The world was fading.
The murmur of voices in the infirmary became distant, swallowed by a slow, heavy silence.
Hyunwoo's eyelids sank shut, and he felt himself drifting—down, deeper, beyond sleep.
When he opened his eyes again, there was nothing.
No walls. No ground. Just an endless expanse of shifting, dark mist.
Cold air brushed against his skin, yet his heart pounded with a strange familiarity.
Where am I
This feeling is too real to be called a dream, but this scenery is too weird to be called a reality. His eyes wandered everywhere, looking at any hint he will get.
Then... he saw him.
A lone figure, standing far away, his form hazy against the void. But even through the blur, Hyunwoo's chest tightened.
That stance... that face...
"You are—!?"
Before he could finish, the figure was suddenly there, right before him, as if the space between them had never existed.
It was him. The same features. The same eyes—yet deeper, burdened by a weight that Hyunwoo couldn't name.
The original Hyunwoo didn't speak at first. He simply looked at him, his expression unreadable, like someone who had been waiting a long time for this meeting.
Then, slowly, he raised a hand and pressed it against Hyunwoo's chest.
The touch was firm—not warm, not cold, but alive.
"I give it to you."
A surge of light exploded from his palm, but it wasn't Hyunwoo's usual color.
It was red. Deep, burning red.
It poured into him like molten fire, flooding every vein, every muscle, every breath.
Hyunwoo gasped, his knees threatening to buckle. "Urgh—!"
The heat wasn't just power—it was will.
It was rage.
It was a vow carried in flame.
The original Hyunwoo leaned in slightly, his voice low yet resonating inside Hyunwoo's very bones.
"Good luck."
The words carried both blessing and farewell.
Before Hyunwoo could ask anything, the void cracked—fracturing into blinding light—
—and he woke with a sharp inhale in the infirmary, the warmth still coiled in his chest like an unyielding ember.
Hyunwoo's breathing was still uneven as his mind caught up with reality.
What... happened?
The memory of the dream—or whatever it was—still lingered, vivid and heavy.
His eyes darted toward his bandaged side... only to find bare skin.
No gashes. No bruises. Not even a scar.
"It healed...?" he muttered under his breath, almost afraid to believe it.
He slowly lifted his hand, palm open.
With a thought, his aura began to flow.
But it wasn't the usual soft, protective green.
This time, threads of deep crimson bled into it—curling, coiling, pulsing like a second heartbeat.
His mind snapped back to that dream.
The touch.
The words.
The warmth that felt alive.
It's real...
The aura flared brighter, and Hyunwoo froze in shock.
This wasn't just stronger—this was double his normal output.
But the change ran deeper than power.
His usual aura was like armor—a layer wrapping his body, reinforcing his skin against blows.
This one... was different.
It moved.
It flexed.
It obeyed like an extension of his will, not just a shield.
"It's... more than protection," he whispered, his hand trembling with both awe and unease.
A thought flickered across his mind.
Is this... the original Hyunwoo's aura?
Hyunwoo sat up slowly, glancing toward the infirmary door.
The room was quiet—too quiet. Glynda must have stepped out, and no one else was watching.
He turned his hand over, letting the aura bloom again.
Green and red, swirling together like fire and leaves in a storm.
"Let's see what you can do..." he muttered.
Normally, his aura formed a steady, solid layer. But this—
He willed it forward, and the crimson light surged ahead, stretching past his fingertips like a liquid flame.
It didn't just cling to him—it moved with him, curling in shapes as if anticipating his intent.
Hyunwoo clenched his fist. The aura condensed instantly, forming a sharp, glowing edge along his knuckles.
His heart skipped. That was... never possible before.
He relaxed his hand and thought about defense instead.
The red energy wrapped around his forearm, tightening until it felt almost like a gauntlet.
It was warm, but not burning—a living heat.
Then he tried something else.
He reached toward a glass of water on the table.
The crimson threads coiled around the rim, not breaking, not dispersing, holding together like a solid grip.
Hyunwoo's lips parted slightly in disbelief.
This wasn't just an upgrade—it was a different kind of aura entirely.
