Chapter 232: Who are you
Nathan leaned back on the sofa, letting the silence sink in. The weight of his return, the strange mix of emotions—it all pressed heavy on his chest.
After a moment, he stood up and wandered to the small kitchen. His hand reached for the fridge handle. Click. The cool air washed over him.
"...Huh." He blinked. "Still here."
Rows of simple groceries greeted him—eggs, a half-full bottle of mineral water, and tucked in the corner... a small pack of yoghurt cups. He grabbed one, peeling off the foil lid.
Validia’s sharp eyes immediately locked on him. "What... is that?"
Nathan raised a brow. "Yoghurt. It’s... uh, kind of a human food. Made from milk."
Her brows furrowed, suspicious. "Milk... but it looks strange."
"Here." Nathan scooped a spoonful and held it out. "Try it."
Validia leaned forward cautiously, her lips brushing the spoon. The moment the cool, tangy sweetness hit her tongue, her crimson eyes lit up.
"...!" She froze, then her face softened in surprise. "This... this is... delicious."
Nathan smirked faintly. "Glad you like it."
Validia quickly snatched the cup from his hand, scooping another bite like a child who’d just found treasure. "I want more of this ’yoghurt.’"
For a moment, the apartment fell into a quiet lull. Nathan leaned against the counter, watching her silently savor each spoonful. Validia didn’t speak either—her attention wholly absorbed, eyes soft in a way he rarely saw back in the Tower.
Minutes passed like that. Peaceful. Almost too peaceful.
BANG! BANG! BANG!
The sudden pounding on the door shattered the calm.
Nathan jolted, his hand instinctively moving toward his pocket as if to summon a weapon that wasn’t there. Validia snapped upright, her eyes narrowing, the spoon clattering into the empty yoghurt cup.
"...Who the hell—?" Nathan muttered, approaching the door cautiously.
The banging grew louder, frantic.
He reached out, turned the knob, and pulled the door open.
Standing there was Sophia—her entire body drenched in sweat, hair plastered to her face, her chest heaving like she’d just sprinted across the entire city.
Her wide eyes locked onto Nathan, her lips trembling.
"N-Nathan..."
Nathan’s eyes widened the moment Sophia stumbled into the doorway.
Her tank top clung to her skin, soaked with sweat, every breath ragged and deep. Her hair, once neatly tied whenever he saw her in the office, now whipped around wildly as if she’d been sprinting through a battlefield instead of city streets.
"...Sophia?" Nathan muttered, frozen.
The Sophia he remembered was always dressed in pencil skirts and blazers, carrying stacks of reports, nagging him about deadlines, coffee breaks, and office etiquette.
But the woman in front of him now—her stance, her burning gaze, the way her muscles flexed as she steadied herself against the doorframe—
She looked nothing short of a fighter. A warrior.
Sophia’s eyes locked on him. In an instant, her trembling lips curled into a mix of relief and fury.
"NATHAN... YOU...!"
Before he could even process, she stomped inside, her footsteps heavy like a trained brawler marching to face an enemy. Nathan instinctively stepped back, completely dumbfounded.
"Wait—what the hell?!" he blurted, his mouth hanging open.
He scanned her up and down—sweat dripping, posture firm, a wild energy radiating from her body.
No way... This isn’t the Sophia I knew. She was just... my office senior...
Validia narrowed her eyes from the side, her hand twitching near her waist as if ready to conjure a blade. "Nathan. Who is this sweaty woman? Why does she look like a warrior?"
Nathan’s brain short-circuited. He couldn’t even answer properly. His jaw tightened as his mind scrambled to reconcile the image of "Sophia the corporate drone" with this... half-superhero, half-tsundere girl standing in his apartment.
Sophia jabbed a finger at his chest, her voice cracking from exhaustion and emotion.
"You... you disappeared... for MONTHS... and now you’re just—just casually standing here with some other woman?!"
Her glare softened for half a second, her breath hitching. Tears mingled with the sweat dripping down her chin.
"I thought... I thought you were dead, you idiot..."
Nathan stood there like an idiot himself, still processing, his mouth opening but no words coming out.
"...She’s really a fighter now..." he muttered under his breath, eyes wide in disbelief.
Sophia practically shoved Nathan aside as she stormed into the apartment, her breath still heavy.
"Move! Don’t just stand there looking dumb."
Her eyes swept the room, sharp like a hawk searching for prey. And then—her gaze locked on Validia.
"...So it’s you," she said, voice low, almost a growl. "You’re the one who was trapped inside the Tower with him?"
Validia tilted her head, utterly unbothered. "Correct."
Sophia clenched her fists, her jaw tightening. "Then answer me... how the hell did you two get out? No one’s ever come back after being pulled into that place."
