The shrill sound of an alarm cut through the stillness of the apartment, pulling Hollow from the depths of an unusually heavy sleep. He groaned, his hand fumbling to silence the noise as his body protested every movement. The events of the previous night were a hazy blur, muddled by exhaustion and blood loss. Still half-asleep, he stumbled out of bed, his body moving on autopilot toward the bathroom.

  His feet dragged across the floor, his mind foggy. The dull throb of his injuries barely registered as he reached the bathroom door. Without a second thought, he pushed it open.

  Liliane sat on the toilet seat, her eyes widening in sheer horror as she turned to meet Hollow’s groggy gaze. For a moment, time seemed to freeze as they locked eyes, both too stunned to react immediately.

  “What are you—” Liliane’s voice broke the silence, her face turning a shade of red so vivid it could rival a sunrise. She tried using her arms and body to cover herself from his unyielding gaze. “Get out!”

  Hollow blinked, tilting his head slightly as if trying to process the scene in front of him. “Oh. You’re here.”

  “Of course I’m here!” Liliane screeched, grabbing the nearest object—a roll of toilet paper—and hurling it at him. “Get out, you idiot!”

  The roll bounced harmlessly off Hollow’s chest as he stood frozen in the doorway, his expression calm yet faintly puzzled. “Why does it matter?” he asked, his voice groggy but genuinely curious.

  Liliane’s face somehow grew even redder. “It matters because—because it just does! Now get out!”

  Another object—a pharmacy bag—was lobbed in his direction, and Hollow finally took a step back, his instincts telling him to retreat, though his feet dragged reluctantly. “Alright, alright,” he muttered, closing the door with an audible click.

  Behind the door, Liliane exhaled sharply, her hands holding her face. She shook her head, muttering under her breath, “Unbelievable…” Though her mind swirled with embarrassment, part of her confusion lingered—why had it felt so… strange?

  Hollow leaned against the wall outside the bathroom, his gaze unfocused as his mind replayed the scene. He didn’t understand what the fuss had been about. Clothed or unclothed—it wasn’t as if it mattered, did it? And yet…

  His hand drifted to his chest, his fingertips pressing lightly against his sternum. His heart was still racing, the beats uneven and far too loud. A warmth spread through him, almost alien in its intensity. His chest felt hot, and his breathing was slightly faster than usual.

  “What… was that?” he murmured to himself, furrowing his brow. The memory of Liliane’s flushed face and hurried movements surfaced again, and his pulse quickened without warning. He didn’t understand why, but something about the scene had unsettled him in a way that no battle or injury ever had.

  “Humans are so… strange,” he muttered, shaking his head. But even as he tried to dismiss it, the feeling lingered, leaving him restless and oddly aware of himself in a way he couldn’t quite articulate.

  Liliane finally emerged from the bathroom after what felt like an eternity, her face still flushed with a lingering mix of embarrassment and irritation. She avoided looking directly at Hollow, who was now sitting at the sofa next to the small table in the living room, with his face leaning over the hand that had the elbow sitting in the arm rest.

  “You could’ve at least knocked,” she muttered, crossing her arms as she hovered near the doorway.

  Hollow glanced up, his expression as neutral as ever. “I didn’t imagine you were still around,” he said simply, though his hand briefly brushed against his chest again, as if the strange sensation there hadn’t fully faded. “I’m still not sure why you’re so upset.”

  Liliane’s mouth opened, then closed again as she tried to formulate a response. “Because it’s… embarrassing!” she finally snapped, her hands gesturing wildly. “You don’t just walk in on someone like that!”

  He tilted his head slightly, his almost black eyes studying her with genuine curiosity. “But why? I’ve seen you injured, bloodied, and covered in dirt before. How’s this any different?”

  Liliane groaned, pinching the bridge of her nose. “It’s just… something humans value, okay?” She stopped mid-sentence, realizing she was about to explain something she wasn’t entirely sure she understood herself. Instead, she shook her head. “Never mind. Just… forget it.”

  Hollow shrugged and leaned back in his chair. “If you say so.”

  The silence that followed was awkward, though neither seemed to know how to break it. Liliane eventually busied herself with tidying up the supplies she had used to treat his wounds the night before. The repetitive motion calmed her nerves, though her mind still lingered on the surreal events of the morning.

  “Do you… feel any better?” she asked after a while, her tone quieter.

  Hollow considered the question, his gaze drifting to the bandages wrapped around his torso. “I suppose,” he said. “Though I’m not sure what you were expecting. I don't think I'll heal in a day as a human.”

  “That’s not what I meant,” Liliane said, setting the last of the supplies into the pharmacy bag. “I mean, with everything that’s happened. Do you feel… I don’t know, like you’re starting to understand more about this place?”

