The morning sunlight felt unreal, too bright, too sharp, like it was highlighting the bruises I didn't want anyone to see. I tugged my sleeves over my wrists, trying to hide the evidence of last night, though I knew it wouldn't matter if anyone noticed. I just didn't want questions. I didn't want pity.
I hated those fake careness so that they could use me for their own benefit.
The memory of him—Dae-hyun—kept replaying in my mind. The way he had appeared out of nowhere, cold, commanding, unshakable. The way he had looked at me, like he could see everything that was wrong and still didn't flinch. My chest tightened just thinking about him.
I wasn't supposed to see him again. He was a stranger. A mysterious, intimidating stranger. And yet… my heart kept insisting otherwise.
I walked slowly through campus, trying to blend into the crowd. My eyes darted around, almost expecting him to appear from nowhere. And then… I heard a voice.
"Hey… are you okay?"
My heart stopped.
I froze, my head whipping around, and there he was. Dae-hyun. Just as tall, just as cold-looking as last night. His sharp eyes scanned me, lingering on my wrist for a brief moment before returning to my face.
"I-I'm fine," I said quickly, trying to steady my trembling hands. My voice sounded small even to my own ears.
He said nothing for a moment, just watched me with that piercing gaze. It made me feel exposed, like he could read every fear, every thought, every tiny crack in the walls I had built around myself.
"You don't look fine," he said finally, his voice low, clipped. Not cruel this time, but still distant.
I swallowed hard, unsure how to respond. My mind raced. I wanted to explain. To say that last night terrified me, that I had felt powerless and scared and… and somehow, inexplicably, safe when he appeared.
But the words wouldn't come.
Before I could fumble further, someone passed by, calling out:
"Sunbae! Over here!"
My stomach dropped.
Dae-hyun's head turned briefly, and that's when I realized—he's my senior. My Sunbae. He's someone I'm supposed to respect, someone whose world I shouldn't even be part of.
My heart raced faster than ever. The fact that he was close to me, that I'd already fallen for him in the shadows of last night's terror, now felt like a cruel joke.
"You're… a senior?" I asked quietly, barely above a whisper.
He glanced at me briefly, expression unreadable, then nodded once. "Yes."
My chest tightened painfully. A senior. Someone I'd have to see every day, someone whose presence would haunt me. And yet, I couldn't stop the flutter in my chest, the inexplicable pull I felt toward him.
"Y-You… you saved me last night," I stammered, voice cracking. "Thank… thank you."
His gaze sharpened slightly. "You should be more careful," he said coldly. "Don't put yourself in a position to need saving."
I flinched, but the strange thing was—I didn't feel anger this time. Not at him. Just… longing. Confusion. A mix of fear and awe that made my heart ache in ways I didn't understand.
"I… I'll be careful," I whispered, hugging my coat tighter. "I promise."
He didn't say anything else. Just turned and walked away, his long strides confident, untouchable.
I stood there, staring after him, my chest heaving, and realized something that both thrilled and terrified me:
I was already falling.
For Dae-hyun. My senior. The Alpha who had saved me and left me feeling both small and alive at the same time.
And I had no idea what I was doing to myself.
I watched him walk away, every step making my chest tighten. Why did he affect me like this? He hadn't said anything kind—he hadn't smiled, hadn't held me—but somehow, I felt… seen.
I shook my head, trying to push the thoughts away. No. I can't think like this. He's a senior. He's untouchable. He's… dangerous.
But my feet betrayed me. Before I even realized it, I was following him, careful to stay at a distance. My pulse thundered in my ears as I tried to make sense of what I was feeling.
"Why… why am I like this?" I whispered to myself. My hands were shaking, still sore from last night. "He barely said anything… and I… I can't stop thinking about him."
He stopped at the end of the hallway near the library, leaning slightly against the wall as he checked his phone. His brows were furrowed, lips pressed into a thin line. He looked… untouchable. And yet, for some reason, I wanted to reach out. I wanted to know if he was real.
Gathering every ounce of courage I had, I stepped a little closer. "Sunbae…" My voice trembled, almost lost in the quiet hallway.
He looked up, and my heart stopped. His eyes were piercing, unreadable, like he could see every thought, every fear, every secret I didn't want anyone to know.
"Yes?" His voice was clipped, detached.
"I… I just…" I hesitated, words failing me. I didn't even know what I wanted to say. Thank you? Sorry for following? Maybe both. "I… I wanted to… thank you properly."
His expression softened slightly for a fraction of a second—just a flicker—but it disappeared as quickly as it came. "You already thanked me."
"I… I just—" My voice broke, and I bit my lip to stop it. "I… I'm scared."
His gaze sharpened. "You should be."
The words hit me like a slap, but strangely, I didn't step back. I wanted him to look at me. I wanted him to care. I wanted… something, anything.
"Sunbae…" I whispered again, quieter this time. "I… I don't know what to do. He… Saebri… he'll come back." My voice trembled, and I could feel tears pricking at my eyes.
Dae-hyun's expression darkened just slightly, his jaw tightening. "Then don't be careless. Don't put yourself in his path. And stop thinking of him as something you can't handle. You're stronger than you believe."
I blinked, stunned. His words weren't comforting, but they… they anchored me. For the first time, someone had said I was strong, even if it wasn't wrapped in kindness.
I nodded, swallowing hard. "I'll try… I promise."
He studied me for a long moment, then finally turned, walking away again. I watched his back, feeling a strange ache in my chest.
I wanted to run after him, to ask him to stay, to tell him I was still scared… but I didn't. I couldn't. Instead, I just whispered to the empty hallway:
"Dae-hyun… why do you make me feel like this?"
And the echo of his name hung in the air, heavy and impossible to shake.