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"Ahhh!" Yunah cried out suddenly, clutching her stomach where the operation wound ached — or rather, pretending it did. It was the quickest way to escape Noah and Yogesh's ridiculous question.
Both of them instantly panicked.
"Di, what's wrong?!" Noah shot up, grabbing her arm carefully, his face draining of color. His voice trembled, rough with fear.
Yogesh's eyes filled with tears as he leaned closer. "Does it hurt? Should I call the doctor?" he asked, his tone breaking with anxiety.
Watching their reactions, guilt flickered across Yunah's face. She hadn't expected this much panic — they looked like the world was collapsing in front of them.
She let out a slow breath, forcing a small smile. "I'm fine. Really. Just a little pain, nothing serious."
"You don't have to act tough, Di," Noah said, his voice soft but pleading. He still didn't loosen his grip. "If you're hurting, just say it. I'll call the doctor right now — or do anything to make it stop." His thumb brushed against her wrist, trembling slightly.
"He's right," Yogesh added, nodding. "You don't need to put on a brave face. We can handle it — just don't hide it from us."
"I'm telling you, I'm fine. See?" Yunah moved a little to prove her point—
"Stop. Stop!" Noah said sharply, almost panicking. "You're fine, okay? Don't move. Don't make me call the doctor for real."
Yunah laughed softly, her voice light despite the ache. Seeing the two of them so terrified over her made her heart swell with affection.
"Yah," she called out, looking between them with a teasing smile. "Stop making that kind of face. I'm fine. What I do need right now is food. I'm starving. And—" she pointed at the bed control, "—can you raise this up? I want to sit."
"Hmm," Noah hummed, nodding. He reached for the remote and pressed the button, lifting the crank bed until Yunah was comfortably upright.
"Then I'll go get your breakfast," Yogesh said, already standing. "Aunt Rashmi might be running late anyway."
"Alright," Yunah said. "But did you feed Mom before you came here?" Her tone softened, the big-sister warmth returning.
"I did. That's why I was late," Yogesh replied with a small smile before heading towards the door.
"Then hurry back," Yunah called after him, smirking. "I'm really hungry."
"Yes, your highness," Yogesh said without turning around, waving a hand dramatically as he left.
The room fell quiet again once he was gone. The hum of hospital machines filled the silence.
Noah moved closer, sitting on the edge of the bed, a knife and an apple in hand. "He might take a while," he said, his tone calm again. "Eat this for now." He began peeling the apple with smooth, practiced motions.
Yunah tilted her head. "Did you told your guardians that you're here?" she asked, her voice light but carrying concern.
The knife paused mid-slice. For a moment, Noah said nothing.
Then, quietly — "No." He handed her a neatly peeled slice. "There's no one I need to inform to–."
Yunah accepted the apple and took a slow bite, studying his face. "Who's in your family, Noah?" she asked gently.
"My grandfather," he said after a pause. "And my brother."
"So what are their names?" she asked again, still watching him closely.
He froze for a brief moment, eyes fixed on the wall — his tone dropping lower. "…Can I choose not to answer that?"
There was a silence.
Then Yunah simply nodded, taking another bite. "Yeah," she said softly. "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to."
Noah's gaze lowered. He intertwined his fingers, leaning forward slightly. A strange relief settled in his chest — relief that she didn't press, didn't pry. But at the same time, it confused him. Why didn't she want to know more? Why did her acceptance feel heavier than questions ever could?
He turned his head slightly, looking at her again. She was smiling faintly, still eating the apple he'd peeled. Peaceful. Trusting.
And that somehow made it harder to breathe.
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After almost half an hour, the door to the VIP ward swung open, revealing a tall, broad-shouldered man. He wore a denim jacket over a white T-shirt, paired with fitted jeans. His short-cropped hair and upright posture screamed discipline — the kind you'd see in a soldier or an athlete.
In his hand, he carried a small bag filled with neatly packed food. But the moment his eyes fell on Yunah's bruised face, his pace quickened.
Noah's jaw tightened instantly. The moment that man — Raphael — entered, Noah's entire posture shifted. His shoulders tensed, his expression darkened, and a cold possessiveness flickered in his gaze. The air itself seemed to change.
Raphael, however, didn't even notice. His concern was fixed entirely on Yunah.
"Yunah…" he breathed, setting the food at the foot of her bed before sitting down beside her. His voice trembled with guilt. "My God. I didn't know it was this bad. Why didn't you call me yesterday? I could've helped you— helped you with your dad."
Yunah's expression hardened slightly. Her tone turned calm, almost detached.
"How did you find out? Auntie told you?"
Raphael's shoulders fell. "Yunah, I know you're still mad at me for keeping things from you—"
"Mad?" Yunah cut him off, scoffing softly. "You really think I'm still angry about that stupid thing, Raphael?" Her voice was sharp but steady. "No. I'm not mad about the past anymore. I just didn't want you to know about what happened last night."
Her voice dropped slightly. She knew if Raphael knew, then Meena and Gaurav would too — something she desperately wanted to avoid.
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Raphael had always been Yunah's friend — ever since high school. She met him through Meena, his cousin. Back then, the four of them — Yunah, Serena ,Meena, and Raphael — were inseparable. They laughed together, shared secrets, and believed nothing could ever break their bond.
