Kaivan's mother, who had listened from the start, finally let her feelings spill. Her eyes shimmered, though her smile remained soft. "Even so… I'm the one who's grateful that you're all here for him," she whispered. Gratitude flowed from her voice, a mother's relief after years of worry.
"He used to stay in his room all the time, playing games alone… I was afraid he'd grow up without any friends," she continued, her voice trembling with old loneliness.
Felicia reached out and held her hand gently. "Don't worry, Ma'am. I promise I'll always look after Kaivan."
Her smile widened, glowing with comfort. "It warms my heart to see him surrounded by such kind friends…" she said, bowing slightly. "I entrust Kaivan to all of you. Thank you for being by his side."
They exchanged looks, each wearing a quiet smile. That night, they all understood: their bond wasn't simple. Behind their laughter and tears lived their own memories of Kaivan, a boy who, without fanfare, had changed their lives.
Zinnia rose from the sofa and stepped closer to Kaivan's mother. "Ma'am, where's the restroom?"
"Use the one upstairs, dear. The one downstairs is occupied."
Zinnia nodded and made her way up the wooden stairs. The house felt warm, every creak of the floorboards blending into its gentle atmosphere.
After leaving the restroom, her eyes caught the slightly open balcony door. Its curtains swayed softly, beckoning her closer.
Outside, the night breeze welcomed her. Beneath a sky scattered with stars, Kaivan sat alone on a long bench, a lit cigarette between his fingers. Smoke curled upward, drawing faint circles before dissolving into the dark.
"Hey, why are you alone? Everyone's downstairs," Zinnia said, her voice light but curious.
Kaivan gave a small smile, eyes still on the sky. "Just wanted to sit for a bit. Smoke and look at the stars." His voice blended gently with the night air.
She sat beside him. They didn't speak, but the silence felt comfortable, wrapped in the soft hush of the evening.
A few minutes passed before Kaivan turned to her. "So, why'd you come up here?"
"Just curious, that's all. It's my first time visiting your house," Zinnia replied with a small smile.
As she spoke, her hand brushed against Kaivan's cigarette pack. It fell onto the balcony floor with a barely audible tap. "Ah, sorry, that was my fault," she said quickly, bending down without thinking. The motion was instinctive, leaving her unaware of the position she had just taken in front of Kaivan.
Kaivan had been gazing at the sky, but his attention shifted to something else, something that made him freeze. His face flushed instantly, memories flooding back, especially that embarrassing moment at the villa when Zinnia slipped and landed on him. The recollection hit him so vividly that the heat on his cheeks flared uncontrollably.
Zinnia picked up the cigarette pack and handed it back to him, her fingers trembling slightly. "Here..." she whispered. When she noticed the deep red creeping over Kaivan's face, her eyes narrowed with curiosity. "Why is your face red, Kaivan?"
He turned away in a hurry. "It's nothing… I just… saw something by accident."
It took Zinnia a moment to realize what he meant. Her own cheeks warmed as understanding dawned. Reflexively, she touched her lower back, suddenly aware of the position she had been in. A quiet stillness settled between them, awkward yet strangely gentle, wrapped in the soft night breeze that carried a faint trace of intimacy.
She sat beside him again, calmer this time but wordless. The silence that lingered wasn't uncomfortable; it felt like a thin curtain hiding laughter and embarrassment that neither dared to reveal just yet.
After a few moments, Zinnia turned her head. Her voice was soft, almost lost to the night. "Back at the villa… were you serious about that signal thing?"
Kaivan blinked. "Which one?"
Zinnia leaned a little closer, her breath brushing against his neck. Her whisper was light, yet sharp enough to make his heartbeat stumble. "About… how you said you liked it when I sat on you."
Their hands brushed, just barely, but both of them jolted as if struck by a spark. Instinctively, they pulled away from each other, though the faint static between them lingered stubbornly.
"S-sorry…" they said at the same time. Their eyes met for a heartbeat before they both looked away, trying to calm the emotions rising between them.
Zinnia inhaled slowly, steadying her voice. "If back then… you really did like it, and wanted it again… isn't that right, Kaivan?"
The words slipped out softly, but carried a weight that had been sitting in her chest for far too long. Kaivan froze, searching her gaze as if trying to read the meaning behind each trembling syllable.
"Zinnia… uh, w-well… hehe, forget it. I don't know why I said something like that," he muttered nervously, putting out his cigarette. His awkward smile did little to hide the thundering in his chest.
Zinnia chuckled faintly, shy yet sincere. "Sorry… I don't know why I said that either." Their eyes met again, and in that instant, the world seemed to shrink around them. Only the two of them existed, wrapped in an atmosphere so warm and fragile it felt like time itself had paused.
Kaivan looked up at the dim sky beyond the balcony rail, trying to gather his thoughts. "Honestly… I'm not mad about what happened. Hehe… it's just a little weird when I think about it now."
Zinnia lowered her gaze, playing with the ends of her hair. "Haha… is that so? Strangely, I don't feel awkward at all. Usually I can't sit close to guys, but… ahaha… this time feels different."
Kaivan glanced at the shrinking distance between them. "Sit close… like this?"
Zinnia nodded, her cheeks glowing. "Yeah… like this."
He gave a faint smile and leaned in, only a little, but enough for their thighs to touch. A soft quietness settled around them again, accompanied by the unsteady beat of two hearts.
Zinnia lowered her head, her face warm, but a gentle smile remained on her lips. "Hehe… yes. Like this. I don't mind, Kaivan," she whispered, her voice nearly swept away by the night breeze drifting in from the open balcony.