Ren entered through the door with the quiet precision of the night, the echo of the ride still pulsing through him. The city's noise had long faded behind him, yet something far louder refused to quiet down inside his chest. His heartbeat wouldn't settle—not because of the speed, not because of the rush—but because of her. Erika. Her presence lingered, uninvited and unshaken, like a thought he hadn't allowed himself to finish. "What is this…" he muttered under his breath, dragging a hand through his hair as if that alone could clear his mind.
He stepped into the cold shower without another thought, letting the water fall harsh and steady against his skin. It should have grounded him. It always did. But tonight was different. The cold didn't numb anything—it sharpened it. Every memory of her seemed clearer, closer. The way she spoke. The pauses between her words. The way she looked at him like she understood more than she ever said. Ren exhaled sharply, bracing one hand against the wall as if steadying himself. "Enough…" he whispered, though it sounded more like a plea than a command.
He turned off the water and stepped out, a towel loosely wrapped around his waist, droplets tracing slow lines down his skin. The room felt quieter than before, almost too quiet, until the sudden sound of his phone cut through it.
RING.
He frowned, glancing toward the screen. This late?
He picked it up—and his expression shifted ever so slightly.
Etsuko.
His soon-to-be fiancée.
"…What is it?" he answered, his voice flat, controlled.
"Ren… I hope I didn't wake you," her voice came, soft and careful, as though afraid of crossing a line she didn't fully understand yet.
"You didn't. Say what you called for."
A brief pause followed, the kind that carried hesitation.
"I just wanted to talk."
"At this hour?" he replied, not harsh, but distant enough to draw a line.
"I feel like we don't really know each other," she admitted quietly.
Ren leaned back against the wall, eyes half-lidded, his tone unchanged. "That's how arranged marriages work. You adjust."
Silence.
"I don't want to just adjust," she said after a moment, her voice steadier now. "I want to understand you."
Ren's jaw tightened slightly, though his expression remained unreadable. "There's nothing to understand. This is just an arrangement. Don't overthink it."
Another pause. Longer this time.
"…Is there someone else?" she asked, almost carefully, as if afraid of the answer.
For a fraction of a second, something flickered across his mind—uninvited, unwanted.
Erika.
His grip on the phone tightened ever so slightly.
"No," he said quickly. "There isn't."
The answer came too fast, but neither of them addressed it.
"Get some rest," he added after a moment. "We'll talk some other time."
He ended the call before she could respond, lowering the phone slowly as silence returned to the room. But this time, it felt heavier.
Ren stared at the screen for a moment longer before something pulled him back to it. Almost unconsciously, he opened his chat with Etsuko.
Message after message filled the screen.
Did you eat?
Don't skip meals.
How was your day?
You should rest more.
Simple words.
Nothing dramatic. Nothing demanding.
Just… consistent care.
His thumb paused as he scrolled.
"…She's been trying," he murmured.
Actually trying.
A faint, reluctant smile touched his lips.
"No doubt…" he said quietly. "She's cute."
He exhaled softly, shaking his head at his own words.
"More than that…"
His gaze softened just a little.
"She's genuine."
For a brief moment, the thought came naturally, almost too easily.
She would make a perfect wife.
A stable life.
Something calm. Something real.
Exactly what his mother wanted.
Exactly what he had convinced himself he should want.
But then—
The feeling shifted.
His smile faded.
"…So why does it feel strange?" he whispered.
Because it felt distant.
Because it didn't reach him the way it should.
Because—
Another face surfaced in his mind without permission.
Erika.
Ren shut his eyes briefly, frustration flashing across his expression.
"Damn it…"
Before he could think further, before he could question himself again, he picked up his phone and typed quickly.
Let's meet. Today.
The message was simple. Direct.
A reply came not long after.
Blue Dragon Hotel. 6 PM. Don't be late.
Ren read it once, then again, a faint scoff escaping him.
"Straight to the point…"
Yet something about it didn't annoy him.
If anything, it made him curious.
—
By evening, the Blue Dragon Hotel shimmered under soft golden lights, the glass reflecting the fading sky outside. The atmosphere was calm, refined—almost too composed for the undercurrents of emotion it was about to hold.
Etsuko hurried inside, her steps quick and uneven.
"I'm late…" she whispered to herself, clutching her bag tightly.
In her rush, she bumped into someone.
"Oh—! I'm so sorry," she said immediately, bowing her head.
"It's alright," the man replied, though his attention seemed elsewhere, as if he were searching for someone.
Etsuko nodded quickly and moved past him, her eyes scanning the room—
And then she saw him.
Ren.
Standing near the table, calm, composed, one hand resting casually as if he had been there only moments.
When their eyes met, he raised his hand slightly in a small wave.
Not distant.
Not cold.
Just… softer than she expected.
A small smile appeared on her lips as she walked toward him.
"Sorry for being late," she said, slightly breathless.
"It's fine," he replied. "I just got here."
A lie.
But a deliberate one.
He pulled out the chair for her.
"Sit."
Etsuko hesitated briefly before sitting down, her gaze lingering on him.
Something felt different.
Subtle, but noticeable.
"You look like you ran all the way here," Ren added, a faint hint of amusement in his tone.
She let out a small laugh, brushing her hair back.
"I didn't want to keep you waiting."
A quiet moment passed between them.
Not tense.
But not entirely comfortable either.
Then Ren spoke again.
"…You always do that."
Etsuko looked up. "Do what?"
"Care," he said simply.
She blinked, caught off guard.
"I don't think that's unusual."
"It is," he replied quietly.
Their eyes met for a moment longer—
Until his phone rang again.
"…Excuse me," he said, stepping aside to take the call.
As he walked away, Etsuko's gaze drifted, settling on a table behind them.
A young woman sat there.
Beautiful.
Graceful.
Wearing a soft baby blue dress that seemed almost too delicate for the heavy atmosphere surrounding her.
Beside her sat a man—
Older.
Much older.
Etsuko's brows furrowed slightly.
When Ren returned, she leaned closer and spoke softly.
"Ren… that girl is so pretty. Why is she marrying that old man? He must be in his sixties…"
Ren's expression remained calm.
"Etsuko, you shouldn't get involved in others' business."
"I know but…" she murmured, glancing back again. "Sometimes it feels wrong. Money can blind everything. People stop seeing what's right and what's not…"
Her voice softened.
"…I feel bad for her."
Ren didn't respond.
Because just then—
Laughter echoed from behind them.
Light.
Familiar.
Too familiar.
Ren's body went still.
The world around him blurred at the edges.
Slowly—
Almost unwillingly—
He turned.
And then—
He saw her.
Erika.
Seated gracefully in that soft baby blue dress, her presence unmistakable.
Across from her, the older man held her hand—
and pressed a kiss to her knuckles.
Ren didn't move.
Didn't speak.
Behind him, Etsuko called his name, her voice distant, barely reaching him.
Because in that moment—
everything else ceased to exist.