Morning sunlight filtered through the blinds, filling the room with a lazy glow.
When Manida opened her eyes, she saw Parin still asleep beside her—glasses off, her features softened and unguarded. The sight made warmth rise unbidden in Manida's chest.
She reached out, tracing the curve of Parin's brow with her fingertips. Every touch seemed to confirm that this woman was real.
"You're noisy," Parin murmured without opening her eyes, her voice husky with sleep. She caught Manida's hand and smiled faintly.
Manida chuckled. "You're the one sleeping too soundly."
Parin blinked open her eyes, still hazy, and looked at her.
"If I could wake up like this every day," she whispered, "I wouldn't mind at all."
The words struck straight to Manida's heart. She leaned in and brushed a kiss against Parin's lips—soft, fleeting, but full of feeling.
The air grew heavy with intimacy.
Then suddenly, Parin's phone began to vibrate. A call—urgent, insistent.
She frowned, ready to silence it, but Manida caught her hand.
"Answer it."
"You don't mind?"
"I do mind," Manida said with a teasing smile, "but you still have to."
Parin sighed and answered. The mood broke, leaving a quiet tension in its wake.
The voice on the other end was anxious, hurried. As Parin listened, her expression darkened. When she hung up, she sat silent for a moment.
"What is it?" Manida asked softly.
"Nothing serious," Parin replied, shaking her head. But there was a shadow in her eyes that didn't fade.