Adrian's POV
The night had settled quietly when Ciel and I finally arrived home. The street was calm, the sky dark with a hint of the early morning glow, though it was still technically evening. She looked out the window of the car and muttered, almost to herself, "I didn't expect to meet Jayjay's cousin…"
I smirked. "Yeah, neither did I. He seems cold at first, but he's… kind."
Ciel nodded thoughtfully. "Kind, huh? You're the expert on reading people. I'll take your word."
We shared a short laugh and headed inside. The house felt peaceful, a stark contrast to the chaos of the past few days. After some light conversation, we both retired to our rooms, Ciel already half asleep before her head hit the pillow.
[ Monday morning ]
I woke up with a start, the room still dark. My clock read 4:13 a.m., but my body felt like it was way past 5. Something felt off.
Then my phone vibrated.
It was my grandfather.
I swung my legs over the bed and, still half-asleep, shuffled to the door. My grandfather's stern voice greeted me as I opened it.
"Adrian, we're leaving for China. There's a meeting that cannot wait. You're in charge of Ciel while we're away. Pack light; we'll be gone a month."
Half-asleep no more, I straightened instantly. "Understood," I replied.
After escorting them to the car and waving them off, I returned inside. Sleep didn't tempt me anymore. Instead, I sat at my computer, fingers flying across the keyboard, doing… well, let's just say something important. By the time I looked up, the sun had started peeking over the horizon.
It was time to wake Ciel.
I tiptoed to her room, noticing the soft hum of her voice. She was murmuring in her sleep.
"…Yuri , Yuri …"
I froze. My smirk formed instantly. Ah… so she's dreaming about him.
Quietly, I grabbed a pillow and smacked her lightly on the head. "Mentioning Yuri in your dream, huh?"
Her eyes snapped open, pupils wide and flustered. "Adrian! You woke me up! I was having the best dream of my life!"
I grinned. "Yeah, I bet. But you just had to say his name out loud."
She groaned dramatically, flopping back on the bed for a moment. "You're impossible."
I laughed and nudged her. "Come on, up. Chaos doesn't wait for dreamland."
Ciel scrambled out of bed, cheeks red. She rushed toward the bathroom, murmuring about how embarrassing it was. I chuckled, shaking my head at her flustered antics.
Dressing for school proved to be another challenge. As I buttoned up my school niqab, I realized my necktie was missing.
"Ciel! Have you seen my tie?" I called.
She, already fixing her hair, pointed. "It's hanging on the collar in the closet."
I retrieved it, thanking her with a brief nod, and returned to my room. Next up: shoes. I stood in front of my shelf, debating between sneakers and dress shoes. Then, a sudden smack on the back of my head nearly made me jump.
"Just pick any shoe, you're not meeting anyone fancy. And make it match the uniform," Ciel scolded playfully.
"Fine," I muttered, grabbing my white and blue Jordans.
Bag packed, laptop in place, ID clipped on, I was finally ready.
Walking to school with Ciel was… eventful. She wanted me to take the lead with some business conversation, which I teased her about endlessly. Then we saw Yuri in the hall.
A mischievous thought hit me instantly. Payback time.
"Good morning, lovebirds," I called toward Kiefer and Jayjay, sitting together near the entrance. Kiefer raised an eyebrow.
"Looks like someone's in a good mood today," he teased back.
"Oh, just had an interesting morning," I replied with a smirk, keeping my secret amusement.
As we walked toward Section E, we overheard some playful chatter about dreams. Ciel whispered something about Yuri, and I left her to avoid prolonging the awkwardness.
Entering the classroom, I saw Ciel take her seat. She immediately noticed me and gave a small, mysterious smile, leaving me confused for a moment.
Yuri approached her. "What did your brother mean this morning?"
Ciel's lips curved into a small grin. "Oh… someone mentioned your name in a dream."
Yuri blinked, a little flustered. "My name?"
"Mm-hmm," she said, nonchalantly, putting on her headset and resting her head on the table.
And just like that, the morning chaos settled into a quiet, teasing calm