Sitting on the bed, I stared out at the sea, stained black by the night. It was so dark that I couldn't tell where the sky ended and the ocean began—or where the beach might be.

It had been a long time since the last tray had come in.

It was probably past midnight by now. I didn’t have a clock, so I couldn’t know for sure.

Just then, the door opened and someone entered. Someone whose footsteps I could recognize without even looking.

I quickly stood up from the couch and turned toward the sound—just as I’d expected, it was him.

“You’re still up?”

Joo Seunghyuk asked in a casual tone, as if nothing had happened today. 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝚠𝕖𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝕖𝚕.𝚌𝗼𝗺

Instead of answering, I reached out and took his hand.

“Hyung...”

Seunghyuk looked a little startled. But I ignored his reaction and checked his mana. It was full and stable.

“Where were you? Are you hurt?”

It didn’t seem like he’d gone on a gate raid, but I asked just in case.

“I’m fine.”

“Then why didn’t you come all day?”

“I was organizing documents in the study. Why? Were you waiting?”

“I was worried!”

I hadn’t even left the room today.

Because I was genuinely worried about Seunghyuk—if he’d gone out to clear a gate or spent his mana for any other reason, he might need guiding. And I was the only one who could guide him. That thought alone kept me in this room.

I couldn’t do anything all day because I was afraid he might be hurt.

“You were worried about me?”

“Of course I was! If you were in the study, you could’ve at least stopped by and said something! You didn’t even think about the person waiting for you!”

So he’d been in the study. Then he must’ve been the one who dismissed the housekeeper, and intentionally left the door open at the end. It was all part of a plan.

He was testing me. I’d suspected as much—but I couldn’t ignore the possibility that something had happened. That’s why I’d ⊛ Nоvеlιght ⊛ (Read the full story) done nothing.

The anxiety that had strangled me all day exploded at once, and tears welled up in my eyes.

“Don’t cry. I’m sorry. It was my fault.”

Seunghyuk reached out to wipe my tears, but I turned my head and avoided his hand.

“I want to sleep.”

I felt like an idiot. Even though I’d known he was testing me, I’d still worried about him for real. I hated myself for that.

As I moved to lie down, Seunghyuk pulled me into his arms. Even now, I was too afraid of this violent man to push him away, and the shame of that made my tears fall even harder.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t know you’d worry. I really didn’t think anyone would ever worry about me...”

His pupils trembled in confusion. He wasn’t apologizing reflexively because I got mad. He wasn’t flustered because I cried.

Seunghyuk genuinely hadn’t known. He had no idea that if he didn’t show up, I’d worry. No—he hadn’t even considered the possibility that someone could care about him that deeply.

“I’m really sorry. It was my fault.”

He apologized as he gently wiped away my tears. The deep confusion in his pitch-black eyes made my anger fade.

Instead, I started to feel worried—for him. As if even a completely normal situation like this had managed to shake him.

“Okay... I’m going to sleep now.”

“You haven’t eaten anything all day. At least eat something before you sleep.”

He held on to my sleeve.

“It’s fine. I don’t have an appetite.”

“Then at least have some porridge.”

I shook my head. I’d been too tense all day to eat anything.

“Is there anything you do want? Just tell me.”

Seunghyuk wiped away the tears clinging to my eyes and pleaded softly. I might’ve stayed mad if he’d snapped at me, but his guilty, helpless expression made my heart soften.

“...Ice cream.”

“Ice cream?”

“Yeah. Chocolate and strawberry.”

Still, I was too angry to let this go completely, so I added a condition.

“Okay. Just wait a minute.”

Seunghyuk left quickly and came back with name-brand cup ice cream.

Just like I’d asked—chocolate and strawberry. The speed he returned with it made it clear he’d already bought them in advance.

Well, it was summer. It wouldn’t be strange to stock up on ice cream. But even if he’d eat chocolate, I couldn’t imagine Seunghyuk choosing strawberry for himself. He must’ve bought that just for me.

Wait... don’t tell me this guy even knows what flavors I like?

“Go ahead, eat.”

“Okay. You eat too.”

I handed him the strawberry one instead of chocolate. Honestly, I liked both, but I deliberately gave him the one he was less likely to enjoy. A small petty revenge for making me worry all day.

“I’m okay.”

“It’s just boring eating alone.”

“...Alright.”

