Kiana pulled back her finger with a soft sigh, eyes scanning over Liend—his chest rising and falling in heavy, unsteady breaths. She offered a faint smile, casually lifting her spectacles back up.
"I've got some work to do," she said, brushing her skirt as she moved.
"I'll heat dinner after that, or…" her voice trailed, glancing back at him. "If you want to order something—"
She paused, letting the thought linger.
"Order for Mom too." She returned to her chair, settling in with a relaxed grace.
"The Same thing," she added, smiling once more before turning her focus back to her screen, her posture already shifting into work mode.
Liend, still panting—his breath uneven—watched her silently, her expression calm, absorbed, unfazed. She was already back at work—focused, composed, as though nothing had happened.
He blinked, his gaze drifting around the room, still catching his breath.
"…Aria…" Liend murmured, eyes shifting toward the wall clock.
"She's come back yet…?"
He asked, voice low, as Kiana's head tilted—eyes following toward the wall clock hanging slightly to the side. Her gaze lingered a second before she replied.
"It's a weekend holiday," she said. "She must be out with her friends…"
Liend listened, quiet, as Kiana's voice trailed off, returning her focus to the laptop—clicking, typing, checking something.
"It's already 11 though…" he muttered under his breath.
Aria always used to inform at home if she'd be late—especially Liend. But today… she hadn't. He looked around, eyes scanning the room, frowning slightly.
"My phone…" he murmured.
Kiana looked up from her screen, replying without much thought.
"Must be in your room…" Her voice softened, trailing off again as she turned back to her work.
"My room…" Liend muttered, then shifted, trying to plant one foot on the floor. But as soon as he applied pressure, his legs—still locked by the pain—gave out.
"Ah—!" he gasped, thudding back hard onto the chair.
Kiana's head turned immediately, eyes sharp with worry.
"What happened?" she asked, already rising.
"My legs…" Liend breathed out.
"I… I can't walk."
"Your legs?" Kiana repeated, her voice tightening. She crossed the room quickly and knelt beside him, her hands moving over his calves and thighs, checking.
There were no bruises. No swelling.
Only a few white patches on his skin, probably traces of—
She looked up at him, concern rising in her eyes.
"Something internal?" Kiana murmured, eyes narrowing with concern.
Liend groaned, the pain flaring again from the motion he'd made.
"Yeah…" he grit out, his expression tightening as he tried to steady his breath.
"I think the pain…"
He hesitated, eyes dropping.
"After we… did it," he continued softly,
"It's been getting worse."
His hand moved, subtly gesturing downward—behind his shaft, where the ache seemed to throb the hardest.
Kiana followed his motion, her gaze lowering. She leaned in, one hand gently pressing into his lower abdomen.
"It's only increasing?" she asked, voice low.
"Yes…" Liend gasped, jaw tightening as the pressure worsened.
"It's too much now… I can barely take it anymore."
Kiana looked at him—deeply worried.
Somewhere inside… she already knew.
She knew how much it must be hurting.
After all, this wasn't her first time—shaping someone to fit her desires.
She hummed softly, as if confirming something to herself, eyes staying on Liend a moment longer.
"Wait here," she said gently, rising to her feet and heading toward her room.
It should still be here…
Kiana murmured inwardly as she approached a shelf in the corner. She opened it, revealing rows of bottles and pill containers—stacked in layers, some old, some labeled in faded ink.
She began pushing some aside, her fingers moving faster now—searching with a quiet urgency.
It must be here…
She repeated to herself, hand reaching deeper—toward the far end.
And then—
Yes.
Her breath eased with relief as her fingers closed around a large, glass bottle. Inside—circular pills, a dull ivory.
"This is it," Kiana whispered, pulling it out.
Kiana stepped out, the door clicking shut behind her.
In front of her, Liend sat hunched—gritting his teeth, barely able to bear the pain pulsing through him.
Kiana approached the table, setting down the large bottle before unscrewing the cap and retrieving a single pill.
"Liend," she called gently, looking at him with a reassuring smile.
"Here's the medicine."
From the side, she picked up a small jar of water and brought it over to him. Holding out the pill between two fingers, she leaned closer.
"Open your mouth," she said softly.
Liend looked at her—unsure.
"What is it?" he asked, looking at the pill.
Kiana only smiled, guiding it toward him.
"You'll know soon," she whispered.
"A painkiller?" he asked, voice tight.
"Better," Kiana said calmly, slipping the pill into Liend's mouth before he could speak again.
"Questions later," she added, bringing the jar to his lips.
"Gulp this first."
She tilted the jar, guiding the water in. Liend swallowed hard—his throat tensing around the pill.
"Agh…" he grunted, the motion painful.
"One more," Kiana said, already reaching for another pill.
"This one—you take two when the pain's too much," she explained, pressing it past his lips without waiting for protest.
Liend winced, his body already aching, but he forced it down, another tight swallow, another grunt through clenched teeth.
"The effects will kick in soon," Kiana said softly, returning the bottle and jar to the table.
Without another word, she returned to her chair, settling back into her work, as the soft clack of keys resumed in the quiet room.
"Twenty minutes," Kiana said, glancing at him with a small smile.
"That's how long it'll take to kick in."
She paused, then gestured toward him with a subtle wave of her fingers.
"From now on, whenever you feel that pain—or no, even if you don't—in every few hours, take one. No skipping," she instructed, her voice calm but certain.
"As long as you keep circulating them," she added, "your pain will be as good as gone."
Her lips curved slightly, a quiet satisfaction in her tone, as she turned back to her desk, fingers already returning to the keyboard, eyes fixed on the screen.
"Just tell Mama when it starts working," she said over her shoulder, voice easy.
"When the pain ends?" Liend asked, unsure.
Kiana shook her head gently, still not looking at him.
"No…" she murmured, her hand waving slightly in the air.
"You'll know," she said with a smile. "Soon enough."