The night I will never forget. Her every word played in my head—the way she spoke, the way she hugged me, and the kiss we shared. I went to sleep thinking about it.
The next morning, I woke up early and made a hangover soup for her. I went to her apartment, and she was still asleep. I left the soup on her kitchen counter with a small note: "Hope you had a great sleep."
Then I went to work.
Later, I opened my phone and saw Aria's request on Instagram. I accepted it, and a message appeared: "Thank you for the soup." I smiled at her text.
At noon, my assistant Leo announced, "Mr. Ren, Miss Aria is here."
She entered, and the moment she saw me, she smiled. I melted.
"Um, I'm here to give an update about the building," she said, handing me a file.
"Everything is going well so far, and Mr. Fren suggested some interior designs. Here are his suggestions." She turned the page.
I scanned them carefully. "Which one do you think is better?" I asked, knowing the school was hers.
"I personally prefer the third one, but since the company has invested more in the construction, your opinion matters most." She was thoughtful in her words.
"I like the third one too. Let's go with it." Honestly, all her choices are as beautiful as her.
"So, we'll go with that," she replied. Then she handed me a bag. "Oh! I made spaghetti and thought I should bring some for you, too."
Happiness surged inside me. "Thank you."
She smiled. "Well then, let me know how it tastes." She wrapped up her things. "Have a great day," she said, about to leave.
I stepped in front of her. "Can I get your number so I can tell you how it tastes?"
Her cheeks turned red, and she handed me her phone. I saved my number and took hers in return.
I was looking at her, lost in thought, when suddenly…"Brother…"
I snapped back to reality. "Rui? What are you doing here?" I asked.
"Oh! I thought you are busy with something important. Should I go outside?" She smiled softly and slowly started to turn away.
"Wait," I said, stopping her.
"Um… well, I should go now. I have to make a decision within an hour," Aria said and left.
"Take this," my sister said, handing me a bag. "Mom told me to give it to you. I'm leaving too…"
With that, she ran after Aria.
I could see them walking together out of the building. Later that night, when I returned home, I saw Aria standing outside my door.
"Are you okay?" I asked.
She looked at me, a little amused. "You already knew I recognized you?" she said.
"Well…" I couldn't exactly tell her that Sora had told me. I stepped closer. "Your kiss told me."
Her cheeks flushed instantly. She pushed me lightly and hurried inside. I couldn't help but love seeing her blush.
I went back to my room and texted her: "The spaghetti was tasty."
She liked the message immediately. "Thank you," she replied.
Just then, Rui called.
"Brother, where are you?"
"Home."
"You like her?" she asked, blunt as always.
"What do you mean?" I asked, slightly confused.
"If you do, then watch out for that so-called Mr. Fran from the construction side," she warned.
"Huh?"
"I went with sister Aria to see the new building," Rui explained. "There he was, sitting on a chair. Aria went up to him and told him she chose the third design. He got a little… too close. She tried to move away, but he kept pushing. I told sister Aria to take me home, and she left the situation. I could feel uncomfortable just watching, imagine how she must have felt."
"Thanks for telling me, Rui," I said, cutting the call. I went straight to Aria's apartment and rang the bell.
She opened the door. "Ren—"
Before she could finish, I hugged her tightly.
"I understand, it's hard for you to open up after ten years," I said, my voice catching. "But please… tell me if something unusual is happening."
She was speechless; maybe she thought I didn't know. She didn't say a word.
"Can I be there for you?" I asked.
She nodded. I helped her to her room and stayed until she slept peacefully. The next morning I found myself dozing on the floor beside her bed, a warm blanket pulled over me. When I went out, she was already cooking.
"Breakfast." She smiled and led me to a chair. I never imagined I'd have breakfast with her. After we ate, we went together to the construction site. I sat on the couch and Aria took the seat beside me.
Fran seemed calm and polite at first. Then my phone rang — Leo. I stepped outside to take the call but kept my eyes on Fran through the window. I watched him suddenly lean closer to Aria and rest his hand on her shoulder. Heat rose through me. I had planned not to lay a hand on anyone, but I couldn't hold back. Not when the woman I cared about was being touched by someone else.
I strode straight to him and punched him in the face. He went down hard, a hit he won't forget.
I handed him over to the police. After everything was settled, Aria looked at me, her eyes full of guilt. "Ren… I'm sorry for not letting you know about this."
I couldn't stay mad at her. I stepped closer and gently placed my hand on her head. "Just… let me know if something like this happens again," I said. She nodded, relieved.
Just then, a familiar voice called out, "Well, can I get a proper welcome from my friend and his girlfriend?"
I turned, and there stood Suho at the door. I gave Suho the task of looking after the construction.
"Oh! Aria, aren't you Mrs. Eve's daughter?" he said, recognition lighting up his face.
"Yes! Nice to meet you," she said with a warm smile.
"Wait… you two are dating?? I didn't know!" he exclaimed, shocked.
Aria waved her hand dismissively. "I'm not his girlfriend," she said. My heart skipped a beat, I realized I hadn't even asked her yet.
"Alright, then do your work properly," I said, smiling, and we headed to the car. "Let's go to the beach," I added. She agreed.
We arrived just as the sun began to dip into the horizon. The golden light danced across the waves, painting the beach in a soft, warm glow. It was perfect, and I knew it was the right moment.
"Aria," I said, turning to her. "Will you be my girlfriend?" My voice was steady, though my heart raced.
She looked up at me, a playful sparkle in her eyes. "If I say yes… you won't refuse me if I want to kiss you, right?"
I chuckled softly. "I would never refuse you."
"You did, though… when I tripped over you," she teased, looking away.
I stepped closer, brushing a strand of hair from her face. "Then why don't you try it yourself, now?"
With a mischievous grin, she grabbed the collar of my shirt. "Let me try then," she said, and kissed me. Soft, sweet, and warm, the kind of kiss that made the world around us disappear. My hands instinctively held her close, and for a moment, it felt like we were the only two people in existence.
When we finally pulled back, her cheeks were flushed, and her eyes shone. I smiled, heart full. "So… that's a yes?"
She laughed softly, resting her forehead against mine. "Yes, Ren… that's a yes."
That moment wasn't an ending; it was the start of us.