The 8th floor

" poor pup."

Daniel stroked Hunter's fur, sadness etched across his face.

"That dead ghost has completely forgotten you. He hasn't even called to check if I'm taking good care of you."

Daniel felt a deep sympathy for Hunter, who was trying to sleep despite his teasing.

"O poor pup, I pity you!"

Suddenly, Hunter was scooped up into Daniel's arms as he dramatically began to cry.

"We've both been abandoned and forgotten with time!!"

Daniel exclaimed, pulling Hunter closer to his chest.

"This world doesn't deserve wonderful people like us! Damn everyone!"

Under the dim streetlights by the alley wall near the headquarters, Leonid leaned against the cold surface, smoking a cigarette, exhaling white smoke as he gazed at the dark sky.

He surrendered to his addiction repeatedly, exhaling through his nose and mouth several times.

Leonid had just finished the evening team meeting and immediately sought solitude to enjoy some time alone.

Inside that dark room, the team members had deliberated about the serial killer hiding in the residential building. Despite their conclusions, they still lacked enough evidence to pinpoint the killer's identity.

Fortunately, no one objected to or questioned his confession to Charlotte, which he had wrapped in a clever lie.

With a smooth flick, Leonid tapped the cigarette, letting ash fall onto the filthy ground, unconcerned with his surroundings, enjoying his break to the fullest.

"Hello~."

Except for one person who could see through the web of truth and lies.

Dmitri interrupted Leonid's quiet moment, standing beside him. He pulled a lollipop from his pocket, unwrapped it, and popped it into his mouth.

"How do you feel after confessing to her?"

He asked quietly while looking at him.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

Leonid tilted his head away, replying in a low voice, maintaining his usual cool demeanor.

"Seriously, you can't hide the truth from me."

Dmitri shrugged, the corners of his mouth curling into a mocking smile.

"I'm your friend; I know you better than anyone. Did you forget?"

"Were we friends before? I don't know you."

Despite being painfully transparent, Leonid tried to avoid feeling embarrassed in front of Dmitri, who saw right through him and wasn't shy about saying so.

"Stop talking to me and leave."

"Oh my, are you shy now?"

Leonid furrowed his brow and turned toward Dmitri, who smirked at him.

"I'm not shy,"

he said, irritated and dissatisfied with Dmitri's accusations.

"Say another word, and I'll get rid of you."

"Oh, that's a serious threat~."

Dmitri smiled, folding his arms across his chest after placing the lollipop back in his mouth, occasionally playing with it using his tongue.

"You confessed your feelings to Charlotte Smith honestly, so why are you hiding it from your friend, huh?"

Leonid exhaled smoke from his cigarette before replying dryly to Dmitri's question.

"I still have no idea what you're talking about."

"Look me in the eyes and say you truly don't know what I'm talking about. You might be an expert at hiding your feelings, but experiencing something new like love is beyond your ability to conceal, isn't it, Leonid?"

Dmitri waited for a response, but Leonid ignored him, continuing to smoke.

Sighing, Dmitri added.

"This is unbelievable. I've never seen you like this before."

"What are you talking about now?"

Leonid furrowed his brow, giving Dmitri a cold look.

"What I'm talking about is: tell me the truth. Leonid, what's the point of hiding your feelings from your lifelong friend?"

"Lifelong friend...?"

Leonid whispered, averting his gaze.

"You know the truth. You don't need to hear every word from my mouth, so stop pestering me."

"You're acting like a coward now."

"Do I look like one?"

"Yes. Look at you; you can't even tell me boldly, like you did in the meeting room, that you confessed your love to Charlotte Smith."

"You're different from the others."

"Am I different from your father too?"

Leonid chuckled bitterly, tossing the cigarette to the ground and stepping on it.

"Of course, you're different from him."

Dmitri smiled, throwing the empty lollipop stick away.

"Then tell me, how did it feel when you confessed to her back then?"

"It felt like my pride was wounded by her... and her naivety."

"My God, has confessing to women become humiliating for us men?"

"It's not what you think. It's just that she... forget it. I don't even understand, but it's fine—I made her cry to heal my pride."

"You made Charlotte Smith cry? For your pride?"

Dmitri's eyes widened as he stared sharply at Leonid.

"Sometimes I think you enjoy showing a sadistic side to Charlotte Smith."

"Hey, it seems like you're misjudging me."

Leonid raised his hand, pointing at Dmitri.

"Don't look at me that way. She just cried, and I told her to keep crying for me. Where's the sadism in that?"

Dmitri narrowed his eyes further, looking away with a dramatic sigh.

"I've never known you to be like this, my friend."

"Shut your mouth, or—"

"Okay, okay, I was just kidding!"

Dmitri quickly gave in as Leonid nearly threatened him.

"Stop using your heavy jokes on me."