  Hollow paused, his brow furrowing slightly. “In what way?”

  She hesitated, unsure of how to phrase her thoughts. “Like… being here. In this world. Do you ever wonder what it all means?”

  Hollow’s lips twitched into the faintest hint of a smile. “You mean, do I sit around and ponder my existence? Not really.” He glanced at her, something softer in his gaze now. “But I do think it’s strange.”

  “Strange how?” she pressed, genuinely curious.

  He gestured vaguely toward his chest. “The way this body reacts. The way my mind keeps… remembering things. It’s all so unfamiliar, but at the same time, it feels like it’s always been there. Like instinct.”

  Liliane studied him for a moment, her irritation from earlier fading into something closer to empathy. “Maybe that’s just part of being human,” she said softly.

  Hollow’s gaze lingered on her for a moment longer before he looked away, his expression thoughtful. “Maybe,” he murmured.

  The quiet returned, but this time, it felt less strained. Liliane sat across from him, her fingers absently toying with the edge of her coat. Despite everything, a small part of her felt… at ease. For now, at least, the storm had passed.

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  The first rays of sunlight barely peeked over the horizon as Hollow’s alarm blared, snapping him and Liliane out of their shared moment of quiet reflection. Liliane glanced at the clock, her face twisting in disbelief as the numbers 7:13 glared back at her.

  “We’re late,” she said flatly, the realization sinking in.

  Hollow blinked, his grogginess still evident. “Late for what?”

  Liliane gave him a look. “Work. You know, the thing we both still need to keep up this whole ‘human life’ charade?”

  It clicked for him, and with a faint groan, Hollow dragged himself off the couch. “Right. Work. I forgot that was a thing.”

  As they scrambled to get ready, Liliane paused, her gaze dropping to her bloodstained clothes from the night before. She winced, realizing she couldn’t possibly go to the office looking like that.

  “Do you have anything I can borrow?” she asked, her tone less demanding and more pleading. “I can’t exactly show up like this.”

  Hollow shrugged and motioned to his closet. “Take your pick. Not much variety, though.”

  Liliane rummaged through his limited selection of clothes, finally settling on a clean, crisp white office shirt. She slipped it on, the fabric hanging slightly loose on her frame. “This will have to do,” she muttered, buttoning it up quickly.

  They arrived at the office almost an hour late, stepping through the glass doors together. Hollow’s usual indifferent expression and Liliane’s slightly flushed cheeks were enough to catch the attention of the gossipy receptionists near the front desk. Their eyes darted between Hollow and Liliane, clearly taking note of the oversized shirt she was wearing.

  Liliane, oblivious to their curious stares, walked ahead toward her department. Hollow, however, caught the murmurs and raised eyebrows, though he didn’t seem to even understand or care about the meaning of it.

  When Liliane finally reached the archives, Mei was already at her desk, scrolling through her phone with one hand and munching on a pastry with the other. Her eyes lit up the moment she saw Liliane walk in.

  “Lily!” Mei called out, her voice carrying its usual playful edge. “Well, well, look who decided to show up.” She squinted, her gaze lingering on Liliane’s oversized shirt. Her grin widened mischievously. “Wait a second… is that a guy’s shirt?”

  Liliane froze mid-step, her fingers brushing over the hem of the shirt. “Oh… yeah. I, um… had to borrow it.”

  Mei arched an eyebrow, her curiosity instantly piqued. “Borrow it? Why?”

  Liliane hesitated, her eyes darting to the papers scattered on Mei’s desk. “I… didn’t spend the night at my place,” she said carefully.

  Mei’s pastry stopped mid-air. She blinked at Liliane, then leaned forward, her tone dropping to a teasing whisper. “Wait. You didn’t—oh my god, Lily. Did you do this because of Scarf Guy?”

  Liliane tilted her head, confused. “What? Scarf Guy?”

  Mei rolled her eyes, waving the pastry like it was obvious. “Yes, Scarf Guy! You know, the guy you had a whole thing about. You wanted to return his scarf, then got mad when you saw him talking to another girl. That guy.” She narrowed her eyes playfully. “Don’t tell me you went and stayed at some other guy’s place because you were jealous.”

  Liliane blinked, her expression blank as she tried to process the entire plot that Mei had just unraveled. “Jealous? Why would I be jealous? I just needed somewhere to stay.”

  Mei threw her hands up. “Lily, come on! That’s exactly what someone would say if they were jealous! You’re wearing a guy’s shirt, you stayed at his place, and you’re acting all weird about it. Admit it—you did this to get back at Scarf Guy.”

  Liliane frowned, completely oblivious to the implication. “No, it wasn’t like that. I just… ran into Hollow, and things got complicated. That’s all.”

  Mei froze, her pastry almost slipping from her fingers. “Wait. Hollow? Is that a real name?”

