Yuna let out a quiet laugh as she raised one hand into the air. Her movements were aimless, as if she were giving a speech to a group of invisible people.
Her gaze landed on Yerim before shifting to Noah. She frowned, then looked back at Yerim.
“Why did you become two people?”
Yerim frowned. “Two?”
“Yes. Two!”
Yuna nodded emphatically, but the movement made her body sway again. Noah, who had been holding her arm all this time, immediately tightened his grip to keep her from losing her balance completely.
Yuna closed her eyes for a few seconds.
“Huh? Yerim…”
“What?” Yerim hurried over to them.
Yuna stared at Yerim for a long moment. Then her gaze shifted to Noah, who was standing right beside her.
Her eyes immediately widened.
“Why are there two Yerims?”
Yerim let out a long sigh. “There’s only one of me, Yuna.”
“No…”
Yuna shook her head emphatically. Her eyes narrowed again as she tried to focus.
“There are two Yerims.”
“That’s Mr. Noah.”
Yuna slowly turned toward the man still holding her. The confusion on her face suddenly gave way to alarm.
“Oh… now there are three!”
Yerim fell silent for a moment before covering her forehead with her hand.
“Mr. Noah, help me,” she pleaded, no longer knowing how to handle her friend.
But before Noah could do anything, Yuna suddenly began struggling.
“Yuna, don’t—”
Too late.
She tried to free herself from Noah’s grip, but her body was completely unsteady. She tried to take a step forward, but after only two steps, both knees hit the pavement.
“Yuna! What are you doing?”
Yerim quickly grabbed her by the shoulder, but Yuna slapped her hand away.
Though her eyes were already half-closed, Yuna wore a serious expression as she clasped both hands in front of her chest, like someone begging for forgiveness.
“Please…” Her voice trembled. “I still want to live.”
Yerim blinked.
“Who’s trying to kill you?”
Yuna slowly lifted her face. Her gaze moved from Yerim to Noah before she raised a finger and pointed straight at him.
“Him…”
Noah merely lifted one eyebrow.
“He looks like the kind of person who could kill me with a single look,” Yuna continued, growing more convinced of her own accusation. “Please don’t let him take me away. I haven’t had the chance to apologize to the world yet.”
Yerim immediately covered her mouth. Her shoulders shook as she held back her laughter.
Noah, meanwhile, showed no reaction. His expression remained calm, his gaze lowered toward Yuna as if he were trying to understand the strange creature in front of him.
Yuna narrowed her eyes.
“Oh…”
She pointed at Noah’s face.
“Is he smiling?”
“He’s not smiling,” Yerim quickly replied.
“He is smiling!” Yuna protested. “I saw it! His ice-cold stone face cracked!”
Noah let out a slow breath.
Then he took one step forward.
Yuna flinched.
She scrambled to her feet and backed away, but her own steps were unsteady. Her foot caught, and she fell back down onto the pavement.
“Wait!”
She raised a hand toward Noah.
“I’m not done talking to that ice-cold stone face!”
“Yuna, enough.”
Yerim quickly held her by the shoulder so she would not try to stand again.
Yuna lifted her face. Her eyes were growing sleepier, but there was still a hint of feigned fear in her expression.
“Please…” she murmured softly. “I’m too young to die…”
“You’re just drunk.”
Noah’s voice was flat. There was no attempt to comfort her, nor any hint of mockery.
Yuna fell silent.
She stared at Noah for a long moment, as if processing every word she had just heard.
Then her head moved slowly in a nod.
“Oh…”
She drew a relieved breath.
“So I’m not dead yet?”
“Not yet.”
“Thank goodness…”
Before Yerim could pull her to her feet, Yuna’s head suddenly lolled to the side.
Her body went limp before she collapsed onto the asphalt again.
A few seconds later, a soft snore could be heard.
All Yerim could do was close her eyes and shake her head.
“Oh, my God…”
Noah lowered his gaze toward Yuna.
Her face still showed no emotion. But after a few seconds, the corner of his mouth moved slightly—so slightly that it was almost imperceptible.
He slipped both hands back into his trouser pockets.
“Is she always like this?” he asked.
Yerim let out a long sigh.
“No.”
She looked at Yuna, who was already fast asleep on the ground.
“She’s usually worse.”
Noah did not answer.
His gaze fell back to Yuna.
The girl suddenly mumbled in her sleep.
“Don’t… don’t eat me, ice-cold stone face…”