Ren snapped out of his thoughts at the sound of a soft noise beside him. He turned his head, Yuna.
She had woken up at some point but still sat curled up in her oversized cloak, arms wrapped tightly around her knees as if trying to make herself smaller.
Her figure was swallowed up by the fabric, her shoulders trembling slightly with each cold gust of wind. Seeing her like that, Ren couldn't help but think of a small kitten pulled out from a freezing river, soaked to the bone, eyes wide in panic, huddled tightly in search of warmth.
The flickering fire cast dancing shadows across her face, reflections flickering in her brown eyes with a dreamy glint.
No, not just dreamy. There was also a trace of panic, hesitation, and exhaustion. Ren guessed she hadn't fully shaken off what had happened earlier.
He watched her silently for a moment, then shifted slightly closer, just enough to close the distance without making her feel cornered."You okay?" he asked, voice low and gentle, as if afraid any louder would startle her.
Yuna flinched slightly and lifted her gaze to him. There was a flicker of hesitation in her eyes before she gave a small, tentative nod."…Yeah."
But her voice didn't quite carry conviction. The way each word trembled made the answer feel fragile, almost transparent.
Ren looked at her for a long moment, then simply relaxed his posture, resting his hands on his knees and turning his eyes toward the fire.
He didn't press her. Didn't question. Didn't intrude. He just stayed, so she'd know she didn't have to face everything alone.
Yuna looked at him, eyes still hazy from having just woken up. She rubbed her eyes slowly, small hands brushing against her eyelids as if trying to wipe away the last remnants of a dream.
Then she looked back up again, this time directly at Ren, studying him more intently. Her expression shifted slowly, from fleeting surprise to uncertainty, then to something so confused it was almost comical.
She blinked. Once. Twice. Her brows furrowed slightly, as if what she was seeing couldn't possibly be real.
She didn't say anything, just continued staring at Ren, like she was trying to confirm if he was actually sitting there or if this was just some lingering figment of a half-forgotten dream.
Ren noticed the odd look in her eyes, but couldn't immediately make sense of it. He tilted his head slightly, puzzled.
"…What is it?"
But Yuna didn't respond right away. She kept blinking, as though trying to focus on something in her mind.
Her expression continued to shift, from suspicion to confusion, and then to something that looked like a mix of awe and disbelief.
It was as if she couldn't quite believe what she was seeing, or she was trying to piece together something that simply didn't add up.
Yuna kept looking at him, her gaze now tinged with a mix of curiosity and uncertainty, like she was trying to figure out something strange she couldn't quite name.
She tilted her head slightly. The firelight reflected in her eyes, creating a strange depth, a kind of complexity even she didn't seem fully aware of.
Ren began to feel slightly awkward under her gaze. He was used to being scrutinized in battle, used to being evaluated by other players sizing up his skills, but Yuna's gaze felt completely different.
It wasn't about gauging skill or strength. There was no suspicion or wariness that came with facing a stranger.
Instead, she looked at him like he was something unusual, something that didn't quite belong in the world she knew.
"…Why are you looking at me like that?" Ren finally spoke, the confusion starting to get to him. He wasn't even sure if he wanted to know the answer, but if she kept staring at him like that, he wasn't sure he could take it.
Yuna didn't answer right away. She narrowed her eyes slightly, as if weighing whether she should voice whatever was on her mind.
She looked at him a moment longer before finally speaking, so softly her words were almost drowned by the wind."…It's weird."
Ren raised an eyebrow. "What's weird?"
Yuna didn't respond immediately. She bit her lip lightly, her eyes still locked onto his face as if trying to find the right words to explain.
But even without speaking, her expression said everything, there was something about him, about this moment, that didn't match the image of him she'd carried before.
Everything pointed to Ren's face, now fully illuminated by the flickering orange firelight.
Because Ren had shown his real face, and it was completely different from what Yuna had imagined.
In her mind, Ren was supposed to be a formidable warrior, sharp, composed, exuding a cool, intimidating aura.
If not the kind of effortlessly cool guy who scared people off, then at least a strikingly handsome flirt with an overwhelming charm.
But no… not at all.
He was adorable.
