The airport was loud in the way all airports were. Voices overlapping, announcements dissolving into static, footsteps dragging urgency across polished floors.
Yet inside the small ice cream shop tucked near Gate 47, there was a strange pocket of stillness.
Kang Min noticed that first.
Not the girl sitting across from him.
Not the melting edge of vanilla sliding down his cup.
Not even the way his fingers had subtly tightened around the plastic spoon the moment she walked in.
He instead noticed the silence.
Because it wasnât natural.
It was the kind of silence that existed only when two people were holding back everything they wanted to say.
Sasha Kim sat across from him, one leg crossed over the other, her posture effortless, composed.
Her strawberry ice cream remained untouched, the pink surface smooth as glass.
She hadnât taken a single bite.
"You still donât eat sweets first."
Kang Min said casually, breaking the silence.
"You always let it melt a little."
Sasha didnât respond immediately.
Her gaze remained on him.
As if she had already studied him long before this moment.
"...You remember that?"
She asked finally.
Kang shrugged, scooping a small bite into his mouth.
"You used to complain it tasted better that way."
There was a pause then a faint scoff.
"Donât pretend you remember small things like that out of sentiment."
Her tone was flat.
But it carried weight.
Kang Min leaned back slightly, resting his arm against the table.
"Youâre right..."
He said.
"I donât."
Another silence.
This one heavier.
Because neither of them missed what he meant.
Sashaâs fingers tapped lightly against her cup. Once. Twice. Then stopped.
"...So..."
She said, tilting her head slightly, eyes narrowing just enough.
"...how long were you planning to pretend?"
Kang Min didnât blink.
"Pretend what?"
"That you donât recognize me."
The air shifted.
Barely.
But enough.
Kangâs gaze met hers fully now, the casual look slipping just a fraction.
"...I recognized you the moment you were announced to be in the coalition."
Sasha smiled. It wasnât warm.
"I figured."
There was a beat then she said a single word.
"Jae."
The name hung between them.
A name that didnât belong to this world. It was a name buried somewhere far deeper.
Kangâs grip on the spoon tightened.
"...Itâs been a while."
He said quietly.
Sashaâs smile vanished.
"Donât."
The word came sharp.
"Donât talk like weâre old friends catching up after years apart."
Her eyes hardened, something dark flickering beneath the surface.
"We both know thatâs not what this is."
Kang exhaled slowly through his nose.
"...Fair enough."
Another announcement echoed overhead. Boarding call for a flight to Frankfurt. The crowd outside shifted, people moving, voices rising.
Inside the shop, nothing changed.
Sasha finally lifted her spoon.
But instead of eating, she pressed it lightly into the surface of the ice cream, watching it sink.
"...Tell me something."
She said.
Kang didnât answer.
She didnât wait for permission.
"Do you ever think about it?"
Kangâs eyes flickered.
"...Think about what?"
Her gaze snapped up to his.
"You know what Iâm talking about."
For a moment, the noise of the airport faded completely for Kang.
Flashes.
Stone corridors.
Endless skies above impossible floors.
The smell of blood that never quite left.
"...Sometimes."
He said.
Sasha let out a quiet laugh.
"Liar."
She leaned forward slightly, her eyes locking onto his.
"You think about it every day."
Kang didnât deny it.
"...And you donât?"
He asked.
Sashaâs expression didnât change.
"I try not to."
She paused before speaking further.
"But it doesnât let you forget, does it?"
Kang said nothing.
Because she was right.
It never did.
Sashaâs spoon finally scooped a small piece of ice cream. She held it for a second, then ate it slowly, almost absentmindedly.
"...Do you remember the 86th floor?" she asked.
Kangâs jaw tightened.
"...Thatâs when we formed the coalition."
Sasha nodded.
"Yeah."
Her gaze drifted slightly, not away from him but rather through him really.
"As if it mattered."
Another pause.
"Thatâs when everything started falling apart."
Kang leaned forward now, resting his elbows on the table.
"...We survived longer than most."
Sashaâs eyes snapped back to him.
"And what did that get us?"
Her voice sharpened.
"Tell me, Jae."
Her fingers clenched slightly around the spoon.
"What did any of it get us?"
Kang didnât answer immediately.
"...We made it past the 120th floor," he said.
Sasha froze.
For just a fraction of a second.
Then she laughed again.
But this time, there was no restraint.
"No."
Her voice dropped, cold.
"No, we didnât."
The air turned suffocating.
"Donât rewrite it."
Her gaze burned into him now.
"We didnât make it past the 120th floor."
A beat.
"You left."
Kangâs expression didnât change.
But something in his eyes did.
Sasha leaned forward, her voice lowering, every word precise.
"You abandoned us."
The word hit harder than anything else.
Abandoned.
Kang finally spoke.
"I made a choice."
Sashaâs lips curled slightly.
"A choice?"
Her voice rose just a little. It wasnât loud, but enough to carry something dangerous.
"You mean you ran."
Kangâs eyes hardened.
"I left because the coalition was already breaking."
"Because of you."
The words came instantly.
Without hesitation and doubt.
Kang didnât deny it.
Sashaâs hand trembled slightly now. But it was not with fear but out of anger.
"You walked away when we needed you the most."
She continued, her voice tightening.
"You knew what was coming."
"You always knew..."
Kang exhaled slowly.
"...The Abyssal Monarch wouldâve wiped us out anyway."
