"Miss," Yuri murmured, his voice low, a little worn, "you talk too much."
Then without another word, he leaned back and lay down on the bed, arms relaxed at his sides. His legs still touched the floor, body stretched half-across the mattress. His eyes fluttered shut, exhaling slowly—finally letting the weight slide off him.
Y/N didn't argue.
She just watched him for a moment, silently studying the quiet shift in his expression—the sharp edges dulled, the walls lowered, just for now.
She sat beside him at the edge of the bed, her hands resting in her lap. Saying nothing.
The tension from earlier was still there… but it had changed. Softer. Warmer. Unspoken.
His breathing was slow, steady. Like he hadn't let himself rest like this in a long time.
Y/N looked around the room again—at the order, the solitude, the stillness—and then back at him.
"…Don't fall asleep," she said quietly, almost a whisper. "You're still bleeding."
Yuri didn't answer.
But he smiled.
The silence lingered like a soft fog in the room. Just his quiet breathing, the distant hum of the street outside, and the faint ticking of the clock.
Y/N was still seated beside him, staring down at her hands, lost in thought.
Then, suddenly—his voice broke the silence.
Low. Calm. Eyes still closed.
"Miss… why were you crying before?"
Her breath caught.
She hadn't expected that. Not from him. Not now.
She blinked, heart skipping, trying to form an answer—but her throat tightened.
He didn't move. Didn't open his eyes. Just asked.
Like he noticed everything… even when she thought she hid it well.
"…I wasn't crying," she mumbled.
He smirked faintly, lips barely parting. "Your tears said otherwise."
She stayed quiet.
"…I don't know," she whispered after a beat. "Maybe I was scared. Or… angry. Or maybe just—helpless."
Yuri didn't interrupt. He just listened, like he was giving her the space she didn't know she needed.
She glanced down at him.
"…I didn't like seeing you like that," she admitted finally, voice almost too soft to hear. "Bloody. Hurt. Still trying to fight everything alone."
That got him.
His brows twitched, just a little. But his eyes stayed closed.
"…You don't have to cry for me," he murmured.
Y/N looked away, brushing at her eye. "I didn't cry for you."
"Noted" Yuri said
A sudden, gentle weight dipped the edge of the bed.
Yuri's eyes blinked open, slow and heavy from the quiet.
And there she was.
Y/N, lying beside him—her head turned slightly toward him, her lashes resting like feathers on her cheeks, her breathing slow and steady.
She had fallen asleep.
Somewhere between silence and confessions, in that fragile space where walls had lowered just enough… she drifted off.
Yuri didn't move.
For a moment, he just stared at her. Taking in the softness of her face, the calm that had settled over her, the way her hand was loosely curled near his arm.
He exhaled slowly. Almost inaudibly.
"…You really cried for an idiot, huh?" he whispered under his breath, a rare trace of fondness in his voice.
He shifted just slightly—just enough to tuck a corner of the blanket over her shoulder.
Then he laid back again, eyes half-lidded, but no longer exhausted. No longer tense.
Just quiet.
And maybe, for the first time in a long while—
Peaceful.
The room was silent, lit only by the soft ambient glow from the ceiling strip lights.
Yuri slowly stood from the bed, careful not to wake her. One last glance at Y/N, curled beneath the blanket, and he quietly stepped toward the bathroom.
⸻
The shower ran hot.
Steam wrapped around him like a second skin. The blood, the dirt, the tension—all washed away down the drain. He stood there for a while, letting the water pound against his back like it could rinse away more than just bruises.
His mind was silent.
Except for her.
The moment she cried. The way she touched his wounds. Her warmth beside him.
Yuri exhaled, low and long.
He turned off the tap, grabbed a towel, and stepped out.
⸻
A few minutes later, he emerged from the bathroom—only wearing a loose white sleeveless top and grey joggers, a towel slung around his neck. His hair damp, tousled, slightly dripping.
And his eyes found her again.
Still asleep. Still peaceful.
He stood there for a moment.
Just watching her.
His heart—it shouldn't be doing this. Beating loud enough to drown out his thoughts.
He swallowed, jaw tightening, and quickly snapped himself out of it.
"Tch," he muttered under his breath. "Get it together."
He rubbed the back of his neck and walked toward the mini bar to grab a bottle of water, trying to cool the heat rising to his ears.
Yuri sat back on the couch, a cold water bottle in hand, his hair still damp and clinging to his forehead. He scrolled casually through his phone with one hand, legs stretched out, the picture of calm.
The front door creaked open.
