Chapter 382

Vanessa, Dickson and Lilith walked back into the old factory. The place looked even worse than usual. The walls were cracked, the metal beams rusty, and every step echoed across the empty space. The smell of old oil and burnt metal hung in the air.

Dickson stretched his arms above his head and groaned loudly. "You know what?" he said, looking around the gloomy hall. "How about we actually get the fuck off this old dump and get a proper house?"

Lilith gave him a sideways glance, too tired to argue. For once, he actually made sense. "You know what, Dickson," she said, brushing a strand of hair from her face, "I think I agree with you. I don’t care what anyone says, I’m moving out of this place tomorrow."

Dickson froze for a second like he couldn’t believe what he just heard. "Wait—did you just agree with me? Holy shit, someone record this. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime thing."

"Don’t push your luck," Lilith said flatly.

Vanessa chuckled under her breath. The fight earlier had left all of them drained, but somehow Dickson looked like he had found new energy.

He moved ahead of the group and shoved the door open. "Anyway, you guys do whatever you want. I’m going to eat my beef. It’s been calling my name since we left."

Lilith rolled her eyes. "You’re seriously thinking about food right now?"

"Hell yes," Dickson replied, already walking off. "That beef is the only good thing left in my life."

He disappeared into the hallway, humming some random tune.

Vanessa smiled faintly. "He’s unbelievable."

They continued walking slowly while Dickson stormed off toward the control room, already picturing that plate of perfectly cooked beef waiting for him.

When he finally reached the door, he pushed it open with a grin. "Finally," he muttered, "the reunion I’ve been waiting for."

But his grin faded fast.

The first thing he noticed was that Ann and Seo Yeon were still awake, sitting in front of the monitors. The room was dimly lit, the flickering light from the screens casting soft blue glows on their faces. They looked focused, watching news clips about the robbery from earlier.

Ann turned her head slightly. "Oh, hey, Dickson. You’re back."

Seo Yeon added, "Yeah, looks like you all made quite the scene out there."

But Dickson didn’t respond. His attention had shifted—his eyes were locked on the small table in the corner.

His plate.

It was empty.

Only a few crumbs were left.

He froze. His eyes widened slowly as he took a few steps forward like he couldn’t believe what he was seeing. Then, his face twisted into pure horror. "W... what?" he stammered. "How... who... who the fuck ate it?"

Ann and Seo Yeon looked at each other awkwardly, then slowly pointed toward the bed,

Dickson followed their direction.

There, lying across the bed, was Kelly. She was fast asleep, a blanket covering half her body, her tab still playing a movie quietly beside her. But the real crime scene was her mouth—just a faint, shiny smear of grease glistened on her lips.

Dickson stood there, silent for a moment, like his brain was trying to reboot. Then he whispered, "No way."

Ann cleared her throat. "Way."

Seo Yeon tried not to laugh, but her shoulders shook. "She was hungry... I guess."

Dickson’s jaw tightened. He closed his eyes and tilted his head up, trying to keep calm. His fists clenched at his sides. "Don’t do anything stupid," Ann said quickly, half-joking, half-serious.

"Stupid?" he said through gritted teeth. "Stupid would be me letting this go."

He turned to the ceiling, muttering, "almost an hour... a goddamn hour of slow roasting. Perfect seasoning. Crispy edges. Tender center. And she..." He pointed dramatically at the sleeping Kelly. "...ate it like it was a cheap snack!"

Ann covered her mouth, laughing quietly. Seo Yeon sighed. "Dickson, it’s just food."

"JUST FOOD?" he yelled, throwing his arms up. "Do you even hear yourself right now? That wasn’t just food! That was art!"

At that exact moment, Vanessa and Lilith entered the control room.

"What’s going on?" Vanessa asked, noticing Dickson’s angry face.

Ann looked like she was about to burst out laughing as she said, "Kelly ate his beef."

Vanessa blinked, confused. "Wait... that’s it?"

Dickson spun toward her and pointed like she was the cause of all evil. "Don’t you start! This is your fault!"

"My fault?" Vanessa said, frowning. "How is this my fault?"

"You made me leave it and go save some stupid people" Dickson said loudly. "If we hadn’t spent so long fighting and running around, I’d have eaten it hours ago! But no—you had to drag us all over the city!"

Vanessa just stared at him, speechless. Lilith sighed and leaned against the wall. "You’re insane."

"Insane?" Dickson snapped. "No. You people just don’t understand greatness when you see it!"

