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Shadows stretched long and lean beneath the eaves, and somewhere, the wind carried the faint scent of incense and pine.
" Younghee, are you okay? Does your ankle still hurt?" Na-ra's voice broke gently through the hush, her tone threaded with concern as she crouched beside the girl, brushing back a strand of hair that had fallen across her cheek.
The young girl shook her head, her face lighting up with gratitude. "No, young lady. It's truly much better now." Her smile bloomed, innocent and full, like the first flower after frost.
But Na-ra wasn't the only one at her side.
It was then Younghee noticed him—the boy beside them, cloaked in silence. His posture was composed, regal even, but there was a flicker in his expression—a quiet, almost imperceptible melancholy that hung in the air like fading birdsong.
"Young Master Seo Yul," Younghee greeted with a respectful bow, "thank you, for saving me."
"It's okay," His voice was low, smooth like stone under stream water. He offered her a polite nod, but his gaze had already shifted.
To Na-ra.
The moment their eyes met, the world tilted. Something ancient and brittle stirred in the air between them—like pages of an unopened letter, as if breath held too long. Her spine straightened instinctively, though the rest of her wanted to retreat from the weight of that stare, from all it remembered.
Then, as if destiny grew impatient with silence, a young mage emerged from the far corridor, robes fluttering like restless parchment. He bowed low before them, first to Seo Yul, then to Na-ra, the gesture full of quiet reverence and unspoken urgency.
"What is it?" Seo Yul asked, his tone measured, but his eyes already narrowed with intent.
The young mage straightened quickly. "Master Park requests your presence. He wishes to speak with you about the attacker."
Seo Yul gave a curt nod, the gold on his collar catching the light like a silent vow. Then, he turned back towards Na-ra.
"I'll see you soon," he said, quietly. "And take guards with you at all times."
"But I can—"
"I know you can defend yourself." His voice softened, but only just. "Still, you shouldn't live your life walking along a blade's edge."
