Ava stepped into the hallway with Daniel, her thoughts lingering on how endearing he'd been with Mira. She smiled softly at the memory of the little girl tugging at his fingers, treating him like some oversized teddy bear.
As they walked, she glanced at him. Even with her height of 175 cm, she had to tilt her head slightly to look up at him. His messy hair hung low over his face, a shield that obscured his features almost completely. Curiosity itched at her again—what did he really look like beneath all that hair?
Without overthinking it, she stopped and turned toward him. "Hey, Daniel," she said, her voice casual but curious.
He paused mid-step, raising a brow. "What?"
"Can I see your face?" she asked, tilting her head. Her tone was direct, lacking any playfulness, and it caught him off guard.
Daniel hesitated, his hand twitching slightly as though he wanted to push his hair aside but couldn't bring himself to.
"Come on," she said, her tone light but insistent. "What's the big deal? I'm just asking."
After a moment, he sighed and relented, muttering, "Okay."
Slowly, he raised his hand and brushed his hair away, revealing his face for the first time. Ava's breath caught as her eyes met his. His eyes were so dark they reminded her of a moonless night, endless and absorbing. As their gazes locked, he quickly looked away, as if he wasn't used to being seen so directly. But then, as if drawn back by some unspoken connection, his eyes flicked up again, meeting hers for a brief, electric moment before darting away once more. The rhythm repeated, and Ava felt a quiet intensity in the way his gaze kept returning.
Her attention shifted to his eyebrows, thick and striking, giving his otherwise soft face an air of sharpness. She noticed, with a small jolt of curiosity, that they were twitching slightly. Her gaze followed the faint movements in his expression—the subtle reddening of his cheeks, the slight tightening of his jaw, the way his lips pressed together as though bracing himself.
And then she realized something that made her heart skip—she was standing far closer to him than she'd intended. They were practically face-to-face, the faint warmth of his presence making her pulse quicken.
She blinked, her thoughts scattering as she took a small step back, clearing her throat. "Okay," she said softly, her voice quieter than she'd expected. "I don't know why you hide behind all that hair. You look fine. More than fine."
Daniel's face turned even redder, his gaze flicking to the floor. "I don't know," he mumbled.
Ava shook her head, a faint smile pulling at her lips. "Well, whatever your reasons, you shouldn't feel like you have to hide." Her voice was gentler now, with no teasing undertone, just sincerity.
Daniel didn't respond, but she could see the tension in his shoulders ease slightly. And as they started walking again, Ava couldn't help but glance at him from the corner of her eye. Those eyes, she thought. Like a night sky full of stories, heavy and unspoken, but impossible to look away from.
As they walked in silence, Ava found her thoughts lingering on him. She hadn't expected this. His looks were one thing, but there was something about him... something that reminded her of someone, though she couldn't quite place who.
She took a deep breath, brushing it off as nothing.
"I'm thirsty," Daniel said, looking a bit flustered. "Can I grab a drink?"
Ava stayed on the couch, giving him a nod. A few moments later, Daniel called from the kitchen, "Is it okay if I use a cup?"
Ava waved her hand in approval from where she sat. "Of course."
She heard him open a cupboard, followed by the sound of water flowing from the tap. Silence filled the kitchen after that, and Ava waited, thinking he'd return any second. But when he didn't, she got curious.
The kitchen door swung inward, catching the edge of the cup in Daniel's hand with a soft, sharp thud. The cup slipped from his grasp, tumbling downward. Daniel's hand darted out, and Ava lunged forward, reaching for it at the same time. Her fingers barely caught the rim, but her momentum carried her forward too quickly. Off balance, she crashed straight into him.
They both went down, the water splashing across Daniel's shirt as Ava fell against him. For a moment, time seemed to stop. Ava's face was inches from his, her breathing shallow as she looked into his eyes. His expression was one of surprise, his cheeks flushed, and she felt her heart racing in her chest. There was a strange tension in the air, like the beginning of something—or maybe the end.
Ava quickly pulled back, getting up and brushing herself off, her cheeks burning. "S-Sorry," she muttered, placing the cup on the counter. She forced herself to act casual, as if nothing had happened. "Looks like we need to get you cleaned up."
Daniel started to stand up, but then paused. "Wait," he said, grabbing some paper towels and carefully wiping the water on the floor.
Ava watched him in silence, feeling a strange mix of emotions. She was struck by how kind he was, taking the time to clean up even though he was the one soaked. Her heart was still pounding from the accidental fall, the memory of his chest beneath her hands lingering.
As they left the kitchen, she couldn't help but think about how he'd felt, strong yet gentle. And yet... she felt a strange disappointment.
She'd always found Daniel interesting—his quiet nature, the way he held himself apart from others. But in that moment, with her heart still pounding, she realized that her feelings weren't of that kind.
When she looked at him, she didn't feel romance. She felt… protective. Like he was someone she needed to look out for, someone who needed shielding from the world's harshness. He reminds me of my little brother, she realized, feeling a pang of clarity. And when she looked at him, she felt that same urge she felt around Luna—to make sure he was safe, to keep him from harm.
When she looked at him, she saw Diana.