"You be quiet!" Felicia and Thivi snapped in unison, their annoyed tones laced with playfulness.
Raphael couldn't hold back anymore. His laughter burst out, echoing through the balcony. "Hahaha! Leave them be. Don't get involved."
Their laughter grew, carrying away the tension that had briefly filled the air. As the noise faded, the night wrapped around them once more. The cold wind nudged their drowsiness, and slowly, they retreated into the house, seeking the warmth of their rooms.
Yet the night was far from over.
In the dim hallway, accompanied only by the soft ticking of a clock, Thivi found herself unable to shake off the memory of that moment in the wooden storage room during their trip to the villa. Curiosity tugged at her heart, urging her forward.
She walked quietly toward Kaivan's room. Stopping at the doorway, she whispered, "Hey, Kaivan… want to continue what happened in the storage room? I'm still curious." Her voice was soft, playful, tinged with a faint, restrained warmth.
Kaivan paused, then gave her a small, conflicted smile. The memory flickered through his mind, but he shook his head gently. "Not now, Thivi. When everything is over."
Though disappointment flickered across her face, Thivi didn't push him. She returned to her room, her heart still unsteady. Her curiosity hadn't faded, it never did, not with him.
Outside, the night sky remained dark, sprinkled with faint stars behind a veil of thin clouds. The house had grown quiet, most of its occupants were already lost in sleep. Everyone but Thivi.
Thoughts of the villa's wooden storage room circled endlessly in her mind. That moment lingered unfinished, suspended. And tonight, she wanted to finally close the distance.
With soft, careful steps, Thivi slipped back into the hallway. The wooden floor creaked faintly beneath her feet. A playful smile curled on her lips. "If it's the two of us alone… it'd be nice," she murmured under her breath, unable to calm the beating of her heart.
But just as she neared Kaivan's door, she stopped.
Someone was already standing there, Felicia. Arms crossed, posture firm, eyes sharp. It was as if she had predicted everything.
"Where are you going at this hour?" Felicia asked in a low voice, calm but razor-sharp.
Thivi's eyes widened. "Why are you here?!" she shot back, trying to sound composed, though the hint of panic was impossible to hide.
Felicia didn't move. Her gaze remained fixed on Thivi. "I should be the one asking. Why were you about to enter Kaivan's room?"
Silence lay between them. No excuses, no explanations, only a quiet exchange of raw honesty through their eyes.
Thivi knew Felicia understood.
And just like that, the night ended without another word.
Only the cold wind remained as witness to the quiet secrets that passed between them.
Dawn crept in quietly, carrying a cold breeze that slipped through the corners of the room. Kaivan, still fast asleep, suddenly felt something heavy pressing down on his arm. When he opened his eyes, he froze. On both sides of him, Felicia and Thivi were curled up against his arms as if they were pillows.
He tried to move, but Felicia's weight kept him pinned. Kaivan let out a defeated sigh. "If someone sees this… they're totally gonna say something weird," he muttered, face burning red.
Before he could escape, the bedroom door opened slowly. Ethan stepped inside, eyes half-asleep, intending only to borrow something. But when he saw the scene on the bed, he stopped dead in his tracks.
Without a word, he lifted his phone. Click! The flash burst.
"Sorry for the interruption," he said casually, closing the door with a mischievous grin.
"Hey! Don't you dare show that to anyone!" Kaivan shouted in panic, but the door had already shut.
In the hallway, Ethan's laughter echoed. "Raphael! Come look! I got a masterpiece!"
Kaivan finally freed himself and sprinted after him, face bright red, while Felicia and Thivi slept on, completely unaware of the early-morning chaos.
Morning arrived. Sunlight peeked through the window, slowly warming the quiet house. When Kaivan came down to the dining room, still embarrassed, Felicia and Thivi were already there, looking calm and refreshed. Raphael and Ethan were laughing about something, while Kaivan's mother and Kira busied themselves preparing breakfast.
Kaivan sat down with a long exhale. The glances from Ethan and Raphael were enough to make his cheeks heat up again. Soft chuckles drifted across the table, small reminders that the secret photo was still very much alive.
The lingering cold of dawn faded as gentle sunlight filled the room. The atmosphere felt peaceful, almost as if last night's mess had been nothing but a dream. Yet Kaivan couldn't shake off the awkwardness.
"Do you want breakfast, Kaivan?" his mother asked warmly.