"I… I should get up," Noelle murmured finally, voice soft, almost embarrassed.
Ren shook his head gently. "Stay a minute. Don't rush. You don't have to move if you don't want to."
She hesitated, chewing on her lower lip, then let out a small sigh. "Okay… a minute." Her fingers absentmindedly played with the edge of the blanket, a little nervous, a little self-conscious.
When she finally swung her legs over the side of the bed, Ren rose as well, giving her space while remaining close enough that she could reach for him if she needed. The room was quiet except for the faint hum of the city outside.
"I… I just feel… weird," Noelle admitted, rubbing her arms lightly. "Like, everything feels… different. I don't even know how to act around you right now."
Ren smiled softly, reaching out to take her hand. "Then act however you feel. There's no rulebook here. We figure it out together, remember?"
She nodded, a small, tentative smile breaking through. "Yeah… together."
They moved slowly through the motions of getting dressed, exchanging quiet comments, a hand brushing an arm, a shoulder nudging gently, testing the waters of normalcy. There was laughter now, brief and shy but it carried a weightless relief. The awkwardness wasn't uncomfortable.
Ren stopped for a moment, taking her hands in his. "Look, last night… it doesn't fix everything. But it's a start. And I promise, I'll do better."
Noelle met his gaze, something fragile and hopeful flickering in her eyes. "I… I trust you. Just… a little," she admitted, letting a tiny laugh escape.
Ren chuckled softly, squeezing her hands. "A little is enough for now."
Noelle had so many questions but didn't know where to start, so she simply said, "Breakfast?"
Ren's lips curved into a smile. "Sure. Especially after the fact that you emptied all your dinner last night."
She groaned and turned away, cheeks flushing. "Thanks for reminding me."
Before she could move, Ren stepped closer and wrapped his arms around her from behind. His chin brushed her shoulder as he whispered against her skin, "I didn't mind it at all. You're still cute."
Noelle felt the warmth of his breath at her neck, her pulse stumbling when he pressed a light kiss there. She leaned back into him, torn between embarrassment and comfort.
But as his hold lingered, something in his tone shifted. It was still soft but edged with something deeper.
"I don't like that guy, Han," he said quietly.
She stilled, turning her head slightly. "Han?"
"Yeah," he murmured, his voice low. "The one from the café. I don't want you meeting him anymore."
The words hung heavy between them. Noelle blinked, caught off guard by the sudden firmness in his tone.
Ren hesitated, his grip loosening just slightly. "I know how that sounds," he added. "And I'm not trying to control you. I just… I can't help it. The thought of you with him—" He broke off, exhaling. "Forget it. I know saying that will only push you away."
She turned in his arms to face him. "Ren, what are you talking about?"
He looked down at her, guilt flickering across his expression. "You can tell me you need space. You can tell me to stay away. But you can't stop me from watching over you. I'll give you distance but I'm still going to protect you, Noelle. Even if you don't see me."
Her breath caught at his words and then something clicked.
"Wait," she whispered. "How did you know where I was last night? You showed up almost right after I called."
Ren's jaw tightened. For a long moment, he didn't answer. Then, finally, he said quietly, "Because I was already there."
Noelle's brows drew together. "What do you mean?"
"I saw you leave your place," he admitted, his voice barely above a murmur. "I followed you to the bar… I stayed in the car. I didn't plan to interfere. I just wanted to make sure you were safe."
The air between them grew heavy. Noelle took a slow step back, searching his face.
"You followed me?" she asked softly, disbelief threading through her voice.
Ren nodded, his expression earnest. "I didn't want to scare you. I just… couldn't stay away."
Her mind whirled. A part of her wanted to be angry, to tell him it wasn't right but another part of her couldn't ignore the sincerity in his eyes, the quiet fear of losing her that lived in his every word.
She looked down, conflicted, her voice trembling slightly when she finally spoke. "Ren… you can't keep doing that. If you care about me, you have to trust me too."
He lowered his gaze, shame flickering briefly before he whispered, "I know."
Noelle drew a breath, steadying herself. "Ren," she said softly, "you can't keep following me like that. It's not about whether your intentions are good. It's about trust. If you really care about me, you have to give me that space."
Ren didn't argue. He only stood there, eyes lowered, shoulders tense as if her words were something heavy he couldn't set down.
"I know," he said quietly. "You're right."
"Then why?" she asked, her voice gentler now. "Why would you do that?"
He hesitated before answering. "Because I was scared," he admitted. "When I saw you leaving your place, dressed up, looking… distant, I had this feeling I couldn't shake off. I thought—" He swallowed hard. "I thought I was losing you again."
The honesty in his voice tugged at her heart, but she forced herself to stay firm. "You can't protect me by crossing my boundaries, Ren. That's not love. That's fear. And if you keep letting that fear control you, you'll lose me for real."
Her words landed softly but they hit deep.
Ren looked up at her then the usual confidence gone from his expression, replaced by quiet remorse. "I don't want to be that person," he said. "You have no idea how much I regret it already."
Noelle opened her mouth to respond but then her gaze flicked down and her brows drew together in disbelief.
"Ren," she said, half-exasperated, half-laughing. "Do you realise how hard it is to have a serious conversation with you when you're wearing my teddy bear T-shirt?"
He blinked, glanced down, and groaned when he saw the pink shirt stretched over his broad shoulders.
For the first time that morning, a small laugh escaped her, even as frustration lingered in her eyes.
Ren ran a hand through his hair, a sheepish smile tugging at his lips. "In my defense, someone," he said, giving her a pointed look, "ruined my top and pants last night. I didn't have much of a choice."
Noelle pressed her lips together, torn between amusement and embarrassment. "Right… that," she muttered, remembering the events a little too vividly.
He chuckled softly, his tone lighter now but his eyes still earnest. "Guess I should be grateful your shirt fits at all."
Her laugh faded into a sigh. "You're infuriating, you know that?"
Noelle looked at him again, torn between affection and lingering hurt. She could still see the boyish sincerity in his eyes, the one that made staying angry with him almost impossible.
"I believe you," she said at last. "But it's going to take time for me to feel comfortable again. You can't just say you'll change, Ren. You have to show me."
He nodded, stepping closer but stopping just short of touching her. "I will," he said simply. "I'll earn your trust back if it takes everything I have."
For a moment, neither of them spoke. The morning light spilled through the window, catching in her hair.
Noelle finally managed a small, weary smile. "Come on," she said, turning toward the door. "You still owe me breakfast."