Seunghyuk took the strawberry cup. I thought he’d just accept it and not eat it, but to my surprise, he opened it and took a bite. Judging by the wrinkle that formed between his perfectly smooth brows, he wasn’t enjoying it.

“Is it good?”

“Yes. I like anything you give me. You eat too.”

He opened the chocolate cup and peeled off the plastic seal for me.

“Thanks.”

I took a bite of the ice cream. The cool chocolate flavor filled my mouth, and the heat that had been thrashing around inside me all day started to calm.

Watching me eat, Seunghyuk made a serious face and stabbed his spoon deep into the strawberry ice cream.

He was clearly trying to scoop as much as possible in one go—to finish it quickly.

He really doesn’t like it...

“Let’s switch.”

I still wanted to stay petty, but seeing him force himself to eat something he clearly hated, just because I gave it to him, made me feel guilty. Besides, treating the strawberry ice cream like punishment wasn’t fair to the ice cream either.

“But I like it...”

He must’ve realized I was trying to switch because he wasn’t enjoying it. Even though he’d been a jerk all day, now he was watching my expression and muttering nervously. It was... kind of cute.

Maybe I’d lost my mind too.

“I just want the strawberry one now.”

“Then I’ll feed you.”

Smiling sweetly, Seunghyuk scooped the strawberry ice cream delicately—completely different from how he’d eaten it himself. As I opened my mouth to take a bite, he gently stroked my cheek.

“Your face looks hollow... You’ve lost weight.”

“It’s not that bad...”

“Why didn’t you eat today?”

“Because it wasn’t you. I couldn’t trust him.”

“...You can eat next time. He’s someone I hired.”

So this could happen again?

“Then from now on, that person’s bringing the food?”

“When I’m not here.”

“Where would you be going?”

“I might not go anywhere. Just in case.”

Seunghyuk said that as he placed something on the table.

“Seunghyuk, this is...”

It was the Horaitron pistol. The one he took from me before locking me in the basement...

“Take it.”

“You’re really giving it back?”

“It was yours in the first place.”

It never was. He just gave it to me once, and I kept it for a while. Even if none of this had happened, I’d planned to return it eventually.

“Thanks.”

But this time, I didn’t refuse. I accepted it calmly. If I had a weapon, it might help me escape from Seunghyuk someday.

As I carefully picked up the pistol, he reached out to touch my face again.

“You’ve gotten so thin. Even though you stay in this room all day, you keep losing weight.”

The sincere concern in his eyes was almost laughable.

Yeah, because you won’t leave me alone for a single second!

But it’s not like I could say, I haven’t had a moment to gain weight because I’ve been too busy sleeping with you. I had no good response, so I went to take another bite of ice cream when he spoke again.

“There’s a weight room downstairs. Start working out there from tomorrow.”

My hand froze mid-scoop. The weight room... downstairs?

Maybe I misheard. I opened my mouth cautiously.

“But... I’m not allowed to leave this room.”

“You can.”

“Really?”

“Yes.”

Seunghyuk nodded. I hadn’t misheard. I could finally leave this room.

“Are you happy?”

He stared intently at my face.

His voice was gentle, but his gaze was cold. He was observing me carefully.

This wasn’t the time to be excited. It was just another test. Like when he had the housekeeper leave the door open on purpose—he was still checking where my heart was.

He wanted to see whether I still had the will to escape.

If I gave the wrong answer now, this precious opportunity could disappear in an instant.

What should I say? Should I tell him I didn’t want to go, that I just wanted to stay with him? Was that the right answer to this test?

After a moment of hesitation, I spoke.

“Yeah, I am. Honestly, being stuck in the room all the time was starting to get a bit stifling.”

No matter how I looked at it, saying I didn’t want to leave at all in this situation would’ve been too unnatural. A response like that might just deepen Seunghyuk’s suspicions. He could easily pick up on any clumsy acting.

“Stifling?”

“Yeah. Wouldn’t anyone feel that way?”

“Then why didn’t you ever say anything?”

“Because I messed up. I thought I should wait until you weren’t mad anymore.”

Seunghyuk gave a faint smile and rubbed my earlobe.

“You can go outside the room now. Just don’t leave the building.”

“Okay.”

I nodded with a gentle smile—and then our lips touched. A kiss as soft and sweet as the ice cream we shared.

And just like that, I passed Joo Seunghyuk’s second test.