In my dazed state, I began sensing someone holding me close.

  The sensation was comforting and warm.

  A persistent ringing filled my ears while my eyes stung sharply.

  Just then, cool water trickled across my face.

  "Ugh."

  Fresh water rinsed my face repeatedly, washing away the blood and grit obscuring my vision.

  Si-hyun stood before me.

  His lips moved, producing muffled buzzing sounds.

  "I-I'm fine."

  As the ringing faded, physical pain grew distinct.

  My stupid mistake came from getting careless amid excitement.

  Focusing solely on taking down enemies left me drenched in blood. With smaller Monsters it wouldn't matter, but the Great Elephant was too massive, spraying excessive blood.

  The outcome proved frustrating.

  Still, taking down three should count as fulfilling my duty.

  After all, Si-hyun only requested I handle three.

  The sudden fourth one was unavoidable.

  Though I panicked, I neither froze nor gave up. I fought my way, endured the hits, and managed reasonably well.

  Had I not tripped while moving toward Si-hyun, the plan would've been perfect.

  After some time, the ringing ceased and sound returned.

  The pain was intense but bearable.

  Pushing upright, I found multiple canteens nearby. Grabbing one, I rinsed my mouth.

  "Bleh!"

  Repeatedly flushing my mouth with water, I spat out blood clots and sand. The cool water I drank next soothed my stomach.

  "Are you alright?"

  When Si-hyun approached, tusks were already neatly stacked beside him.

  "Yeah, I'm used to pain like this."

  Early in my Hunter days I couldn't have handled it, but surviving solo through various ordeals made this pain insignificant.

  "Heh, but I took down three, right?"

  "True. Would've been perfect without that final fall."

  Ouch, hitting the sore spot. With clear vision I wouldn't have tripped. So embarrassing.

  "Really fine?"

  "Yeah, if I can move freely, I'm good."

  Si-hyun's concern felt unusual.

  When I retrieved my Spear, Si-hyun having secured the tusks to his pack, suddenly lifted me in a bridal carry.

  His face up close, our bodies pressed together, his arms beneath my thighs and back, my temperature soared, heartbeat thundering.

  "Wh-what are you doing?"

  "Leaving. Six tusks make solid earnings."

  "I-I get it! But I can walk!"

  Ignoring my protest, Si-hyun started walking.

  Seeing his worried face so near, I stopped resisting.

  Hoping he couldn't hear my pounding heart, I accepted being carried.

  Hunters we passed on the return journey shot us deadly glares, likely mistaking us for a couple.

  Si-hyun ignored their stares and moved fast, exiting the wilds in thirty minutes.

  "Put me down now."

  "Okay."

  Touching ground brought relief, I nearly died from shame!

  I feared he'd notice my racing heart. Luckily, it seemed unnoticed, but Si-hyun's lingering gaze sparked unexpected guilt.

  Avoiding his eyes, I fled into the building's locker room to change clothes.

  After removing my gear and checking my body, I found bruises everywhere, with my right arm particularly bad.

  I understood this area took the hardest impact during the fall, but Si-hyun would worry if he saw it.

  "Haah, how did this happen..."

  Thinking of Si-hyun made my heart race again and my body temperature rise.

  What exactly was this feeling? Sighing, I changed clothes and went out to find him.

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  He was waiting with a worried expression.

  I approached, forcing calm.

  "Waiting long?"

  "Your... arm."

  So he had noticed. The short sleeves offered no cover.

  "It's fine, it'll heal soon anyway."

  He grabbed my arm to examine the bruise, suddenly looking like he might cry.

  To lighten the mood, I playfully tapped his arm:

  "I told you it's fine"

  Si-hyun frowned slightly and suddenly pushed me against the car behind me.

  I tried to move away but the vehicle blocked my retreat.

  "Si-Si-hyun?"

  Thump! His hand slapped the car, caging me in.

  He looked down at me seriously, his face drawing closer.

  Trapped, I turned my head from his intense gaze, but he held my chin.

  My heart pounded violently, my body burned.

  "Si-hyun?"

  When he came close enough to feel his breath, I tightly shut my eyes.

  "Hah... really."

  Huh?

  Si-hyun suddenly stepped back, releasing me.

  Why... why stop here? I couldn't hide my disappointment and frustration.

  After the awkward atmosphere faded, we drove to the city in silence.

  While Si-hyun went to sell tusk and exchange Magic Stones, I stayed alone in the car.

  And I began to worry.

  What had I been expecting in that situation? Why did I feel regret? Was I too impatient?

  Don't hide it. You know.

  Unsettling heat enveloped my body.

  And deep inside, a small flame ignited.

  This feeling was something I'd never experienced before.

  But now I finally understood.

  I realized.

  I could no longer deny it.

  This emotion was called love.

  A fiercely burning flame of deep affection.

  It grew wilder whenever I thought of Si-hyun, a fire I couldn't conceal.

  Love.

  Jeong Si-yeon, as a woman, loved Seong Si-hyun, a man...

  For me, just discovering this feeling called love, fear arrived before joy.

  What if Si-hyun rejected me after I confessed?

  Wouldn't it be strange for someone who was male just months ago to suddenly confess?

  Would he find it disgusting?

  I was scared.

  Just imagining being rejected made my heart feel broken, painful and sad.

  Almost suffocating.

  But if it actually happened in reality? I couldn't bear it.

  Why would a man like such an incomplete woman?

  Besides, Si-hyun was handsome and capable.

  Given the choice, why would Si-hyun pick someone like me?

  If I were him, I definitely wouldn't.

  I suddenly remembered a novel I'd read before with characters in a similar situation.

