Sapphire's POV
I had been noticing it for a while now.
Rosarie kept finding ways to stay close to Dayesh. Not just casually close, but the kind of closeness that lingered longer than necessary. A brush of her fingers against his arm when passing something. Standing just a little too near when speaking to him. Leaning in as if whatever she had to say was meant only for him.
And Dayesh…
He wasn't stopping her.
I watched from a distance, pretending to stay focused on my work, though my attention kept drifting back to them.
At one point, Rosarie laughed softly at something he said, her hand resting lightly on his sleeve. Dayesh didn't move away. He didn't react much either, but he didn't reject it.
Maybe he didn't mind.
Maybe he liked it.
I forced myself to look away.
It wasn't my place to say anything. If I spoke up, it would only make me look like I was interfering in something that didn't concern me.
Besides… Rosarie was beautiful.
Gentle. Graceful. The kind of woman any man would naturally be drawn to.
And she worked hard too. I couldn't deny that. She was reliable, efficient. Someone I could depend on when it came to responsibilities.
That should've been enough for me.
It was enough.
I'm fine.
I'm really fine.
But why does it sting?
I paused for a moment, gripping the edge of the table as that unfamiliar ache settled in my chest.
Hey, self. Calm down. It's nothing.
I let out a quiet breath.
Better to just focus on work.
"Sapphire…"
I blinked and turned my head. "What is it?"
It was Ghoth.
"For you," he said, holding out a small paper bag.
I tilted my head. "What's this?"
"A little something."
"Oh really? Thanks for remembering me." I gave his shoulder a light tap before taking the bag from him.
As soon as I peeked inside, my eyes lit up.
"Oh! Thank you!" It was food. "Let's have this later tonight. Meet me in the yard, we'll eat and maybe have coffee before bed."
Ghoth scratched the back of his hand awkwardly. "I might stay awake until morning if I drink coffee… maybe juice or water instead?"
I laughed softly. "Oh, right. Sorry, I forgot. Okay, later then. I still have things to do."
Ghoth's POV
Before handing her the bag, I had checked my surroundings first.
No one was watching.
Only then did I give it to her.
I didn't know why… but seeing her happy over something so simple made something in my chest feel lighter. Warmer.
When she smiled like that, it felt like I had done something right.
Like it mattered.
I turned to head upstairs, intending to return to my room, when a voice suddenly stopped me.
"What did you give her?"
A chill crept up from the back of my neck.
I turned slowly.
Dayesh.
My mind raced for an excuse.
"She asked me to buy it… big brother."
"Hm. She asked you to buy it?" His tone was calm, but there was something in it that made my stomach tighten.
"I… I'm going to rest now," I said quickly, bowing my head slightly.
I didn't want to prolong the conversation.
Even though we called him "big brother" as if we were family, there was always something about Dayesh that made it hard to relax around him. Especially when he was serious.
It felt like he could see through anything.
Nighttime...
"You took your time," Sapphire said, swatting at the air. "I've been getting eaten alive by mosquitoes waiting for you."
"Sorry… I had to be careful. Someone might've seen me leaving."
She raised an eyebrow. "Why are you so scared?"
"I... I'm not…" I stammered, avoiding her gaze. "Can I just have some food?"
She shrugged. "Go ahead."
She pulled out a cigarette and lit it. "I'm going to smoke, okay? It'll get a bit smoky."
"I don't mind."
Silence settled between us as we ate.
But it wasn't uncomfortable.
For me, it was enough.
Just being here. Sitting beside her. Watching her quietly as she exhaled thin trails of smoke into the night air.
There was something peaceful about this moment.
Something I didn't want to end immediately.
After finishing, they both went separate ways.
When Sapphire opened the door to her room, she froze.
Someone was lying on her bed.
She stepped back instinctively, ready to leave. But the door behind her suddenly shut.
She turned the handle.
Locked.
Her back pressed against the door as footsteps approached.
Dayesh.
"Did you miss me?" he asked quietly.
She frowned. "Why would I miss you? What am I to you? What are you to me?"
He let out a slow breath.
Then, without rushing, he stepped closer… and gently pulled her into an embrace.
"Just let me love you in the way I know how," he murmured near her ear. "I won't force you to love me back. But if one day you find yourself feeling something… don't be afraid to tell me."
For a moment, she didn't move.
Then she slowly pushed against his chest, creating a small distance between them.
"I can't control what my heart feels," she said firmly. "So don't expect anything."
And yet…
In the quiet spaces when he wasn't around, when they barely spoke…
There had been a weight in her chest.
Something she chose not to name.
Not now.
Not when everything was still uncertain.
Even if one day his attention shifted to someone else…
She had already prepared herself to accept it.
