AUTHOR'S NOTE
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Now, enjoy Chapter 23! See you in the next one~ ✨
[ The beach looked different at night.]
( Lanterns lined the sand, their soft golden light swaying gently with the breeze. Fairy lights were strung between wooden poles, glowing warmly against the dark stretch of ocean beyond. Waves rolled in slow, steady rhythms, their sound mixing with quiet conversation and the faint clink of cutlery.)
[ A dining table had been set just a few steps from the shore.]
[ Candles burned at its center, their flames steady and calm—like they belonged here.]
( As we walked closer, I noticed the staff moving around the table, quietly placing dishes, adjusting plates, pouring water.)
( Everything was done smoothly, almost silently, like they were part of the night itself.)
"Aira, Noah—you both arrived," my mom said with a warm smile.
( She was seated beside Rylan's dad, who sat at the head of the table, his posture relaxed yet naturally authoritative.)
"Yes, Mom," Noah said happily. Then she leaned forward, excitement bubbling over. "And you know what? Aira's and my room is so beautiful." She giggled, finally letting go of my hand before sitting down next to Mom.
[ I glanced at the table and noticed two empty chairs opposite them.]
[ I walked over and took the seat directly across from Noah.]
( Mom smiled again and looked toward the empty place beside me.)
"Noah, did you tell Rylan about the dinner?"
Noah's eyes widened slightly. "M-Mom, sorry! I forgot to tell him." She turned apologetic. "I got excited and just took Aira with me."
"It's okay, sweetie, I message him". Rylan's dad said. His voice was deep, firm—but gentle when he spoke to her.
[ He reached into his pocket, pulled out his phone, and typed something quickly.]
"Let's start dinner," he said a moment later, placing the phone back. "Rylan will join us in a few minutes. Marco—please serve."
( At his words, the staff moved in smoothly, surrounding the table as dishes were brought out one by one, the soft glow of candlelight reflecting off polished plates.)
( And just like that, dinner began—under lantern light, beside the ocean, with one empty chair still waiting.)
In a minute later -:
[ The sound of footsteps reached us before I saw him.]
- Not rushed.
- Not loud.
[ Just steady—like he knew the night would wait.]
( I didn't look up immediately. My eyes stayed on the candle in front of me, watching the flame bend with the breeze. But my body reacted before my mind could stop it.)
[ Rylan stepped into the circle of lantern light.]
( He was wearing a white shirt, the fabric soft and slightly undone at the top—two buttons open, just enough to reveal the line of his collarbone and a glimpse of his chest when the wind moved. The sleeves were rolled up casually, forearms bare. Blue denim jeans sat low on his hips, dark against the pale sand, like he belonged to this place far too naturally.)
[ The ocean breeze toyed with his hair. Candlelight traced the sharp line of his jaw.]
"Sorry I'm late," he said, voice calm.
His father glanced up. "Sit. We just started."
[ Rylan's eyes moved across the table—Mom, Noah, his dad—then stopped.]
- On me.
- Just for a second.
- Just long enough for my breath to catch.
[ Then he pulled out the empty chair beside mine and sat down.]
[ The chair scraped softly against the sand.]
"Food smells good," he added casually.
( I felt him beside me—too close, even without touch. Our arms didn't meet, but the space between them felt charged, like it was waiting for a mistake.)
( Marco placed food in front of him, then me. The staff moved away again, leaving us under the lights and open sky.)
- I reached for my cutlery.
- So did he.
[ For a moment, our hands hovered too close above the table.]
- I pulled back first.
( The waves continued their slow rhythm, lanterns swayed, dinner went on—but the space beside me stayed loud, alive.)
[ And somehow, his arrival felt heavier than his absence.]
(Our tension broke when my mom spoke.)
"So, Aira," she asked gently, "do you like the island? And the villa?"
I swallowed the bite I had just taken and nodded. "Yeah, Mom. It's amazing. I like everything here."
Her smile widened before her eyes shifted.
"And you, Rylan?"
[ Rylan's hand paused mid-air, fork hovering just before his lips.]
"Yeah," he said after a second. "It's good. But… there's a lot that's changed since the last time I came here with my mom."
[ The air shifted instantly.]
( I looked at my mom. The smile on her face faltered—just slightly, but enough. She recovered quickly, though, softening her expression.)
"Things change," she said lightly. "But that doesn't mean you can't enjoy something new, right?"
[Rylan nodded once. Nothing more.]
( Silence settled again as we returned to our food, cutlery clinking softly beneath the hum of waves and lantern light.)
- Then I noticed it.
