The hallway felt smaller.
Or maybe it was just Ethan.
Because the moment Lena asked that question—
"What exactly are you?"
Everything inside him tightened.
"I don't know," he said finally.
It wasn't an excuse.
It was the truth.
Lena didn't look away.
She didn't laugh.
She didn't run.
Instead, she stepped even closer.
Too close.
Close enough that Ethan could clearly feel it—
Her heartbeat.
Her emotions.
That soft warmth again.
It spread through him like a quiet flame.
"You're not scared?" Ethan asked, his voice lower now.
Lena tilted her head slightly.
"Should I be?"
Ethan hesitated.
"Yes."
But she didn't move.
"If you could control people," she said slowly, "you would have done it already."
Ethan's chest tightened.
"You don't know that."
"I do," she replied calmly. "Because you're still trying not to."
Silence.
That hit deeper than anything else she had said.
Ethan looked away.
"…You shouldn't trust me like that."
"Then give me a reason not to," Lena said.
The air shifted again.
But this time, it wasn't chaotic.
It was calm.
Balanced.
Ethan frowned slightly.
"That's strange…"
"What?" Lena asked.
"It's… not going out of control," he said quietly. "Before, it always just spread. But now…"
He looked at her again.
"It's staying… focused."
On her.
Lena blinked.
"Focused on me?"
Ethan nodded slowly.
"I think… it reacts to what I feel."
"And what do you feel right now?" she asked softly.
That question caught him off guard.
What did he feel?
Fear?
Confusion?
No…
Something else was stronger.
Something unfamiliar.
"…I don't know," he admitted.
But that wasn't entirely true.
Because his heart was beating faster now.
Not from fear.
Lena studied him for a moment.
Then—
She took another step closer.
Now there was barely any space between them.
Ethan's breath hitched slightly.
"Lena—"
"Relax," she said quietly. "If your power reacts to emotion… then let's figure it out."
"This isn't a game," Ethan said quickly.
"I know," she replied. "That's why I'm taking it seriously."
Her eyes met his.
Steady.
Unwavering.
"You said it affects emotions, right?" she continued. "So what happens if you focus on just one feeling?"
Ethan hesitated.
"I've never tried."
"Then try now."
Ethan swallowed.
This felt dangerous.
Not physically.
But something deeper.
Because if he lost control here…
It wouldn't just be random people affected.
It would be her.
"Okay…" he said slowly.
He closed his eyes again.
And this time, he focused.
Not on fear.
Not on confusion.
But on the one thing he couldn't ignore anymore—
Her.
The way she stood in front of him.
The way she didn't run.
The way she looked at him like he mattered.
And then—
It happened.
A pulse.
Stronger than before.
Warmer.
The air around them softened.
The tension disappeared completely.
Lena's eyes widened slightly.
"…Ethan…"
Her voice sounded different.
Quieter.
Gentler.
Ethan opened his eyes.
And froze.
Because he could see it clearly now.
Her emotions.
Not physically.
But he could feel them like waves.
And they were changing.
Because of him.
"No…" he whispered.
He stepped back quickly.
The feeling snapped.
Like a string breaking.
Lena blinked, her expression shifting back to normal.
"…What just happened?" she asked.
Ethan shook his head.
"I affected you."
The words came out heavy.
Real.
Undeniable.
Lena stayed silent for a moment.
Processing.
Then she spoke.
"…You made me feel something."
Ethan clenched his fists.
"I didn't mean to."
"I know," she said.
But her expression had changed now.
Not fear.
Not exactly.
But awareness.
Like she finally understood the weight of what he meant.
"You can't do that again," Ethan said firmly.
"Why?" Lena asked.
"Because it's not real."
The answer came instantly.
Too fast.
Too sharp.
Lena frowned slightly.
"What do you mean?"
"If I change how you feel…" Ethan looked away. "…then it's not you anymore."
That silence again.
But this time, it felt heavier.
Lena stepped forward again.
Slowly.
Carefully.
Until she was standing right in front of him.
"Then don't change it," she said.
Ethan looked at her.
"What?"
"Don't force anything," she continued. "Just… be there."
Ethan didn't understand.
"I don't know how."
"Then learn."
For a moment, neither of them moved.
The space between them felt different now.
Not tense.
Not awkward.
Just… uncertain.
But not in a bad way.
Then Lena did something unexpected.
She reached out—
And lightly held his wrist.
Ethan froze.
The contact sent a shock through him.
Not painful.
But intense.
Because now—
The connection was stronger.
Much stronger.
He could feel everything.
Her heartbeat.
Her emotions.
Her thoughts, almost—
No.
Not thoughts.
But something close.
"…Lena," he said quietly.
"Yeah?" she replied, still holding his wrist.
"Let go."
But his voice wasn't firm.
Not really.
Lena noticed.
A small smile appeared on her lips.
"See?" she said softly. "You're not pushing me away."
Ethan's chest tightened.
Because she was right.
He wasn't.
But that was the problem.
Because the more he stayed like this—
The stronger the feeling became.
The stronger he became.
And if he lost control again—
"Lena, seriously—"
A sudden sound cut him off.
Footsteps.
Coming from the stairwell.
Both of them turned.
A man stood at the end of the hallway.
Tall.
Still.
Watching them.
Ethan's body tensed instantly.
Something about him felt… wrong.
Not normal.
Not human.
And for the first time since his power awakened—
Ethan felt something different.
Not confusion.
Not fear.
But danger.
Real danger.
The man smiled slightly.
"…So it's true," he said calmly.
Ethan stepped in front of Lena without thinking.
"Who are you?"
The man's eyes gleamed faintly.
"Someone who's been looking for you," he replied.
Ethan's heart pounded.
Because deep inside—
Something reacted violently.
Not softly like before.
Not gently.
But sharply.
Like a warning.
And this time—
It wasn't just about emotions.
It was about survival.