Location: Garden Courtyard – Morning After the Blowup
The morning sun hadn't even dried the dew, yet Zhao Yue was already standing outside Jin's courtyard.
She took a breath.
Another.
Then knocked.
No answer.
"...Jin?" she called softly.
Still nothing.
But he was inside. She could feel it.
She didn't know how to say everything she wanted to say—not after what she heard. Every brutal truth that had echoed from his heart like a blade drawn across her pride.
She knocked again.
---
Inside the Room
Jin stared blankly at the ceiling.
[Why is she here again? What now? Another apology with tears and dramatic thunder? Just leave me alone already.]
[The story's over. The audience left. You don't get to rewrite it after the final scene.]
[Besides, her crying makes me feel like the villain, and I'm the one who got screwed.]
Ergouzi: "Host, your heart rate spiked. Do you want me to play calming ocean sounds?"
Jin: (murmurs) "No."
"Okay. But you sound like a moody sea cucumber right now."
Jin: "You sound like a discount rice cooker."
---
Zhao Yue quietly opened the door.
She didn't announce herself—just walked in slowly.
Jin sat up.
"You again?"
She didn't flinch at the coldness.
"I wanted to talk."
"Then talk." His tone was flat.
But inside...
[Why are you still here? Haven't I made it clear enough? What more do you want me to say? That everything you believed was fake? That your sincerity was a tool in someone else's hands?]
[The old me would've eaten up your guilt like candy. The new me just wants a refund on my past.]
---
Zhao Yue lowered her head.
"I believed lies. I... helped the wrong person. I saw the signs. I ignored them."
[And now you want forgiveness like it's a checkbox you forgot to tick.]
"I want to fix things, Jin."
"You can't."
He looked at her, finally—truly looked.
"You helped Ichiro while he tried to ruin me. And even now, you're hoping I'm just 'hurt' and will come around."
She winced.
"I just—"
"I'm not coming around. I'm walking away."
---
Outside the Courtyard – Eavesdropping Siblings' Group Chat
Meimei: Damn. He didn't even blink.
Third Uncle: That boy's been holding it in. If I were him, I'd have burned the whole house down already.
Grandma Li: Don't you dare encourage arson, Wei.
Fifth Sister: …But why is my heart hurting for Zhao Yue too?
---
Back Inside
Zhao Yue stood still for a long moment. Her throat tightened.
"You don't even hate me, do you?"
Jin sighed and looked away.
[No. I hate myself for ever hoping you'd be different.]
[You were supposed to protect me from the storm, not become it.]
Zhao Yue closed her eyes, the words sinking into her.
Quietly, she turned to leave.
---
Later That Day – Ergouzi's Report
"Host! Emotional Damage registered. Would you like to export this as a trauma PDF?"
"Shall I file it under 'Romantic Regrets'?"
Jin: [File it under 'reasons I'm becoming a monk.']
---