The world came back in fragments. Sound first. Then voices. Loud. Panicked. Overlapping.
"Reena! Reena, wake up!" A sharp ringing filled her ears, followed by the distant hum of traffic and the chaos of people gathering. Reena's fingers twitched weakly against the cold pavement, her body heavy, unresponsive.
"Hey—don't move her too much!" A nearby woman screamed.
"Somebody, call an ambulance!"
"No, she's breathing—"
"Reena!" That voice. Familiar panic and worried voice. Someone very close to Reena. It was Ashley.
Not far from them, Rian stood still for only a second too long. That name. Reena. It settled into his mind instantly. So her name is not Raya. It's Reena. His gaze darkened slightly as the realization clicked into place, something sharp and possessive flickering behind his calm exterior.
Ashley dropped to her knees beside Reena, her hands trembling as she gently cupped her face. "Reena, hey. Open your eyes. Come on, don't do this to me…" Her voice cracked, panic breaking through her usual composure. "You're fine. You're okay. Just open your eyes—"
For someone studying medicine, she wasn't acting like it at all. She didn't do a pulse check. She didn't do a proper assessment. Her mind was consumed with fear. A raw, unfiltered fear of losing her best friend.
"Why aren't you waking up?!" Ashley's voice rose slightly, her breathing uneven. "Reena, please—"
"Move." The word cut through everything, making Ashley stop weeping and froze just like that. That low, firm, controlled voice sent a shiver through her spine. Ashley looked up slowly but also sharply to see that person who belonged to the voice .
Then, there was this man. Cold and emotionless man, standing there, staring straight at Ashley, and the girl in her arms, Reena. Rian had already stepped closer, his presence immediately shifting the atmosphere. Calm. Dangerous. Unshaken.
In a pit of anger and panic Ashley snapped, "Who are you?!" , instinctively placing herself slightly in front of Reena.
Rian didn't answer that. Instead, his gaze flicked once over Reena again, quick, precise, assessing. "She's not bleeding. She's conscious, but fading." he said flatly. "Minor impact. Possibly shock."
Ashley blinked. That… was exactly what she should've been thinking. "I… I know that!" she snapped defensively, though her voice wavered. "Are you the one who hit her?!"
Rian's expression hardened slightly as he answered. "Stop wasting time. Moreover, she hit the car, but not at high speed. She lost consciousness from the impact."
Ashley snapped her head toward him. "So you did hit her?!"
"She walked into the road without looking left and right. Common sense." he replied calmly. Too calmly. But somehow that only made her more agitated.
"I don't care how it happened!" Ashley shot back, her voice shaking. "You hit her, Mr Whoever! This is not your road that you drive carelessly! Where were your eyes when you were driving?! Do you have eyesight problems?! Then go see a doctor!" She huffed in annoyance, "You know what, I don't care if you have eyesight problems. But now, we need to get her to the hospital! Right now!"
"I was already about to do that. So, quit yapping."
Before she could react, Rian bent down and lifted Reena into his arms. Effortless. Like she weighed nothing.
"Hey! What are you doing?!" Ashley stood up immediately, panic flaring again. "Put her down! You can't just—"
"I'm taking her to the hospital." He answered. His tone left no room for argument.
Ashley hesitated. Just for a second. "…I can call an ambulance—"
"It'll take too long." He cut in. That was enough. Rian didn't wait for Ashley's permission. He turned and started walking toward his car, carrying Reena like it was the most natural thing in the world.
Ashley stood there, frozen for half a second. Then, "WAIT!" She grabbed her bag and rushed after him. "I'm coming with you!"
"The reason?" Rian shortly asked.
"You are practically a stranger! How can I trust you?! After all, you were the one who hit my best friend! So, I'm coming! End of discussion!" Ashley snapped.
"I don't know whether to call you protective or naive. No wonder you both are best friends." Rian mumbled under his breath and said it to her. "Get in that. Just don't cry like an old lady inside."
"Excuse me! Who you are calling old lady at! I'm just 20! You are the one who is like a depressed uncle with your frown between your eyebrows!"
"For your information, I'm not older than you think. And also not naive as you speak. We have a patient in my arms, do you remember? Now can you just shut your yapping mouth and get in the car? Or just leave? I have no issue with taking this girl to the hospital all by myself? Rian calmly reminded to Ashley of the situation while adjusting Reena in his arms.
Ashley widened her eyes in recognition but still replied, "of course, I'm coming! You are an old man! Who knows what kind of intention you have on my dear Reena, when she is alone and defenseless!"
Ashley opened the backseat door and went inside, "Bring her to me, Mr Whoever!"
Rian just groaned slightly in annoyance and made the unconscious Reena laid on the backseat, letting her head rest on Ashley's lap. Then, he closed the door, went to the driver seat, completely ignoring the crowd around. He started the engine and gave a loud honk, dismissing the crowd in front of his car and drove off.
The drive felt too fast. Too quiet. Too tense. Ashley was holding Reena's hand tightly, her eyes never leaving her face. "Reena… you better wake up. I swear if you don't wake up, I'm going to kill you myself…" she muttered under her breath, voice shaky.
From the driver seat, Rian said nothing. But his grip on the steering wheel tightened slightly. Reena. That name kept getting on his nerves.
The hospital was filled with bright lights, sterile air, and the sharp scent of antiseptic.
Reena stirred slightly as she was placed onto the hospital bed, her brows furrowing with a weak hum. "…mm…"
Ashley immediately leaned forward. "Reena?! Hey—hey, can you hear me?"
Reena's eyes fluttered open slowly. First, a blurred vision. Then, a white ceiling. "…Oh… I'm alive," she mumbled weakly, her voice dry.
