The sunlight streamed through the thin curtains, soft and golden, spilling over the edges of the bed. Dust motes danced lazily in the air.
Michael sat against the headboard, his hair a little messy, eyes calm yet lost somewhere far away. Beside him, Luna rested her head on his shoulder — quiet, content — her fingers gently curling around his arm as if anchoring him to the moment.
He continued his story in a low, rhythmic voice.
"…and then—"
But before he could finish, a voice rang through the still air — warm and clear.
"Michael! Breakfast is getting cold! Come and eat your food, son! And bring Luna with you!"
Michael froze mid-sentence, his lips parting as his mother's voice echoed down the hall.
Luna blinked, her gaze sliding up toward his. Her expression was calm, but her eyes gleamed with faint amusement.
He sighed. "Coming, Mom!" Then turned to Luna, scratching his neck with an awkward smile. "Guess we'll have to continue the story later. Okay with you?"
For a moment, Luna didn't answer. She just looked at him — really looked — her gaze distant yet strangely sharp.
Then she smiled, the kind of smile that looked soft but hid something unspoken.
"That's fine," she said. "But one thing you must not forget…" She lifted her hand, lightly tapping his chest, just above the heart. "We're telling Aunt Luminous about our marriage today. Understood?"
Michael stiffened. The light in the room dimmed, as if her words had weight.
"…M-marriage? Wait, right now?" His voice wavered.
Luna's expression didn't change, but her eyes did — they glowed faintly, an obsessive warmth mingling with danger.
"Yes," she whispered. "Right now."
He swallowed hard. "O-okay! You can tell her!"
Her smile returned instantly, bright and childlike — a perfect illusion of innocence. "Good." She stood up in one graceful motion, brushing her skirt. "Then let's go. Mother-in-law is waiting~"
Michael could only watch as she walked to the door, humming lightly — a tune that made the air tremble.
He muttered under his breath, "No matter what I do, she always wins…"
The dining room was warm and filled with the scent of freshly made pancakes.
Sunlight pooled across the wooden table, and steam rose lazily from the plates.
Michael and Luna sat side by side, the faint clinking of silverware echoing softly.
Luminous approached them with a serene smile, her hair glowing faintly in the morning light.
"Eat to your heart's content, both of you," she said.
Her tone carried the effortless grace of a mother who had seen too much but still chose gentleness.
Luna's eyes sparkled. "Ahh… it looks delicious! You're really good at this, Aunt Luminous! Would you mind teaching me someday?"
Her enthusiasm was genuine, but there was a touch of admiration too — like she was staring at something sacred.
Luminous chuckled, placing another dish on the table. "Of course, dear. I'd love that."
Meanwhile, Michael sat beside them, beads of sweat forming at his temples.
He ate quietly, eyes lowered, pretending not to notice the way Luna kept glancing at him between bites — like a predator watching its prey in broad daylight.
Then Luna turned to him fully.
"Michael," she said sweetly, "why don't I feed you?"
His fork froze midair. "W-what?"
"Say ahh~" she teased, lifting a piece of pancake toward him.
Michael's eyes darted to his mother, desperate. But Luminous only smiled, watching silently, amused.
He sighed, defeated. "Ahh…" He opened his mouth slightly, cheeks burning.
Luna giggled softly and leaned closer, placing the bite in his mouth with her hand — not a fork, not a spoon — just her fingers.
Her skin brushed his lips. The air seemed to still.
She pulled back slowly and licked the finger she used to feed him, her smile serene, her eyes dark with mischief.
Luminous raised an eyebrow, but said nothing.
"Your turn," Luna whispered, leaning in. "Feed me, Michael."
He hesitated. His fingers trembled as he lifted a small piece toward her.
Luna leaned forward, her eyes never leaving his.
When her lips touched his fingertips, Michael's heart skipped a beat.
She lingered just a moment too long before pulling away, smiling faintly — her tone calm, almost teasing.
"See? Easy."
Michael exhaled shakily. His mother watched them both — not with anger, but with a strange sadness that lingered in her gaze. She finally spoke.
"You two are quite close, aren't you?" she said softly. "So… when did you first meet?"
Luna blinked. The question hit like a bell ringing in her mind.
She turned toward Michael slightly, her lips not moving as her voice whispered in his mind, "What do I say? She doesn't remember me… you never told me how to explain that…"
Michael froze for a second, then replied telepathically, "Say we met in high school… and now we go to the same college. Keep it simple."
Luna smiled, turning back to Luminous.
"We first met in high school," she said warmly. "Eventually, we fell in love. And now… we're in the same college."
Luminous' expression shifted — the softness in her eyes faded, replaced by a piercing stare directed at her son.
Michael's shoulders tensed immediately.
She didn't speak, but her eyes said it all: You had a girlfriend, and you didn't tell me?
He looked away. "Mom, I—"
But before he could finish, Luna gave him a look of her own — a sharp, silent glare that screamed, 'You didn't tell her about me?'
Michael sighed internally 'Why is this happening to me?'
Luminous cleared her throat softly, cutting through the tension.
"So," she said, her tone calm but laced with curiosity, "I suppose you two plan to marry… since you've already chosen to share so much together."
Luna blushed faintly, her composure wavering just enough for her warmth to feel human again.
"Yes," she whispered, looking at Michael with that familiar fire in her eyes. "We want to marry each other… right, Michael?"
He nodded slowly, smiling nervously. "Y-yeah, Mom. We do. But maybe after col—"
He couldn't finish his words as he felt Luna's left hand on his crouch under the table, she telepathically said 'You! Seems like yesterday's punishment wasn't enough huh?.. Tonight you are going to be punished even more!..Hmph'
Michael Gulped in fear as he thought about yesterday's punishment.He had already given up on running away.
For a moment, silence filled the room. Only the sound of clinking cutlery remained.
Then Luna spoke again, her tone gentle but purposeful.
"Aunt Luminous… can I talk to you? Alone, after breakfast?"
Luminous blinked, surprised. "Of course," she said. "Come to my room once we're done. We can talk — mother to daughter."
Luna's expression melted into a smile — not the mischievous one, not the calculating one, but something real, fragile.
She lowered her eyes for a moment and whispered, almost to herself,
"Thank you…"
Michael watched her quietly, unable to read her thoughts. He could sense the storm within her, the soft conflict between obsession and longing.
He thought to himself, 'She really does want to be part of our family… doesn't she?'
The morning light shifted, warmer now, falling over the three of them — a mother, a son, and a girl caught somewhere between love and madness.
For a brief, silent moment, everything felt… normal.
But deep within, the quiet air trembled — as if something unseen was waiting to change it all.
_____________
To be continued....