Moments of silence stretched between them, heavy and tense. Iridea finally broke it, her bratty tone cutting through the air.
"So, are we done here?" she asked, her arms crossed defiantly.
Without waiting for Nullen's response, she turned to leave, intending to return to her friends. But Nullen had other plans. He grabbed her wrist, his grip firm yet not painful.
"You're going home," Nullen said in a cold, clipped tone.
Iridea huffed but said nothing. She could tell from his expression that arguing would be pointless. With a roll of her eyes, she let him lead her to his car.
The ride to the Solenne estate was quiet, the atmosphere heavy. Nullen's gaze remained fixed on the road, his jaw clenched. Iridea leaned her head against the window, eyes drooping as sleep began to claim her.
By the time they arrived at her home, Iridea had drifted off, her breaths soft and even.
"We're here," Nullen said, turning to her. But there was no response.
He leaned back against the seat, watching her sleep. The harshness that usually clung to her features had softened, and for a moment, she looked almost angelic. Peaceful. Innocent.
His gaze fell to her wrist, where the Emotex Watch rested. It was quiet now, devoid of colors. A stark contrast to the swirl of emotions he'd seen earlier.
Nullen's chest tightened, an odd ache settling in.
"Iridea," he said, his voice softer this time. "Wake up. We're here."
Iridea's eyelids fluttered open, her gaze unfocused as she tried to process where she was. "Oh… sorry," she murmured, still groggy.
She rubbed her eyes, fixing her hair as she prepared to get out. But just as she reached for the door handle, she paused, turning to Nullen.
Still half-asleep, she leaned forward and pressed a soft, lingering kiss on his cheek.
It was casual, almost instinctive, the kind of kiss given to someone familiar, like family. But for Nullen, it was anything but casual.
Iridea pulled away without another word, stepped out of the car, and walked into her house without looking back.
---
Nullen remained in the driver's seat, unmoving. His hand drifted to his cheek, the spot where her lips had brushed against his skin. It was just a simple peck, nothing more.
But his heart pounded harder than it should.
"What the hell was that?" he muttered, eyes narrowing as he stared at the empty seat beside him.
Kissing Celest hadn't done anything to his charms ,no flicker of emotion, no surge of color. But Iridea's unintentional kiss, that innocent little peck, had stirred something.
Nullen's gaze dropped to his lapel pin, the gem faintly pulsing with a soft, subtle hue.
A hint of warmth.
A flicker of color.
Nullen swallowed, his throat tight. In all his life, his charms had never reacted to anything , not to Celest, not to his parents, not to anyone.
But now, one simple, unthinking gesture from Iridea had made his charm respond.
Nullen's fingers curled around the steering wheel, his knuckles white.
"What the hell are you doing to me, Iridea Solenne?"
--
At the Solenne's Dining Room
The family enjoyed a leisurely Sunday breakfast. The atmosphere was light, the soft clinking of silverware and the gentle hum of conversation filling the air.
Calista Solenne poured herself another cup of coffee, her smile warm as she glanced at her daughter. "You came home late last night," she said with her casual tone.
Iridea picked at her fruit, her expression neutral. "Just hung out with some friends," she said, taking a small bite.
"Oh, and Nullen dropped you off," Calista added, her eyes sparkling with interest.
"Mmm," Iridea responded, nonchalantly.
Evander Solenne, seated at the head of the table, set down his cup of coffee, a pleased smile spreading across his face. "Good to see you two getting along," he said, nodding approvingly. "It's nice when family bonds grow stronger."
Iridea forced a small smile, but her mind drifted to the car ride, to that brief, impulsive kiss.
"That's good," Calista said, her tone sweet and approving. "I always thought you two would make a great pair."
Iridea swallowed, her cheeks flushing slightly. "Yeah… right."
Before anyone could say more, she set her fork down, pushing her chair back. "I need to go," she said, her voice light.
Evander frowned, glancing at the clock. "It's Sunday, sweetheart. Where are you off to so early?"
"Zephyra," Iridea said, the excuse rolling off her tongue easily. "We made plans."
Evander nodded, satisfied. "Alright then. Have fun, darling."
"Take care," Calista added.
Iridea nodded, offering a quick wave before leaving the room.
---
Inside her room, Iridea moved around aimlessly, her thoughts swirling with fragments of last night.
Why had she kissed him? Was it just out of habit?
She caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror and groaned, pressing her fingers to her temples. "Why did I do that?"
Her charm, now exposed on her wrist, glowed faintly with soft colors of pink and gold, reflecting her mixed emotions.
Taking a deep breath, she shook her head, trying to shake off the lingering embarrassment. "It was nothing," she muttered, grabbing her bag. "Just a silly, meaningless kiss."
---
Iridea sat by the window, her sketchbook open in front of her, pencil in hand. The pages were filled with half-finished sketches of abstract swirls and dreamy landscapes, her mind wandering as she absentmindedly shaded a corner.
Her phone vibrated on the table, disrupting the quiet moment. The screen flashed with Nullen's name.
Iridea frowned, eyeing the phone. "What does he want now?" she muttered, more to herself than to anyone else. With a sigh, she picked it up.
"Hello?"
"Are you busy today?" Nullen's voice was as flat and indifferent as ever.
"Yes," Iridea replied without hesitation, her tone firm.
"I see," Nullen said, unfazed. "But today, my family wants to see you."
Iridea's brow furrowed, a spark of annoyance flickering in her eyes. "Why? It's Sunday. Is there something urgent?"
Nullen's voice remained monotone. "I don't know. They didn't say. Didn't your dad mention anything over breakfast?"
"No," Iridea said, leaning back in her chair. "Not a word."
"Well, just ask them. They only told me to call you," Nullen said, his tone bored, as if he couldn't care less about the whole ordeal. Before she could respond, he hung up, the abrupt click echoing in her ear.
Iridea stared at the phone, her jaw clenched. "Unbelievable," she muttered, tossing her phone onto the table.
She took a deep breath, closing her sketchbook and pushing it aside. Sighing, she picked up her phone again and dialed her father.
---
"Hello?" Evander's warm, fatherly voice through the line.
"Dad," Iridea said, trying to keep her tone casual. "I just got a call from Nullen. He said his family wants to see us today. Is there something going on?"
"Oh, that," Evander said, as if it were no big deal. "Just a simple dinner with the Virs. Nothing special. It's good for both families to spend time together. Strengthen the bond."
"Right," Iridea said, forcing a smile even though her father couldn't see it. "Got it."
"We'll leave at six. Be ready by then, okay?"
"Okay." The call ended, and Iridea lowered the phone, a sinking feeling settling in her stomach.
---
Iridea leaned back against the chair, staring blankly at her now-cold coffee. "What was I expecting?" she muttered under her breath.
With a heavy sigh, she closed her eyes, letting the café noise wash over her. The hum of chatter, the clinking of glasses, it all blended into a dull buzz that filled the hollow feeling inside her.
For once, she wished the dinner wasn't about maintaining appearances, about pretending to get along. But in Aurellia, appearances were everything. And so, she would go.