Park Residence

Wednesday, November 5th, 2025

An hour after the incident on the rooftop of Unity Hospital

(Park) Chaewon frowned when she heard her apartment bell ringing. She chose to ignore it, squeezing her tiny body closer to Yerim, who had been caressing her back since. She was too comfortable in her position and didn't want to leave the warmth that had surrounded her for the past few hours. After dinner, they sat in the living room and watched movies, as they usually do when Yerim stays there.

“Unnie... Let me look at the door.” Yerim looked down to make sure (Park) Chaewon hadn't fallen asleep in her arms. She smiled as she noticed Chaewon's hands still gripping the Kirby plushie she had given her as a Christmas present for the girl last year.

“Just leave it alone. Hyeju must be having trouble sleeping because you aren't there to cuddle with her.” (Park) Chaewon chuckled as she remembered Hyeju always following Yerim to her apartment when Yerim punished her.

Yerim laughed, agreeing with the elder's statement. As the bell continued to ring, her fingers combed through (Park) Chaewon's hair. But when the bell in the apartment continued to ring after a few minutes, Yerim decided to take a look. It's midnight and not a good time to go anywhere. If it was Hyeju, she would tap Chaewon's apartment password and barge in without waiting for either of them to open the door.

“I don't think it was Hyeju, Unnie.” Yerim stood up and let go of (Park) Chaewon's small waist, but (Park) Chaewon grabbed her wrist quickly.

Yerim's eyes narrowed in response to (Park) Chaewon's protective gesture. Despite this, she remained silent and drew closer to the intercom. (Park) Chaewon trailed behind, not letting go of the younger girl's hand.

“(Kim) Chaewon Unnie?” Yerim frowned and turned to face (Park) Chaewon, who stood beside her. (Park) Chaewon quickly walked away from Yerim and opened the door to her apartment. She could have a bad feeling if the girl whom the Arcana Warden had bonded with would come to her place in the middle of the night like this.

“What's going on?” (Park) Chaewon's voice sounds tense.

“I want to meet Hyeju. Where is she?”

In response to (Kim) Chaewon's question, the other girls frowned.

“She's in our place, Unnie,” Yerim softens.

“I wouldn't be here if Hyeju was at your place.” (Kim) Chaewon was quick to respond. She was looking at (Park) Chaewon with a distressed expression on her face. “Chaeyeon Unnie did not respond to our calls, and Yujin disappeared. Yujin and Hyeju could be together tonight; we need to find them as soon as possible.”

“Why?”

“Both Chaeyeon Unnie's message and the symphony heard before last Friday's incident are hints. And tonight's target is the owner of the Ankh symbol.” (Kim) Chaewon responded. She doesn't care if Yerim finds out about her alliance with (Park) Chaewon. Tonight, the most important thing she had to ensure was the safety of Yujin and Hyeju.

“Don't make it up, Unnie. How will they manage to stay together?! They are not from the same Ruler Line!” Yerim, like (Kim) Chaewon, appears unconcerned about her identity, which the older girl is already aware of. One hand touched Hyeju's ring, which was wrapped around her neck. Yerim was confused because the necklace elicited no response. “How come there's no trace of Hyeju's birthstone if she was attacked?”

(Kim) Chaewon couldn't answer because her phone rang. When she saw Minjoo's name on the screen, she picked up the call.

(Park) Chaewon and Yerim couldn't take their gaze away from the girl. When (Kim) Chaewon answered the phone, her expression changed dramatically. The girl walked into the living room and grabbed the TV remote to find the channel Minjoo mentioned.

Her eyes remained serious as the TV station in question showed a live broadcast of the evacuation process from a recent highway pileup.

According to the CCTV footage, a container truck speeding on the highway hit the road divider and went the opposite direction, colliding with several cars. They could see how some of the cars sped away before the container truck exploded, shooting flames into the sky.

“It was Hyeju's car.” Yerim's voice trembled as she pointed to a black SUV that appeared to have been damaged in the collision and explosion.

(Kim) Chaewon turned to face the younger girl in (Park) Chaewon's arms. Her hand tightened around her phone, realizing her worry had been validated. Minjoo's call made everything clear. Yujin's car was also discovered upside-down near Hyeju's.

