Yuna:
The car ride resumed in silence, the engine humming softly as the road stretched endlessly ahead. Yuna leaned her head against the window, her eyes half-closed, her body still trembling faintly from everything that had happened. The nausea hadn't fully gone away, and her head felt heavy, like every thought was wrapped in fog. After a few minutes, she shifted slightly, her voice quiet but clear enough to reach him.
"Ethan… drop me home."
Ethan glanced at her briefly, his expression tightening just a little as he noticed how pale she looked, how her breathing still wasn't steady.
"You should get checked first," he said, his tone calm but firm.
"I just need rest," she replied, her eyes closing again. "Please… just home."
He didn't answer immediately. For a moment, it seemed like he might argue—but then he exhaled quietly and gave a small nod, even though she wasn't looking.
"Alright," he said. "I'll drop you and head back to base."
That was enough.
Yuna didn't respond again. The faint movement of the car and the exhaustion pulling at her body dragged her back into sleep before she could think any further.
By the time they reached the house, the night had grown deeper, quieter. The world outside seemed completely unaware of the chaos that had unfolded just hours ago. Ethan parked the car and turned the engine off, the sudden silence settling heavily in the air.
He glanced at her.
She was asleep again.
Not just resting—but completely out, her head tilted slightly to the side, her breathing slow but uneven. For a second, he just watched her, as if confirming she was still conscious beneath that exhaustion.
Then he stepped out of the car.
Moving to her side, he opened the door carefully, not wanting to wake her abruptly.
"Yuna," he called softly.
No response.
He tried again, a little louder this time.
Still nothing.
A faint frown crossed his face, but instead of waking her forcefully, he slid one arm under her knees and the other around her back, lifting her effortlessly into his arms.
A bridal carry.
Her head fell lightly against his shoulder, her body instinctively leaning into the support, completely unaware.
Ethan adjusted his grip slightly and started toward the house, his steps steady as he carried her inside. The door closed behind them with a quiet click, and he headed straight for the stairs without hesitation.
Halfway up—
Yuna stirred.
Her eyelids fluttered slightly before opening, her vision blurred at first as she tried to process where she was. The movement, the warmth, the unfamiliar angle—
Then she realized.
They were already home.
"…Ethan?" she murmured weakly, her voice barely audible.
"I've got you," he replied simply, not slowing down.
She didn't protest.
Didn't have the energy to.
Her eyes closed again briefly as he reached the top of the stairs and walked down the hallway, pushing open the door to his bedroom.
The room was dim, quiet, untouched by the chaos of the outside world.
He walked in and gently lowered her onto the bed, careful with every movement as if she might break if he wasn't.
"There," he said quietly, adjusting the pillow under her head.
"Get some sleep."
Yuna nodded faintly, her body sinking into the mattress, finally feeling the weight of everything crashing down all at once. For a moment, it seemed like she would drift off again—
But suddenly, she pushed herself up.
Too fast.
The dizziness hit instantly.
"I—"
She didn't finish.
Instead, she stumbled out of the bed and rushed toward the bathroom, barely making it in time before she leaned over the sink and threw up again.
The sound echoed in the otherwise silent room.
Ethan's reaction was immediate.
He turned the moment he heard her movement, following quickly behind her. By the time he reached the bathroom, she was already gripping the edge of the sink, her shoulders shaking slightly as she tried to steady herself.
"Yuna—"
He stepped closer, his brows furrowing.
"This isn't good. I'm calling a doctor."
He reached for his phone instinctively, but before he could dial—
Her hand shot out, grabbing his wrist.
"No," she said, her voice weak but firm.
He looked at her, clearly not convinced.
"You're not okay."
"I am," she insisted, though her breathing was still uneven. "It's just… everything from tonight. I just need rest."
Ethan didn't move.
Didn't pull his hand away—but didn't continue either.
For a moment, they just stood there.
Her grip wasn't strong—but it was enough to stop him.
"I'll be fine," she added more quietly, her eyes meeting his. "Please."
There was a pause.
A long one.
Then, slowly, he lowered the phone.
"Fine," he said at last, though his tone carried clear reluctance.
He stepped closer instead, gently taking her hand—not to stop her this time, but to support her.
"Come on."
Yuna didn't resist as he guided her back to the bed. Her steps were slow, unsteady, and without him, she probably wouldn't have made it back properly.
Once they reached it, he helped her lie down again, adjusting the blanket over her.
"Stay still," he said, his voice quieter now.
She gave a small nod, her eyes already starting to close again.
There was a moment of silence.
Then she spoke, barely above a whisper.
"Ethan…"
He looked at her.
"Don't worry about me," she said. "Go back to the base."
He didn't respond immediately.
His gaze lingered on her face, as if weighing something.
"You sure?" he asked.
She nodded again, slower this time.
"I just need sleep."
Another pause.
Then finally—
He nodded.
"Alright."
He stepped back slightly, giving her space, but his eyes stayed on her for a second longer—just to make sure she wasn't about to get up again.
When she didn't—
He turned.
Walking toward the door, he reached for the handle, then stopped for the briefest moment before opening it.
"Lock the door," he said without turning back.
A quiet habit. A precaution.
Then he stepped out, closing the door behind him with a soft click.
—
The room fell silent again.
Yuna lay still on the bed, her breathing gradually evening out, though the exhaustion still weighed heavily on her.
Outside, footsteps faded.
And somewhere in the distance—
A car engine started again.
Ethan was already on his way back.
Back to the base.
Back to whatever waited next.
While Yuna remained there, alone in the quiet room, caught somewhere between rest and the lingering shadows of everything she had just survived.
The sound of the car faded into the distance, leaving behind a silence so deep it almost rang in Yuna's ears. For a while, she didn't move at all. Her body felt too heavy, like even lifting her fingers would take more strength than she had left.
Her eyes remained closed, but sleep didn't come easily this time.
Every time she drifted, flashes of the night pulled her back—the sharp crack of gunshots, the chaos, the faces, the weight of everything she had witnessed. Her breathing hitched slightly as her fingers curled into the bedsheet.
This wasn't just exhaustion.
It was something deeper.
Her body was reacting, trying to process something it had never faced before.
After a few minutes, she slowly turned onto her side, pulling the blanket closer around herself. The room felt too quiet now, almost unfamiliar despite its warmth. A faint tremor ran through her as she exhaled shakily.
"I'm fine…" she whispered to herself, though no one was there to hear it.
But the words didn't feel convincing.
Her stomach twisted again—not enough to make her run back to the bathroom, but enough to remind her that nothing inside her had settled yet. She swallowed hard, forcing the feeling down as she focused on her breathing.
Inhale.
Exhale.
Slow.
Steady.
Gradually, the tension in her body eased just a little. Her grip on the bedsheet loosened, her shoulders sinking deeper into the mattress. The exhaustion that had been chasing her finally began to win again.
Her thoughts slowed.
The images became less sharp.
More distant.
And eventually—
Sleep took over.
—
Somewhere far from the quiet of that room, Ethan drove through the empty roads, his expression unreadable as the events of the night replayed in his mind.
But unlike Yuna—
His eyes stayed open.