During dinner that night, laughter circled the table like soft music warm, easy, temporary.
Then Mira's phone rang.
An unknown number.
Her fingers froze mid-bite. Her eyes locked onto the screen. The numbers blurred. Her throat tightened.
Without a word, she stood and stepped away from the table.
"Hello?" she answered, voice barely above a whisper.
The voice on the other end was cold.
Familiar.
Distant.
Whatever they said, Mira didn't respond. She leaned against the wall, her hand gripping her phone like a lifeline. The silence between words said too much. And when she finally ended the call, her hand was trembling.
She returned to the table five minutes later. So Ri, Ares, and Jae Min were still chatting casually, finishing their meal.
Mira forced a smile and slipped into her seat, as if nothing had happened.
But her body betrayed her.
Her breath stuttered.
Her vision swam.
Voices faded into a murmur, like sound underwater. She blinked rapidly, trying to focus. Her chest squeezed tight.
Then warmth. Wet.
A stream of blood trickled from her nose.
" Mira? " So Ri asked sharply, alarm rising.
Mira turned, her face pale. Her lips parted. "Ares…."
Then her knees buckled.
Jae Min lunged forward and caught her just before she hit the ground. "Mira!"
So Ri gasped. Ares froze, eyes wide, before rushing to her side.
"She's burning up," Jae Min muttered, lifting her in his arms. "We need to go. Now."
The hospital was a blur of white light and anxious pacing.
Mira was rushed into the emergency wing. Doctors swarmed. Nurses moved quickly.
Outside, So Ri sat rigid in a waiting room chair, hands wringing in her lap. Jae Min stood nearby, arms crossed tightly. Ares leaned against the wall, his face unreadable, but his jaw tense.
Time crawled.
Then finally, a nurse stepped out. "She's stable now. The doctor will speak to you shortly."
Relief was quiet, but deep.
Later, the three walked silently down the corridor toward Mira's room.
But just before they turned the corner, they heard voices.
"…Just don't mention it to anyone. Please," Mira said, low and firm.
"Are you sure?" a male voice replied likely a doctor.
"I'll handle it," Mira said. "Just…. not yet."
Ares stepped in first.
Mira looked up, startled. Her lips parted, guilt flashing in her eyes.
So Ri followed, her voice gentle but worried. "Mira.… how are you feeling now?"
Mira looked away.
Silent.
She was holding something back. Something big.
And finally, the cracks in her calm had begun to show.