At that precise moment, Yerim's phone rang. Yerim felt compelled to respond quickly because Juyeon's name was plastered there.

“I heard about it on the news. Unnie, I'll be there.” Yerim spoke in between sobs. She hung up the phone quickly and dashed to get her jacket and car keys.

“Give it to me.” (Park) Chaewon took Yerim's hand in her and took the car key from her. “Where are we going?” She asked as she reached for her coat. Her free hand gently squeezed Yerim's trembling hand.

“Unity Hospital.”

***

Ha Residence, Seoul

Wednesday, November 5th, 2025

12 hours after the incident on the rooftop of Unity Hospital

Jinsol's eyes fluttered and she groaned, her body tingling with pain. She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to remember what had happened before.

Kahei arrived to complete Jinsol's treatment. This time, Haseul was present and assisted Kahei in preparing treatment for her. The treatment is the last step in the healing process. Kahei will give Jinsol treatment injections to heal every chakra in her body that has been disrupted by clashing energy. Even though Jinsol still seems weak from the previous night's treatment, everything is going well. She can still laugh and join in on the conversation between Sooyoung, Haseul, and Jiwoo while waiting for the next medication injection break. Jinsol appears at ease in Sooyoung's arms. Her lover never left her side and never stopped gently caressing her injection marks to make her feel better.

After receiving an injection for the Heart Chakra, her temperature rapidly increased. Her body did not react well to the treatment. Jinsol tightened her arms around Sooyoung with muffled sobs as her chest felt like it was being burned and stabbed by needles. Her deteriorating condition drew everyone's attention. Kahei checked her vitals quickly and motioned for Jinsol to lie down.

Everything happened so quickly that Jinsol lost control. She was unable to respond to calls directed at her. is choking, and her breathing has become labored. Despite this, she remained awake and attempted to fight the pain. Jinsol could only groan in pain whenever her body jerked, and something struck her chest, causing her to cough and vomit blood. She could only hear Kahei's soft voice telling her to breathe. Beside her, Sooyoung's warm palm cupped Jinsol's cheek and kissed her on the forehead. The older girl begs her to stay strong in hushed tones. Jinsol had no idea how long she had been in this state. She only felt tired after her body stopped jerking, and she was able to breathe normally again as Sooyoung directed energy into her body through her heart. She could still hear some of Kahei's instructions in her semi-conscious state before falling asleep when Kahei's palm touched her forehead.

“Hei, Dear... How are you feeling?”

Jinsol opened her eyes when she felt a touch on her cheek. She smiled weakly as she noticed Sooyoung sitting on the edge of the bed, calmly waiting for her response. Her thumb gently the hand that held Jinsol's.

“I'm feeling a little dizzy and nauseous.” Jinsol tightened her grip on Sooyoung as Jinsol knew what she needed to do to relieve her pain. “My body still aches, but not as much as it did this morning.”

Sooyoung gave a small smile in response to Jinsol's words. The younger girl had no idea how long she had been lying in this bed. Sooyoung looked at Jinsol's still-red face, and their skin contact was still burning. She took the thermometer from the nightstand and placed it next to Jinsol's ear. Soon, digital numbers displaying Jinsol's body temperature were visible. It is 39.5 degrees, indicating that the girl's fever is still high.

“Things will be better once you get enough rest.” Sooyoung tapped Jinsol on the back with a gaze that couldn't be taken away from the girl. “Would you like to eat something?”

“No, not right now. Later on, I'd like something warm and easy to swallow.”

Sooyoung nodded without putting any pressure on her. She was aware that if Jinsol forced herself to eat something while her body refused to eat anything, the younger girl would vomit.

“Would you mind telling me how long I've been sleeping?” Jinsol looked around the room. She was wearing her pajamas and wrapped in a warm blanket. An IV needle was stuck in her arm with IV bags were hung next to her bed to replenish the nutrients and fluids she was missing while sleeping.

Sooyoung smiled as she looked at her phone screen. “You've been asleep for 22 hours.”