  Liliane froze, suddenly realizing her mistake. “Oh… um, I mean his name is Hunter.” Trying to correct herself quick.

  Mei’s eyes widened. “Wait a second—Hunter? The Scarf Guy? And you stayed at his place?!”

  Liliane blinked, tilting her head slightly as if this was all perfectly normal. “I suppose so, yes. Why?”

  Mei’s jaw dropped as she stared at Liliane like she’d just sprouted wings and horns. She slowly set her pastry down, her movements exaggeratedly reverent. “Lily… I don’t know whether to fear you or worship you.”

  Liliane blinked again, her confusion deepening. “What?”

  Mei leaned back, running a hand dramatically through her hair as if she’d just been outdone in some grand competition. “You absolute bird of prey. I thought you were this clueless, clumsy bumpkin who couldn’t tell north from south in the city, but here you are—catching your prey before I can even figure what's going on!”

  “I don’t understand,” Liliane said, her brow furrowing.

  Mei sighed like a defeated warlord. “You don’t need to understand! The fact that you don’t get it just makes it more impressive! How do you pull this off so effortlessly? I’d have to plan, strategize, execute! And you—" Mei gestured at Liliane's oversized shirt dramatically, "you just waltz in like it’s no big deal.”

  “I didn’t waltz anywhere,” Liliane muttered, still not sure what Mei was going on about.

  Mei leaned forward, her hands braced on the desk as her eyes sparkled with mischief. “Alright, alright, I’ll stop being bitter. But now confess, how big was it?”

  Liliane tilted her head, confused. “How big was what?”

  Mei smirked, holding up her hands and forming a small gap between her index fingers. “You know, it.”

  Liliane’s brow furrowed. “I don’t—”

  “Don’t play innocent with me,” Mei interrupted, her grin widening. “Alright, here. Tell me to stop when I get it right.”

  With exaggerated seriousness, Mei began increasing the gap between her fingers. Liliane stared, trying to puzzle out what exactly Mei was referring to, but remained silent.

  Mei widened the gap further, her eyes flicking to Liliane expectantly. Still no response. The gap grew larger and larger, surpassing anything remotely reasonable.

  Finally, Mei paused and gave her a mock-serious look. “Lily, if it’s this big, I’m leaving the country. You’re terrifying.”

  Liliane frowned, clearly not following. “What are you talking about? What’s that supposed to measure?”

  Mei let out a long groan, slumping back in her chair with a laugh. “You really are something else. You’re telling me you stayed at his place and you still don’t have a clue what I’m talking about, huh?”

  Liliane shrugged, still confused. “He’s just… Hunter. What’s the big deal?”

  Mei let out a dramatic sigh, dragging her hands down her face. “The big deal, Lily, is that you somehow stumbled your way into what sounds like a very cozy situation with the same guy you supposedly weren’t interested in. Do you not see how insane that looks?”

  Liliane tilted her head, frowning. “I don’t see what’s so insane about it. He just gave me a place to stay, that’s all.”

  Mei stared at her for a long moment, then pointed at her shirt. “Lily, you’re wearing his shirt.”

  Liliane glanced down at it, then back at Mei. “Well, I couldn’t wear mine. It was covered in—” She paused, her voice catching as she realized what she was about to say. “—stuff.”

  Mei froze mid-breath, her mind instantly picturing the most NSFW scenario. “Stuff!?” she whispered loudly, her voice hushed with scandalous awe.

  “I don’t understand what you’re freaking out about,” Liliane said, her brow furrowed.

  “Of course you don’t,” Mei muttered, shaking her head as if to clear it. “You’re too pure for this world, and yet somehow, you’re out here doing laps around the rest of us.”

  “What laps? What are you even talking about?” Liliane crossed her arms, her frustration mounting. But already fearing the worst if she was acting so out of place over the implications.

  Mei sighed, her grin returning as she waved dismissively. “Never mind, never mind. Let’s just say, Lily, that if you keep this up, you’re going to be the subject of every spicy rumor in town. And the best part? You won’t even realize it!”

  “I still don’t understand what’s so complicated about borrowing a shirt,” Liliane muttered under her breath.

  Mei leaned back in her chair, a playful glint in her eye. “You’re impossible. But you know what? I’m here for it. I’m officially your number one fan. Keep up the good work, Lily, and maybe you’ll accidentally land yourself a husband next time.”

  Liliane shot her a flat look. “That’s ridiculous.”

  Mei smirked, holding up her pastry like a toast. “Ridiculous? Maybe. Entertaining? Definitely. You, my friend, are the gift that keeps on giving.”

  Despite herself, Liliane couldn’t help but sigh, muttering, “You’re insufferable,” as Mei burst into laughter.