Sasha slammed her spoon down into the cup.
"Donât you dareâ!"
Her voice cracked slightly.
But she didnât stop.
"Donât you dare act like you were some kind of martyr!"
Heads turned briefly around them but neither of them noticed.
Or cared.
"You left!"
Sasha said, her voice dropping again, more dangerous than before.
"And the moment you did, everything fell apart."
Her eyes burned now.
"Civil war. Infighting. Betrayal."
A bitter smile formed.
"Funny, isnât it?"
"The man who called everyone else selfish... was the first one to abandon them."
The silence was heavy and suffocating.
"...Say it."
Kang didnât move.
"Say it, Jae."
Her voice shook now not from weakness but rather from restraint.
"Admit what you are."
Kangâs gaze met hers.
"...You want me to say Iâm a monster?"
Sasha didnât hesitate.
"You are."
The words landed without mercy.
"You always were."
A long pause followed.
Thenâ
"...And youâre the abandoner."
Sasha froze.
Just slightly.
But Kang saw it.
"...You left too," he continued quietly.
Her eyes narrowed.
"Donât twist this."
"You survived," Kang said.
"Same as me."
"Thatâs different."
"Is it?"
Their gazes locked.
Clashing.
Burning.
Sasha leaned back slowly, her expression hardening again.
"...Then what?" she snapped.
"Did you get what you wanted?"
Kang didnât respond.
Sashaâs lips curled.
"Youâre here, arenât you?"
Her voice dripped with accusation.
"You didnât reach the top like you always said you would."
A pause.
Then her eyes darkened.
"...Or did you?"
Kangâs expression didnât change.
But the silence was answer enough.
Sasha leaned forward, her voice dropping to a dangerous whisper.
"Did you reach the top... and decide to betray your own world?"
The words hung in the air like a blade.
"Did you make a contract?" she continued, her gaze piercing.
"Trade everything just to come back here... and watch Earth suffer again?"
Kang said nothing.
Sasha laughed bitterly.
"Of course you did."
She gestured vaguely around them.
"Youâre rich. Comfortable. Living like nothing ever happened."
Her eyes sharpened.
"Using everything you learned in the Tower."
"Your greed never died, did it?"
Kangâs fingers tightened slightly.
"You used to talk about humans being selfish."
Sasha continued, her voice cutting deeper with every word.
"And yet youâre exactly the same."
"No."
Her lips pressed into a thin line.
"Youâre worse."
"You call yourself selfless..."
She said quietly.
"To this day."
Her voice trembled.
"I hate you."
"Every part of you."
Kang didnât look away.
Sashaâs breathing steadied, but her eyes remained sharp.
"And donât think I forgot..."
She added, her tone turning colder.
"...the only reason you ever joined the coalition..."
Her gaze pierced straight through him.
"...was because of me."
Kang didnât react.
"You knew I was once his companion..."
She said, her voice laced with disgust.
" And the only reason you stayed with me was because you wanted to find him."
A bitter laugh escaped her.
"How utterly disgusting you are."
Kang finally spoke.
"...I never denied that."
Sasha blinked.
"...What?"
"I knew humans were selfish."
Kang said calmly.
His voice was steady now.
"And I still do."
He leaned back slightly.
"The difference is... I donât pretend otherwise."
Sasha stared at him.
"I keep to myself..."
He continued.
"That way no one uses me."
"And I only have to be selfish to myself."
"...Not inconvenience anyone else."
Nothing followed.
Not from him.
Not from her.
The tension didnât dissapear but settled if only for a bit.
Like something unresolved.
After a moment, Kang spoke again.
"...How did you return?"
Sashaâs eyes narrowed slightly.
"...Why should I tell you?"
Kang didnât react.
Sasha leaned back, crossing her arms.
"Let me ask you something instead."
"I heard something... while I was traveling back in the old world during a scuffle with some gods..."
Her gaze sharpened.
"Youâre the only one who made it past the 200th floor."
Kangâs expression remained unreadable.
"...What did you see?"
Her voice softened slightly but not in warmth.
"Was it the last floor... like we always thought?"
"...Is that how you left the Tower?"
Kang looked at her.
"...Iâm not obliged to answer that."
Sasha smiled faintly.
"Then neither am I."
Kangâs eyes narrowed slightly.
"...Then why did you come back?"
Sasha didnât answer.
Kang leaned forward.
"Of all the towers... you chose the one in Russia."
A pause.
"You found something."
Sashaâs expression didnât change.
"Unlike me..."
Kang continued quietly, "you never gave up on humanity and are always in the search of saving and freeing it."
"So what is it?"
Sasha picked up her bag.
"...Like I said."
She stood.
"Iâm not answering your questions."
Kang watched her.
"...You can think whatever you want."
She adjusted the strap on her shoulder.
"Now, if thatâs all..."
She glanced down at the table briefly.
"...Iâll be on my way."
Kang said nothing.
Sasha turned slightly then paused.
Without looking back, she spoke.
"You have a daughter now."
Kangâs eyes flickered.
"So," she continued casually, "you should probably stop meeting your ex."
A small pause.
"...Or the mother might find out."
She picked up her cup, tossing it lightly into the bin nearby.
"Thanks for the treat."
She took a step away then another.
And just before she disappeared into the crowd she turned her head slightly.
Not enough to fully face him.
But enough.
"...Goodbye, Minny."