Nathan’s tongue stuck to the roof of his mouth. He froze, unsure what excuse to give. His pulse pounded in his ears. Shit... what do I even say—
But Validia’s calm voice cut in smoothly.
"The Vortex that once absorbed us... suddenly reappeared. And then, without warning, we found ourselves outside the Tower."
Sophia blinked, stunned. Her guard lowered just a little, but suspicion still flickered in her eyes.
Nathan glanced sideways at Validia, his lips parting slightly. Damn... that lie was flawless. Not even a pause.
Sophia exhaled sharply, then turned her glare back to Nathan. "Hmph. Figures. Even after vanishing for months, you come back with some excuse... and a new woman at your side."
Her tone dripped with sarcasm, cutting straight into him like she always did back at the office.
"You really are pathetic, Nathan. Just a corporate dropout who got lucky."
Before Nathan could even react, Validia suddenly stepped forward. Her crimson eyes gleamed mischievously, and a playful smile curved her lips.
"And yet... that so-called loser is my perfect man."
She said it so casually—so brazenly—that the room froze for a second.
Nathan’s jaw dropped. "Wha—Wait, what?!"
He never imagined Validia—cold, sharp, always composed—could throw a line like that with such teasing heat.
Sophia’s face flushed instantly, half rage, half disbelief. "Y-You—!" Her voice cracked as she glared between them, fists trembling.
Nathan’s chest twisted. For months in the Tower, he had faced monsters, temptations, emotions he never thought he’d endure. That struggle had sharpened something in him. Now, standing here, he looked at Sophia differently.
Her sharp tongue, her heavy glare—it wasn’t just hostility. Beneath the sweat, the trembling breath, and the sarcasm... she was scared. Terrified of losing him.
Nathan’s eyes softened for a brief moment. She’s not angry because she hates me. She’s angry because... she was worried all this time.
At a Small Supermarket
The automatic door slid open with a soft chime as Emily stepped inside, carrying a shopping basket. She moved absentmindedly, her thoughts still tangled around her son’s return.
"Emily?"
She turned at the familiar voice. David stood a few steps away, a bag of groceries in one hand, his eyes widening the moment he saw her.
"Oh—David." Emily’s smile was faint, but her eyes were still shining with relief.
"You look... different." David frowned, picking up on her trembling hands. "What happened?"
Emily inhaled shakily, then exhaled, her lips curling into a trembling smile. "It’s Nathan... he’s back."
The bag in David’s hand nearly slipped. His entire body stiffened, his breath caught in his throat.
"...What?"
"He called me," Emily continued, her voice breaking into a soft sob. "He said he’s back. He’s at his apartment right now... and tonight, he’ll come home."
David’s mind raced. The words felt unreal, like a cruel joke. Nathan... back? After being swallowed by the Tower?
"How... how did he return?" he asked quickly.
Emily shook her head. "I don’t know. I haven’t asked him yet. I was just... so happy to hear his voice again."
David’s jaw tightened. Instinctively, he stepped closer, lowering his tone. "Tell me his address."
Emily blinked in surprise. "Huh?"
"Please. I need to see him."
The seriousness in his voice silenced any hesitation. With a slow nod, Emily gave him the address.
David left the supermarket without another word, his steps heavy and urgent.
Outside, the late afternoon breeze brushed against him, but his mind was a storm.
He’s back? Just like that?
No... this doesn’t make sense.
The WhiteNull Shop just activated a few hours ago. And now Nathan appears? Alive? Intact?
His fists clenched. Does he... have some connection to WhiteNull?
David’s gaze hardened, his thoughts spiraling into a knot of suspicion and unease.
"...This is getting complicated."
Nathan’s Apartment – Evening
The atmosphere inside was still tense. Sophia sat stiffly on the sofa, arms crossed, glaring at Validia from the corner of her eye. Validia, on the other hand, looked perfectly relaxed, spooning the last traces of yoghurt from the cup, her playful smirk refusing to fade.
Nathan stood between them, rubbing his temples. Goddammit... I just got back and already I’m stuck in some weird love triangle standoff...
Knock. Knock. Knock.
The sudden knocking at the door froze all three of them.
Sophia’s head whipped toward the entrance. "Another guest?" she muttered, her tone sharp.
Validia narrowed her eyes, her hand twitching subtly—ready to summon her magic if needed. "Nathan... are you expecting someone?"
"...No," Nathan whispered, his throat dry.
The knock came again—firmer this time.
DOK! DOK! DOK!
Nathan hesitated, then walked cautiously to the door. His fingers brushed the knob, his pulse hammering in his ears. Slowly, he pulled it open.
Standing in the hallway was David. His tall frame cast a shadow over the doorway, his expression unreadable. His sharp eyes scanned Nathan up and down, then flicked past him into the apartment, catching sight of Sophia and Validia.
"...Nathan?" David said quietly.
Nathan’s breath caught. "Who are you?"