Sunny looked out the window, trying to ignore the overwhelming sense of embarrassment creeping over him. He had thought the conversation would last longer, but it hadn't.
After Effie's incisive and "wonderful" questions, an awkward silence settled over the room. Although Nephis did her best to maintain her usual stoic expression, the faint blush on her cheeks betrayed her. Sunny wasn't faring much better; he could feel his own face burning.
And then, as always, Effie broke the silence with a carefree laugh and her characteristic teasing tone. "Finally! Honestly, it took you guys long enough."
Kai, sitting with his usual poise, nodded, his flawlessly handsome face adorned with an equally impeccable smile. "I agree. Even after your little date, it still took you more than a week," he said, laughing softly.
Cassie, from her corner, smiled with quiet amusement.
What? Sunny thought, his mind racing. What are they talking about? What date? What do they mean it took us long enough? He glanced around at the others, utterly confused. We weren't that obvious... were we? At least, that's what he thought.
Effie, of course, wasn't about to let the opportunity pass. "Although, it's a shame Nephis gave the first kiss. Damn it, Sunny, I had such high hopes for you!"
Sunny felt the heat in his face intensify. What the hell is she talking about?
I was the one who confessed first! he thought, but then he stopped himself. Wait... what am I even thinking? The temptation to summon Saint and have her give Effie a good beating was growing stronger by the second.
He threw a quick glance at Nephis, silently pleading for help. Come on, help me out here! he thought, but she remained stoic, arms crossed, her expression as unreadable as ever. Though, if he looked closely, her ears had a faint pink tint.
Why isn't she saying anything? he wondered, suppressing a sigh. Oh, right. Because this is my house.
After a while, the conversation took on a more serious tone, allowing Sunny to finally catch his breath. When the group eventually said their goodbyes and the room fell silent, he let out a deep sigh, feeling the tension in his shoulders slowly melt away.
For the first time in a while, his thoughts felt clear.
This week had been a whirlwind of emotions and events. Now he was part of Valor—a burden that still weighed on him heavily. But at the same time, there was something else: he now had a deeper connection with Nephis. And, most importantly, he had lifted a tremendous emotional weight off his chest by confessing his feelings.
As he looked out the window, watching the sunlight begin to paint the sky with soft hues, an unexpected emotion washed over him.
Sunny was happy.
But before anything else, he needed a good, hot shower.
Sunny stepped into his small bathroom, slowly removing his clothes. He couldn't help but savor the anticipation of a steaming shower. Growing up as a child of the outskirts, where bathing was a luxury and hot water was practically a miracle, made moments like this feel precious.
As the droplets began to drench his face, the hot water soaked into his pale skin and dark, messy hair. Although his hair wasn't too long yet, it was starting to fall over his eyes. Cutting it was complicated—being an Ascended meant no ordinary barber could handle the task. Most tools couldn't cut through their enhanced bodies, so if he wanted a haircut, he'd have to use a sword.
But he didn't mind. He'd been toying with the idea of letting it grow long. He wasn't sure why, but the thought appealed to him.
Steam filled the bathroom as Sunny closed his eyes and let the water ease his tired muscles. After everything that had happened in the past week, he felt he truly deserved this small moment of peace.
When he finished, he stepped out of the shower, feeling refreshed. His dark hair, now glistening from the moisture, framed his face in soft waves. He ran a hand through it, trying to tame it a bit, though it was a futile effort. With tired steps, he made his way toward his bed, ready to collapse into a deep sleep.
And then he saw her.
Nephis was lying on his bed, casually flipping through a fashion magazine as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
What is she doing in my bed again? Sunny felt a chill run down his spine.
He prepared to make some quick excuse to sleep elsewhere, but before he could say a word, Nephis stopped him with a simple gesture.
"Not tired? Come here."
She patted the empty spot on the bed beside her without even glancing up from the magazine.
Sunny let out a resigned sigh and walked toward the vacant spot. He sat down first, watching her with a mix of curiosity and confusion. Nephis seemed completely absorbed in the glossy pages of the magazine. What could possibly be so interesting in a fashion magazine? he wondered.
Eventually, he gave up trying to figure it out and turned away, pretending to sleep.
Of course, his act didn't fool her.
Just as he was about to give up and ask her a question, he felt it: gentle but firm arms wrapping around his back, pulling him into a warm embrace. He froze, immediately aware of how close she was. He could feel her calm breathing against his neck, sending a shiver down his spine.
"Stop pretending to be asleep, idiot," Nephis said softly, her tone carrying a hint of amusement.
"Whose fault is that, huh? This is embarrassing, you know," Sunny replied in a whisper, his voice low but clear enough for Nephis to hear.
"Embarrassing? You've done this twice now, and you didn't complain either time," she retorted, her voice calm but teasing.
Sunny sighed, completely defeated. He couldn't decide if her lack of social experience was a blessing or a curse. To be honest with himself, he didn't mind the embrace... he actually liked it.
"Nephis... thank you," he finally said, his voice tired but filled with genuine happiness.
"If you're going to say thank you, at least say why," she replied with a small, playful smile, echoing words Sunny had once said to her.