  In the novel, they confirmed their feelings and shared love, but reality must be different.

  Because that was just fiction.

  Various thoughts flooded in.

  If I had been born an ordinary woman, could I have expressed these feelings openly?

  I felt sad about being this incomplete woman.

  It was all Si-hyun's fault for being so dazzling.

  When a handsome man treats you kindly, wouldn't anyone's heart flutter?

  Right, having feelings isn't my fault!

  But I really like him. Really love him.

  Not as a friend, but as a guy.

  If I hadn't realized it, if I didn't know, maybe we could have stayed friends.

  How did it come to this?

  -

  The ride back to Seoul was unusually quiet.

  Just having Si-hyun sitting next to me made my heart race like crazy.

  What should I do... Wouldn't it be better to get a clear rejection like Yoo Mi-ro did?

  If it were Si-hyun, he'd probably politely suggest we stay friends.

  What if he found it disgusting and walked away?

  "Gross."

  "Si-yeon?"

  Just imagining it made my stomach hurt and my head spin.

  "N-nothing, just carsick."

  Stay calm. Need to distract myself. Thinking about Si-hyun will only lead to negative thoughts.

  Should think about something else.

  Ah~ How happy I'd be if Si-hyun accepted my confession... No, here we go again.

  Once Awakened, these feelings run wild without restraint.

  "Si-yeon? We're here..."

  Huh? Looking outside, we really were home.

  How long had I been lost in my thoughts?

  I hurriedly got out and grabbed my suitcase and backpack.

  "Um, Si-Si-hyun...?"

  "Yeah, what's up?"

  Taking deep breaths to calm myself.

  "This time, I really enjoyed it."

  "Oh, Si-yeon, want to have dinner together tomorrow night?"

  The moment Si-hyun suggested it, my heart and instincts screamed that I had to say yes, that I absolutely couldn't refuse.

  But reason stopped that impulse.

  What would I do if I went? What if my feelings showed?

  What if I got rejected? Aren't I scared?

  "Ah? Well... What should I do..."

  "You don't want to?"

  Sadness appeared on Si-hyun's face.

  The person I like is upset? And I can fix it?

  How could I bear this.

  "Yes! I'll go! I'll definitely go!"

  Immediately regretted if I overreacted.

  But Si-hyun's face lit up at my answer.

  This choice was probably right, right?

  Seeing Si-hyun happy made me unconsciously happy too.

  "I'll pick you up tomorrow."

  "Okay."

  Not sure if I managed my expression properly.

  But just thinking about seeing Si-hyun tomorrow made me happy enough.

  I'd planned to force myself to keep my distance, but now I didn't know what to do.

  The house was empty. Mom, Dad, and Oppa didn't seem to be back yet.

  Back in my room, I fell into worry again.

  "Ahhh!! What should I do?"

  What expression should I wear when we meet tomorrow?

  What look should I go for?

  I flung open my closet and checked all my clothes.

  Tossed out all the casual wear in front, absolutely not suitable for this.

  First picked up the dress, the one I wore to the amusement park before.

  Not bad, but might be too cold to wear now, and not fresh enough.

  Pulled out other clothes. Short skirt? Long pants? No. This isn't right either!

  Ugh, can't find anything satisfactory, should I just buy something new?

  But there's nowhere to buy clothes during the holiday!

  Growing more anxious. Since I hadn't seen Si-hyun recently, I kept refusing when Mom asked to go clothes shopping. Now I really regret not going with her then.

  I want to dress up pretty for Si-hyun. For the person I like.

  After searching through the entire closet, I finally found something barely acceptable.

  A black lace dress.

  This was one of the first clothes Mom picked out that I never wore.

  I never wore it because of the semi-transparent lace and the too-short hem.

  This is all I have now. This one fits best. But will it be cold? No, I can wear tights for the lower half.

  This is the one! I'll wear it tomorrow.

  After choosing the outfit, it was time to pick shoes.

  I rushed from my room on the second floor to the entryway and opened the shoe cabinet there.

  I carefully examined the new shoes I bought after becoming a girl.

  Sneakers, pass. Canvas shoes, pass. Flats? Not bad but somehow not perfect.

  Didn't like the color of the low heels.

  What I finally found were high heels...

  These were bought when Mom said "You should have at least one pair" during my obsession with pretty clothes.

  But after buying them, I got scared by the height and never wore them once.

  "C-can I really walk in these?"

  I put on the high heels and tried walking slowly.

  Click clack

  "W-whoa."

  Walking itself was okay, but the problem was how easy it was to miss my step.

  Was it because the support area was too small? Hard to keep balance.

  But these... should match the outfit I chose.

  There was already a 30cm height difference between Si-hyun and me, and these shoes would help close that gap.

  "Hehe."

  If I go out dressed this nicely, Si-hyun will notice, right?

  But I also worried if it might look strange instead.

  I tidied the messy entryway and returned to my room.

  I hung tomorrow's outfit on a hanger, and each time I saw it, I looked forward to tomorrow even more.

  While checking my condition in the mirror -

  This...

  "Is my hair damaged?"

  Well, I haven't done any hair care recently, so no wonder, right?

  I need to make time for the beauty salon tomorrow.

  While grinning foolishly over tomorrow's fantasies, I looked around and saw the room was a mess.

  All the clothes I'd pulled out myself, garments thrown everywhere - the room had gone crazy.

  "Ahem, time to clean up."

  That night, perhaps because I was too excited, I couldn't fall asleep properly.

  Fortunately, our meeting time was in the evening, so sleeping in was fine.

  -

  A/N; want more? Check out my for upcoming chapter [up to 47+ advanced chapters] ??