His chest tightened as the dream came back to him.
The original Hyunwoo's face.
The touch over his heart.
I give it to you.
He exhaled, the red light fading.
Whatever this was... it wasn't just a gift.
It was a responsibility.
Hyunwoo stared at his palm, the red aura flickering before it faded away.
'How...?'
"The original Hyunwoo was just a kid. No combat experience. No semblance. Even with the memories I inherited, I don't remember him ever using aura like this."
He leaned back on the infirmary bed, frowning.
This isn't just training. This... this feels like something else entirely.
The dream replayed in his mind.
That Hyunwoo's face—older, calmer, almost... confident.
Nothing like the boy he knew from his own memories.
"Wait... how did the original Hyunwoo die again?"
The thought slipped out before he could stop it.
His pulse quickened.
Or... was he never really dead at all?
The room felt heavier now, the shadows in the corners somehow deeper.
Hyunwoo clenched his fist again, the faintest red spark dancing at his knuckles.
Whatever this was, the answers weren't going to come easy.
But he would find them—no matter what.
The weight of the question sat heavy in his chest
___
"Hyunwoo?"
He flinched, the voice snapping him out of the spiral. He quickly relaxed his hand, letting the aura fade before looking up. Ruby stood at the door, holding a tray with a bottle of water and an apple.
"You're awake," she said with a small smile. "Glynda said you needed rest."
Hyunwoo forced a faint smirk. "Resting. See? Totally fine."
Ruby stepped closer, glancing at him. "You were... staring at your hand just now. Is something wrong?"
His heart skipped, but he shook his head. "Nah. Just... thinking about the fight earlier. Guess I'm still wired from the adrenaline."
Ruby tilted her head, unconvinced but not pressing. She set the tray down. "Well, don't push yourself. You're no good to anyone if you collapse."
Hyunwoo gave a short nod, but as Ruby left, his gaze fell back to his hand—
and deep inside, the question still burned.
If he's still alive... what the hell does that make me?
The infirmary was quiet, the only sound the faint hum of the air vents above.
Hyunwoo swung his legs over the bed and stood, testing his weight. No pain. Not even a dull ache.
Guess I don't need to play patient anymore.
He pushed the blanket aside and headed for the door. As he opened it, the soft patter of footsteps echoed from the hallway—
and suddenly, he collided with someone.
"Whoa—!"
Ruby staggered back a step, clutching a folded cloth in her hands. "Hyunwoo?!"
Hyunwoo blinked, steadying her by the shoulder. "Sorry. Didn't see you there."
Ruby looked from him to the now-empty bed inside the infirmary, then back at him. "Wait—you're up? You're supposed to be resting!"
He shrugged. "I rested. Felt fine. So I'm leaving."
Ruby frowned, almost ready to argue, but something in the way he stood—calm, steady, like he hadn't just been half-dead hours ago—made her pause. "You... really do look fine."
Hyunwoo smirked faintly. "Told you." He stepped aside, motioning down the hallway. "You coming, or are you gonna keep playing nurse?"
Ruby gave him a light glare but fell into step beside him, curiosity clear in her eyes.
They walked side by side, the afternoon light filtering through Beacon's long windows.
"...Thanks," Hyunwoo said suddenly.
Ruby tilted her head. "For what?"
"For sticking around," he replied. "Most people would've left me for the medics, but you didn't."
Ruby smiled a little, shrugging. "Well, you were hurt. I couldn't just leave you."
Hyunwoo gave her a sidelong look, the corner of his mouth twitching up. "Really, you're starting to sound like my wife or something."
Ruby's face went red instantly. "Wha—?! I–I'm not—! That's not—!" She stumbled over her words, hands flailing slightly as she tried to compose herself.
Hyunwoo chuckled under his breath, looking ahead again. "Relax, I'm kidding."
Ruby narrowed her eyes, puffing her cheeks just slightly. "...You're impossible."
"Yeah," Hyunwoo said with a faint smirk, "but I'm still walking thanks to you."
The quiet that followed was warmer than before, the teasing lingering between them like an unspoken joke.