[ Rylan's dad reached out and covered my mom's hand with his own—slow, reassuring. A quiet apology without words.]
[ I lowered my gaze to my plate, chest tightening.]
[ Some wounds didn't bleed anymore.
But they still ached.]
( Just then, Marco appeared again, accompanied by two staff members carrying small glass bowls.)
"Dessert," he announced warmly.
( Cold porcelain touched the table as bowls were placed in front of us—vanilla ice cream swirled perfectly, drizzled with honey and topped with fresh berries, the kind that melted even before you could take a bite.)
[ Noah's eyes lit up instantly.]
"Oh!" she gasped, sitting up straighter. "Ice cream makes everything better. Even awkward dinners."
[My mom chuckled softly. Rylan's dad smiled, shaking his head.]
"Noah," my mom warned lightly.
"What?" she shrugged innocently, already scooping a spoonful. "It's true. If people fought with ice cream, there would be no wars."
[ I snorted before I could stop myself.]
"There," Noah said proudly, pointing her spoon at us. "See? Smiles. Mission complete."
[ The heaviness loosened just a little.]
[ Just sweet things melting slowly under warm island air.]
[ Noah tilted her bowl carefully, licking the last bit of ice cream from her spoon.]
"Mommy," she said suddenly, eyes bright. "After dessert… can we go see the sea? I want to see it at night."
My mom's smile faded just a little. "No, Noah. Not at night."
Noah's face fell instantly. "But whyyy? The beach is right there," she pointed dramatically toward the dark water. "I won't go far. Just a little walk."
"It's dark," my mom said gently but firmly. "And it's a new place."
"I'll hold Aira's hand," Noah insisted, turning to me like I was part of her argument. "She won't let me drown."
"Hey—" I started, but Noah had already grabbed my wrist.
Rylan let out a low chuckle from across the table. "Bold of you to trust her with your life."
I shot him a look. "Excuse me?"
Noah ignored both of us. "See? We're responsible."
My mom sighed. "Noah—"
[ Before she could finish, Rylan's dad spoke, calm and reassuring.]
"Darling," he said softly, covering my mom's hand. "Let her go."
[ My mom looked at him, surprised.]
He continued, voice warm. "It's our private beach. The staff is nearby. And…" his eyes flicked briefly toward us, "…Rylan and Aira will go with her."
- I froze.
[ My mom hesitated, then glanced at me.]
"You'll keep an eye on her?"
I nodded quickly. "Of course."
Noah gasped in excitement. "Yay! Night sea!"
Rylan leaned back in his chair, a slow smirk forming. "Guess we're babysitting."
I stood up, brushing sand from my dress. "Don't flatter yourself. I'm supervising."
He rose too, eyes meeting mine briefly. "Same thing."
( Lantern light flickered over us as we stepped away from the table—Noah between us, gripping both our hands like she'd just won something precious.)
[ The sea waited ahead, dark and endless.]
[ And Behind us, my mom's voice came again, soft but firm.]
"Take care of her, Rylan and Aira."
"I will, Mom," I replied.
( We stepped onto the sand. It slipped into our slippers instantly, cool and grainy, clinging to our feet. A light breeze brushed past us, carrying the smell of salt and the steady hush of waves. The lanterns behind us grew dimmer with every step.)
[ Silence settled—comfortable, awkward, heavy.]
Except… Noah.
She swung our joined hands once, then looked up at us with narrowed eyes.
"Aira," she said seriously. "And brother." are you two fight with each other."
I stopped walking and crouched in front of her. "No. We're not fighting."
She sighed like someone much older than her age. "Then why are you two not talking, hmm?"
[ I opened my mouth—then closed it.]
Rylan answered before I could. "Because some people talk too much."
I shot him a glare. "And some people don't talk too much."
Noah's eyes lit up. "So you are fighting."
"We're not," I said at the same time he said,
She crossed her arms, copying both of us perfectly. "Then talk."
I straightened, brushing sand from my hands. "There's nothing to talk about."
Rylan shrugged, hands in his pockets. "See? That is the problem."
I gasped. "Excuse me?"
Noah giggled, satisfied. "You fight like married people."
Both of us froze.
"What?" I said.
Rylan coughed. "She watches too much TV shows."
( Noah skipped ahead toward the water, laughing, leaving us a step behind—side by side, close enough to feel the warmth, far enough to pretend we didn't.)
[ The waves crashed softly ahead.]
[ And the silence came back—but this time, it felt different.]
"She's talking nonsense," I said, a light chuckle slipping out despite myself.
- He didn't reply.
Just looked at me for a moment—long enough that it made my breath hitch—then said, "We're babysitting her, right? See what she was doing."
