The words slipped out smoothly, yet his fingers had curled slightly at his side, betraying a trace of nervous anticipation.
For a second, Annie simply stared at him.
'His… secret hideout?'
Of course she knew it. He was the one who had told her.
Her lips parted and then pressed together again.
She hadn't expected such a direct invitation, let alone one that sounded so carefully planned.
Felix watched her closely, his chest tightening as silence stretched. A thousand thoughts ran through his mind all at once.
'Did I push too far? Was that too sudden? What if she thinks I'm trying to corner her?'
Just as he was about to awkwardly backtrack, Annie nodded, slow and deliberate.
"Alright," she murmured, her voice soft but clear. "I'll come."
That single sentence sent a quiet jolt through Felix's body.
His ears burned faintly as he turned his face away, pretending to clear his throat while the corners of his mouth betrayed him by lifting higher.