Ashley shot up from her chair instantly. "REENA!"
"Ah—don't yell… Please…" Reena winced, pressing her temple.
Ashley rushed to her side. "Oh my God, you scared me! You literally walked into a car! Where were your eyes, you stupid woman!?"
"…I hate my life," Reena groaned silently. "Look, I didn't mean to. It's just I wasn't thinking."
"Yeah, you didn't think to walk on the road just like that. Thank God, the person who hit you, was driving slowly! Or else, Do you have any idea what would have happened to you!"
"It's not like I want to walk into the road—" Before she could finish her sentence, her gaze fell on someone in the room, standing near the window. Tall. Still. Watching her, that made her entire body freeze.
In her mind: No. No, no, no— Why is he here?! No way.
Her brain short-circuited instantly. Rian's gaze met hers. Sharp. Knowing. And just slightly amused. "…You're awake," he said. Reena blinked. Once. Twice. Then she immediately looked away, pretending disorientation, like she didn't recognize him at all.
Ashley didn't notice. "You scared me, idiot!" She said, relief flooding her voice. She let out a breath, half laughing, half crying. "I swear—"
"…Ash," she said quickly, cutting Ashley's sentence off, forcing her voice to stay normal, "who is that?"
Ashley blinked. "Huh? Oh, he's the one who brought you here."
"…Oh," Reena replied. Too casually. Too quickly. Like she didn't just spend a night with him two weeks ago.
Ashley frowned slightly at her reaction, but didn't question Reena. At least, not yet.
On the other hand, Rian didn't move, didn't speak. But his eyes stayed on her, unwavering. In his mind: Such a liar, little one.
However, a soft knock broke the tension, a nurse stepped in with a gentle smile, holding something in her hands. "Miss Reena?" she said sweetly. "Someone sent this for you."The nurse placed it carefully on the table beside her bed. A bouquet. Red roses. Fresh. Perfect. And that same, unsettling feeling.
Ashley turned. "Again?"
Reena frowned. "…Again?"
"There's a note as well," the nurse added before giving it to Ashley.
Silence filled the room. Ashley slowly fidgeted in the edge of the note. "…This is getting creepy."
Reena swallowed. "…Read it."
Ashley opened the note carefully. But her expression changed right after reading the note, uncomfortable, slightly modified. "…Okay, I don't like this."
"What does it say?" Reena asked, her voice quieter now.
Ashley hesitated, then read: "Reena, You should be more careful. "Seeing you fall like that… It hurt me more than you think. Rest well. I'll be watching—quietly, as always." A pause. "…That's not normal," Ashley said flatly.
Reena's fingers tightened around the bedsheet. Her chest felt cold. Someone saw the accident. Someone knew where she was. And they were still watching. And Reena had no idea what to do.
On the other hand, Rian glanced at the bouquet, at the note, and at the way Reena's expression shifted. The fear, confusion, unease look on her face. But he looked away. Uninterested. Irrelevant. Not his concern. But for now, what mattered was her. "…The doctor said it's a minor injury," he said calmly. "You'll recover soon."
Reena looked at him again. But this time, a little more carefully, a little more aware. And her heart did something very, very stupid.
The nurse cleared her throat to gain their attention and said,"We'll need to run a few checks. One of you can stay, the other please settle the registration."
"I'll go," Ashley said immediately, standing up. "Just—don't move, okay?"
"I'm not planning to," Reena replied softly.
Ashley gave her one last look before rushing out.
Soon, silence fell in the hospital room. Heavy. Unavoidable. Reena kept her gaze fixed anywhere but him.
Maybe if she didn't look—
Maybe if she stayed quiet—
Maybe—
"…Reena, right?"
Her entire body went still. No. Slowly, she turned her head. Rian was already looking at her. Calm and unreadable."Do you know me, Little One?"
Reena felt a shift in her heart but still answered him, "N-No… I don't think so."
"Oh?" He exclaimed as if he was mocking her, "Are you sure?"
"Yes!" She exclaimed quickly, too quickly. "I don't think I ever saw you."
Rian let out a cold and low chuckled and slowly walked towards her, "I see. Maybe you hit your head so hard that you had amnesia?"
She let out a chuckle awkwardly, "Maybe. Perhaps. Make sense…"
"Reena…" He said her name, making her freeze. "…or should I say," he continued, stepping closer, his voice lowering slightly, "Raya?"
Her breath caught. Shit.
Before she could speak—
Before she could even think of an excuse—
He moved. Fast. One second he was standing. The next, his hand pressed against the bed beside her head, caging her in as he leaned down slightly. Not touching. But close enough. Too close.
Her back pressed into the mattress as her breath hitched. "Y-You—what are you doing—?!" she stammered, panic flashing in her eyes.
His gaze locked onto hers. Dark. Sharp. Unforgiving.
"You lied," he said quietly. Not angry. Not loud. Worse. Controlled.
Reena swallowed, trying to hold her ground despite the way her heart started racing again and looked away. "I don't know what you're talking about—"
"Don't." One word. Sharp. Final. His gaze didn't leave hers. "You gave me a name that doesn't exist," he continued, voice calm but cutting. "Walked away. Left money." That last part lingered. Heavy.
Reena felt her face heat up instantly. Oh God. "I—" she started, but no words came out.
What was she even supposed to say?
Sorry for thinking you were a gigolo???
He leaned in just slightly closer. "Do you have any idea," he murmured, "how long I've been looking for you?"
Her heartbeat stuttered. "…Looking for me?" she repeated weakly.
"Yes." The way he said it, simple, certain, unavoidable. "But that's fine." He leaned in slightly. Too close. Way too close that she could feel his hot breath on her lips, just like that night. "And yet… I found you."