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Chapter 6 - Six: You don't have to worry

Raven sat with his arms folded, watching the woman in front of him sniffle pitifully into the handkerchief he had handed her earlier. She kept blowing her nose, wiping her streaked face, and sniffling again. Her dark circles were impossible to ignore, her skin blotched red from crying.

It should have been unbearable to look at. And yet… for some reason, it wasn't ugly to him.

He blinked slowly, cleared his throat, and asked flatly, "Are you going to keep crying?"

The irony of it grated at him. He had come here to taunt her, to watch her unravel and maybe push her buttons just enough to amuse himself.

Yet here he was, sitting opposite her in his acquaintance's café, watching her sob like a child while sipping water he had ordered for her. Somehow, he was the one… comforting her.

Raven clenched his jaw. It irritated him to no end. He could have mocked her, and yet, he couldn't.

Mi Rae hiccupped through her tears, her voice shaking. "I think… I think I'm really fired."

Her words wavered, and she gripped the damp handkerchief tighter. "Is it my fault I fainted? I didn't even mean to! I didn't plan it…"

Raven tilted his head, studying her misery. Then, with amusement, he leaned back and said, "So, you're jobless now?"

The faintest trace of laughter laced his voice, and it cut her like a blade.

Mi Rae's eyes welled again. She bit her trembling lip, and before she could stop herself, another flood of tears spilled. She covered her face with the handkerchief and sobbed harder.

Raven rolled his eyes. "Unbelievable."

Just then, footsteps echoed, and a man emerged from behind the counter. He was holding a steaming mug of coffee in one hand and a folded towel in the other. With a quiet sigh, he placed them down on the table.

"Here," the man said gently, handing the towel to Mi Rae. "Dry yourself first. A warm drink will help."

She accepted it timidly, but before she could thank him, his gaze flicked toward Raven.

"Stop staring at her like that," he told him.

Raven gave him a look, half annoyance and half disinterest. "What?"

The man ignored him, turning his attention back to Mi Rae. "Take this step by step," he said, his voice warm, patient. "Being fired isn't the end of the world. You're still young. There's more out there for you."

Mi Rae's lips quivered as she hugged the towel closer. "But… I haven't even built enough work experience. I only graduated a year ago. Who would employ me now? Maybe they were right. Maybe… maybe I don't belong in journalism at all."

Her voice cracked. Before the man could stop him, Raven snorted, leaned forward, and said with biting bluntness, "They're right. You don't fit there."

"Raven!" the café owner snapped.

Raven raised his brows, feigning innocence. "What? I'm just being honest."

"Honest doesn't mean cruel," the man shot back. His tone softened immediately as he turned back to Mi Rae. "Don't let one rejection decide your whole path. People stumble. That's how they learn to walk steadier. Don't give up on yourself just because others gave up first."

Mi Rae stared at him, wide-eyed, almost stunned by his simple kindness.

Raven scoffed again, turning his gaze away.

The café owner, Gyeom, shook his head, muttered something about troublesome guests, and stepped away. He had closed the café early because of Raven's unannounced visit. Never in his life did he imagine Raven would bring along a crying young woman.

Though they weren't close, Raven had helped him once before, and in turn, Gyeom had tolerated his moods. But he had no desire to get dragged into the storm that followed Raven Park.

When Gyeom disappeared into the back, silence filled the small café.

Mi Rae finally stopped crying long enough to wipe her swollen face and pick up the warm cup in front of her. She took a small sip. The bitter taste grounded her, pulling her back from the edge of despair.

Only then did the weight of reality hit her again. She was sitting across from Raven Park, her knees damp from rainwater, her face blotchy from tears, and her dignity in tatters.

Embarrassment washed over her. She quickly lowered her gaze, dabbing awkwardly at her face with the towel.

Why did it always have to be him who saw her like this? And why, of all people, was he the one offering her an umbrella?

Raven leaned back in his chair, eyes half-lidded, watching her dab at her face with the towel as if she could scrub away the mess she'd made of herself. The corner of his mouth twitched, not quite a smile, more a sardonic curl.

"You cry too much," he said finally. His tone wasn't cruel, but it cut through silence. "If tears were currency, you'd be rich by now."

Mi Rae froze mid-dab, staring at him. Heat rose to her cheeks, part shame and part indignation.

"I'm not always like this," she mumbled, clutching the towel tighter.

Raven tilted his head, studying her with the same sharp gaze that unsettled millions on screen. "Really? Could've fooled me."

She bit down on her lip, unable to argue, and instead lifted the coffee again. The warmth steadied her trembling hands. The silence that followed wasn't comfortable, but it wasn't unbearable either.

For a fleeting moment, something softened at the edges. Raven watched her take small sips, her lashes still damp, her fingers small against the mug. There was a strange ache in his chest, something he couldn't name and refused to acknowledge.

The fragile moment shattered when Mi Rae's phone buzzed violently on the table. She fumbled to answer, pressing it to her ear.

"Hello…?" her voice was small, uneven.

"Where are you?" Ra Mi's sharp voice sliced through the speaker, each word dripping with irritation.

"I—I…" Mi Rae stuttered, scrambling for an excuse.

"Don't make excuses. Come to the front of the building right now." Ra Mi didn't wait for an answer before hanging up.

The line went dead, leaving only the silence of the café. Mi Rae sat frozen for a second, then quickly gathered her box of belongings, stuffing her damp things together.

"I… I have to go," she whispered, standing to her feet.

Raven didn't move. He watched her with unreadable eyes, his arms folded again.

She made it halfway to the door before she stopped. Slowly, Mi Rae turned back. Her face was still flushed, her hands trembling around the strap of her bag.

"I'm sorry," she said quietly, forcing herself to meet his gaze. "For listening in on your conversation that day. I… I shouldn't have. But I want you to know… I don't intend to tell anyone."

Raven's eyes narrowed slightly, but he said nothing.

"And… thankfully, I'm no longer a journalist." Her lips twisted into a self-deprecating smile. "So, you don't have to worry about me sharing your secret with the world."

For a moment, silence stretched between them, taut and fragile. Before Raven could open his mouth, Mi Rae gave a small, awkward bow, and then she ran out.

The café door swung shut behind her. Raven remained in his seat, his jaw tight, his expression blank, yet inside, something stuttered.

Disbelief. Annoyance. And a flicker of something he refused to name.

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