(Omegaverse Arc – Part IX)
Silence for a moment.
Not the kind that soothes, but the kind that listens back.
The air in the apartment was still, yet thick with tension. The hum of Seoul outside had never felt so distant, as if the whole city had been muted beneath the weight of what had just happened.
Seo Jin sat curled up on the couch, a blanket draped loosely around his shoulders. The gold glow in his veins had dimmed to a faint pulse, but every beat still sound faintly through the network, like a whisper on invisible wires. He could feel it — his heart beating twice now, once in his chest, once in the digital field beyond.
Li Ran was at the window, watching the skyline. His reflection shimmered faintly in the glass,features softened only by exhaustion. "You haven't said a word in fifteen minutes," he said finally, his voice rough. "That's not like you."
Seo Jin tried to smile, but it came out fragile. "Maybe I finally learned how to shut up."
"That's a lie."
