Morning light slipped gently through the curtains, casting a soft glow across the room. Charis stirred first. Her eyes fluttered open slowly… then widened instantly.
Reality hit her all at once.
The quiet room, the unfamiliar ceiling, the warmth beside her. She turned her head and there was Ivan. Sleeping peacefully, one arm loosely draped over her waist. Her heart jumped.
"Oh my goodness…" she whispered under her breath, eyes widening in panic. Her memories rushed back with the cooking, the conversation, the closeness,the kiss which made her face turned bright red.
"Charis… what did you dooo?" she muttered, gently removing his arm and slipping out of bed as carefully as possible.
She grabbed her clothes, trying not to make a sound.
"Okay… okay… just leave quietly… act normal… disappear…" she whispered to herself, pacing nervously.
She picked up her shoes. "Running away already?" She froze. Slowly… painfully… she turned. Ivan was awake watching her.
"I...I wasn't running!" she blurted immediately. "I was just… stretching! Yes! Morning exercise!"
Ivan raised a brow, clearly amused. "With your shoes in your hand?" She looked down.
"…Don't focus on details."
He sat up, running a hand through his hair, still calm, too calm.
"That's interesting," he said softly. "Because it looks like you're trying to escape a crime scene."
Charis covered her face. "Please don't say anything. I'm already dying inside." Ivan chuckled lightly.
"That bad?"
"Yes!" she snapped, peeking through her fingers. "Ivan, we crossed the line! We...I admit we were drunk the last time but ..." she couldn't even finish the sentence.
He watched her for a moment… then his expression softened. "Charis," he said gently. She dropped her hands slowly.
"I don't regret it."
She blinked. "What?"
"I don't regret last night," he repeated, more firmly this time.
Her heart skipped. "Ivan… don't say that just because you feel responsible..."
"I'm not," he cut in softly. "I'm saying it because it's true."
He stood up and walked closer to her.
Charis instinctively took a small step back.
"Ivan… we were emotional… you were vulnerable… I was trying to comfort you..."
"And I felt something real," he said.
That stopped her, silent fell between them.
"I've always felt comfortable with you," he continued.
"But last night… it wasn't just comfort anymore." His voice dropped.
"It was you, Charis. Not the moment. Not the situation. You."
Her eyes softened, but uncertainty still lingered.
"I don't want you to think this was a mistake," he added gently.
"Because to me… it wasn't." She swallowed.
"Then what is it?" she asked quietly.
He stepped closer, this time she didn't move away.
"It's the beginning of something I've been too blind to see," he admitted. Her breath caught.
"You're serious…" she whispered.
"I've never been more serious."
She looked down, nervously twisting her fingers. "I was scared," she admitted. "I thought… maybe you'd wake up and pretend nothing happened… or worse… regret it or say it was a mistake. Though the first one was."
Ivan shook his head slowly.
"Impossible." He gently lifted her chin.
"I asked you to come over for a hug," he said softly, "but what I really needed… was you."
Her eyes filled slightly.
"You're not making this easy for me," she whispered. He smiled faintly. "Good. I don't want easy."
There was a pause, quiet, tender, full of unspoken emotions.Then Charis sighed softly. "…So what now?"
Ivan smiled, a little playful again.
"Now… you stop trying to escape my house." She laughed despite herself.
"And?"
"And… we take this one step at a time."
She nodded slowly.
"Okay."
He brushed his thumb gently against her cheek.
"No running?"
She hesitated… then smiled shyly.
"No running."
The tension melted into something softer.
Something steady, something real. And this time when Ivan pulled her into a hug…She didn't panic, she stayed.
Just as the air between Ivan and Charis softened into something warm and steady…
BANG! The door flew open.
"Ivan, I told you to..."
His father stopped mid-sentence. Silence,a bsolute silence. Ivan and Charis stood way too close to each other, disheveled, startled, and very aware of how they must look. They both froze
.
His father blinked once… then twice.
"Ahem."He cleared his throat loudly, turning his face slightly to the side as if that would somehow make the situation less obvious.
"Privacy, dad… privacy matters," Ivan said, trying to sound composed but failing miserably.
Charis immediately pulled away, her face burning as she lowered her head, unable to look at anyone.
"I—I'm sorry, sir…" she muttered softly, clutching her clothes nervously. Ivan's father raised a brow, folding his arms slowly.
"Sorry? For what exactly? Standing… respectfully close?"
Ivan sighed. "Dad…"
He stepped slightly in front of Charis, instinctively shielding her."You could knock."
"I did knock," his father replied calmly. "You didn't answer. Now I see why."
Charis wished the ground would open and swallow her whole.
There was a pause… then suddenly, a slow smile crept onto his father's face.
"Well," he said, nodding slightly, "this is… unexpected."
Ivan frowned. "Unexpected?"
"Yes," he continued casually. "I was beginning to think you had no interest in women after Laura's attitude"
"DAD!" Charis gasped softly, covering her face in embarrassment.
Ivan dragged a hand down his face. "Can you not do this right now?" His father chuckled lightly. "Relax. I'm not here to interrogate you."
Then he looked at Charis, his tone softening slightly.
"You must be Charis."
She nodded shyly without lifting her head. "Yes… sir."
"I've heard about you."
Her eyes widened slightly. He has?
Ivan groaned. "That's not helping."
His father sighed and shook his head.
"Next time," he said calmly, heading toward the door, "lock the door."
Ivan blinked."…That's it?"
He paused at the doorway, glancing back with a knowing look. "You're a grown man, Ivan. Just… be responsible."
Then his eyes flicked briefly toward Charis again but gentle and understanding.
"And make sure she's comfortable."
Charis nodded slightly, still too shy to speak.
With that, he stepped out and closed the door behind him.
The silence returned. It was heavy, awkward and loud. Charis slowly sat down on the edge of the bed, burying her face in her hands. "I'm never coming here again," she mumbled. Ivan blinked, then laughed softly despite the tension.
"That bad?"
"That was your fatherrr!" she exclaimed, peeking at him. "What am I supposed to do now? Greet him properly next time? 'Good morning sir, sorry about earlier'?!"
Ivan laughed harder. She threw a pillow at him. "This is not funny!"
He caught it easily, still smiling.
"Okay… maybe a little."She groaned. "Ivan…" He walked over and sat beside her, his tone softening again.
"Hey… relax. He likes you." She looked at him, shocked. "From that?"
"He didn't shout. That's already approval."
She blinked… then sighed.
"…Your family is strange."
He smirked. "You're just finding out?"
The tension slowly melted into shy smiles.
Ivan reached for her hand again. This time… she didn't pull away.
"Still running?" he asked softly.
She hesitated… then shook her head.
"…No." He smiled. And somehow… even after the most embarrassing moment imaginable, they felt closer than before.