Kim Soo-hyun sat quietly, his mouth slightly open. His dull, unfocused eyes seemed as if he had lost the words to say. Meanwhile, Vivian was puffing up her chest on the outside, but inside, she was wearing a triumphant smile.
In truth, Vivian had something she needed to confess to Kim Soo-hyun. She could have kept it hidden forever, but sooner or later, it would come to light. Caught between whether to speak up or stay silent, she had been agonizing over it. Then, by a stroke of luck, the perfect opportunity presented itself. So she put on a show—pretending to unleash all the pent-up anger and frustration she’d been holding back. It was all an act, a calculated move to gain the upper hand in what was to come.
After stealing a quick glance at Kim Soo-hyun, Vivian decided it was time to make her move. She wasn’t just whining for the sake of it—she planned to use this moment to get exactly what she wanted.
“Oh, and since it just came to mind…”
“Hmm?”
“I’ll just say it straight. The contract you used to bind me? It’s no longer valid.”
“…What?”
Kim Soo-hyun reacted a beat late. The words were unexpected. No matter how much Vivian fussed, he hadn’t taken it seriously before. But if the contract had truly lost its power, that changed everything. It meant there was no longer any way to force Vivian’s hand.
“What do you mean…?”
He quickly pulled the contract from his pocket. When he confirmed it was indeed void, his eyes widened in surprise. Watching him stare blankly at the paper, Vivian felt a weight lift off her chest, as if a decade-old blockage had suddenly cleared. She fought hard to keep her smile in check, but her natural smugness won out—she draped her arms over the chair’s armrests and crossed her legs with an air of arrogance.
“How did this happen?”
“Oh, it’s nothing special. Somehow, it just ended up like this.”
“I’d like a more detailed explanation. Please.”
“Please, huh… Heh, well, I guess I have no choice. Remember that weird portal you got sucked into?”
“Before Atlanta?”
“Yeah! When you disappeared, it was chaos. We searched everywhere but couldn’t find you, so we had to at least confirm if you were alive or dead. Oh, and just so you know, this wasn’t my idea—it was Go Yeon-ju’s.”
Vivian launched into her story with excitement, her voice betraying her enthusiasm despite thinking she was just being responsible. Kim Soo-hyun listened attentively, showing no sign of irritation. If Vivian had been a bit more perceptive, she might have noticed the subtle shift in his expression. But caught up in her own bravado, she missed it—and that would prove to be a critical mistake.
“So, that’s what happened.”
“Right. Got it?”
“Yeah, I understand. It was an unavoidable situation. I accept that.”
“See? You’re smart. Really smart. Kim Soo-hyun, you’re so reasonable. I like that.”
Clap, clap, clap, clap.
As if determined to make up for lost time, Vivian clapped her hands enthusiastically, nodding with satisfaction. Despite her antics, Kim Soo-hyun showed no sign of anger. In fact, he was deep in thought.
He understood the situation. There were only two ways for a contract to lose its validity: mutual agreement to cancel it, or the death of one or more parties. Kim Soo-hyun hadn’t died, but he had vanished into an intermediate dimension—effectively moving beyond the contract’s reach. The mercenary clan members had taken this as a death notice. At the time, An Hyun and Lee Yoo-jung had protested vehemently, refusing to accept it until they saw the contract physically destroyed.
“So this is how it’s going to be…”
Though he appeared calm, Kim Soo-hyun’s mind was racing. Vivian, assuming he was just simmering inside with nothing to say, leaned forward and even patted his shoulder—a bold move.
“Since I’ve pushed you this far, I guess it’s time to let up, right?”
She drank deeply from her imaginary cup of triumph.
“Alright, I get it. Even if the situation was unavoidable, my opinion wasn’t considered back then. Of course, I wasn’t the only one making decisions.”
“…”
“So here’s what I want to say: the contract? If you really feel wronged, let’s draw up a new one. Right now, if you want.”
“…”
“But this time, my opinion has to be included. No more unfair contracts like last time. You understand, right?”
“…”
Finally getting to the point, Vivian looked at him expectantly. She’d been a little uneasy about his silence, but figured the matter was settled. Then—
“Well… I’m not sure that’s necessary.”