"Yuri??" Keifer's voice called out, slightly breathless.
Behind him, Felix and David followed, shoulders still tense, probably expecting a war room setup.
Yuri didn't even flinch.
He waved a hand lazily without looking up. "Don't be so loud."
The boys paused, exchanging confused glances.
Yuri finally glanced up from his phone, smirking slightly.
"My duty's sleeping here."
He tilted his head toward the stairs with a subtle nod.
The boys followed his gaze.
"…Duty?" Felix raised an eyebrow, trying not to grin.
David crossed his arms, smirking. "You mean Y/N?"
Keifer blinked. "Bro. You really said duty?"
Yuri just leaned his head back against the couch and closed his eyes like he didn't just drop the softest claim in the most casual way possible.
"She is my duty after all .. fucking duty" he said and closed his eyes
The room went quiet for a second. Then—
Felix whistled low. "Man's down bad."
Yuri opened one eye, deadpan. "Say that again and I'll knock your teeth out."
Keifer grinned. "Too late. It's already group chat material."
Y/n pov:
Y/N's POV
Something loud.
Laughter? Voices?
Ugh…
My eyes fluttered open, a little dazed.
Wait—this isn't my bed.
Oh my god. I sat up way too fast and immediately regretted it. My head felt like clouds and panic mixed into one.
I looked around and realized…
I fell asleep. On Yuri's bed.
Seriously, Y/N, what are you doing?
I rubbed my face and glanced around. Yuri was gone. The silence from earlier was replaced with a muffled mix of voices downstairs.
He's probably with those gang boys again, I thought, standing up slowly.
But then—
Wait.
Who are they?
That's not Yuri's voice.
I crept toward the stairs, stepping quietly. As I reached the landing, I could hear them more clearly now.
Laughter. Teasing. And then—
"Fucking duty "
My breath caught.
That… was Yuri.
The air changed.
I peeked just a little, careful not to be seen.
He was sitting on the couch, looking cool and tired but—ugh, of course—even like that, still ridiculously composed.
Three guys around him. Must be the infamous Keifer, Felix, and David.
They were teasing him. And Yuri was… letting them.
He looked so different like this. Relaxed. Like he actually belonged somewhere.
Like someone who cared about me…
I took a deep breath, pulled myself together, and started walking down.
No way I was gonna stand there like a creep.
"Hey," I said casually, waving a little as I stepped down the last stair.
The moment they saw me—
"Ayyyyyyyyy!"
"Female lead in the house!"
"Yuri's duty is awake, let's gooo!"
Oh god. I blinked, caught mid-step, trying to keep my face neutral but feeling the heat rise instantly.
Yuri let out a long, dramatic sigh and rubbed his temple. "You guys seriously have nothing better to do?"
Keifer grinned at me. "You're Y/N, right? I'm Keif."
"Felix," said the one with the wide smile and devilish eyes. "We've heard so much about you. Like, an entire bedtime story's worth."
David leaned back in the chair, arms behind his head. "Yuri here was ready to go John Wick on the Hawl gang for you."
I raised an eyebrow. "Really? I thought he was just being dramatic."
Yuri stood up, walking over casually and placing himself right between me and the boys like some kind of human firewall.
"She's still tired," he muttered. "Back off."
"Ohhh," Keifer smirked. "He's protective protective."
Felix nodded. "Bro's gonna start barking next."
"David," Yuri snapped, "get the duct tape."
David snorted. "Too late. We already made a ship name for you two."
I groaned. "No. Please. Don't say it."
Keifer grinned. "It's YurN. Or Y/Nri. Haven't decided yet."
Yuri shook his head, looked at me, and muttered under his breath, "I told you. They're idiots."
But he wasn't mad.
He looked like he was… home.
And for some reason, I felt that warmth reach me too.
I tilted my head, eyes locking with David.
"So… what did you say, David?" I asked, crossing my arms. "Yuri was fighting… because of me?"
David opened his mouth, lips already curling into a grin—
But Yuri cut him off.
"He teases you and you believe him?" Yuri's voice was smooth, but his eyes narrowed just a little. "Since when are you two so close?"
The room stilled.
David held both hands up in defense, laughing. "Damn, bro, I didn't even say anything yet."
Felix whistled. "Possessive much?"
Keifer muttered, "Oof. He said 'are you close or what'. That's boyfriend-level interrogation right there."
I blinked. Did Yuri just—?
"Wait…" I raised an eyebrow. "Are you jealous, Yuri?"
Yuri scoffed, looking away. "Pft. Of that guy?"
"Hey!" David looked offended.
