Later that night, Mi-Ho leaned against the balcony rail, his tie undone, his jaw tense. "They'll test you. They'll try to see if you're just a name, Hana, or a leader."
"And what do you see?" she asked softly.
He turned, eyes dark but steady. "I see a woman who's been tempered by fire. But even steel can break if left alone."
She stepped closer, slipping her hand into his. "Then don't leave me alone."
For Mi-Ho, those words cut deeper than any vow. She wasn't asking for protection—she was asking for partnership.
And he would give her nothing less.