After a brief pause, Kim Soo-hyun broke the silence.
“Hmm! Then… huh?”
For a moment, Vivian couldn’t believe her ears. She had been prepared to make some concessions, but this was completely unexpected. Her wide eyes reflected Kim Soo-hyun’s smile—not a smirk or a sneer, but something faint and unreadable.
“We haven’t just known each other for a day or two. Now that things are like this, maybe it’s better if there’s no contract at all.”
“K-Kim Soo-hyun?”
“Still, I appreciate you telling me.”
“You…”
For a brief moment, Vivian wondered if he was bluffing.
But then—
Whoosh!
Kim Soo-hyun burned the contract in his hand. It was a thunderclap from clear skies. Watching the ashes scatter, Vivian felt an inexplicable emptiness and regret rising within her. This isn’t right… the thought kept circling her mind.
“Well, honestly, this should’ve happened a long time ago. Haha.”
“Kim Soo-hyun…?”
“Better to do it now than wait for trouble later. Yeah, this is actually for the best…”
“…Huh?”
Kim Soo-hyun’s voice trailed off strangely. Sensing something odd, Vivian asked again, but he was already staring out at the terrace.
Trouble later…? Doing it now…?
Her heart suddenly ached. Pressing her hand to her chest, Vivian looked at him. Despite the serious tone, his face held a faint, contemplative smile—so faint it seemed it might vanish at any moment.
“The sky’s unusually dark today…”
“Kim Soo-hyun!”
“Hmm?”
“Why are you acting like this all of a sudden? Are you trying to abandon me?”
Unable to hold back, Vivian blurted out the words. Kim Soo-hyun blinked a few times as if puzzled, then smiled gently. Vivian stared, stunned. It was the first warm smile she’d seen from him since he’d come back as a person.
“I’m not abandoning you. We’re not that kind of relationship anymore.”
“Th-That’s…”
“And… I’m sorry.”
“?!”
Vivian jumped at his sudden apology. But Kim Soo-hyun didn’t hesitate.
“I didn’t realize how much I hurt you. After hearing everything, I think I was really wrong. I’m sorry. Truly sorry. But it’s not because I dislike you—it’s because you’re cute.”
“Cu-cute?”
A blush bloomed across Vivian’s cheeks.
“Of course, I know that sounds like an excuse. No matter my intentions, you were hurt. You’re a precious member of my clan. So I promise: from today on, our contract is over. I won’t tease or threaten you with it anymore. I sincerely promise and apologize.”
“No, that’s not it.”
Vivian shook her head frantically.
No, it wasn’t that his teasing was so bad. In fact, deep down, she had secretly hoped he’d keep teasing her. She knew he meant no harm, and that he wasn’t like that with just anyone. She only wanted to add a clause: whenever he went too far, he had to make it up to her afterward.
“Ah…! Well…!”
Words surged up her throat but got stuck. She had so much to say, but if she spoke honestly now, what would happen? And Kim Soo-hyun was genuinely admitting fault and apologizing. She might have preferred if he’d just acted cocky and let her give him a good kick, but this unexpected reaction left her utterly at a loss.
“Vivian. No, Vivian La Classidus.”
Whether he sensed her feelings or not, Kim Soo-hyun smiled. Rising with energy, he extended his hand as if to shake hers.
“Let’s get along from now on.”
And he smiled warmer than ever before.
Bang!
Vivian barely took his hand before dashing out of the office, staggering like a drunk. She barely made ten steps before collapsing against the wall and sitting down.
“Hah… hah…”
She gasped for breath.
Because you’re cute.
Her breath was strange and ragged.
You’re a precious member of my clan.
Her face flushed deep red.
Only when the cold air of the hallway brushed against her did Vivian realize just how unbearably hot her body felt.
“I swear, I’ll make it right. I promise.”
Her mind was a fog.
“Please… take care of me from now on?”
Her thighs trembled so violently she could barely stand.
Even Vivian didn’t understand why this was happening. It was a completely inexplicable sensation. Squinting with unfocused eyes, she pressed her left hand gently against her chest.
Thump, thump, thump, thump!
Maybe because she was the owner of this heart, it was pounding wildly, out of sync.
“Hah, haaaah…”
“Hmm? Vivian, are you okay?”
