"You're really something," Rosette said with a faint, tired smile. "Let's go home. I'm exhausted."
Just as she reached for the car door, Dranred spoke softly.
"I'm sorry."
The unexpected apology made her pause. Slowly, she turned to face him. "Why are you saying sorry?"
"For how I treated you earlier," he replied, his gaze fixed somewhere on the ground. "I thought… I needed to distance myself from you."
"Distance yourself?" she repeated, frowning. "Why?"
Dranred drew in a slow breath before answering. "I met with Estelle a few days ago."
Rosette froze. The name hit her like a wave, cold and heavy. Her heart began to pound in her chest, though she tried to keep her expression calm. "You… met with her? Why?"
"She said she still loves me," Dranred confessed quietly. "She told me she wanted us to have another chance."
Rosette's mind went blank for a moment. Then came the ache—sharp, hollow, impossible to hide. Of course. It was Estelle. It had always been Estelle. Still, Rosette clenched her hands, forcing herself to breathe. "That's impossible," she said, her voice trembling slightly. "She's married."
"I know," he muttered, rubbing his forehead as if the thought itself pained him. "That's what I can't understand. What was she thinking, saying that?"
Rosette's chest tightened even more. Why are you telling me this? she wanted to scream. Instead, she asked quietly, "Why are you telling me all this, Dranred?"
He looked at her then, his eyes unreadable. "Because I don't know what to do," he admitted. "What do you think I should do?"
Rosette stared at him in disbelief. "Why are you asking me that?" she said, frustration rising in her tone.
"It's your life. You make the choice. If you still love her, then do what you think is right—but make sure you don't hurt Dr. Bryan. He has nothing to do with your mess."
Her voice cracked at the end, a mix of anger and something she couldn't name. Inside, her thoughts were racing. How can he even ask me that? Does he have any idea what he's doing to me?
Dranred didn't respond right away. He looked lost—confused, even—but Rosette refused to pity him. Not this time.
"So that's why she was wearing that ring," Rosette whispered suddenly, more to herself than to him. The image of Estelle's necklace from the wedding flashed in her mind. It all made sense now, though she wished it didn't.
A long silence hung between them, heavy and fragile. The air felt colder. Neither of them knew what to say next.
"Was that part of your plan?" Rosette asked, her voice edged with disbelief.
Dranred frowned. "What plan?"
"To give Estelle that ring just to mess with her head," she said, crossing her arms.
"That's ridiculous," he replied, exhaling sharply. "I gave her the ring because it was meant for her. At first, yes, I hoped we might get back together—but when I learned she was getting married, I tried to accept it and let her go."
"Then why are you confused now if you've already let her go?" Rosette asked, unable to hide the frustration in her tone.
Dranred sighed. "Estelle has always been like family to me—a close friend. Even if what we had is over…"
Rosette cut him off, her voice trembling slightly. "Are you implying she's not happy with Dr. Bryan?"
"I don't know," he admitted. "But I hope she is. If she finds happiness with him, I can finally be at peace. From what I've seen, that doctor isn't a bad guy. I think he truly cares for her."
He leaned against his car, glancing up at the sky. The parking lot was quiet now, dimly lit, with a soft shimmer of starlight overhead.
"Would you believe me," he said after a long pause, "if I told you I've already forgotten about Estelle? That maybe my heart is starting to beat for someone else?"
Rosette froze. His words caught her off guard, and when she looked up at him, her cheeks warmed. She wasn't sure if he could see the faint blush coloring her face.
"You're impossible," she muttered, shaking her head with a faint laugh. "I can never figure you out. But whatever you decide, just remember—I'm your friend. I'll support you."
"Friend, huh?" Dranred repeated softly, his eyes still fixed on the sky.
"Your number one fan," she added with a light tone. "And maybe… your little sister." She tried to smile, but there was an ache in her chest.
"I don't like the sound of that," he said suddenly.
Rosette blinked in surprise. "You don't? You've always said I'm like a sister to you. Why the change?"