Seo yeon , clearly done with the drama, walked to a chair and sat down. "You sound like someone who just lost a family member."

"I might as well have," Dickson muttered bitterly.

Vanessa shook her head, trying not to laugh. "You can just make another one tomorrow."

"It’s not the same!" he barked. "You can’t recreate perfection. That beef was one of a kind. The texture, the aroma, the—"

Lilith raised a hand. "If you start describing meat like it’s your soulmate, I’m leaving."

Dickson groaned and ran a hand through his hair. "Unbelievable. I save lives, fight evolved freaks, risk getting blown up—and this is how the world rewards me."

Seo Yeon turned off one of the monitors and stood up again. "You’re overreacting."

"I’m not!" Dickson snapped again, glaring at her. "Do you know what’s worse? She’s sleeping peacefully after committing this crime."

Everyone looked at Kelly again. She shifted slightly, mumbling something in her sleep.

Dickson pointed dramatically at her. "Look at her! No guilt! No shame! Just vibes!"

Ann laughed so hard she nearly fell off her chair.

Vanessa chuckled, walking over to him. "Come on, man. Don’t have a meltdown over food. I’ll buy you a steak tomorrow."

He turned to her slowly. "It won’t be the same."

Lilith smirked as she headed for the exit. "You’re ridiculous."

"Ridiculous? No. Betrayed? Yes."

Dickson dropped into a chair with a loud sigh, rubbing his face with both hands. "You all laugh now, but one day you’ll lose something precious, and you’ll understand."

Vanessa patted his shoulder, still smiling. "You really need sleep."

He looked up at her with tired eyes. "I need closure."

Lilith chuckled from the doorway. "Good luck with that."

——

The night was calm. The sound of crickets filled the air, soft and rhythmic, blending with the distant rustle of trees outside the small wooden house. Moonlight slipped in through the curtains, faintly lighting up the room where Liam slept. His body was finally at rest, his breathing slow and steady after the chaos of the last few days.

Then, something moved under the blanket.

At first, he thought it was his imagination. He frowned in his sleep and shifted slightly, but then he felt it again—something brushing against his leg.

Liam’s eyes shot open instantly. His reflexes kicked in, muscles tensed but before he could react, a familiar head popped up from under the blanket beside him.

"Relax," Lana whispered, her voice soft and teasing, a mischievous smile playing on her lips.

Liam blinked, trying to process what the hell was happening. "What are you doing here?" he asked, rubbing his eyes, his tone a mix of confusion and disbelief.

Lana giggled quietly. "You were snoring like a baby. You didn’t even hear me come in."

He stared at her blankly. "Snoring? I don’t snore."

She grinned wider. "You kinda do. It’s cute, though."

Liam groaned, running a hand through his messy hair. "That’s not an answer, Lana. How did you even get in here?"

She just smiled like she’d been caught doing something harmless. "I walked in."

"Locked door," he said flatly.

"Not for me," she replied, almost proudly.

Liam gave her a suspicious look. "So, what—you picked the lock?"

Lana burst out laughing, covering her mouth to keep her voice down. "No, no. My aunt taught me how to step silently. You know... for sneaking around without waking her up."

He shook his head slowly. "You sound way too proud of that."

"I am," she said playfully, tucking the blanket around her as if she owned the bed.

Liam sighed and leaned back against the pillow, staring up at the ceiling. "So why are you here, really?"

Lana shrugged, pretending to think. "Maybe I just felt like it."

He looked at her again, narrowing his eyes. "Couldn’t sleep?"

She shook her head, but her eyes told another story—she looked a little restless, her cheeks faintly pink in the dim light.

Liam’s voice softened. "Then what?"

She didn’t answer. Instead, she shifted closer, the blanket rustling between them. Her hand brushed against his chest as she leaned in, her long dark hair falling over her shoulder and spilling onto him.

"Lana," he said quietly, his tone warning but unsure at the same time.

She didn’t stop. A soft smile curved her lips as she looked at him. "You talk too much sometimes."

Before he could respond, she climbed on top of him, the blanket still covering both their bodies. The room grew warmer instantly.

Liam froze, his heartbeat thudding against his ribs. Her face hovered close above his, her breath warm against his skin. The moonlight painted her hair silver, and for a second, everything felt still—the night, the air, even the world outside.

Lana’s eyes met his, steady and playful, but there was something else behind them—something he couldn’t quite read.