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 wasn’t 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 hadn’t taken a single bite.

"You still don’t eat sweets first."

Kang Min said casually, breaking the silence.

"You always let it melt a little."

Sasha didn’t 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.

"Don’t 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.

"You’re right..."

He said.

"I don’t."

Another silence.

This one heavier.

Because neither of them missed what he meant.

Sasha’s 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 didn’t blink.

"Pretend what?"

"That you don’t recognize me."

The air shifted.

Barely.

But enough.

Kang’s 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 wasn’t warm.

"I figured."

There was a beat then she said a single word.

"Jae."

The name hung between them.

A name that didn’t belong to this world. It was a name buried somewhere far deeper.

Kang’s grip on the spoon tightened.

"...It’s been a while."

He said quietly.

Sasha’s smile vanished.

"Don’t."

The word came sharp.

"Don’t talk like we’re old friends catching up after years apart."

Her eyes hardened, something dark flickering beneath the surface.

"We both know that’s 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 didn’t answer.

She didn’t wait for permission.

"Do you ever think about it?"

Kang’s eyes flickered.

"...Think about what?"

Her gaze snapped up to his.

"You know what I’m 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 didn’t deny it.

"...And you don’t?"

He asked.

Sasha’s expression didn’t change.

"I try not to."

She paused before speaking further.

"But it doesn’t let you forget, does it?"

Kang said nothing.

Because she was right.

It never did.

Sasha’s 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.

Kang’s jaw tightened.

"...That’s 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.

"That’s when everything started falling apart."

Kang leaned forward now, resting his elbows on the table.

"...We survived longer than most."

Sasha’s 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 didn’t 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 didn’t."

The air turned suffocating.

"Don’t rewrite it."

Her gaze burned into him now.

"We didn’t make it past the 120th floor."

A beat.

"You left."

Kang’s expression didn’t 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."

Sasha’s lips curled slightly.

"A choice?"

Her voice rose just a little. It wasn’t loud, but enough to carry something dangerous.

"You mean you ran."

Kang’s eyes hardened.

"I left because the coalition was already breaking."

"Because of you."

The words came instantly.

Without hesitation and doubt.

Kang didn’t deny it.

Sasha’s 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 would’ve wiped us out anyway."

Sasha slammed her spoon down into the cup.

"Don’t you dare—!"

Her voice cracked slightly.

But she didn’t stop.

"Don’t 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, isn’t it?"

"The man who called everyone else selfish... was the first one to abandon them."

The silence was heavy and suffocating.

"...Say it."

Kang didn’t move.

"Say it, Jae."

Her voice shook now not from weakness but rather from restraint.

"Admit what you are."

Kang’s gaze met hers.

"...You want me to say I’m a monster?"

Sasha didn’t hesitate.

"You are."

The words landed without mercy.

"You always were."

A long pause followed.

Then—

"...And you’re the abandoner."

Sasha froze.

Just slightly.

But Kang saw it.

"...You left too," he continued quietly.

Her eyes narrowed.

"Don’t twist this."

"You survived," Kang said.

"Same as me."

"That’s 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 didn’t respond.

Sasha’s lips curled.

"You’re here, aren’t you?"

Her voice dripped with accusation.

"You didn’t reach the top like you always said you would."

A pause.

Then her eyes darkened.

"...Or did you?"

Kang’s expression didn’t 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.

"You’re rich. Comfortable. Living like nothing ever happened."

Her eyes sharpened.

"Using everything you learned in the Tower."

"Your greed never died, did it?"

Kang’s fingers tightened slightly.

"You used to talk about humans being selfish."

Sasha continued, her voice cutting deeper with every word.

"And yet you’re exactly the same."

"No."

Her lips pressed into a thin line.

"You’re worse."

"You call yourself selfless..."

She said quietly.

"To this day."

Her voice trembled.

"I hate you."

"Every part of you."

Kang didn’t look away.

Sasha’s breathing steadied, but her eyes remained sharp.

"And don’t 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 didn’t 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 don’t 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 didn’t dissapear but settled if only for a bit.

Like something unresolved.

After a moment, Kang spoke again.

"...How did you return?"

Sasha’s eyes narrowed slightly.

"...Why should I tell you?"

Kang didn’t 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.

"You’re the only one who made it past the 200th floor."

Kang’s 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.

"...I’m not obliged to answer that."

Sasha smiled faintly.

"Then neither am I."

Kang’s eyes narrowed slightly.

"...Then why did you come back?"

Sasha didn’t answer.

Kang leaned forward.

"Of all the towers... you chose the one in Russia."

A pause.

"You found something."

Sasha’s expression didn’t 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.

"I’m not answering your questions."

Kang watched her.

"...You can think whatever you want."

She adjusted the strap on her shoulder.

"Now, if that’s all..."

She glanced down at the table briefly.

"...I’ll be on my way."

Kang said nothing.

Sasha turned slightly then paused.

Without looking back, she spoke.

"You have a daughter now."

Kang’s 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."