Healing Angel. Les Liaisons Dangereuses. Resident Evil

The moment Claire stepped into the lobby of the luxury hotel, her breath was taken by its splendor.

Perhaps it was because it was Christmas, the West's most celebrated season?

The entire building was lavishly decorated.

The light from the chandeliers reflected off the marble floor, and the quiet sounds of classical music filled the air.

This hotel, where she was on a business trip, was a luxurious space far removed from her usual life.

Having walked through the snow-covered streets, she warmed her chilled hands by the lobby's luxurious fireplace.

As Claire headed to the front desk, dragging her suitcase, intending to go to her room and take a long bath, her eyes were suddenly fixed on two figures standing in front of the elevator.

It was Leon.

His distinctive blonde hair, broad shoulders, and piercing eyes.

There was no mistaking it.

But next to him was a beautiful, unknown woman.

Clad in a black dress, smiling gracefully, her hand lightly resting on Leon's arm. The two of them exchanged an intimate conversation, and when the elevator doors opened, they disappeared inside, as if sucked in.

Claire's heart began to race.

Leon and Claire were not lovers.

Longtime comrades in arms, trusted allies.

That was all it was supposed to be.

But something deep in her chest groaned terribly.

As she watched the two of them disappear into the room, she knew.

What would happen in that room.

Even though they were not lovers, the thought of it somehow made Claire's heart tighten.

Suddenly, all the blood drained from her body, and she hugged his cold body with both arms and ran into the room.

Throwing her suitcase into the room, Claire headed straight for the hotel bar.

She was feeling depressed.

She couldn't contain her emotions.

The bar was dimly lit, and the smell of whiskey and the sounds of jazz wafted through the air.

Claire sat at the end of the counter, sipping her drink, her mind racing with Leon's image.

Who was she?

Why was Leon here?

The more she thought about it, the more unsettling her heart became.

"One more, a double."

She ordered to the bartender and downed her glass in one go.

The heat of the alcohol burned her throat, and her mind gradually became hazy.

"It's a shame that such a beautiful person is drinking alone."

Suddenly, a low, smooth voice came from next to her.

Claire looked up, and there stood a stranger.

Blonde hair, neatly styled, piercing eyes.

His height and build were somewhat similar to Leon's.

In fact, they were identical.

Even his eyes were the same deep blue.

"Who are you?"

Claire's voice was a little hoarse.

The man smiled and continued, as if he had seen through the gap in her heart.

"I'm just a traveler.

I'm staying at this hotel, just like you.

If you feel like talking, I'd love to talk with you."

The man's tone was light, but there was a dangerous charm to it.

For a moment, Claire remembered Leon's face.

Leon with that woman.

Leon had disappeared into his room, leaving her behind.

A fire ignited in her heart.

"Okay. Want to have a drink?"

She smiled challengingly and raised her glass.

Time seemed to melt away, and Claire found herself walking through the door of his room.

She had left her reason behind.

Was it the alcohol, her irritation with Leon, or was it because she was drawn to his facial features, which were so similar to Leon's?

She herself couldn't put her finger on the reason.

However, the moment she entered the room, when his hand touched her shoulder, Claire was overcome for a moment by a wave of regret.

But, as if shaking it off, she gave herself over to him.

[newpage]

The next morning, Claire and him stepped into the lobby.

As she smoothed her slightly messy hair, she vaguely recalled the events of the night before.

Then, out of the corner of her eye, she saw someone moving.

It was Leon.

He was staring at Claire and the man with sharp eyes.

His gaze made Claire's heart skip a beat again.

"Claire, you're here..."

Leon's voice was low, and for some reason, it exuded uncontrollable anger.

"Who is he? What were you doing?"

Claire was at a loss for words for a moment, but then her desperate feelings spilled out.

"We were drinking at a bar and he started hitting on me.

I just wanted to have some fun.

He was my type, after all.

So I went straight to his room."

She spoke in a deliberately challenging tone.

Leon's face lost all expression.

"Is he your type? Want to play? Is this guy?"

Leon's voice was emotionless.

Leon took a step closer, looked him in the face, then looked straight at Claire.

"What a creepy guy.

He's got the same face as me. Same hair. Same build. Even my eye color."

Leon's harsh voice made Claire stubborn.

"Not only that.

Your voice is just like him. I heard it a lot last night."

Leon's face stiffened even more.

Claire was a little frightened, but she kept her fear hidden.

Claire stared at Leon with cold eyes, but in the next moment, her eyes welled up with tears in shock at Leon's accusing words.

"If that's the case, why not me?

If you want to play, why not me?"

Claire gasped.

It took a while to process Leon's words.

No, she could barely react, her mind completely adrift.

Claire's mind was a mess.

"Leon, what...?"

She was at a loss for words and simply stared at his face.

But unable to bear Leon's heated, stern gaze, Claire looked away.

"Playing... you're my friend! I couldn't be so rude.

Don't say stupid things!"

She was being serious.

There was no need for play between her and him.

As long as we were honest, it wouldn't be a problem if we were just friends forever.