Way too adorable.
Ren's face had delicate features that felt almost unreal, like a perfectly crafted porcelain doll sculpted from marble under the moonlight.
His flawless pale skin starkly contrasted with the image of a rugged warrior she had built in her head.
His jet-black hair, soft like raven feathers, was slightly tousled, but that only made him look even more like a little wolf cub just waking up from a long nap.
But what Yuna couldn't tear her eyes away from… were those stunning blue eyes. Clear and deep, like a lake reflecting the sky on the brightest of days.
Yuna's eyes widened, nearly dazed as she stared at him.
This can't be real.
Why… why did he look like that? Why was someone like him allowed to have a face like that?
She instinctively rubbed her eyes, then looked at Ren again. But no matter how many times she blinked, the image before her didn't change.
It wasn't the firelight.
It wasn't exhaustion.
It wasn't an illusion.
Ren really did look like this.
"No way…" she muttered under her breath, voice laced with confusion, and a hint of frustration.
Ren frowned, clearly puzzled by her strange reaction. "What do you mean, 'no way'?"
Yuna didn't answer right away. She kept staring at him, a strange sense of injustice stirring in her chest. Not only was this guy strong and stoic… he was unfairly good-looking too?
Her hand unconsciously moved to her own cheek. This wasn't fair at all. Someone who fought like that should've at least had sharper features, something more rugged…
But no. Ren's beauty was delicate to the point of being annoying, the kind that made it hard to decide whether to envy him or just give up altogether.
"…It's nothing," she finally muttered, turning her face away, but not quite able to hide the astonishment still lingering in her eyes.
Ren narrowed his gaze, clearly unimpressed with the evasive answer. He was used to being stared at in battle, wary eyes, calculating eyes, sometimes even admiring ones. But this was different.
There was no caution in her gaze. It was like she'd just discovered some strange, unbelievable truth and hadn't yet come to terms with it.
Her eyes were wide with surprise and mild disbelief, as if the person in front of her wasn't Ren but some strange, otherworldly creature.
It made him uncomfortable, like she'd just uncovered some secret about him, even one he didn't know himself.
"…What's going on?" he asked, voice tinged with confusion.
Yuna glanced at him, then quickly looked away again, as if she was afraid she'd lose her composure if she kept staring any longer.
She cleared her throat, clearly trying to mask her flustered state. "It's nothing. I just… didn't think you'd look like that."
Ren raised a brow. "Like what?"
She pressed her lips together, her gaze flicking to his face once more before darting away again, as if she needed time to find the right words.
Eventually, she rested her chin on her knees, tilted her head slightly, and said slowly:
"…Like a lost little wolf cub."
Ren blinked. "Huh?"
"I mean…" Yuna scratched her head, clearly unsure of how to explain herself. "You're sharp and strong in battle, but this face… it's, um… way too cute."
He frowned. "Cute?"
"Yeah." She nodded firmly, then pouted slightly, clearly annoyed. "Not just normally cute, either. You've got that annoyingly flawless pale skin, eyes that look like gemstones, hair that's all mysteriously silky black… If you held a sword while wearing some royal outfit, people would think you're a prince who wandered into this world. Or like, a princess."
Ren stared at her, utterly unsure how to respond. "Are you… complimenting me or insulting me?"
"Both."
"…Thanks?"
Yuna sighed, propping her elbow on her knee and muttering like she was having a crisis. "It's just not fair. Strong people are supposed to look more rugged, right? A few scars, a little roughness, at least something that says experience…"
She glanced at him again, her gaze full of injustice and mild despair. "…But you look like you stepped out of a painting. Like, one of those too-perfect ones."
Ren let out a startled cough. He hadn't expected the conversation to go in this direction. "Are you… comparing our looks right now?"
"Yes!" Yuna shot back without hesitation. "It's ridiculous! Do you know how much effort I put into skincare? Moisturizer, sunscreen, face masks every week… And you show up with that skin?!"
Ren stayed silent for a few seconds. Then finally, he could only offer a single, honest reply:
"…I don't even do anything."
That statement only made Yuna feel even more defeated. She clutched her head, slumping forward with a groan of despair. "Unacceptable!"