After a brief silence, she spoke again.
"I think you and Rosarie suit each other more," she said. "She's beautiful. Gentle. Hardworking."
Dayesh's brows furrowed slightly. "Don't push me away just to hand me over to someone else."
"I'm not pushing you away. I'm just stating the obvious. I can see how she acts around you… and you don't exactly stop her."
He studied her face.
"Are you jealous?"
She scoffed lightly. "Why would I be? We're not in a relationship."
"And yet, you notice everything she does."
"Anyone would notice. You could at least try your luck with her. She's clearly interested."
He took a step closer again.
"Only you interest me," he said softly. "Let me prove that to you."
The air between them shifted.
It grew heavier… quieter.
His hand lifted, brushing a loose strand of hair away from her face. His touch lingered just a second longer than necessary, fingers grazing her skin.
Sapphire stiffened slightly, but she didn't pull away.
"Why are you doing this?" she asked, her voice lower now.
"Because I mean it."
His hand slid down, stopping at her wrist. Not gripping, just holding, warm and steady.
Her heartbeat quickened.
She could feel it. The closeness and tension.
The way his presence filled the space around her, making it hard to think clearly.
"You should leave," she said, though her voice lacked the firmness from earlier.
"Do you really want me to?"
She hesitated.
That brief pause was enough.
Dayesh stepped closer, close enough that she could feel the warmth of his breath.
Her back pressed more firmly against the door, her fingers curling slightly at her sides.
"You're dangerous," she muttered under her breath.
Then, slowly, he leaned in, just enough that the distance between them became almost nonexistent. Not crossing the line, not forcing anything… but leaving the choice hanging in the air between them.
Dayesh exhaled softly, the faintest hint of a smile forming.
"See?" he whispered. "You don't hate this."
Her eyes narrowed slightly, though her expression wavered.
"That doesn't mean anything."
"Maybe not yet."
Another pause.
Then, finally, he stepped back. Just enough to give her space again. But not enough to completely break the tension.
"Goodnight, Sapphire," he said quietly.
He turned and walked toward the window instead of the door, slipping out as silently as he had come. He left her alone there. Sapphire held her chest that she felt her heart is gonna burst from the nervousness.
Unable to deny the lingering warmth where he had touched her.
She exhaled slowly, pressing a hand against her chest.
"What is this?"
No answer came.
Only the quiet of the night, and the faint echo of something that refused to settle.
Sapphire's POV
The room was quiet now. I sat on the edge of my bed, unmoving, staring at nothing in particular as the events from earlier replayed in my mind… over and over again.
His voice. His touch. The way he looked at me as if there was no one else in the world that mattered.
I clicked my tongue softly and shook my head.
"This is ridiculous…"
I stood up, pacing once, twice… but the restlessness wouldn't go away.
Instead, it grew.
A strange warmth slowly spread through my chest, sinking deeper, heavier, until it became impossible to ignore.
I pressed a hand against myself, exhaling sharply.
"Get a grip…"
But the more I tried to push it away, the clearer everything became. The memory of how close he was. How he didn't force anything… yet didn't leave either. How he waited. As if the decision had always been mine.
I sat back down on the bed, slower this time. My fingers tightened slightly against the fabric.
Why does this bother me so much? Why does he… affect me like this?
I lay down, staring up at the ceiling, but closing my eyes only made things worse.
Because now I could see him more clearly. Feel it more clearly. The way his hand brushed against mine. The warmth of his presence behind me. That low voice near my ear.
"Just let me love you…"
My breath hitched. "Stop it."
But I didn't stop. I couldn't.
A quiet frustration built inside me, tangled with something softer… something I didn't want to admit.
I turned onto my side, curling slightly into myself, trying to steady my breathing. But my thoughts betrayed me.
What if he stayed? What if he didn't pull away? What if…
I shut my eyes tighter, as if that could silence everything. It didn't.
The warmth deepened, spreading slowly, insistently, until it became something I couldn't just dismiss as passing discomfort. My hand tightened against the sheets. I hated this. Hated how unsettled I felt. Hated how he could just walk in, shake everything, and leave me like this.
"Idiot."
I didn't even know if I meant him or myself. Time seemed to blur after that. The quiet room, the dim light, the steady rhythm of my breathing. Everything softened, dulled, as I tried to release the tension that had built up inside me. Until all that remained was a lingering warmth… and exhaustion.
I exhaled, my body finally relaxing against the bed. Silence returned.
This time, it felt heavier but calmer. My eyelids grew heavier too.
"This is so stupid…"
But there was no energy left to argue with myself. With one last breath, I let everything go. And somewhere between lingering thoughts and quiet surrender…
I fell asleep.