“Oh my goodness...” Jinsol let out a sigh. “I'm sorry; I must have worried you.” She squeezed Sooyoung's hand with a guilty look.

“You did a good job, Babe.” Sooyoung leaned in and kissed Jinsol on the cheek. Jinsol didn't need to know that she injected the drug on purpose so that the girl could sleep peacefully and the treatment could be finished without causing Jinsol any pain.

“While healing focuses on the heart chakra, your heart state causes your body to collapse. I'm glad you didn't have to go through anything worse, Sol. Thank you for being strong.” Jinsol leaned on Sooyoung's palm on her cheek.

“Didn't you cause a commotion when I fell asleep?” Jinsol asked, her gaze softly fixed on Sooyoung. Given her temperament, Sooyoung can be bothersome while Jinsol is sleeping.

Sooyoung chuckled as she shook her head.

“Since the beginning, Kahei Unnie has been telling me about the side effects of this treatment. Dear, I've seen you in worse shape than you were yesterday.” Sooyoung took Jinsol's hand in hers and held it. “Kahei Unnie has asked that you refrain from using your third eye while you are healing. I don't want you to hurt yourself any further by using your power.”

Jinsol sighed and nodded in response to the request. As Sooyoung kissed her knuckles, Jinsol smiled weakly at the gestures. She must be making her Tier worry.

“What happens when I'm sleeping?” Jinsol's question caused Sooyoung to look at her with warry. “Soo, there was a full moon last night. Something must have happened.” Jinsol softly smiled, convincing Sooyoung to tell her the story.

“It was Luda who called me last night.” Sooyoung had perfectly straight lips. “The Eidolons and Necromancers want to kill Hyeju and Yujin. Juyeon became furious when she saw Hyeju's condition after the attack. She directed her Ruler Line to find the attacker.”

“Both have Ankh heirlooms; Eidolon will not allow them to roam freely.” Jinsol's response was unexpectedly calm, prompting Sooyoung to frown. “How are they faring in the aftermath of the attack? It must be seriously injured.”

“Both are still unconscious, but their surgeries went well, and their conditions have stabilized. They are being treated at Unity Hospital right now. Luda stated that Heeyeon Unnie, and Juyeon were there to keep an eye on them. This morning, I checked their medical records, and there are no serious issues.” Sooyoung stopped to observe Jinsol's expression. Jinsol, on the other hand, was composed. “I'm sure you had a feeling what happened last night was going to happen. Of course, you already know that another Ruler will step in to help them.”

“Heeyeon Unnie, I believe, has a natural tendency to keep an eye on Yujin. Despite the fact that she is not a part of the Chosen One Circle, as a Ruler, she has many people to keep an eye on her sister. Son Juyeon, on the other hand, is technically an abdicate of Ruler, Soo. She has lost her realm and is now allied with the Chosen One Circle's Ruler.”

“I'm not talking about them. The Ruler of Fire intervened to help them. If it hadn't been for that incident, I would never have known who she was.” Sooyoung pursed her lips, a disappointed expression on her face.

“Don't make that face, Soo; you're too cute to ignore.” Jinsol burst out laughing when she heard what Sooyoung said. “At least you know who Ruler is now besides Wonyoung.”

“By causing a pileup on the highway, they created a crazy scenario. Since this morning, there has been nothing but bad news. Juyeon even held a press conference to explain Hyeju's condition due to the many rumors circulating about Hyeju's appearance at Rendezvous last night. Was last night's rescue mission part of your plan?”

Jinsol shook her head again, this time with a sympathetic smile on her face. “It's not my style to destroy things, Soo. It seems that Ash came up with the idea. Or maybe it was The Ruler of Fire's idea. She has the personality of a Dragon. She, like Jiwoo, always leaves her missions in shambles to irritate her enemy. A bit childish, but sometimes I love their ideas.”

“And you know Jiwoo did an arcane warden with her lover, Ash,” Sooyoung grumbled. “Do you know how surprised I was to learn Ash's true identity? I held her close and let her cling to me every time we met. To think she's an Odd Eye who is always causing you problems made me feel betrayed.” Sooyoung took a deep breath. “The situation is ragging. I'm not sure how Heejin and Wonyoung will react. Their Ruler Line is under attack.”

