[Time with Cillian]
"Yawn~"
"Huh? What's this? Cilly, you're yawning? You never seem tired. Did you have trouble sleeping?" It wasn't often you'd see her looking exhausted, especially not first thing in the morning.
"Ah, no, not really... just had a rough night," she replied, trying to downplay it.
"Well, if you're feeling too tired, we can skip today's lesson. You should rest up."
"No!" she suddenly shot up, wide-eyed and energized as if she hadn't just been slumped over a desk. "I'm totally fine! Don't worry about me!"
I blinked, a bit taken aback by her intense reaction. "Okay... if you say so. Where should we study, then?"
"...How about my room?" she suggested after a brief pause.
Today's plan was to go over military tactics, and though I had intended to review the material in my own room, I didn't see the harm in studying at hers. Besides, it wasn't like I could really refuse her now.
"Sure, I'll head over after dinner."
"I'll be waiting," she said, smiling brightly.
* * * *
After grabbing a few books and my notes on military strategy, I made my way to Cilly's room. It wasn't far from mine, just a couple of doors down. I knocked softly, and the door opened almost immediately.
"Welcome, Elys," Cilly greeted me with a soft smile as she gestured for me to enter.
"Thanks. Hope I'm not intruding," I said, stepping inside.
Her room was noticeably different from mine—well-decorated, cozy, and filled with little personal touches that made it feel distinctly hers. I couldn't help but look around in curiosity. When my eyes met Cilly's, I quickly apologized.
"Sorry, your room's just really different from mine."
"It's fine. You're welcome anytime, Elys."
I followed her lead and set my books on her desk, getting ready for our session. She pulled a chair next to mine and sat down, close enough that I could feel her presence beside me.
"So, shall we begin?"
"Sure," I nodded.
Cilly dove straight into the lesson, her approach sharp and to the point. Unlike Yuri's thorough explanations, Cilly focused only on the most important aspects—the parts that would likely show up on the exam. She had a knack for pointing out what mattered most, a skill that had helped me tremendously during the midterms.
"This section is key for the test, so memorize it. But you can skip this part; it won't be on the exam."
It was precise, efficient, and very much like Cilly.
As she pointed out the sections I needed to remember, I moved my arm to mark my notes, but our arms brushed together. I glanced at her, realizing that the gap between us had narrowed considerably since we'd started.
"Sorry about that," I muttered, trying to ignore the sudden closeness.
"It's fine. Let's keep going," she replied, brushing it off as no big deal.
She continued marking sections in the book, and each time she leaned over, the distance between us shrank further. At one point, we were so close that our arms were practically touching the entire time.
"It's a bit hard to write like this..."
"Ah! I didn't realize. Let me fix that," she said, standing up quickly and moving her chair to my other side. She repositioned herself but leaned just as close, now pressing lightly against me from the other side.
"There, all set. Let's continue," she said, not acknowledging the fact that we were still basically touching.
I decided to just go with it—there was no polite way to bring up how uncomfortable I was getting. We resumed studying, and I tried my best to focus on the material instead of how close we were sitting.
As the lesson went on, I came across a section that didn't quite make sense to me.
"Hey, Cilly? Why exactly did they choose this location for the battle? It doesn't seem like a strategic choice," I asked, hoping she could clear up my confusion.
"Hmm, I could explain it to you, but how about you try figuring it out yourself first?" she replied with a playful smile, encouraging me to think critically.
I mulled over the details—the geography, the troop numbers, the terrain. But the more I thought about it, the more convoluted it became. Eventually, I decided to sketch out the battle plans to make sense of the situation.
The problem was, my notebook was almost full, and I didn't want to scribble over important notes. I scanned the room for spare paper and noticed a sheet sticking out from between the books on her shelf.
"Hey, is that paper up for grabs?" I asked, pointing to the half-hidden sheet.
"Huh? Which... No!" Before I could finish my sentence, Cilly bolted from her chair with reflexes faster than I'd seen outside of combat and snatched the paper away, hiding it behind her back.
