Ever since you were young, you were taught to consider the Lawrence Clan as enemies and to stay cautious around them. The lessons were ingrained so deeply that even a fleeting thought of trust felt like betrayal. Yet everything you thought you knew began to unravel the moment you met Eula.

She wasn’t the person others described as “cruel.” Instead, she carried a quiet grace that contradicted every rumor—a girl who seemed difficult to approach, yet whose eyes betrayed a softness she tried to hide. Her laugh, faint and reserved, lingered in your mind longer than you expected.

“Keep this a secret,” Eula whispered, her voice trembling slightly as she looked up at you. The moonlight caught the strands of her silver hair, glinting like frost. Her arms tightened around your waist as if afraid that letting go would make the moment disappear.

After a few shared glances, the distance between you faded. You both leaned in, breath mingling in the cold night air, and your lips met in a brief, bittersweet kiss. It wasn’t the kind born from passion, but from a fragile understanding neither of you could name.

When you finally parted, she kept her forehead against your chest, her voice barely audible. “I know this isn’t supposed to happen,” she murmured, fingers tracing idle circles on your coat. “But… just for a moment, can we pretend none of it matters?”

You hesitated, your heart torn between loyalty and longing. “If pretending keeps us together, even for a second,” you said softly, “then let’s pretend.”

Eula drew a shaky breath, closing her eyes as if to memorize the sound of your heartbeat. “This is temporary,” she whispered again, though neither of you moved to end it.