The autumn wind rustled the leaves across the Haneul Medical University campus, carrying with it the soft chatter of students heading to their afternoon classes. Eunha Lin walked briskly, clutching her books, her mind still tangled in the strange memories that had been surfacing lately. Every silver glint, every fleeting shadow seemed to pull her back to something she couldn't fully remember.
She rounded a corner near the chemistry lab and froze. A group of boys from another department blocked the hallway, laughing loudly, clearly teasing someone smaller. One of them spotted her and smirked.
"Hey, aren't you that top medical student? How about helping us out?"
Eunha's pulse quickened. She took a step back, her instincts on alert, but before she could say a word, a shadow moved faster than she could react.
"Step aside," a deep, calm voice said.
Lian Wu emerged from behind the corner. His dark eyes glimmered dangerously as he approached the group. His presence alone made the boys hesitate. One of them laughed nervously. "And who are you?"
"I'm someone you don't want to test," Lian said quietly, but the sharp edge in his voice was enough to silence them. The group muttered under their breath and scattered, leaving Eunha alone with him.
She looked up at him, a mixture of relief and disbelief in her eyes. "Y-you… you came here just now?"
Lian's gaze softened as he studied her. "Always. Wherever you are, I'm here. You don't need to face anything alone."
Eunha's heart thudded painfully. She wanted to step back, to remind herself that he was just a human, that this closeness was inappropriate — and yet, the warmth and protection he radiated made it impossible.
"You… don't understand," she said quietly. "Why do you care so much?"
"I've been waiting for you my whole life," he replied, the words steady and unwavering. "You're mine, Eunha. In every life, in every world, you belong to me. And I will never let anyone hurt you."
Eunha's breath caught. The intensity in his eyes, the certainty in his voice, made her pulse race. She wanted to deny it, to act indifferent, yet a strange, unexplainable pull tightened in her chest.
The sky above deepened into shades of orange and purple as the sun began to set. Lian remained by her side, silent but vigilant, watching over her. Eunha glanced at him, her mind swirling with questions, memories, and emotions she couldn't name.
And in that moment, she realized — this boy, this shadow that had been following her, was no ordinary human. There was something otherworldly about him, something familiar that made her soul ache.
As they walked toward the dorm together, Eunha felt the invisible thread that bound them tighten, stronger than ever. She didn't yet understand the depth of their connection, but one thing was certain: Lian Wu would not leave her side.
And neither could she leave him.