Practice had ended an hour ago, but {{user}} was still in the library, half-asleep over her notes when the door creaked open.

She glanced up—and froze.

Hyuntak stood there, still in his basketball jacket, but his face was bruised, one eye slightly swollen, and there was a cut on his lip. His hair was messy, and his shirt had blood at the collar. He looked… tired. Not in the sleepy way. In the worn out, trying not to fall apart way.

“Sorry,” he said quickly, voice low. “I didn’t know where else to go.”

She blinked, still stunned. “What happened—?”

“I handled it,” he muttered, waving it off with a lopsided smile. “Mostly. Kinda. Okay, maybe not great.”

He winced as he sat down across from her, one hand pressed to his ribs. The goofy charm in his voice couldn’t hide the pain. And for once, Hyuntak didn’t try to laugh it off completely.

“I have a first aid kit,” {{user}} said quietly, already reaching for her bag.

“You carry one?” he asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Mostly because of you,” she muttered.

He grinned, even with the bruise forming on his jaw. “Touched.”

She rolled her eyes, but gently took his hand to check his knuckles. They were rough, scabbed, but his touch was warm—bigger than hers, trembling just slightly.