𝐖𝐚𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐬 | 𝐓𝐥𝐨𝐊

XI

"Sora!" The sound of something hitting the table caused the woman who was sleeping there to stand up in shock. As a result, the shock that passed through her body caused the chair to tilt backward, taking her body with it to the floor.

As the commotion unfolded, it quickly drew the gaze of the other police officers who were just beginning their shift at the station. They watched intently as their colleague lay on the floor, prompting laughter to ripple through the group.

The police captain, Saikhan, frowned as he stared at the woman who was lying on the floor. Ignoring the not-so-discreet laughter around him, he addressed the woman: "Were you sleeping during work hours?"

"No, sir!" The woman, still stunned by the fright she received, got up from the floor quickly as soon as she heard her captain's voice. "I was just... reviewing this week's report files," She said as she put the chair back in its place, picking up some papers that were on top of her desk, and showing them to the man who was staring at her with a frown.

Saikhan, in turn, let out a sigh and once again addressed the rest of the people there. "The patrol shift starts in a while. Stop laughing and get back to your duties," The officers who were laughing before stopped doing so when they heard the captain's voice, and quickly stood up, following the orders of their superior.

The bald man narrowed his eyes toward the woman when he noticed her trying to sneak out with the others. "Not you, Captain Takashi," He said as he waited for everyone to leave before approaching the woman.

"Can you tell me why I found you sleeping? Especially during working hours. You need to set an example for the others," The bald man asked with a serious expression as he fixed his gaze on the young woman who had her focus on her hands. "Sora," He snapped his fingers to get her attention.

   "I'm sorry," The young woman said, sighing heavily. Putting her face in her hands, she rubbed the sleep from her eyes, then ran her fingers through her hair, straightening a few curls that fell awkwardly over her forehead. "It's the same as always. You know... trouble sleeping at night."

   Saikhan's previously serious expression softened and gave way to a worried expression. "Are you still having those dreams?" His voice carried a slight tone of surprise. He was aware of those dreams. He had witnessed them. "Last time you told me they had finally stopped."

"Well, they didn't stop," Sora said softly, fidgeting with her fingers anxiously, picking at the loose skin at the corners of her nails as she avoided eye contact with the older man. If there was one thing she hated the most, it was showing vulnerability. Especially to someone she knew.

"And why didn't you tell me about this?" Saikhan frowned in confusion. "Have the herbs stopped working?"

The twenty-year-old woman raised her head and looked at Saikhan. "I'm already too old to be running after you every time something goes wrong," Running her tongue over her dry lips, she continued. "Besides, you have more to worry about than taking care of an adult woman in trouble," She laughed awkwardly.

  Hearing those words made the police officer stare at the young woman in front of him speechless. Something inside him broke at the words. He still saw her as the child he had taken into his care years ago. "Your well-being is my priority, Sora. You will never be a problem for me," Saikhan says, approaching the young woman, raising his arms, and placing his hands on Sora's shoulders, giving her a light squeeze of comfort. "I will always be here to help you. No matter the problem."

Saikhan's life has always been very lonely. He had no wife or children, only his work. And despite his closed exterior, whenever he came home from work he couldn't help but feel an emptiness inside him when he was greeted by the silence of his home. But that changed when he took Sora into his care under Lin Beifong's orders. And despite the indifference they had towards each other, that changed over time. He stopped seeing Sora as a rebellious child who tested his patience, who he was in charge of training, but rather as a child who became someone who gradually filled the void in his life.