Athena’s eyes flew wide in horror, panic written all over her face. "H-Hera!" she choked out, her voiceced with disbelief. It really felt like her best friend had just sold her off at a discount, and her brain short-circuited trying to figure out how to stop this auction.


    Zen couldn’t help but chuckle at Hera’s words, the tension in his shoulders easing slightly. Her lighthearted remark, paired with her earnest defense of Athena, chipped away at the storm brewing in his chest.


    He knew they’d gotten off to a terrible start, but before all this happened—despite only meeting Athena once—he’d thought they had a pretty good rapport. And honestly, knowing Hera’s personality, he didn’t believe she’d ever be close to someone with questionable character. That alone was enough for him to take a step back and rethink.


    If he was being fair, they <i>were</i> both victims in this mess. Athena had unknowingly been drugged that night—just like Hera. The difference was, Hera had the protection of her lovers around her, while Athena had to tough it out, relying only on a doctor to help ease the worst of it and her own willpower to push through until morning.


    Even Zhane, who was supposed to help, ended up drugged too. They didn’t have time to call in another doctor or rush Athena to a hospital... and he happened to be the only one left standing.


    And so... things happened.


    If Zen had kept an open mind, he would have recognized that, in his own way, he had helped Athena. It might not have been the most conventional method, but help was still help. He couldn’t even be sure what would have happened to Athena if he hadn’t stepped in—would she have suffered severe consequences? Damage to her reproductive system, perhaps? Or otherplications?


    When he thought about it from that perspective, he could see that, in his own way, he’d done a good deed. Just like Hera had said, they were both victims in this situation. So instead of ming themselves or each other, they needed to focus on who was truly at fault: the one who orchestrated it all.


    Even though they both feltpelled to take responsibility, Zen knew they also needed to ask themselves if the other person would even <i>want</i> that responsibility. Would taking on this burden cause more harm than good? Could their sense of responsibility potentially trap the other person in an unwanted situation? Or was there another way to alleviate the guilt they both carried?


    They couldn’t simply forget what had happened and pretend like nothing was wrong. They both understood that. So, what was the solution? They needed to think this through maturely, considering not just their own feelings, but how their choices might affect their rtionship with each other—especially with Hera.


    If they were forced into a marriage due to this mistake, would they both be happy? Or would they feel trapped, burdened by the weight of their actions?


    Instead of focusing on the guilt and pressure, Hera’s words echoed in their minds: the goal was to find a way to make things right without burdening or trapping anyone. With that in mind, both Zen and Athena began to calm down.


    They nodded at Hera in agreement. While it was clear that things between them couldn’t go back to how they were when they first met, there was still a chance for them to move forward.


    They might not see each other in the same light anymore, but they could still act naturally, maybe even shy around each other, which was a normal part because of what happened between them.


    If they wanted, they could even act like lovebirds—but only if it felt right. What they couldn’t do was force themselves into a situation that would lead to resentment. They knew that would only hurt them both.


    So, as they exchanged nces, Zen, clearly embarrassed, turned his face away, his cheeks flushed. Athena, too, felt nervous but understood the need for a fresh start.


    And so, they did. They decided to reintroduce themselves—an effort to move forward with a clean te.


    "H-Hello, my name is Zen... I’m Hera’s older brother..." Zen stammered, extending his hand toward Athena while avoiding her gaze. His heart raced, and his palms were mmy with nervousness.


    It was awkward, but somewhere amidst the difort, he felt a strange sense of relief. For the first time, he managed to push aside his guilt and anger, and in doing so, a weight lifted from his shoulders.


    As he looked at Athena now, he noticed something different—though she carried herself with confidence, there was a vulnerability, a subtle shyness to her, like a coin with two sides. She was lively and full of energy, yet still so sincere. A genuine smile tugged at the corners of his lips.


    "H-Hello... My name is... Athena, Hera’s best friend," Athena replied, her voice soft with nervousness. She reached out to shake Zen’s hand, her mind racing with thoughts and emotions.


    As her eyes met his, she noticed the change in his expression—a warm, genuine smile that made her heart flutter. There was somethingforting about him, almost like a golden retriever, and she couldn’t help but smile back, her heart thumping in her chest.