___
Both of them rounded the corner of the hall, their footsteps echoing lightly. Ruby was still red-faced, stealing quick glances at him like she was trying to think of a comeback.
Then, from ahead, Yang's voice rang out.
"Hey, there you are!"
Ruby almost jumped. "Y–Yang?! Blake?!"
Yang crossed her arms, looking them both up and down with a grin that was way too smug. "Well, well. Ruby, I didn't expect you to start sneaking off for private walks already."
Ruby's face went crimson. "W–What?! It's not like that! He—he just got out of the infirmary and I was—!"
Blake tilted her head, a small, knowing smile tugging at her lips. "Mm. Sure."
Before Ruby could recover from Yang's teasing, another familiar voice chimed in from behind them.
"Weiss! You too?!" Ruby yelped as her teammate stepped out from the adjoining corridor, her arms folded in her usual dignified stance.
Weiss gave a sharp little huff. "Well, forgive me for being concerned about our injured friend. I came to check on him, only to find the two of you conveniently... absent."
Ruby's face flushed scarlet again. "It's not like that!"
Yang smirked and elbowed Blake, who simply smiled faintly. "That's exactly what someone guilty would say," Yang teased.
Hyunwoo raised his brow, unfazed. "Relax. Ruby's just been looking out for me. Honestly, she's so good at it, it's almost like..." he paused deliberately, throwing Ruby a sly glance, "...she's already my wife."
Ruby's eyes went wide as steam practically poured from her ears. "Hyunwoo!!"
Yang howled with laughter, clutching her stomach. "Oh my gods, you're killing me."
Blake covered her mouth, hiding a small, amused chuckle.
Weiss pinched the bridge of her nose, exasperated. "Honestly... childish banter, in the middle of the halls. You two are insufferable."
Ruby stomped her foot, her voice cracking with embarrassment. "I'm not his wife! Stop making it sound weird!"
"Deny it louder, Ruby," Yang teased, "maybe the whole school didn't hear you yet."
Ruby groaned, hiding her face in her cape before storming ahead. "I hate all of you!!"
The remaining three watched her march off, red-faced.
Yang leaned casually against the wall. "So, Hyunwoo..." she grinned slyly. "When's the wedding?"
Weiss rolled her eyes so hard it was almost audible. "Yang, please." But even she couldn't quite hide the small smirk tugging at the corner of her lips.
Blake's golden eyes flicked to Hyunwoo, calm but curious. "You do enjoy making things... interesting, don't you?"
Hyunwoo only smirked faintly, his expression unreadable.
Ruby's cape fluttered around the corner as she vanished, her footsteps echoing faintly down the hall.
Yang leaned back against the wall with a huge grin plastered across her face. "I swear, she's too easy. You could say 'boo' and she'd blush like she just got proposed to."
Blake shook her head, but her lips curled into a small smile. "You're not wrong. Still, it's... unusual. Ruby doesn't get flustered that easily. Not unless it's him." Her eyes slid toward Hyunwoo, sharp but amused.
Weiss sniffed, trying to regain her composure. "It's ridiculous, the both of them. Acting like children. And yet..." she paused, glancing at Hyunwoo from the corner of her eye, "...Ruby doesn't usually let people get under her skin like that. She must trust you more than most."
Yang's grin only widened. "Translation: little sis likes you."
Hyunwoo raised a brow, smirking faintly. "Could've fooled me."
Weiss scoffed. "Well they already act like a cheap romantic story book,"
Yang cackled, clapping Blake on the shoulder. "See? Even he knows. Man, I didn't think Ruby would catch feelings this fast."
Blake's voice was calm, but there was a knowing edge to it. "Or maybe it's not about 'fast.' Maybe it's just... the right person."
That quiet line seemed to still the air for a moment. Yang glanced between Blake, Weiss and Hyunwoo, then whistled low.
"Well, if nothing else," Yang said finally, smirking again, "I'm glad my baby sister's got someone who can keep up with her. Just... don't break her heart, got it?"
The playfulness was still there, but underneath it, a rare seriousness lingered in her tone.
Hyunwoo met her gaze, his smirk fading into something more steady. "...You have my word."