The realization that he didn't even understand that finally subsided her irritation, and sadness began to well up in her mind instead.

"Sorry, I'm going back to my room."

Claire simply refused to accept the offer from the man beside her, who had been watching their interaction without a reaction, and got into the elevator as if fleeing.

As the doors closed, she caught a fleeting glimpse of Leon's confused expression.

Claire closed the door to her hotel room and collapsed onto the bed.

Her heart was still pounding. Leon's words echoed in her head.

'Why not me?'

She was angry.

This was crazy.

Isn't she going crazy from playing around with women too much?

She didn't want that kind of relationship.

Claire buried her face in her pillow, letting the frustration well up within her as she surrendered to the silence of the hotel.

[newpage]

Leon watched Claire hop into the elevator and the door close, then stood there in the middle of the lobby.

Her distraught expression and the words he'd accidentally blurted out, 'Why not me?', swirled around in his mind.

Regret and frustration mixed together, and he clenched his fists.

"You're getting pretty worked up. It's Christmas, a happy time of year. Try to look more cheerful."

He turned around and saw the man who looked exactly like him from earlier.

With his blond hair lightly brushed back and a sarcastic smile on his face, the man shared Leon's features, but exuded a somewhat frivolous air.

Leon's eyes narrowed, and he became increasingly wary.

"Who are you?"

Leon's voice was low, his voice not hiding his hostility.

"I'm just a tourist.

Noel Raphael Valmont.

The man who spent the night with Claire. I hope you remember me."

Those words caused something deep inside Leon's heart to explode.

"Noel? What a sweet name. Are you French?"

"Yees, Monsieur, is it Léon (The Lion) Scott (The Indomitable Spirit) Kennedy (The Warrior in Armor)? Such a fierce name, I'm envious."

Léon thought the man was born to get on his nerves in every way.

Noel (The Birth of the Savior), Raphael (The Healing Angel), Valmont (The Skilled Seducer).

He even wondered if they were fake names.

Especially his first name.

Noel, the reverse of his own name, Leon.

Is he kidding me?

But Léon suppressed his emotions and fixed the man with a cold gaze.

"What did you do to Claire? Don't get her involved."

The man chuckled, brushing off Léon's words.

Noel took a step closer and continued in a lower voice.

"Get her involved?

That's pretty arrogant of you.

I just had a good time with Claire last night. So,"

Noel paused for a moment, gazing intently at Leon's face.

"What about you? Did you have a good time last night?"

Leon's eyebrows twitched.

Noel's words hit a nerve right on the wrong side.

"What are you trying to say...?"

The man remained unfazed; instead, he smiled as if enjoying his reaction.

"Calm down, brother.

I just wanted to comfort Claire last night.

I found her drinking alone at the bar, and she looked so dangerous I couldn't leave her alone.

Have you seen it?

If you leave a woman like that alone, she'll get consumed by loneliness."

Noel's words were sharp, and Leon, remembering last night, looked away for a moment.

Not missing the opportunity, Noel pressed on.

"Besides, why are you blaming Claire?

I mean, you're just a friend, aren't you?

You're not my lover or anything.

So why are you getting so worked up?

You're not the type to have feelings for Claire, are you?"

Noel's voice was a mixture of provocation and mockery.

It was as if he had seen through Leon's weaknesses: his inability to honestly admit his feelings, and his weakness that prevented him from stepping into the ambiguous relationship with Claire.

Leon's expression went blank, and his lips pursed for a moment.

"Shut up."

Leon's voice was low, and suppressed anger was evident.

But Noel didn't back down; instead, he approached Leon.

"Claire wasn't just a game to me.

I knew right away that she wasn't someone I could just play with.

Unlike some woman in a cheap black dress.

That's why I treated her with care."

Those words sent Leon's self-control into a tailspin.

He took a step forward, about to grab Noel by the collar, but at that moment, he felt the gazes of the other guests in the lobby and stopped.

The man grinned and whispered, "Come on, brother. Claire chose me.

No matter what you think of her now, she doesn't belong to you.

She belongs to me. Mine. Very much mine.

To her, you're just a guy who looks just like me."

With those words, Noel strode out of the lobby.

Leon stood there, slowly lowering his clenched fists.

Anger, regret, and an uncontrollable wave of emotion toward Claire swirled within him.

The man's words confronted him with truths he had unconsciously avoided.

His feelings for Claire.

The ambiguity of their relationship.

And the fact that he might have hurt her.

Leon took a deep breath and looked up to the floor where Claire's room was.

What should he say to her? How should he face her?

His mind still struggled to find an answer.

[newpage]

While Leon stood there in the lobby, Noel quietly boarded the elevator and headed to the floor where Claire's room was.

The sarcastic smile he had given Leon earlier was gone, replaced by a calm, thoughtful expression.

Noel stopped in front of Claire's door and knocked lightly.

"Claire, it's me. Noel."

After a moment, the door slowly slid open.

Claire's face was exhausted, her eyes slightly red and swollen.

She silently opened the door wide and invited Noel in.