A slightly younger voice echoed down the empty corridor. Vivian barely lifted her eyes and saw Ansol running toward her. Ansol had just come up the stairs and spotted Vivian collapsed on the floor.
“Sis, what’s wrong? Are you okay?”
“Ah, Ansol…”
“Try to get up first. Can you walk?”
“I… I don’t know. Something’s wrong with me…”
Ansol quickly began chanting a sacred spell. But when it didn’t seem to help, her face fell. Vivian’s condition looked serious at a glance.
“This isn’t good. We need to get big brother—”
“No, don’t!”
Vivian shouted sharply as Ansol turned away, causing her to flinch. Realizing her outburst, Vivian shook her head with tears welling up and bowed her head deeply.
“I… it’s nothing…”
“Where does it hurt? Tell me, okay?”
Soothingly, Ansol coaxed her, and Vivian cautiously began to speak.
“My body feels hot for no reason…”
“Okay.”
“My head is dizzy…”
“Okay.”
“My heart feels like it’s going to burst, pounding so hard…”
“Okay. And then?”
“I keep… I keep thinking about someone…”
“…Huh?”
Ansol’s voice rose in surprise at those last words.
Vivian’s expression was on the verge of tears as she continued.
“Kim Soo-hyun’s voice… it keeps echoing in my ears… What do I do… sob…”
“Phew…”
After Vivian fled the room like she was running away, I let out a long sigh. I’d been doing method acting for quite a while, and my head was spinning. I should probably limit how long I spend on mind training.
Honestly, I was a bit taken aback when I heard the contract was canceled, but thinking it over, it wasn’t such a bad thing. Even if I didn’t trust Vivian at first, now I could trust her to some extent.
Of course, even if the chance of Vivian betraying me was low, it’s always better to have a contract. But given the situation, I thought it was better to show ‘trust’ rather than force a new contract. Vivian is fundamentally different from Ha Seung-woo, and she doesn’t seem too dissatisfied with the current situation. I tried following a method my brother often uses—I’m not sure if it worked.
…Well, it’s not a bad idea to get things settled before Terra. We’re bound to part ways with the residents eventually, so it’s better to redefine our relationship now than to sort it all out at once later. For both me and Vivian.
Knock, knock.
“Hm?”
A light knock came, and someone quietly opened the door. Could it be Vivian back already?
“Excuse me.”
Nope.
“Oh, what’s up?”
The girl who confidently stepped into the room was Geunwon. That mechanical tone of hers was still as unmistakable as ever. It suited her, though.
“I came because I was curious about something.”
“You don’t have to say ‘came because you were curious.’ Anyway, what’s on your mind?”
“Isn’t the sky strange lately?”
“Well…”
I was about to ask what she meant but stopped myself. I was surprised she brought it up so directly, but what she said next caught my attention even more.
“Hmm. Why do you think that?”
“Because the difference between me, as a subject, and humans is clearly defined.”
“……?”
“Recently, the sky has been darkening faster than usual. To me, it’s endlessly strange, and I can’t analyze the cause of this phenomenon. But humans just think it’s a little earlier than usual and don’t really care.”
…She tends to speak a bit too formally. Well, her body is human, but her mind is Geunwon, so I guess it can’t be helped.
“So you’re saying the sky is darkening faster than normal. That’s what you mean?”
“Yes.”
“Then you’re sure this isn’t natural, but an abnormal sign?”
“…….”
At that moment, for the first time since we started talking, Geunwon hesitated.
But it was only for a moment.
Then she said, with the certainty of a judge delivering a verdict,
“Yes, that’s correct.”
---------------------------= Author’s Note =---------------------------
Ansol: Sis, I think I get it now.
Vivian: Hmm?
Ansol: I’ve been through the same thing.
Vivian: Really?
Ansol: Yeah. I used to suffer every day, but then I found a good way to cope.
Vivian: Oh? How?
Ansol: It’s simple. Chop-chop-chop…
Vivian: Chop-chop-chop…?
Ansol: No, maybe this isn’t the place to say.
Vivian: Uh, okay?
Ansol: Come on, follow me. Let’s have a girl-to-girl talk.
Vivian: (Something about this feels a little off…)