He studied me for a moment before scoffing.
"Hah. Guess you're either smart or too stupid to know your worth."
Considering the outrageous 23 percent interest rate on that massive college loan I took, I guess I'm both.
"Alright. I'll take care of it."
That was all he said. No extra words, no further negotiation. Just a simple statement, as if he had already decided my request was nothing more than a minor inconvenience.
Before turning away, though, he paused and added in a firm tone,
"Remember, kid, cross me, and it won't go well for you."
I didn't bother responding, just stared at him, my expression unreadable.
It looked like everything was finally over. He called over his men, who had been waiting near the entrance, and took down some details from me. As I gave him the exact amount I owed, I caught a subtle shift in his expression—his eyes flickered upward, just for a second, a hint of surprise flashing across them. But he didn't say anything.
Not until I mentioned my college's name.
"Would you look at that?" He let out a short laugh. "That explains the huge amount you took, huh?"
I didn't respond.
His gaze lingered on me, intrigued. "This is much more than what I initially thought of paying you."
Is that a bad thing?
"But whatever," he said, waving his hand dismissively. "I've wasted enough time here."
They finally backed down. One of his men assured me that everything would be taken care of by tomorrow.
Before he left, I told Tom to check in with my dad and explain the situation—everything except the part about my college loan deal. He seemed slightly confused at first but agreed without much argument. He already understood that meeting my dad was just a formality. The case had been filed under my name, and all negotiations were already done.
Just as it seemed like he was finally leaving, he turned back and said something unexpected.
"I like kids like you—ones who know their place." A smirk tugged at his lips. "How about you pay me a visit sometime? I might hire you."
The muscular guard with the deep voice stepped toward me, slipping a card into my hand. It looked like a business card, the kind you'd expect from a transportation company.
Tom had already decided. He wasn't asking. He wasn't waiting for my response. He just turned around and left, his men following behind him.
Maybe he had a hunch I was going to decline.
I exhaled sharply. The moment they were out of sight, relief washed over me.
The chaotic evening faded into a quiet night, most of which slipped away as I drifted into another nap.
~
It was around 10:00 p.m. when Sugar arrived. I recounted what had happened, though I carefully altered a few details. There was no need to tell her about the deal I made regarding my college loans—it felt unnecessary.
Her reaction was mixed. At first, she seemed pleased that they were apologetic and had agreed to cover all my expenses. But then her expression darkened slightly, irritation flickering in her eyes.
Still, she accepted it.
We talked for a bit, but I insisted she go home since she had work in the morning.
11:52 P.M. — Almost a Full Day After the Accident
It was nearing midnight, but with all the sleep I'd had throughout the day, I wasn't even remotely tired.
The nurse had turned off the lights in my room around 11:00 p.m., leaving only the dim glow of the hallway seeping in through the small window in the door. The darkness was oddly comforting, a contrast to the overwhelming chaos earlier.
But when a person is alone, their mind tends to wander.
Mine did, too.
Around this time yesterday, I had been in surgery. Yet despite it being less than 24 hours, I felt surprisingly fine. Aside from some mild pain, there was nothing to complain about.
I felt good, but…
Why did something feel off?
The thought crept into my mind, spreading like ink in water.
I pushed it away, shutting my eyes in an attempt to sleep.
I lay in bed, staring at the ceiling. The silence was heavy, thick enough that I could hear the faint ticking of the clock on the wall.
Tick. Tick. Tick.
I turned my head toward it, watching as the hour and minute hands crept closer to midnight. The second hand rested on the 3, moving methodically with each passing tick.
Something about it held my attention.
Tick. Tick. Tick.
Seconds passed. The second hand edged closer to the 12, marking the beginning of a new day.
"4… 3… 2… 1…"
Midnight.
The melodic chime of the clock filled the room.
And then—
A familiar sensation.
A strange, downward pull, like something was yanking me into the depths of an unseen force.
The same feeling as before.
Darkness swallowed everything. The room, the sounds, the very sense of being awake—it all vanished.
It felt like sinking into an endless ocean, deeper and deeper, until nothing remained but that overwhelming sensation of being dragged down.
12:00 P.M. – The Next Afternoon
Footsteps.
I heard them before anything else.
A soft creak of a chair being pulled across the floor, followed by a faint squeal as someone settled into it.
Whoever it was, they didn't say anything for a while.
"Don't you have to go to work today, Sis?
I slowly cracked my eyes open. My vision blurred for a moment before settling.
Sugar sat in the chair beside my bed.
"Hmm, you're awake," she murmured, resting her chin on her hand. "And here I thought you were dead, Rim."
Her tone was teasing, though the words themselves were a little… unsettling. But that was just how she was.
I sighed. "That's not exactly something you should say to someone who just survived a near-fatal situation."
She rolled her eyes. "Sigh. That's your fault for asking about my job instead of being happy that I came to see you."
Her voice carried a slight edge of irritation.
"But I don't want you getting kicked out of your—"
I started to explain, but her eyes narrowed slightly, brows furrowing.
Not good.
I cut myself off.
"…Sorry. Thanks for visiting me."
That was what she wanted to hear.
"Good."
Just like that, her expression brightened. She folded her arms, letting out a satisfied hum.
What's with that smug look?
"Oh, by the way, why are you still in bed?" she asked, tilting her head. "It's almost noon. Didn't sleep well last night?"
Her words made me pause.
"How'd you know?"
She was partially right, though it was hard to explain why.
"Well," she said, giving me a once-over, "you look fatigued. Your eyes are red. Was it uncomfortable here? Did someone disturb you?"
Her voice carried a hint of concern now.
"No, nobody disturbed me," I assured her. "To be honest, the nurse woke me up around 10 this morning. But even after sleeping for almost ten hours, it feels like I barely got any rest. More than that, I had this long and weird dream—"
I barely finished my sentence before Sugar's face lit up with mischief.
"A dream?" she cut in, her tone instantly shifting to excitement. "What kind of dream? An erotic one?"
"What? No," I said firmly, my voice slightly louder than intended. "I said weird. Why would an erotic dream be weird?"
She smirked. "It wouldn't be for most people. But for you—who hasn't shown even the slightest interest in anyone? Oh, yes. It would be."