KAIZA'S POV :-
Everything is good now…
At least, that's what it looks like.
No chaos.
No shouting.
No breaking.
Just… quiet.
And I don't know why, but this quiet feels unfamiliar.
Almost fragile.
Like if I move too fast… it might all shatter again.
---------------------------------
Dad is finally leaving that mansion.
He chose to live with us.
Peacefully.
I should feel nothing but happy.
And I do.
But there's still something sitting heavy in my chest.
Because things like this…
They don't just fix in days.
Uncle and aunt are still there.
Tomorrow-
Dad comes home.
Home.
That word feels different now.
-----------------------------------
I was waiting for her at the dining table.
The food was ready.
She wasn't.
She's been insisting on going on a date.
A date.
Now?
After everything?
We've never even gone on one.
And I don't even know what that looks like for us.
Holding hands in public?
Sitting awkwardly in a movie?
Laughing like nothing ever happened?
…
I don't know if I'm ready for that.
Not yet.
-----------------------------------
Before I could think further-
She walked out.
"So you won't agree?" she asked.
Her voice was calm.
Too calm.
"Not now." I said softly.
I forced a small smile.
She noticed.
She always does.
------------------------------------
She came and sat beside me.
Held my hand.
And just like that-
Something inside me loosened.
A breath I didn't know I was holding…
slipped out.
"I know," she said gently. "But we can't stay stuck there forever. We have to move on… right?"
Move on.
Such a simple word.
But it feels heavier than it should.
She's right.
But moving on doesn't mean I'm not scared.
Doesn't mean I'm not still holding onto everything that almost broke us.
I was lost.
She was close.
Too close.
And then… even closer.
And for a second-
I stopped thinking.
And just felt.
"Okay-" she started.
But I kissed her.
Soft at first.
Uncertain.
Then deeper.
Like I needed to feel something real.
My hands cupped her cheeks without thinking.
Holding her there.
Because somewhere inside me-
There's still that fear…
That if I let go, she might disappear.
----------------------------------
This warmth.
This quiet.
This… us.
I missed it.
More than I let myself admit.
When I pulled back-
I didn't feel relief.
I felt something heavier.
Because now I knew…
How much I could lose.
"Thank you." I whispered.
I don't even know what I meant.
For staying.
For choosing me.
For still being here.
She didn't reply.
Just smiled.
And hugged me.
I held her tighter than I should have.
Like if I loosened my grip-
Everything would fall apart again.
-----------------------------------
The morning came too fast.
She was beside me.
Hair everywhere.
Face half-hidden.
A complete mess.
A beautiful mess.
I let out a small chuckle.
Carefully, I brushed her hair away from her face.
She looks…
Peaceful.
Like nothing ever touched her.
Like she owns the whole universe.
My universe.
Love is strange.
It doesn't erase the past.
It just… makes you want to try again anyway.
I didn't realize how long I'd been staring-
Until she spoke.
"How long?" she asked softly.
I froze.
"What?"
"How long have you been looking at me like that?"
Her cheeks were slightly red.
Is she… blushing?
"Are you blushing?" I teased, leaning closer.
"No… why would I?" she said quickly.
Lying.
Badly.
"Let me tell you why," I murmured, moving closer.
Slowly.
Carefully.
Like I didn't want to rush this.
Not anymore.
And just as I leaned in-
My phone rang.
Of course.
"Fuck it…" she muttered, pulling away and walking toward the table.
I couldn't help but smile.
Even that felt… normal.
Comforting.
I checked my phone.
My manager.
This early?
I picked up.
Nothing important.
Of course.
I almost laughed.
Does he even know what he just interrupted?
When I looked up-
She was about to move away.
Without thinking, I grabbed her wrist.
Pulled her back.
She fell into me.
Right into my arms.
And something clicked.
A memory.
FLASHBACK
Her birthday.
She was laughing.
Talking to people.
Too comfortable.
Too free.
I didn't like it.
Didn't like how others looked at her.
Didn't like how I had no right to stop it.
When she walked down the hallway-
I pulled her into the corridor.
"What the fu-" she started.
"Can you just stop?" I snapped.
"Stop what? Let me go!" she said, trying to leave.
I pulled her back.
Pinned her against the wall.
Too close.
But not close enough.
"Stop cursing. I'm your soon-to-be husband," I said.
Possessive.
Unfair.
But I couldn't stop.
"So what? I don't want you to be," she said with a grin.
That grin-
It still gets to me.
"Can't you use polite words?"
"Why should I?"
"Because after our marriage, I won't let you say a single curse word."
I stepped back slightly.
Giving her space.
Even when I didn't want to.
"What can you even do?"
She smirked.
"A-S-S-H-O-L-E."
And walked away.
Without looking back.
END OF FLASHBACK
Back then-
I couldn't do anything.
Because she wasn't mine.
But now?
She is.
And I don't want to hold back anymore.
Not like before.
I stepped closer.
"No cursing." I said softly.
Not strict.
Not forceful.
Just… close.
She backed into the table.
"Huh- w-when did that rule happen?"
I moved closer.
Slow.
Giving her time.
But not space.
"Do you remember… or should I remind you?" I whispered.
I tilted her chin up gently.
Claiming her.
She gulped.
And I felt it.
The shift.
Not discomfort.
Just… awareness.
Of me.
Of us.
"W-what… remind?" she stuttered.
I almost smiled.
ASTHERIEN'S POV :-
I forgot how to breathe.
He came closer.
Slowly.
Not like before.
Not demanding.
I closed my eyes.
I thought-
He'd kiss me.
But instead-
He kissed my ear.
Soft.
Unexpected.
Then lower.
My neck.
And everything in me froze.
Not because I wanted to pull away-
But because I didn't know how to react.
It felt different.
Not teasing.
Not just playful.
There was something else in it.
Something deeper.
Something that made my heart race-
And slow down at the same time.
He kissed my neck again.
Then lightly bit it.
"Curse again… and I'll do that again," he whispered.
"H-hmm…" I murmured without thinking.
And that's when I realized-
I wasn't stopping him.
"Why did you close your eyes?" he teased.
I opened them quickly.
"W-what?"
He just smiled.
And stepped back.
Like nothing happened.
And I stood there.
Completely… undone.
My cheeks burned.
This is normal.
I've acted scenes like this.
So why does this feel so different?
Why does it feel…
Real?
Then it hit me.
Why did I close my eyes?
What was I expecting?
…
Maybe-
I wanted that moment.
More than I thought.
---
But whatever it was-
It didn't feel wrong.
It felt…
Right.
We're not the same as before.
But maybe…
That's not a bad thing.
I don't want to lose this again.
KAIZA'S POV :-
I was smiling.
For no reason.
And for once-
I didn't question it.
I missed this.
This lightness.
This quiet happiness.
I went to my room.
Still thinking.
Still replaying everything.
Next thing I knew-
I was already dressed.
Wait.
When did that happen?
Did I just… zone out completely?
I laughed to myself.
She was still outside.
Probably making breakfast.
Like everything is normal.
And maybe-
We're slowly getting there.
-----------------------------------
Later-
We were in the car.
I was driving.
Ash sat beside me.
---------------------------------
A family.
Together.
It felt… new.
Unfamiliar.
But good.
We had lunch.
Went shopping for dad.
He needs a lot of things.
Time.
Space.
Adjustment.
Just like us.
Some things don't fix overnight.
But maybe-
They don't have to.
As long as we're trying.
Together.