He didn't answer—just kept staring at the stars, his jaw tight, his thoughts somewhere far away.
After a pause, he finally spoke again. "You know, James and Estelle asked me to stay away from you. They think I'm a bad influence. In their eyes, I turned you rebellious."
"Rebellious?" she repeated, half-laughing.
"Yeah," he said with a small grin. "And maybe they're right. You've been defying them just by being here. I'm their enemy now, yet here you are—standing by me without hesitation. Because of that, James is even angrier."
Rosette looked at him, her expression soft but steady. "You think I'm rebelling just because I chose to stay by your side?"
He chuckled. "Aren't you?"
"Of course not," she said, shaking her head. "Like you said, we're family—and families don't abandon each other. Even if James can't accept you right now, I believe one day he will." She hesitated, then added more quietly, "And if you're wondering why I can't leave you… it's because my heart won't let me. There's nothing wrong with following your heart, is there?"
Dranred turned to look at her, and for a moment, the air between them felt still. Even under the dim lights, he could see the brightness in her eyes and that gentle smile that always managed to disarm him.
That smile stirred something deep inside him—something he didn't want to name. His fingers twitched slightly, tempted to reach out, to brush a strand of hair from her face, to let his touch say what his words couldn't.
But instead, he clenched his hands into fists and looked away, trying to steady the storm in his chest.
"You shouldn't smile at me like that," Dranred said quietly. "Or show me that kind of kindness. I'm getting used to it—and I'm afraid I'm becoming greedy. One day, I might not want anyone else to even look at you. That thought scares me… scares me of what I could become."
Rosette's smile faded. His words caught her off guard, and for a moment, she couldn't move.
"Are you afraid of me?" he asked, his voice low.
"Why would I be afraid of you?" she replied, looking away to hide the flush rising on her cheeks. Her heart, however, was racing uncontrollably.
"That's good," Dranred said with a faint smile. "I wouldn't want to hear that you're afraid of me."
He paused for a long moment, his gaze lifting toward the sky. "There are things I want to tell you—but it's not the right time yet. Can you be patient and wait for me? Someday, I'll find the right words."
Rosette looked at him silently, her chest tightening.
"I'll have the sky and the stars as my witnesses," he continued, his eyes reflecting their faint light. "When that day comes, I'll finally say what's in my heart. But until then… will you wait for me?"
His words made her pulse quicken. She wanted to ask what he truly meant—but part of her was afraid to hope. Was he hinting at feelings she secretly wished for? Or was she just reading too much into his kindness?
Before she could speak, Dranred added with a teasing smile, "Until then, promise me something. Don't get too close to Nathan. It's… irritating, honestly. Or to any other guy, for that matter. I might end up locking you in a tower."
Rosette laughed softly. "I'm not a damsel in distress for you to lock away. And for your information, Nathan's the one who keeps approaching me. He's actually a nice guy."
"Nice?" Dranred repeated, raising an eyebrow.
"Yes, nice," she said, meeting his gaze. "I don't even know why you two can't stand each other. Honestly, I think your chemistry on the field is great. The way he catches your pitches—it's like music."
Dranred chuckled. "He's a good catcher, I'll give him that. But I'm not thrilled about how persistent he is with you."
Rosette couldn't help but smile at that. As they talked, her heartbeat slowly began to steady, though the excitement never quite left. They stood there for a long while, oblivious to the night air and the quiet parking lot around them.
"I think I can wait," she said softly. "Until the day you finally find those words. But make sure you find them soon, or I might get rebellious and give up waiting."
Dranred laughed under his breath. "I'll keep that in mind." He looked up at the sky. "It's beautiful tonight—the stars are shining their brightest. Just like someone I know."
Rosette glanced upward too. "You're starting to sound like someone else entirely," she said with a faint smile. "But one thing's for sure—the stars really are beautiful."
As she gazed at the heavens, she didn't notice that Dranred was no longer looking at the stars.
He was looking at her—and smiling.