But that illusion shattered one afternoon.
Yunah still remembered it with painful clarity — the soft breeze, the scent of cherry blossoms drifting through the park, and then... the sight that tore her heart apart.
Meena — her best friend — kissing Gaurav, Yunah's boyfriend.
It wasn't Gaurav's betrayal that hurt the most; it was Meena's. The girl she trusted like a sister, the one who swore she'd never lie to her. And Raphael… he had known. He had known everything and kept it from her, hiding their secret and pretending nothing was wrong.
In that moment, Yunah felt like the world had collapsed around her — like the ground itself had been pulled from beneath her feet. The pain was so deep, so raw, that even now, she couldn't find the words to fully describe it.
Two people she loved had driven a knife into her back, and Raphael, the one she thought she could trust, had silently watched it happen.
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Raphael looked guilty as he already guessed what she was concerned about. "You don't have to worry. I won't tell them anything."
Yunah's laugh was soft, bitter. "Do you really expect me to believe that again?" She let out a small sigh before adding quietly, "But… if you don't, I'll appreciate it." This time, her smile was faint but genuine. "Now tell me, how did you find out?"
"Auntie told me," Raphael replied, pulling out the food from the bag. "Yogesh said you were hungry and asked me to bring this. I met him downstairs on my way in."
"Where is he now?" Yunah asked, her eyes locked on the tiffin. Her stomach had already started growling.
"He went to check on your mom," Raphael said, opening the lid before glancing towards Noah.
Noah hadn't said a single word since Raphael entered in the room. He sat on the couch, one leg crossed, arms folded tightly across his chest. His eyes burned holes through Raphael. Every move the man made seemed to fuel his silent rage further.
Raphael hesitated for a second under that deadly stare but forced himself to speak. "He…" he nodded towards Noah, "is he your boyfriend? The one Gaurav and Meena told me about?"
"Huh?" Yunah blinked, caught off guard. Before she could answer, Raphael continued with a soft laugh. "Never mind. I know he's not."
That did it. Noah's eyes snapped up, his tone dripping with danger. "And what makes you so sure?"
Raphael froze for a fraction of a second, then forced a small smirk. "Because I know Yunah," he said, turning to her. "She's not the type to date someone younger than her. So… you must be her pretend boyfriend, right?"
Noah's stare sharpened to a blade's edge. He didn't move, but his voice carried enough threat to slice through the tension. "Say that again."
For a moment, Raphael's confidence wavered. This kid… he's not a joke, he thought, suppressing the unease creeping up his spine.
Yunah, meanwhile, was done watching. She crossed her arms and shot Raphael a glare. "You think you know me better?" she said, voice steady and cold. "You don't know a damn thing — not in the past, not now, and definitely not in the future." Her gaze shifted to Noah, softening slightly as their eyes met.
"He is my boyfriend," she said clearly. "And for your information, Raphael — younger guys can be a lot better."
Raphael blinked, then burst into laughter. "You expect me to buy that?" He tilted his head, mischief glinting in his eyes. "Fine. I'll believe it…" — he smirked — "if you kiss him.You both are lovers anyway so it might not be problem to kiss eachothers, right?." He gave an teasing and confident look at Yunah like he knew they would never kiss eachothers.
When Yunah heard that she has to kiss Noah to make Raphael believe on their relationship, she fell silent. Her breath caught in her throat as she looked at Noah. Conflict flickered in her eyes — she felt as though she'd just trapped herself in her own words. Her fingers curled tightly around the bedsheet, knuckles pale with nervous tension.
Across the room, Noah rose from the couch. His movements were unhurried yet deliberate, every step echoing with quiet confidence. The sound of his shoes against the floor made Yunah's pulse race faster and faster, until everything around her seemed to blur.
For her, time slowed. Each step he took felt stretched, drawn out — like the world was teasing her patience. Her chest rose and fell rapidly; her throat felt dry as she swallowed hard, unable to look away from him.
Noah's eyes never left hers. There was something dangerous yet magnetic in his gaze — steady, burning, and sure. When he stopped in front of her, Yunah could feel the warmth radiating off his body, could hear the faint rhythm of her own heartbeat thundering in her ears.
He leaned closer, his hand sliding up gently to cradle the back of her head, his other resting lightly against her neck. The air between them turned electric — her breath hitched, her pulse tripped. She could feel his breath ghosting against her lips, and for a moment, everything around them disappeared.
And then, in a single heartbeat, he closed the distance, pressing down his lips upon hers.
Yunah froze, eyes widening as the world spun back into motion. The bedsheet slipped from her trembling fingers. Her whole body tensed before slowly melting against the pull of his presence.
Noah deepened the kiss softly, not with haste, but with intent — steady, certain, as though this moment belonged only to them.
When Yunah finally responded, her eyes fluttered shut. Her hands reached out instinctively, gripping his shirt for balance. Every nerve in her body hummed, the noise of the world fading away until there was nothing left but the sound of their breathing and the storm of emotions between them.
Across the room, Raphael stood frozen — his earlier smirk fading into stunned silence.
The air was thick, the tension unbroken — and in that stillness, it was clear: Noah hadn't just accepted the challenge. He'd claimed it.