethan."
Her gaze sharpened instantly.
"In the military?"
"Yes."
"And after that?"
"He started working with him."
Silence.
Then—
Elena leaned forward slightly.
"…Wait."
I looked at her.
"What?"
"So Ethan didn't know from the beginning?" she asked. "That Luca was your brother?"
I froze.
"…What do you mean?"
She frowned slightly.
"Ethan doesn't keep people around without knowing everything about them."
My heart skipped.
"…Everything?"
"Yes."
Her tone was certain.
"He always does background checks. On everyone. Especially people who work closely with him."
I didn't speak.
Because suddenly—
A thought hit me.
Hard.
Did he know?
From the start?
Did Ethan know that Luca was my brother… even before I luca told him?
My fingers tightened slightly around the glass.
"…I don't know," I whispered.
Elena studied me.
"…You should ask him."
I didn't respond.
Because I wasn't sure if I wanted the answer.
---
Before either of us could say anything else—
Footsteps.
Coming toward us.
We both turned.
Ethan.
And Luca.
Walking out from the house.
The moment felt like it shifted instantly.
From soft—
To something sharper.
More real.
My eyes found Ethan's immediately.
And stayed there.
He looked at us.
Then at the glasses.
"…You've been drinking."
His tone was calm.
But there was a hint of disapproval.
Elena raised her glass lazily.
"And?"
Ethan sighed slightly.
"Elena."
She smiled.
"What?"
"You're going home."
She rolled her eyes.
"I just got here."
"You've been here long enough."
"I'm fine."
"You're not."
She leaned back, clearly not taking him seriously.
"I drank less than her," she said, pointing at me.
Ethan's gaze shifted to me.
Slowly.
Carefully.
And for a moment—
I felt exposed.
Like he could see everything.
My thoughts.
My questions.
My confusion.
"…You're drunk," he said.
I shook my head slightly.
"I'm fine."
I wasn't.
But I didn't want to admit it.
---
Luca stepped forward.
"I'll take her to her room."
I blinked.
"…I can walk."
"No," he said firmly.
But before he could reach me—
Elena suddenly stood up.
A little unsteady.
And grabbed his arm.
"I'll go with you."
Luca frowned.
"…What?"
"To the hotel," she said casually. "You can drop me."
He looked at her.
Then at Ethan.
Like he wasn't sure.
Ethan met his gaze.
And gave a small nod.
That was enough.
"…Fine," Luca said.
Elena smiled.
"Good."
She turned toward me.
Waving her hand slightly.
"I'll see you tomorrow!"
I smiled faintly.
"…Okay."
"Don't miss me too much."
"I won't."
She laughed.
Then—
She and Luca walked away together.
Their figures disappearing toward the exit.
And just like that—
It was quiet again.
---
Too quiet.
I stood up slowly.
But the moment I did—
The world tilted slightly.
"…Oh—"
My balance slipped.
And before I could fall—
A hand caught me.
Strong.
Steady.
Ethan.
His arm wrapped around me.
Pulling me closer.
My hand instinctively grabbed his shirt.
And for a second—
Everything stilled.
---
I looked up.
And my eyes met his.
Dark.
Deep.
Unreadable.
But this time—
Closer than ever.
Too close.
My breath caught slightly.
The alcohol.
The silence.
The way he was holding me—
Everything blurred together.
"…Careful," he said quietly.
His voice low.
Close.
I didn't respond.
I couldn't.
Because I was too focused on him.
On his face.
On the way his eyes didn't leave mine.
"…You shouldn't drink this much," he added.
His tone softer now.
Almost… concerned.
I swallowed slightly.
"You weren't here."
The words slipped out before I could stop them.
Something flickered in his eyes.
Just for a second.
Then disappeared.
---
His hand tightened slightly around my waist.
Holding me steady.
But not letting go.
"…I told you to stay inside," he said.
"I didn't go far."
"That's not the point."
I frowned slightly.
"…Then what is?"
He didn't answer.
Just looked at me.
And in that moment—
All my questions came back.
Everything Elena said.
Everything I heard earlier.
Everything I didn't understand.
"…Did you know?" I asked suddenly.
His gaze sharpened slightly.
"…What?"
"About Luca."
A pause.
Then—
"Yes."
My breath hitched.
"…From the beginning?"
"Yes."
The answer came without hesitation.
My chest tightened.
"…And you didn't tell me?"
"There was no reason to."
I pulled back slightly.
As much as his hold allowed.
"That is a reason."
"No," he said calmly. "It's not."
I stared at him.
Frustration rising.
"You knew everything… and still acted like you didn't?"
"I acted the way I needed to."
"That's not fair."
"Fair doesn't matter."
His words were cold.
Simple.
But they hit.
Hard.
---
Silence fell between us.
Heavy.
Unresolved.
But neither of us moved.
Because even now—
Even with everything—
He was still holding me.
And I wasn't pulling away.
---
"…You talk about killing people like it's nothing," I said quietly.
His expression didn't change.
"Because it is."
"It's not."
"To you."
"Yes," I said firmly. "To me."
He studied me.
"…You don't belong in that world."
"Then why am I here?" I asked.
He didn't answer.
And that silence—
Said more than anything else.
---
The distance between us felt smaller.
The tension thicker.
And yet—
Neither of us stepped back.
"…You're dangerous," I whispered.
"I know."
"…And I still—"
I stopped.
My words catching in my throat.
He leaned slightly closer.
"…Still what?"
My heart raced.
"…I don't know," I said honestly.
And for the first time—
He didn't push.
Didn't demand.
Didn't control.
He just looked at me.
Quietly.
---
The night wrapped around us.
The pool lights flickering softly.
The world outside fading away.
And in that moment—
It was just us.
Standing too close.
Holding onto something neither of us fully understood.
And maybe—
Didn't want to let go.