Gu Jihu's hand dropped to her shoulder, his grip firm but comforting.
His mind raced, trying to understand what was happening. This wasn't normal.
"Gu Jin," he said softly, his voice steady despite the worry gnawing at him.
"It's okay if you don't cry. But I need you to talk to me. Tell me how you're feeling."
She hesitated, her brow furrowing slightly.
"I… don't know," she admitted, her voice so quiet it was almost a whisper. "It's like… there's a wall inside me. I feel like I want to cry, but something is stopping me."
Gu Jihu's chest tightened.
He had seen people shut down like this before—people who had been through too much, who had learned to suppress their emotions just to survive.
Was that what had happened to Gu Jin?
He gently squeezed her shoulder, his voice softer than before.
"You've been through a lot, haven't you?" he asked, though he already knew the answer.
Gu Jin didn't respond.