( I glanced toward Noah. She was already crouched near the shoreline, fingers digging into the wet sand, splashing at the sea like it was her personal playground.)
I sighed. "Seriously…"
I jogged toward her. "Noah, don't play with wat—"
- I didn't even get to finish.
- She suddenly scooped water with both hands and flung it straight at my face.
- Cold. Salty. Shock.
[ I froze, standing there dumbfounded, water dripping down my cheeks and hair.]
- And then I heard it.
- Laughter.
[ Not just Noah's high-pitched giggles—but a deeper one beside her.]
- I turned slowly.
- Rylan was laughing.
[ Not his usual smirk. Not a teasing smile.]
( He was laughing like a child—head tilted back slightly, eyes crinkled, smile wide and real. Light. Free.)
- For the first time… I saw that Rylan.
- And God, I liked that smile.
"Stop, you two!" I protested.
"Why?" Noah laughed—and before I could react, she splashed me again.
- That's when I got an idea.
[ I bent down quickly, scooped water into my hands, and threw it straight at Rylan's face.]
- Splash.
- His laughter stopped instantly.
- He just stood there, water dripping from his hair, eyes wide, completely dumbfounded.
- For one perfect second.
[ Then Noah and I burst out laughing together.]
"What is this childishness, Aira?" he said, wiping his face.
I smirked, half laughing. "Oh, so now it's childish for you, huh?"
He walked closer, water swirling around his ankles. "Yes. It's childish behavior. For grown-ups."
I shouted back, "Then why were you laughing like a child when I was standing there like this?"
"Aira—"
"What?" I shot back.
[ He stared at me for a moment. Just stared.]
[ And then—without warning—he bent down, scooped me up in his arms.]
"What—Rylan! Stop!" I protested, grabbing his shirt. "Put me down!"
- His grip was firm, unshakable.
- He walked closer to the water.
"No—Rylan, I said stop!"
- Too late.
[ He stepped forward and lowered me straight into the sea.]
- Not deep—but enough.
( Water rushed around me, cool and shocking. I looked up at him, standing there above me, sleeves rolled, eyes dark and amused.)
- Dripping. Breathing hard.
[ And suddenly… the air between us wasn't playful anymore.]
- It was electric.
- For a second, none of us moved.
[ The water lapped softly around my waist, cool against my skin. ]
- Rylan looked down at me.
- Not laughing now.
- Not smirking.
- Just… looking.
"You did that on purpose," I accused, my breath uneven.
He tilted his head slightly. "You started it."
"I did not—"
"You threw water on me," he said calmly.
"Because you laughed at me first!"
[ A beat passed between us.]
( Then, slowly, the corner of his lips lifted. Not a full smile. Something softer. Dangerous.)
"I liked that," he said quietly.
I frowned. "Liked what?"
"You laughing," he replied. "You don't do that much anymore."
[ That wiped the smile off my face.]
(Before I could say anything, a loud splash cut through the moment.)
"HEY!"
Noah had jumped straight into the shallow water, soaking herself completely. "Why are you both standing like statues? This is the sea!"
- I blinked.
( Rylan exhaled and stepped back, the moment snapping like a thread pulled too tight.)
"Careful," he said to Noah, instantly back to brother mode. "The rocks are slippery."
She rolled her eyes. "You're boring."
I pushed water toward her gently. "You're the one who started a water war."
She gasped dramatically. "Ohhh, so you want to fight with me Aira?"
[ Before I could stop her, she splashed water straight at me.]
"Noah—!"
- Too late.
[ Water hit my face, cold and shocking. I stood there for half a second, stunned.]
[ Then I scooped water in my hands and splashed it back at her.]
[ She squealed, laughing, and threw more water at me.]
"Oh, you're dead now," I warned, splashing her again.
( She retaliated instantly, and soon we were both laughing, splashing water at each other like kids who had forgotten how old they were supposed to be.)
[ I didn't even realize when my hand moved again—until the water hit Rylan.]
- He froze.
( For a moment, he just stood there, soaked, staring at me like he couldn't believe what I'd done.)
- Then Noah laughed louder. I laughed too.
- And something in Rylan cracked.
( He shook his head once, then stepped forward, scooping water and throwing it right back at us.)
"No fair!" Noah shouted, laughing uncontrollably.
( The three of us were suddenly in it together—splashes flying everywhere, laughter echoing over the waves, water soaking clothes and hair.)
[ For a few minutes, there were no awkward silences.]
- No past mistakes.
- No tension.
[ Just us—laughing, splashing water, acting like kids.]