Yuri shrugged. "You cried for me, didn't you?"
My eyes widened slightly. My cheeks burned.
Felix almost fell off the couch laughing. "OH, HE WENT THERE!"
Keifer clapped his hands. "That's a kill shot! Bro's playing no games today."
Yuri walked over to grab a drink from the mini bar, acting completely unbothered—but I caught it.
The little twitch at the corner of his lips.
That smirk.
He knew exactly what he was doing.
And I hated how it made my heart race.
"Yuuuriiiiiiii!" I groaned, grinding my teeth as the boys burst into another round of obnoxious laughter.
I didn't wait for his reply.
I turned on my heel and marched back toward the bedroom, muttering under my breath, "I swear, I start developing anger issues whenever I'm around that guy."
I slammed the door behind me—not hard, but just enough to make a point.
I sat on the edge of the bed, fists clenched, trying to calm the growing heat in my chest.
Why does he do that?
Why does he always make it seem like he's in control?
Like he knows what I'm thinking… before I do?
"Ugh!" I flopped backward on the bed, staring at the ceiling.
And worst of all… why does part of me like it?
Snap out of it, Y/N. Get your head straight.
Just then, I heard soft footsteps outside the door.
Of course, Only one person walks like that.
A soft knock echoed at the door.
I didn't answer. Didn't move. Just stared up at the ceiling, letting the silence speak for me.
Another pause.
Then the door creaked open, slow and cautious.
Yuri stepped in.
No smirk this time.
He leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed, his voice low. "You really mad at me?"
I sat up slightly, not looking at him. "What do you think?"
He exhaled, walked a few steps closer. "I didn't mean to push you like that."
I rolled my eyes. "You always push me."
He was quiet.
Then, softer—softer than I've ever heard him—he said, "It's just… when I saw you with them, and how quick you believed David's teasing… I don't know. I guess I'm not used to that."
I blinked.
Was Yuri… admitting to something real?
He ran a hand through his hair, avoiding my eyes. "People usually stay away from me. They don't care what I say, or joke with me. They don't… argue with me. Or look after me."
He looked at me then. Really looked.
"But you… you mess up my head."
My breath caught.
"Is that your apology?" I asked, voice quieter than I expected.
He smirked—finally—but it was softer, like the edge had been sanded down.
"It's the best you'll get from me, for now."
He looked at her for a second longer, then pushed off the doorframe, stuffing his hands into his jogger pockets.
"So…" he said casually, "would you like to stay here, or go back to the villa?"
She stretched a little, sighing as she looked around the unfamiliar room. "Let's go back. I need to pick up my luggage from my dad's house anyway."
Yuri raised a brow. "You didn't even bring a bag?"
She stood up and gave him a dry look. "I didn't exactly plan on being kidnapped by a mafia-tinted university gang leader."
Yuri grinned. "Fair enough."
She walked past him and paused at the door. "Also, I don't even have pajamas to wear, so…" she glanced back at him, almost shy but trying to sound firm, "can you drive me to my dad's house?"
He pretended to think for a second.
"No."
She blinked. "What?"
He smirked, stepped past her and headed toward the door. "I'll do better—I'll drive with you."
She rolled her eyes. "That doesn't even make sense."
Yuri opened the front door, glancing over his shoulder. "Nothing I say ever does to you. Let's go, Miss Angry Pyjama!"
After grabbing her luggage from her dad's house, the car ride was… quiet. Not awkward. Just… peaceful. Like neither of them wanted to disturb the calm between them.
Yuri parked smoothly in front of the villa.
The towering Hanamitchi residence stood still under the evening sky, warm lights glowing softly through the windows.
As they stepped inside, one of the maids greeted them politely, "Welcome back, Miss. Mr. Hanamitchi left early this morning for a business trip. He said to take good care of you both in his absence."
Yuri gave a casual nod while Y/N stiffened slightly.
Both?
They were the only two in the villa now?
She shot him a look.
He didn't seem fazed at all.
"Dinner will be ready in thirty minutes," another maid informed them with a smile before disappearing into the kitchen.
Y/N looked around. The silence of the villa felt… heavier now.
She cleared her throat. "So… guess it's just us."
Yuri smirked as he took off his jacket and tossed it over the back of a chair. "Don't look so scared. I don't bite."
She raised an eyebrow. "You sure about that? The hallway rumors beg to differ."
He chuckled. "Guess you'll find out."
She groaned and dragged her suitcase up the stairs. "Don't make me regret coming back here."
"You won't," Yuri said quietly, watching her disappear up the staircase.