"My jokes aren't heavy; you're just the kind of person who can't take them lightly."

Dmitri crossed his arms, continuing to complain.

"My friend, you're in a relationship with a woman now, okay? You should let go of this grumpy old-man mood and show some flexibility, or Charlotte Smith might go mad from your rigid demeanor!"

"Did you just compare my mood to that of old men? For your information, I act differently in front of Charlotte!"

Leonid crossed his arms as well, meeting Dmitri's cold gaze with his own. In return, Dmitri frowned and sarcastically said,

"Alright, it's not bad for a lion-hearted man to have some softness for his wife. But don't you think you overreact to my jokes?"

Dmitri continued his complaints, adding,

"For your information, I'm your only friend. If you don't maintain our friendship, no one will stand by you on your wedding night!"

"And who said I'd invite you to my wedding?"

Leonid replied quickly, adjusting his suit before starting to walk.

"Hey, where are you going?"

Dmitri paused, staring at Leonid's retreating back, then shouted.

"I was joking! No need to overreact, can you hear me?!"

After a moment, Dmitri called again.

"Leonid!"

Leonid ignored Dmitri's persistent calls, waving his hand without looking back as he headed for his car.

He wasn't in a good mood earlier, but Leonid wouldn't deny that Dmitri had somewhat improved his mood, even if he had a heavy sense of humor.

Leonid started the car and began driving. It was late, with many hours left until dawn. Yet, instead of heading to the residential building to rest, Leonid drove toward the hospital where Charlotte was staying.

"Tell me, Natalia, do I seem selfish?"

"Why are you saying that now?"

Natalia wrapped her arms around Kaiser's neck as she sat on his lap.

"Just answer me."

Under the dim light of living room, Kaiser embraced Natalia's slender waist and gazed at her beautiful face.

"Am I selfish and bad... Do I honestly seem like a crazy person?"

"Crazy? Bad?"

Natalia furrowed her brows, then shook her head. She let go of his neck, holding his cheeks instead.

"You're none of those things. Did the injury you suffered damage your brain?"

She gently turned Kaiser's head side to side, as though checking its condition, then said,

"You're the most wonderful person, so stop belittling yourself."

"Heh..."

Kaiser couldn't hold back a chuckle that slipped out. He stood up from the couch, lifting Natalia with him.

"Alright, I was just wondering. Of course, I don't think of myself as selfish, bad, or crazy."

"I know you like to talk a lot."

"That's right~"

Kaiser smiled as he carried Natalia toward his bedroom, holding her like a beautiful princess in his arms.

"By the way, what happened to Charlotte?"

"There's no need to talk about her now."

"Hmm?"

"What, do you think I'd want to talk about another woman when you're in my arms tonight, my sweetheart~?"

"No..."

Natalia's green eyes sparkled as she looked away. Despite the many nights she had spent with Kaiser, she still felt shy and grateful every night to be with him.

"She's fine. Can we spend time together now?"

"... Yes..."

Kaiser gently placed Natalia's body on the mattress of his bed and climbed over her, gazing at her bashfulness under the dim light.

He moved her hand, softly brushing her flushed cheek with a tender touch. His hand then slipped to her enticing neck, his thumb grazing the warm skin as he smiled and said,

"You're shy tonight too~."

"Stop teasing me..."

"I'm not teasing you..."

Kaiser paused for a moment before leaning closer to Natalia's face.

Resting his forehead against hers, he whispered softly,

"On the contrary, I love this about you."

Natalia smiled shyly and turned her face slightly away, but Kaiser didn't let her escape his steady gaze.

"Tell me, Natalia... Why do you seem so shy, as if this is the first time we've spent time together?"

She tried to answer, but words failed her. All that escaped her lips was a soft whisper.

"I don't know... Maybe because you always make me feel like a special person every time..."

"A special person?"

Kaiser said with a warm smile.

"You're more than that to me, Natalia."

He reached for her hand, lifting it gently to place a light kiss on her fingertips.

"I won't lie to you, Natalia. When you're with me like this, I feel like the whole world fades away, and only you remain."

She raised her eyes to look at him and saw the sincerity of his words reflected in his eyes, along with a faint, shadowy glimmer.

"Kaiser..."

she whispered his name, but before she could say more, he leaned closer and placed a kiss on her forehead.

"There's no need for words now. Just let this night be ours."

Elsewhere, Leonid sat inside his car in the hospital parking lot. He turned off the engine but didn't step out right away.

He stared at the car's mirror, seeing the reflection of his pale face and tired eyes.

"What am I doing here?"

he muttered to himself, but he didn't need an answer. He knew why.

Charlotte…

The thought of seeing her lying in the hospital bed disturbed him as much as it brought him comfort. At least she was safe there, but they still needed to return home.

Leonid took a deep breath before opening the car door and stepping outside.