Shadows of the Spotlight

Chapter 42

The morning light filtered softly through the curtains, warming the room with its golden glow. As I stirred awake, I became aware of a weight on my chest—gentle but firm. Slowly blinking the sleep from my eyes, I looked down to find a hand resting there. My breath hitched as I traced the hand up its arm, following the curve of a shoulder until my gaze landed on its owner.

Arc.

He lay on his stomach, his face turned toward me, peaceful and unguarded in sleep. His dark hair was slightly tousled, the strands falling across his forehead in a way that made him look almost boyish. My heart skipped as memories from the night before rushed back with startling clarity—the warmth of his touch, the urgency of our kisses, the way his voice sounded when he whispered my name.

A blush crept up my neck as I let my eyes linger on him, taking in the sharp angles of his cheekbones softened by sleep, the faint shadow of stubble on his jawline, the curve of his lips. I'd seen Arc in countless states—serious, playful, frustrated—but this vulnerability was new. It was intimate, and it made my chest tighten with an emotion I wasn't ready to name.

I swallowed hard, the weight of reality pressing against me. What had we done? The dynamics of our relationship had shifted overnight in ways I couldn't have anticipated. This wasn't just a professional partnership anymore; it wasn't even the tenuous friendship we'd been building. This was something else entirely—something deeper, messier, and infinitely more complicated.

As I stared at him, my heart warring with my mind, the shrill sound of my phone pierced the quiet, yanking me out of my thoughts. I flinched, quickly reaching for the device on the nightstand. But Arc's arm was still draped across me, his fingers loosely curled.

Carefully, I lifted his arm, trying not to wake him, and placed it gently on his side. He stirred slightly, his brow furrowing for a moment before settling again.

Grabbing my phone, I turned my back to him and pressed it to my ear, my voice still husky with sleep. "Hello?"

""아크 씨는 아직 안 일어났나요?"(Is Arc awake yet?)" Jihoon's voice came through, brisk and no-nonsense as usual.

I sat up straighter, the romantic haze I'd been in dissipating instantly."나... 아직 방에서 나가지 않았어(I... I haven't left my room yet)," I said quickly, it wasn't a lie but also not what Jihoon had asked. I sneaked a glance back at Arc, who was still sprawled across the bed, his face peaceful in sleep.

Jihoon sighed on the other end. "아마도 그는 아직도 자고 있을 것이므로 깨워서 한 시간 후에 준비하라고 말하십시오. 나는 그때까지 호텔에 있을 것이다.(Most likely he might be still asleep, so wake him up and tell him to be ready in an hour. I'll be at the hotel by then.)"

I hesitated, clutching the phone tightly. "알았어요. 그 사람이 준비되었는지 확인할게요)Got it. I'll make sure he's ready.)"

"Thanks, Lila," Jihoon said before the line went dead.

I stood frozen for a moment, the phone still pressed against my ear, before snapping out of it. The reality of the situation hit me like a tidal wave. Shaking my head, I padded toward the bathroom, biting my lip as I caught sight of my reflection in the mirror. My hair was a tangled mess, my cheeks flushed, and the faintest mark on my collarbone hinted at the night we'd shared.

I turned on the shower, the weight of everything hit me as I stood under the water. Just a few days ago, I'd made it clear to Arc that there was no chance of a relationship between us. I'd laid out the boundaries, convinced myself—and him—that it was the right thing to do. And now, here we were, with all those lines blurred beyond recognition.