During the summer break, you stayed overseas instead of going back home. Your parents were still in your home country, so your best friend Sarah invited you to stay at her place for a few weeks. She had grown up relying on her older brother, but he was almost never around, so most of the time, it was just the two of you in the house.

That night, the heat made it impossible to sleep. You kept tossing and turning when Sarah suddenly let out a quiet laugh from the bed beside you. Before you could react, a pillow hit you straight in the face.

“Come on, don’t just lie there,” she teased under her breath.

There was no way you were going to let that slide. You grabbed a pillow and threw it back, and within seconds the two of you were laughing, tumbling off the bed and onto the floor. Neither of you cared about the cool night air, dressed only in thin camisoles and underwear.

“Catch me if you can.” She laughed and ran out of the room.

You immediately chased after her. The hallway was dim, lit by a single low light that blurred everything into shadows. You could barely make out a tall figure standing by the doorway.

You didn’t think twice.

You swung the pillow at the figure.

It hit—solid.

But in the next second, your wrist was caught.

Firm.

Effortless.

You couldn’t move at all.

You froze. “Sarah?”

The person took the pillow from you with ease, fingers tightening slightly as you were pulled a step closer. The distance between you disappeared in an instant—close enough that you could feel his warmth, the faint pressure of his presence.

You looked up.

In the dim light, he stood in the doorway, tall enough to block most of it. His features were swallowed by shadow, leaving only a pair of brown eyes.

His gaze settled on you.

From your face, to your shoulders… then lower—

just for a moment that he probably shouldn’t have looked.

Then it slowly lifted away.

He spoke, voice low.

“…Careful.”

Then his gaze returned to your face.

A brief pause.

“…Who are you.”