The room was dimly lit, and the sheets on the bed where Claire had collapsed moments earlier were in disarray.

Without a word, she opened the door wide and invited Noel in.

The room was dimly lit, and the sheets on the bed where Claire had collapsed were disheveled.

Claire sat down on the sofa, hugging her knees, and looked up at Noel.

It was clear that Claire was trying to contain her emotions.

Noel sat down next to her and began to speak quietly.

"Leon and I were talking earlier. I think I provoked him a little."

Claire's eyes widened.

"Provoked him? What do you mean?"

Her voice was a mixture of surprise and anxiety.

Noel let out a sigh and remembered last night.

It was clear she was upset when she first walked through the door.

He wondered if it was wrong to take advantage of a woman like that, but it was in his nature to not leave a woman who was hurting alone.

He hoped he could offer her some comfort.

Their kisses grew more passionate, and one by one, their clothes fell to the floor.

Even when I let her hair down and collapsed into bed, I was amazed at how calmly I observed her.

Apparently, my ancestor was a notorious aristocrat and playboy, so famous that he was even mentioned in classical French literature in the 18th century.

Apparently, he would write letters to ladies, flirting with them, using the backs of prostitutes as desks.

Perhaps it was because I felt repulsed by such an ancestor?

I want to love, respect, and heal every woman.

It was just natural to live with that thought.

As he gazed upon her face again and tried to kiss her,

large tears began to flow from Claire's eyes.

"I just can't do it..."

Noel didn't show it on his face, but it was a great shock.

He was quite confident in himself.

I wanted to heal her.

The first time I felt that way was back in my youth.

My aunt-in-law, who had loved me since I was a child.

It was the first time I held her, or rather, she held me, as she was suffering because of her husband's infidelity.

Since then, I've wanted to help all women who are tormented by men.

With that thought in mind, I've slept with countless women.

All kinds of women, but they all had one thing in common: they were tormented by selfish men.

And yet, I was rejected by women.

Why?

Am I not attractive enough?

Am I not skilled enough?

Am I not good enough with words?

That can't be.

Claire said to Noel.

'I could never let Leon, a man who looks like my friend, hold me...'

Noel blinked several times, and a smile finally returned to his lips.

'I see, I understand. Well, let's have another drink. Listen to me about my travels. I've wandered so many places. "I now have many ports to return to. And here, too, I had the wonderful encounter with you."

Claire rose, tears streaming down her face.

"I'm sorry... I'm sorry..."

Noel, donning a bathrobe, pulled a bottle of wine from the minibar in his room and poured Claire a glass.

They continued talking endlessly until dawn.

[newpage]

Claire's gaze fell to the floor.

Memories of last night came flooding back, weighing on her heart.

When she left the hustle and bustle of the bar and stepped into Noel's room, she was clearly in despair.

Irrational frustration at Leon's behavior and the power of alcohol were driving her.

But the moment she was in Noel's arms and his face met Leon's, the emotions she had been suppressing began to overflow.

She cried and spoke of her feelings for Leon.

It was only by talking to Noel that she realized the depth of her feelings, something she hadn't even realized herself.

Noel noticed her silence and continued.

"When I saw Leon this morning, I realized... How selfish of him.

He called you 'just a friend,' but then got so angry when he saw you with another man.

He spent time with other women, yet he wouldn't allow you to be free.

I just couldn't stand that kind of attitude."

Claire raised her head and looked Noel in the eyes.

"Provocation... What did you say?"

Noel smiled wryly and summarized the conversation in the lobby.

"That you chose me, that I was the one who healed you.

That he had no right to blame you, you know.

Well, I might have exaggerated a bit, but... you could see he was extremely upset."

Claire looked like she was about to laugh for a moment, but her expression quickly clouded over.

"Noel...you didn't need to say that."

Her voice was small, and somewhat sad.

Noel placed his hand lightly on her shoulder and spoke in a serious tone.

"Claire, you were hurt by that guy.

I couldn't forgive the way he kept manipulating you without realizing his own feelings.

I just thought you deserved to be cherished.

That's all."

Claire's eyes welled up again.

While she was grateful for Noel's words, she couldn't get Leon's words

"Why don't you do it with me?"

out of her mind.

She herself still couldn't find the answer to what Leon wanted from her.

"Thank you, Noel. You listened to me last night...it really helped me."

Claire smiled slightly and gently shook Noel's hand.

Noel nodded slightly and stood up.

"You should have a proper talk with Leon. Otherwise, you and he will both continue to wander this maze."

As he said this, he pressed a light kiss to Claire's cheek.

"He'll be here soon. Let's have a proper discussion. Well, Joyeux Noël, claire. (Merry Christmas, Claire)"

With those words, Noël left the room.

Or perhaps he had completed his mission and returned to heaven.

Leaving the gift behind,

Left alone, Claire gazed out the window at the city lights spreading out before her.

Her feelings for Leon, Noël's kindness, and her own confusion.

She took a deep breath and closed her eyes as if to steel her resolve.

And just then, there was a knock on her door, and after a moment, Claire reached for the doorknob.