"Uh..."
"This? It's, um, a letter! Yeah, a letter from home! It's really personal, so... sorry about that," she stammered, clearly flustered.
"No worries. I didn't know it was something important. I just thought it was scrap paper."
"No, no! It's my fault for leaving it out like that. Wait a moment, I'll grab a notebook for you," she said, quickly shoving the paper deep into her drawer before handing me a blank notebook.
As I sketched out the scenario and ran through my analysis, I couldn't help but notice Cilly glancing nervously at the drawer where she had hidden the letter.
"Don't worry. I really didn't see anything."
"I know you didn't, but still..."
She seemed distracted for the rest of the session, her eyes flitting between me and the drawer. Even though she was trying her best to focus, it was obvious that the letter was still on her mind.
After finishing the lesson, Cilly assured me that I was prepared for the upcoming exam. Thanks to her guidance, we covered all the essential points much faster than I could've managed on my own.
"You've been a big help. Honestly, I think I know more now than if I'd attended all my classes," I told her sincerely.
"Well, I'm glad to hear that," she said, giving me a soft smile, though the faint dark circles under her eyes betrayed her fatigue.
"Anyway, I should get going before curfew. You should get some rest, Cilly. You've been up since morning, and I can tell you're exhausted," I said, standing up and gathering my things.
Just as I was about to leave, Cilly called out to me.
"Wait... Elys?"
"Yeah?" I turned around, surprised by the hesitation in her voice.
"Would you mind... staying the night? Here, in my room?" she asked, her tone unexpectedly soft.
"Huh?"
The request caught me off guard. Sure, I had spent the night with Yuri just yesterday, but that was different. And there was a logical reason behind it. This, though, was purely a request out of nowhere.
"But... aren't you tired?"
"I'm fine! Actually, I think I'd sleep better if you stayed," she said, her voice full of earnestness.
I was about to refuse, but Cilly's expression made me pause. There was a vulnerability in her eyes that I hadn't seen before. She looked like she genuinely wanted me to stay, just like Yuri had yesterday.
"I mean... if you're sure."
Cilly nodded eagerly. "Yes! I promise I won't take up much space."
It was impossible to say no. And so, just like that, I ended up staying in Cilly's room.
* * * *
Later, when I returned with my pillow, I hesitated again at the door. As I knocked and the door swung open, I saw Cilly standing there in her sleepwear—a silky, semi-transparent nightgown that left very little to the imagination.
My face flushed instantly.
Unlike Yuri's modest pajamas, Cilly's choice of sleepwear was far more revealing, with thin straps holding the fabric together and a translucent material that only barely covered her body. My brain short-circuited at the sight.
"Elys? Are you coming in?"
"Uh, yeah... sorry."
I shuffled inside, trying to keep my eyes anywhere but on her.
"Are you sure you're okay with this?" I asked, hoping she'd give me an out.
"Of course! I'm fine. Let's just get some sleep, okay?"
But as I glanced at the bed, I realized there was only one blanket.
"Mind if I take the floor?"
"What? No way! There's plenty of room on the bed. Besides, you slept with Yuri yesterday, didn't you?"
How did she know that? I hadn't mentioned it, had I?
Seeing no way to refuse without making things awkward, I resigned myself to my fate. "Yeah, okay."
I climbed into bed beside her, doing my best to stare at the ceiling and not look in her direction. The tension in the room was thick, but Cilly didn't seem to notice.
"Elys?" she whispered after a few moments.
"Yeah?"
"Can you... face me while we talk?"
"...Sure."
Reluctantly, I turned to face her, only to be greeted by the sight of her pressed up against the blanket, the outline of her body clearly visible through the thin fabric.
I tried my best to keep the conversation going, but it was impossible to stop my mind from wandering. Even after Cilly eventually drifted off to sleep, I lay awake for what felt like hours, staring at the ceiling and trying to figure out what, exactly, I had gotten myself into.
And why, despite all of this, I could smell a familiar scent—the same shampoo I used, lingering faintly on her hair.