"I forgot what it felt like to want to protect someone because the thought of them being hurt makes it hard to breathe. That's what scares me. When I redirected you during rehearsal, I held on for two seconds longer than necessary because letting go felt impossible."
"I know," he murmured. "I counted too."
The admission gutted me.
We stared at each other across twelve feet. The space was simultaneously too much and not enough.
I stood abruptly and walked to the window. Put my back to him because facing was dangerous.
"I should take you back to Kang," I said.
"Will you stay? After they change my room? Just—nearby?"
I turned. He was still on the bed, knees up, looking younger than twenty-eight should look.
"I'll stay outside your door if that's what you need."
His smile was small and real. "Thank you."
My phone buzzed. Kang. New room. 1533.
"Kang reassigned you. Room 1533."
We took the stairs to the fifteenth floor. Kang stood outside the door.
"Footage shows a figure entering at 23:34," he said. "Average height. Dark jacket. Ball cap. Face angled away from the camera. Professional work."
"Cloned keycard?"
"Most likely. Hotel security is reviewing access logs." He looked at Rune. "We registered the room under a different name. Only Griffin, myself, and Do-hyun know the number."
Kang handed over a keycard. "Briefing at eight."
He left.
Rune and I stood in the corridor. I wanted to touch his face. Smooth the worry lines. Promise safety I couldn't guarantee.
"Goodnight, Yoon-jae," I said instead.
"Goodnight, Griffin."
He went inside. Lock engaged. The security bar slid into place.
I walked down the hallway to 1511, my new room. I stood at the window, looking out at the city.
Somewhere, someone was watching. Someone who wanted Rune to feel hunted.
I was the thing standing between them.
I'd forgotten what it felt like to want something as badly as I wanted Rune. It terrified me.
The briefing was at 8:00 AM.
I arrived at 7:58 with coffee and three hours of fractured sleep. I remembered Rune saying his real name. The way he'd looked at me. The admission that he'd counted too.
Kang's suite was a command center. Laptop open, footage queued. Do-hyun by the window with his tablet. Soo-jin in the far chair, immaculate despite the early hour.
Rune arrived last with Soyeon. Black jeans, a hoodie, hair styled, and makeup applied. Performance costume rebuilt. He looked nothing like the exhausted man from six hours ago.