"What do you mean why? For this, silly," he answered, turning his head slightly toward her. "Who would've thought a rat from the outskirts would end up here? Not even in my wildest dreams could I have imagined this."
Nephis raised an eyebrow, staying quiet as he continued.
"A home of my own, friends... and, most unexpectedly, a girlfriend. And not just anyone—a beautiful, famous one." His voice was barely a whisper by the end.
Nephis didn't respond with words. Instead, she tightened her embrace, letting her actions speak louder.
"Good night, Neph," Sunny murmured, finally surrendering to sleep as a peaceful smile formed on his lips.
Nephis didn't reply, but a faint smile appeared on her face as she watched him drift off. Idiot, she thought. And yet, she couldn't be happier.
Nephis slowly opened her eyes, her mind still groggy. Before she could fully wake up, her first instinct was to grab Sunny's arm. This idiot already escaped twice with Shadow Step, she thought. The third time won't happen.
And then she realized something. Sunny was still there. In fact, he was fast asleep, resting on her right arm as if it were a pillow.
A soft smile appeared on Nephis's lips as she took in the sight. There was something special about this moment. Watching Sunny sleep was a rare visual delight.
Normally, he wore the serious expression of a killer or looked nervously flustered whenever she did something bold. But now, his face was peaceful and serene. In that moment, he looked like a kind, gentle young man, someone who had never done anything wrong in his life.
She remembered a conversation they had once, where Sunny claimed that if he'd had a normal life, he would've been a kind child. At the time, Nephis hadn't believed him—mostly because of the absurd analogy he had used.
"Normal kids have fun stomping on bugs and torturing things like butterflies. They rip their wings off, watch them suffer, and then eat them. I just killed them outright."
It was such a Sunny-like thing to say that she'd dismissed the idea of him ever being kind. But now, as she watched him rest, she wasn't so sure. Maybe he would've been. After all, despite everything, he's still a good person deep down.
Sunny had saved Cassie in the forgotten shore, diving into the depths of the dark sea. He had fought with everything he had to protect the people he cared about. That said more about his character than anything else.
Nephis let out a small sigh as she stretched her hand and yawned. To be honest, she hadn't imagined this either. It had never been part of her plans. For so long, the only thing occupying her mind and heart was how to destroy the Sovereigns.
She carried a deep resentment toward all of them, and she thought her heart had no room for anything else but that hatred and her determination. Her sole purpose had been to bring down the two great clans that had ruined her life.
How wrong I was, she thought wryly. And now look at me. I've got a powerful and handsome boyfriend.
She spent a little longer just watching him, her face calm and relaxed. With nothing else to do, her mind began wandering into silly theories. Eventually, she concluded that Sunny must have inherited most of his features from his mother.
Sunny's beauty—that doll-like perfection—must come from his mother, she reasoned. Of course, he didn't look like a woman; his build and presence made it clear he was a man. But the delicate features he had definitely leaned more toward the feminine side.
Nephis kept that thought to herself. She didn't want to risk making him mad, though, to be honest, she preferred his build the way it was. You could say he's my type, she mused.
Without realizing it, a soft smile crept onto her lips as she continued to watch Sunny. Then, she noticed something curious: her hand had moved on its own, and now she was gently stroking Sunny's dark hair.
His hair was silky and smooth, a real pleasure to touch. Nephis was so close that she could smell the shampoo he used—the same one she used as well.
She had never told him why, but she always found it amusing that Sunny's shampoo was actually made for women. She assumed he never realized, likely because of his rough upbringing in the outskirts. He had probably just grabbed the first expensive black bottle he saw in the store.
It's funny, she thought, letting out a small laugh to herself as she continued to run her fingers through his hair.
But then, Nephis noticed something. She saw Sunny's shoulders lower slightly, a subtle tension visible in his posture. He's awake, she thought, a small mischievous smile forming on her lips. It was her chance to get back at him.
Even though the idea made her feel incredibly embarrassed, she decided to act. Carefully, she slid her hand under Sunny's shirt, letting her cool, delicate fingertips brush against his back.
She began tracing small circles, mimicking the massage Sunny had given her earlier. Nephis knew she wasn't as skilled as he was, but she was determined to try. As she worked, she couldn't help but wonder why Sunny was so remarkably good at massages. Though, in her case, it made sense—she had spent quite a bit of time studying anatomy as part of her training.
Then she noticed it: Sunny shivered under her touch, clearly affected by the contrast between the coolness of her hands and the warmth of his skin. The reaction brought her a small sense of satisfaction. But, if she was being honest, she enjoyed the contact too. Damn it, she thought. After two years without human contact, and now, in just one week, I have a boyfriend I've liked since the moment we met on the forgotten shore.
Nephis leaned in closer, her face so near to his ear that she could feel the faint warmth of his breath. In a soft and playful whisper, she said, "Wake up, sleepyhead."
And then, to top it off, she pressed a gentle kiss to the side of his neck.
Sunny didn't have time to react. By the time he moved, Nephis had already darted out of the room, an unmistakably triumphant smile lighting up her face.
This time, I'm the one who ran, she thought, feeling a slight warmth creeping into her cheeks. Still, she couldn't help but chuckle softly to herself as she walked down the hallway, unusually cheerful.