Jinsol responded to Sooyoung's words with a faint smile. “I believe it's about time, Soo. I'll let Jiwoo return to her place.”

“Does that mean we'll be back with her?” Sooyoung asked.

“Of course,” Jinsol said, tightening her grip as she realized Sooyoung's uneasiness. “If Jiwoo decides to return, there's no reason for us to be away from Heejin, Soo. We'll have to look after them and Ukioia sooner or later.”

“Does being gifted imply that we must always give up on losing?” Jinsol responded to Sooyoung's question with an awkward smile. “Kahei Unnie asked that I must accept my fate. In a roundabout way, you're asking me to let you go if you have to spend all of your responsibilities one day. Since Kahei Unnie feels compelled to say that, I must appear childish and possessive, don't you think?”

Jinsol shook her head and patted the empty side next to her, where Sooyoung had always slept at night. Sooyoung granted her lover's request and lay down next to Jinsol. Sooyoung's hands instinctively moved to hug Jinsol as the younger girl leaned in closer. She made sure Jinsol didn't get hurt because of the IV needle in her arm while hugging her.

“You know, you can be selfish if you want to. You have the right to say no and ban me from doing something if you believe it will cause me harm. You're giving too much into me, Babe. I often feel bad for always putting you in this position. You have earned your happiness.”

“I have you, Sol, and you are the source of my happiness.” Jinsol was kissed on the top of her head by Sooyoung, who chuckled. “Seulie, according to Kahei Unnie, always reminded her that she would leave one day and asked Kahei to let her go. Because you do the same thing, I suppose that's a trait shared by all Pillars. It was hard when you asked too much from me, but I couldn't say no to you. You remind me at least once a week as if the pain will disappear after I grow used to hearing the same thing over and over. But how can I be okay knowing that someone I care about could leave me at any moment? I can never say no to you, Dear. I always want the best for you. It's you. It's always been you.” That was stated matter-of-factly by Sooyoung. Her fingers moved slowly through Jinsol's hair, massaging it gently.

“I realize I can't change my fate, but I know you, and I will never change. You don't need to worry about things that aren't necessary. You can do whatever you want, and I'll always be by your side, Jeong Jinsol.”

“I love you. I'll do my best for you.”

“Babe, it's for us. It's not just me; it's all of us. I'm going to do the same thing. I love you, and I'll make sure you know it. Every single day.”

Jinsol closed her eyes and smiled as she felt content in Sooyoung's arms. Sooyoung's scent always comforts her and gives her a sense of security and calm.

“Ah! I haven't told you everything.” Sooyoung looked down and saw Jinsol looking at her with interest.

“Gyuri gave Wonyoung UniThiev access, and I believe she opened Pandora's box last night.”

Sooyoung noticed Jinsol's face was not surprised this time. Jinsol nodded as she murmured.

“Yeah, and just like that night, I'm looking forward to The Ruler of Earth's surprise.”

***

VVIP Suite, Unity Hospital, Seoul

Wednesday, November 5th, 2025

“Yujin had suffered chest and head trauma. It is not severe. The surgery went well, and she will be kept in the hospital for a few days for observation.” Heeyeon explained her sister's condition calmly. Even so, she couldn't help but keep a gloomy expression on her face as she stared at Yujin's room door. “Yujin will be just fine.”

“Could I accompany her?”

Heeyeon's attention has been drawn to Wonyoung. Since her arrival this morning, the younger girl had only introduced herself and said nothing. When Yujin was still in the operating room, Wonyoung waited without asking until Yujin was transferred to the recovery room. During that time, Wonyoung remained silent and listened to all of the explanations by the surgeon.

“I need to get Yujin's necessities, and I'm a bit worried about leaving Yujin alone. I'd appreciate it if you could do it.” Heeyeon nodded and smiled softly.

Wonyoung thanked her and went to Yujin's room.

“Unnie, you can rest before coming back here. We'll take turns accompanying Yujin.” Yena looked at Heeyeon, wh