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Y/N L/N STOOD BEFORE HER MIRROR, staring at her reflection. The dim, warm light in her room softened the sharp edges of her painted skeleton face, but her expression was blank, almost haunted. She adjusted the black-and-white romper she had on—a form-fitting skeleton outfit that was more playful than creepy, reminding her of a halloween tradition she'd followed every year, even after moving to Seoul. The painted hollow eyes and skeletal grin on her face didn't quite match the storm of emotions brewing inside her.

The muffled sound of laughter pulled her out of her thoughts. Behind her, her friends Ri-na, Eun-ji, and Mary were sprawled across her bed, rifling through makeup kits and throwing clothes around, all while singing along to their favorite playlist.

"Y/n!" Mary yelled over the music, holding up a glittery eyeliner. "We're giving you sparkles, whether you like it or not."

The girl turned her head, forcing a small smile. "I'm literally a skeleton. Skeletons don't sparkle."

"Well, this one does," Eun-ji quipped as Mary tossing the eyeliner at her. It hit y/n's arm and rolled onto the floor.

"I don't think you're getting out of this," Ri-na chimed in, already halfway through spraying fake-blood over her face. "Seriously, y/n/n, you're actually coming out with us today. That alone deserves a medal. Or glitter."

Eun-ji laughed as she fiddled with her costume, a witchy black dress along with a Hufflepuff scarf paired with a massive pointed hat that kept slipping off her head. "Right? This is historic. y/n l/n, the queen of excuses, is finally gracing us with her presence at a party she refused to attend."

Y/n rolled her eyes but couldn't help the smile tugging at her lips. Her friends' excitement was infectious. They were practically buzzing as they moved around her room, hyping each other up for the Halloween frat party which lasted an odd 12 hours, from 12 in the noon to 12 at midnight.

Still, a small pang of guilt twisted in her stomach. They didn't know the real reason she'd canceled her plans with Kwon. She couldn't tell them—his grandmother's health was his personal business, and the girl respected that. So instead, she'd lied, telling them that they decided to raincheck their date to focus on the upcoming tournament and maybe go sightseeing in Barcelona later if they got the time.

"Y/n!" Mary suddenly yelled, startling her out of her thoughts again. "Come on, dance with us!"

"I'm a warrior. Warriors don't dance until the war is won," She deadpanned, mocking her sensei, but Eun-ji and Mary had already grabbed her hands, pulling her toward the middle of the room.

"How can you be a warrior if you're already dead?" Ri-na teased, twirling her around.

"Oh, trust me, her weird senile sensei will always find ways to resuscitate her," Eun-ji countered, dramatically mimicking Kreese's smirk. "Anything to win the war, right?"

Despite herself, y/n laughed, letting her friends spin her around until she was breathless. For a brief moment, the weight of last night lifted, replaced by the carefree energy of her friends.

***

The night had been anything but carefree...

It was close to midnight when y/n heard a knock at her door. She frowned, glancing at her phone. She wasn't expecting anyone, since her parents were out of town again, and the hour was late. Carefully, she padded over to the door with a knife and peeked through the peephole.

Kwon.

She immediately rolled her eyes, tossing the weapon away and opened the door, but the sight before her made her stomach drop.

The boy stood there, drenched in sweat despite the cool night air. His usually sharp and composed demeanor was cracked, replaced by something raw and panicked. His breathing was uneven, and his dark eyes, normally so calculating, were clouded with worry.

"Can we talk?" he asked, his voice thick with his accent. It was more noticeable than usual, the edges rough and broken, a clear sign that he was overwhelmed.

"Of course," y/n said quickly, stepping outside, her arms crossed.

He took a step back, but his movement was oddly restless, almost frantic. He paced the small area outside, running a hand through his damp hair. The girl closed the door behind them, watching him carefully, arms crossed.

"Kwon," she had said gently, stepping closer. "What's going on?"

He stopped pacing, turning to face her. For a moment, he looked like he was struggling to find the words. Then he sighed, his shoulders slumping.

"It's... halmoni," he said quietly. "She-she's been scheduled for operation. Emergency laryngectomy. The doctors said it couldn't wait."

Y/n's breath caught in her throat. She knew how much his grandmother meant to him. She was the only family he ever talked about, the one person he seemed to truly care for.

"I-I don't I'll be able to make it tomorrow," he continued, his voice faltering. "I... I'm sorry."

"Dude, stop," y/n said firmly, stepping closer. "You don't have to apologize for that. Of course you need to be with your grandma."

He nodded, but his expression remained tense. "I didn't want to just disappear on you. I thought--"

"What, that I'd be upset?" she interrupted, raising an eyebrow.

He hesitated, then nodded again.

Y/n sighed, her heart aching for him. "Kwon," she said softly, reaching out to take his hand. "It's okay. I understand. Your family comes first. Always."

He looked down at their joined hands, his jaw tightening. "I hate this," he muttered. "I hate feeling this... this useless."

"You're not useless," she said sternly. "You're doing everything you can for her. And she's lucky to have you. You're both lucky to have each other."

For a moment, he didn't say anything. Then, to her surprise, he pulled her into a hug. It was hesitant at first, almost awkward, but the girl didn't hesitate. She wrapped her arms around him, holding him tightly.

"Thank you," he murmured in Korean, his voice barely above a whisper.

"You don't have to thank me," she replied. "Everything will be alright, okay. I promise."

When he finally pulled away, his expression was calmer, though the worry in his eyes hadn't disappeared entirely.

"I should go," he said quietly. "I need to be at the hospital early."

Y/n nodded, walking him to the elevator. Before he left, he turned to her one last time.

"I'm sorry," he said again.

"Don't be," she replied, giving him a small smile. "Just take care of her. And take care of yourself, too."

He nodded, and then he was gone.

***

Back in the present, y/n shook herself out of her thoughts. Her friends were still dancing around her room, completely oblivious to the emotional whirlwind she'd been through the night before. And that was okay. She didn't need to burden them with it.

"Y/n, are you ready or what?" Mary called out, throwing her a playful glare.

With one last look at herself in the mirror, she adjusted her skeleton romper, and turned to face her friends.

"Ready," she said, forcing a grin.

Her friends cheered, pulling her into their chaotic energy once again. And for now, y/n let herself get swept up in it, tucking the memories of last night safely away in the back of her mind. 

Everything was going to be fine...

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