Hyun stood at the edge of the city park, gazing up at the star-filled sky. The cool night breeze brushed against his skin, but his thoughts were far too tangled for him to feel its gentle touch. Flora’s words from earlier had left a deep impression on him. They weren’t the first to pierce through his defenses, but they were certainly the most direct. 
He clenched his fist and exhaled slowly. He had been trying to distance himself from personal connections, afraid that getting close would only bring more pain. His sister was the only person left in the world that he had truly cared for, and even now, she was in a coma—a constant reminder of how easily things could be lost.
A familiar presence approached from behind. Without turning around, Hyun knew it was Flora.
“Couldn’t sleep?” she asked softly, stopping a few feet away from him.
Hyun remained silent for a moment before shaking his head. “No.”
Flora let out a small sigh, stepping closer until she was standing next to him. They both stared up at the stars in silence for a while, the unspoken tension hanging between them.
“I know I dropped a lot on you earlier,” Flora said, breaking the quiet. Her voice was soft, almost hesitant. “I didn’t mean to overwhelm you.”
Hyun looked over at her. There was a vulnerability in her eyes that made his chest tighten. She was a powerful guild master, someone who commanded respect wherever she went, yet here she was, unsure of herself. It was a side of her that few people probably got to see.
“I’m not overwhelmed,” he replied, though he wasn’t entirely sure that was true. “It’s just... complicated.”
Flora nodded, as if she understood perfectly. “You’ve been through a lot. I get it. But I want you to know that you don’t have to push people away. You don’t have to carry everything on your own.”
Hyun’s gaze returned to the sky. “It’s easier that way. Less painful.”
“But it’s lonelier, too,” Flora countered, her voice soft but firm. “I’ve seen what loneliness can do to people. It eats away at them until there’s nothing left but the emptiness.”
Hyun clenched his jaw. He had felt that emptiness before—after losing his family, after watching his sister slip into a coma, after spending what felt like a lifetime in the Tower of Trials. He had thought that pushing everyone away would protect him, but all it had done was isolate him.
“I don’t want you to end up like that,” Flora continued, her voice barely above a whisper. “You’re stronger than you realize, Hyun. Not just physically. But you won’t see it if you keep trying to carry the world on your shoulders.”
Hyun felt a lump form in his throat. He had always thought strength meant protecting others, shouldering all the burdens himself. But Flora was offering him a different kind of strength—one that didn’t involve pushing people away, but letting them in.
“Why do you care so much?” he asked, his voice low. “You barely know me.”
Flora smiled softly, turning to face him fully. “I think I know you better than you think, Hyun. You’ve been through a lot, but you haven’t lost your humanity. Most people would have shut down completely after everything you’ve experienced. But not you.”
Hyun looked into her eyes, searching for any sign of insincerity. But there was none. Flora wasn’t just trying to recruit him for her guild or use him for his strength—she genuinely cared.
He sighed, running a hand through his white hair. “I’m not used to this. Letting people in.”
Flora chuckled softly, her pink hair glowing faintly in the moonlight. “Neither am I, if I’m being honest. But I think... I think we can figure it out together. One step at a time.”
There was a long pause as Hyun considered her words. Could he really afford to let someone get close again? Could he risk the pain of losing them?
But as he stood there, with Flora by his side, he realized that maybe, just maybe, he didn’t have to face the world alone anymore. Maybe it was time to start trusting again.
He turned to her, his voice quiet but steady. “I don’t know if I can promise anything, but... I’ll try. I’ll try to let you in.”
Flora’s smile widened, her eyes softening with relief. “That’s all I ask.”
---
**A Few Days Later**
Hyun found himself standing in front of his sister’s hospital room once more. It had become a familiar routine—visiting her, sitting by her side, and wondering if she would ever wake up. But today, something was different. He wasn’t alone.
Flora stood beside him, her presence a quiet reassurance.
“You come here often,” she observed, her voice gentle.
Hyun nodded, pushing the door open. “She’s all I have left.”
They stepped inside the room, the sterile smell of the hospital surrounding them. His sister lay in the bed, her face peaceful but unresponsive. Machines beeped steadily, monitoring her condition.
Flora walked over to the bed and looked down at Hyun’s sister with a soft expression. “She’s beautiful.”
Hyun sat down in the chair beside the bed, his gaze never leaving his sister’s face. “She was always the strong one. Even when our parents...”
He trailed off, unable to finish the sentence. Flora placed a comforting hand on his shoulder, her touch warm and grounding.
“She’s lucky to have you,” Flora said quietly. “You’ve done everything you can to protect her.”
Hyun swallowed the lump in his throat, his emotions threatening to overwhelm him. “I couldn’t protect her from this.”
Flora knelt beside him, her eyes filled with empathy. “This wasn’t your fault, Hyun. None of it is. You’ve been fighting for her, for both of you, since the beginning.”
Hyun clenched his fists, his jaw tightening as he fought back the surge of guilt that always accompanied his visits to the hospital. “I should’ve been stronger. Faster.”
“You’re already stronger than anyone else I know,” Flora said firmly. “And you’ve done everything in your power. But you don’t have to do it alone anymore.”
Hyun looked down at Flora, her words cutting through the fog of guilt that clouded his mind. For so long, he had believed that he was the only one who could bear the burden of protecting his sister. But maybe, just maybe, Flora was right. Maybe he didn’t have to carry it all alone.
“Thank you,” he whispered, his voice barely audible. It was a small word, but it held a weight that he hadn’t expressed in years.
Flora smiled, her eyes shimmering with warmth. “Anytime, Hyun. Anytime.”
They sat in silence for a while, the quiet hum of the hospital room surrounding them. For the first time in a long time, Hyun felt a sense of peace. It was fragile, but it was there.