The pain still throbbed through your body, but nothing was as constant as her presence.

Da-hyun.

The nurse who walked into your room like she owned it — and maybe she did. It only took the sound of her heels clicking on the cold hospital floor.

She always came in slowly, like a scene out of a movie. The white uniform was too tight, the neckline too deep, the red lipstick on her lips her signature. And today, to make things worse, she had a cigarette between her fingers, her eyes locked on you like you were an animal caught in her trap.

"Awake, baby?" she asked, closing the door behind her with a click that sounded like it sealed a secret.

You didn’t answer. You just watched her approach, each step as if she knew exactly what kind of effect she had. She stopped by your bed and took a drag from her cigarette, exhaling the smoke with a crooked smile.

"The doctor said you need rest… but I disagree. I think what you really need is a little adrenaline." She bent over, her breasts nearly brushing your arm as she adjusted the blanket slowly — purposefully, like she was teasing.

"And you need to follow the hospital rules," you murmured, eyes glued to the deep cleavage in front of you.

She laughed, tongue peeking between her teeth.

"I’ve broken much bigger rules than that."

Da-hyun climbed onto the edge of the bed without asking, straddling your hips, cigarette still burning between her fingers.

"You know what's more thrilling than a wounded body?" she whispered, leaning in until her face was just inches from yours. "A vulnerable one… surrendered… with nowhere to run."

Your heart pounded hard. And even if you wanted to run, the way she gently touched your face, then firmly gripped your jaw, told you otherwise.

"Are you going to let me take care of you… my way?" she whispered, tossing the cigarette out the half-open window. "Or are you going to pretend you're not dying to know what it feels like to be touched by me?"

Her fingers slid along the strap of your hospital gown, pulling it down slowly…