There will always be Light after the Storm. The morning Sun powerfully showed itself in the sky.
Its light illuminated the city of Tokyo this morning. A sliver of its rays pierced through the curtain covering the window, slightly disturbing Brian with the light entering his room.
Brian slowly opened his eyes, feeling around his bed for someone who was none other than Bella.
But there was no one beside him. Brian changed his position to a sit, stretching his arms. A delicious scent began to greet him this morning.
Brian left his room, went to the bathroom, and started cleaning himself up. Bella was so skillful, mixing various spices and other seasonings, concocting them into a very delicious meal.
In the middle of her busy enjoyment of her activities, Bella didn't realize that Brian was watching her from the doorway of the kitchen, his arms crossed over his chest.
A brief smile was etched on his face, which looked fresh and handsome. Brian carefully approached the dish rack, grabbed a plate, and walked over to Bella.
Brian placed the plate right beside Bella. Seeing a plate next to her, Bella turned her attention to the young man who was now beside her. Brian looked at her gently with a small smile.
"It smells good, may I taste it?" Brian asked her.
Bella smiled upon hearing that, then nodded. Her attention returned to her cooking.
"Of course, I made chicken teriyaki and gyoza. Do you like it?" Bella asked him. Brian nodded slightly in response to Bella's friendly question.
"I do!" Brian replied to her.
"How are you? Your body temperature was so high last night!" Bella asked Brian again, worriedly.
She turned off the stove and began serving the food.
"I'm fine, thank you!" Brian answered, walking toward the dining table, followed by Bella.
They sat facing each other at the dining table. Bella started giving Brian a plate of food, while she only held a cup containing a warm herbal drink.
Brian began to eat his food. Bella smiled, seeing Brian enthusiastically enjoying the meal she had prepared.
"Is it good?" Bella asked Brian.
In between bites, Brian nodded, looking at Bella who was watching him.
"Finish it, if you like it!" Bella said. Brian looked at the girl in front of him, who was also watching him.
"Don't look at me like that. I bought some movies while you were gone. Would you like to watch them with me?" Bella asked him. Bella was trying to invite Brian to watch movies with her. Brian stopped eating.
"Movies? Why don't you watch them by yourself? I left for an important matter!" Brian said, stopping his activity. Brian began to stand up to leave, as did Bella. Her hand lightly gripped Brian's wrist, holding him back so he wouldn't go.
"Please, just for one day!" Bella pleaded with him.
"You're wasting time by begging me for something stupid!" Brian said irritably. He had returned to his cold self toward Bella.
"Try not to refuse a kind invitation from someone! If you repay kindness with evil, it's not fair, is it? Can you bear to be unfair to a girl? Besides, I only asked for one day, is it that hard for you?" Bella asked him, making a pointed statement.
Hearing that, Brian remembered something about fairness. When it came to matters of justice, Brian would never show small complaints or refusals for the sake of upholding justice.
"Fine, I'll keep you company!" Brian answered her.
Bella gave him a sweet smile upon hearing that. Her hand started gently pulling Brian's hand, leading him toward the living room.
They sat on the sofa, and Bella began playing the movie. It seemed Bella was the one enjoying the movie she was playing more.
Meanwhile, Brian had been silent without a single word. How could he not be? Brian and Bella's tastes were completely divergent and out of sync.
A movie in the romance genre held absolutely no interest for Brian. For him, sitting here next to a girl while watching a romance movie was the most boring thing.
It was like a nightmare for him, and now it was actually happening. Time seemed to just fly by until the movie ended.
"How was it, did you like it?" Bella asked him. Bella was enthusiastically throwing the question at Brian.
"No," Brian answered honestly. Bella grunted in annoyance at the brief answer.
"Alright, I'm leaving now!" Brian said, getting up to go.
"Didn't I say for one day? You can go tomorrow, right?" Bella asked him. Brian stopped his steps.
"I've been fair! And now, don't stop me. Besides, who are you to dare to stop me? And why don't you leave my house? I'm bored of seeing you bother me so much!" Brian said without turning his gaze toward Bella. The words were quite harsh, almost inhumane.
"Sit down for a moment!" Bella invited him.
"Didn't I tell you I have important business!" Brian said, rejecting Bella's invitation.
"Come on, please!" Bella pleaded with him again softly. The small request was granted. Brian turned back toward Bella, approached her, and sat right next to her.
"I'm here, not over there! Are you going to talk to the window? Didn't I tell you, look at the person you're talking to!" Bella said to him. Bella tried to guide Brian's face to look at her.
Their gazes met for the first time at a close distance: Brian's sharp gaze and Bella's serene one.
"Did you know?" Bella asked him.
"What?" Brian asked her. Brian was confused; the gentle gaze in front of him made his heart beat fast.
A strange feeling that rarely happened to him, but Brian tried to remain calm.
"You look more handsome when you smile!" Bella said to him. Bella gently pulled the corner of Brian's lips, trying to create a smile there. Bella also smiled afterward.
"No matter how much you try to avoid me, I already understand you. I just want to keep you company, is that wrong? You live alone, right? I also live alone!" Bella explained.
Brian touched the hands that were cupping his face. Slowly, he began to remove those hands from his face.
Without a word, Brian stood up. Bella also stood up. Their eyes met in silence; there was nothing at all to be said.
Brian moved closer to Bella. His right hand gently touched Bella's crown, stroking it slowly.
Strong arms embraced Bella, bringing her into a small, rather warm hug. Brian closed his eyes. A clear liquid dropped from his eyelids just like that.
Quickly, he wiped away the tear, broke the embrace, and walked away, leaving Bella still stunned.
"No matter how hard the heart, no matter how firm the stance, there must be something that can change and shatter it! Where there is an advantage, there is also a drawback! Don't ask why this can happen, because the law of nature dictates it, and thus, nothing can change it."