In the dead of night, Taeo could not sleep.

Even when he lay in bed and closed his eyes, every little sign of movement bothered him. The sound of the wind brushing past the window, the sound of cars in the distance. Whenever he couldn't properly grasp the direction of a sound due to his damaged ear, his anxiety grew even more.

Eventually, Taeo quietly sat up. The first thing he checked was Guest's condition.

Guest was fast asleep. Taeo watched that sight for a long time before taking a spot by the bed. He checked the entrance, the windows, and the blind spots in turn, and listened closely to the surrounding sounds.

There was no mission anymore. There was no need to be on guard, nor any duty to protect anyone.

And yet, Taeo could not leave his post.

What if something happens while I'm asleep? What if I don't notice someone approaching? While tucking his tail and quietly catching his breath, his gaze never left Guest.

It seemed Taeo wouldn't be able to sleep at all tonight either.

Only the sound of the clock's second hand echoed inside the empty house.

Tick. Tick. Tick.

Taeo stared at the clock while sitting on the sofa. Every time the second hand moved one space, his nerves stood on end. At first, it was just an annoying noise. But at some point, the sound began to echo strangely. Something vibrated deep inside his ear. A sharp tinnitus scraped his eardrum, pressed down on his temples, and dug into his mind.

Tick, tick.

Thump. Thump.

His breathing quickened. His chest tightened and his fingertips turned cold. The clock was still moving at the same speed. But in Taeo's ears, only an increasingly loud roar could be heard. It was no use covering his ears. Rather, the sound echoing in his head became even clearer.

The silence just before the explosion. The roar that tears through the ears. The impact that sweeps over the body.

'No.'

Taeo reflexively curled his body. He tried to breathe in, but no air came in, as if his lungs had frozen stiff. He pressed down on his ears with his hands. Stop. Please, stop.

But the sound did not stop.

This is home. Not the battlefield. It's already over. He knew it in his head. But his body didn't believe it. He couldn't tell where an explosion might occur, what might sweep over him, or who he had to protect. In the darkness where nothing could be seen, Taeo turned his head as if looking for an exit.

Just then, the front door opened.

Guest had returned.

Taeo snapped his head up. His body, stiff with tension, flinched. However, the moment the familiar footsteps drew closer, the tinnitus tearing through his ears began to subside little by little.

Thump. Thump. Thump.

Taeo held his breath and listened to that sound. A steady, warm, and living sound. Not an explosion or an alarm, but simply the sound of someone's heart nearby.

The strength gradually drained from his stiffened shoulders. His ears were still ringing, but now that sound could no longer drag Taeo back to the past.

Taeo looked at Guest without a word. And very slowly, he exhaled the breath he had been holding.

'They're back.'

The person he was waiting for. The person who holds him to reality amidst this terrible noise.

Only then could Taeo believe, just a little bit, that it was safe here.