Chapter 154
Nille slowly sat up, still a little heavy from sleep.
The room felt quieter than before.
His gaze drifted instinctively, and stopped.
Lin Yue was standing near the window.
She was no longer in her battle gear.
Instead, she wore a simple, elegant dress that flowed naturally with her movements, soft fabric catching the light whenever she shifted. Even something as ordinary as adjusting her sleeve looked strangely graceful on her.
Corazon stood nearby, quietly assisting her with small movements—steadying her steps, handing her items, making sure she didn't overstrain her still-healing body.
Lin Yue turned slightly as she noticed him waking.
Their eyes met.
For a brief moment, Nille forgot everything else.
The expedition.
The injuries.
The system anomalies.
Even the weight he usually carried.
And it came out naturally.
"Gorgeous."
Lin Yue blinked.
"…What?"
Nille realized what he said and scratched his cheek slightly, but he didn't look away.
"I mean it," he said more clearly, voice softer now. "You look really beautiful like that."
A faint pause followed.
Lin Yue's ears turned slightly red.
"That's… unexpected," she replied, trying to sound composed, though her tone betrayed her.
Corazon, standing just behind her, paused for a fraction of a second.
Then she smiled knowingly.
Nille shifted fully upright, still watching Lin Yue as if making sure she was really okay.
"You should've rested more," he added, but there was no reprimand in his voice. Only concern.
Lin Yue gave a small shrug.
"I'm resting now. Just… didn't want to stay lying down all day."
She glanced at him.
"You were the one who collapsed, you know."
Nille let out a quiet breath, almost a small laugh.
"Yeah… I remember."
A brief silence settled between them—not uncomfortable, but warm in a different way than before.
Lin Yue stepped a little closer, her movements careful but steady.
"You're looking at me weird," she said softly.
Nille didn't deny it.
"I just…" he paused, then admitted honestly, "I think I've been taking a lot of things for granted. And I don't want to anymore."
Lin Yue studied him for a moment.
Then her expression softened.
"You've been saying that a lot lately."
"Because it's true," Nille replied.
Corazon quietly adjusted Lin Yue's sleeve, pretending not to listen, but clearly paying attention.
Lin Yue looked away slightly, as if trying to hide her expression.
"You're going to make things awkward if you keep talking like that," she said.
Nille tilted his head.
"I'm not trying to."
A faint smile formed on Lin Yue's lips anyway.
"I know."
Another pause.
Then she added, quieter this time:
"…But it's not bad."
That line lingered in the room longer than the others.
Nille's expression softened even more, his usual guarded focus loosening just slightly as he looked at her.
And for the first time since waking up, he didn't feel like he needed to analyze anything.
Just… be there.
Lin Yue had never been someone who wore her emotions openly.
She was reserved by nature—careful with words, careful with distance. Even among her acquaintances, she rarely spoke unless necessary, and when she did, it was usually direct, sometimes blunt enough to make others misunderstand her intentions.
But those close enough to her understood something else.
When Lin Yue decided someone mattered to her, she did not bend her words or soften her truth. She simply stayed. Firm. Unmoving. Honest in a way that could sometimes feel sharp—but was never dishonest.
Nille, for reasons even she didn't fully understand, never seemed to interpret her that way.
To him, her honesty was never harsh.
It was grounding.
Safe.
And that made it even harder for her to maintain distance.
Now, however, that steady balance broke.
Nille suddenly shifted.
His expression tightened.
A sharp breath escaped him as he instinctively crouched, one hand pressing lightly against his side.
The movement wasn't dramatic, but it was enough.
Enough for Lin Yue to notice immediately.
"—Nille?"
Her voice changed instantly.
The composure she usually maintained around others vanished in a second.
She took a step forward without thinking.
"You're hurt again?"
Corazon, who had been calmly observing moments ago, straightened slightly—but Lin Yue was already moving.
For a brief moment, she forgot her own recovery entirely.
Nille tried to wave it off, forcing a small breath.
"It's nothing serious… just—"
"Don't lie."
The words came out sharper than intended.
Lin Yue froze for a fraction of a second after saying them, as if realizing her tone—but she didn't step back.
Instead, she knelt beside him.
Her hands hovered for a moment before carefully steadying him, as if unsure where to touch without causing pain.
"You were fine just a second ago," she said, softer now. "What happened?"
Nille exhaled slowly, trying to steady himself.
"Probably just… delayed strain. I pushed too much during the gate sequence."
Lin Yue frowned.
"You always say that."
"That's because it's usually true."
"That doesn't make it better."
Despite the seriousness of the situation, there was something almost familiar in the exchange—like a pattern they were both slowly getting used to.
Corazon stepped closer but didn't interrupt, observing quietly, ready if needed.
Lin Yue shifted slightly, supporting Nille more firmly without realizing how close she had gotten.
Only then did she notice something else.
He wasn't just in pain.
He was trying to hide it.
Again.
Her expression softened, frustration mixing with concern.
"You don't have to carry everything alone," she said quietly.
Nille paused at that.
For a moment, he didn't respond.
Then, just as quietly:
"I'm trying not to."
That answer made Lin Yue stop completely.
Her grip loosened slightly—not letting go, but no longer tense.
"…Then don't push yourself like this," she said.
Nille gave a faint, tired smile.
"I'll try."
Lin Yue looked at him for a long moment, then sighed softly through her nose.
"That's not a promise."
"It's the best I can do right now."
A brief silence settled between them again.
But this time, Lin Yue didn't step away.
She stayed beside him, steadying him until his breathing began to even out.
And only then did she realize—she had been holding her own pain back as well.
But for now, neither of them moved away.