AIRA'S MOM POV
"They're enjoying, right… Richard?"
( I leaned my head against his shoulder, and his arm tightened around me, pulling me a little closer. The sound of the waves and their laughter carried softly through the night air.)
( Richard looked toward the shore—Aira, Noah, and Rylan splashing each other, laughing without care. He pressed a gentle kiss to the top of my head.)
"Yeah," he said quietly. "They're starting to feel like a family, right?"
[ I smiled, but my heart felt heavy too.]
"Yes… I'm happy," I said softly. "But I'm also worried."
[ He turned slightly toward me.]
"Aira and Rylan… their fights," I continued. "I know they're trying, but it's not easy for them. They didn't grow up together. If they were children, they would've adjusted without thinking. But when children grow into adults… it takes time."
[ I exhaled slowly.]
"Still… thank you. For this trip. For this moment. Look at them, Richard. For the first time, it feels like we're really becoming a family."
[ He smiled warmly.]
"We are a family," he said. "Our kids just need time. But tonight? We took one step closer. That's enough."
[ I nodded, wiping the tears that slipped down my cheeks.]
"We should call them back," I said gently.
"They'll catch a cold."
Richard chuckled. "Yeah, darling. I'll ask Marco to tell them."
RYLAN POV
[ Our laughter faded when Marco's calm voice reached us.]
"Mr. Rylan, your father is asking you all to come out."
( I looked at Aira and Noah. Noah had already stopped splashing, water dripping from her hair.)
"I think we have to go," I said.
[ Her face dropped instantly.]
"But why?" she asked sadly. "We just started."
[ I chuckled, brushing water from my face.]
"parents are worried about us. What if you catch a cold?"
"I'm strong, brother," she said proudly.
I sighed. "Yeah, my strong one. Come on."
She shook her head. "No. I'm not going."
"Noah," I huffed.
[ She stayed stubborn, arms crossed.]
[ With no choice left, I scooped her up in my arms.]
"Brother!" she protested.
"We'll come again tomorrow morning,
okay?" I said softly. "Then you can stay here all day."
She pouted for a second… then nodded.
"Okay."
I laughed at her cuteness.
"She's stubborn," I said, glancing at Aira.
"Just like you."
"We are not stubborn," she shot back.
"You are," I smirked.
( I carried Noah out of the water, her arms wrapped around my neck, still pouting. Beside me, Aira walked quietly, wet clothes clinging to her, hair tangled by the sea breeze.)
[ For the first time that night, the silence didn't feel heavy.]
( It felt… normal.We walked back toward the dining table together. I gently put Noah down, and one of the staff immediately stepped forward, handing us soft towels. We dried our hair, the night breeze still clinging to our skin.)
Aira's mom smiled warmly.
"So, did you all enjoy yourselves?"
"Yes, Mom!" Noah said brightly. "And tomorrow we all go to the beach again, okay?"
Her mom chuckled. "Okay, sweetie."
Aira's voice came softly beside me.
"Mom, I'm going to my room to changemy clothes . Noah, are you coming?"
[ Noah thought for a moment, then shook her head.]
"No. I'll stay with Mom and Dad tonight. I want to talk to Mom about tomorrow's island market trip."
Aira blinked. "We're going to the market tomorrow?"
Her mom nodded. "Yes, sweetheart. In the morning. We'll have breakfast there and then take a walk through the market."
( I noticed it then—the way Aira's eyes lit up. Like tiny stars. She always looked like that when she was excited.)
"Okay," Aira said, smiling. I'm going mom "Good night, Mom.
[ She turned and started walking into the villa.]
"Good night, Dad," I said, and followed her.
( We walked in the same direction, but there was distance between us. The kind you can feel even when someone is right there.)
( Ever since she said what happened in Greece was a MISTAKE for her, something between us had shifted. It hurt more than I wanted to admit. That's why I'd started pulling away—giving her space, a cold shoulder I didn't even like giving.)
[ I wanted to make her happy.]
[ But every time we got close, something pulled us apart again.]
We reached our rooms.
[ Aira unlocked her door, and before I could stop myself, I spoke.]
"Good night, Aira."
[ She paused, hand still on the door, then turned slightly. Her voice was soft.]
"Good night, Rylan."
- She went inside.
- I did the same.
( Our rooms were separated by only a thin wall. So close… and yet so far.)
( I lay back, staring at the ceiling, knowing this distance wouldn't last forever—not if we talked. Not if we were honest.)
And just like that, the first day of the trip ended—
with laughter, enjoyment, longing…
and the quiet return of tension and misunderstanding.