The evening sun painted long shadows as Jades led Ausse into the restaurant. It was incredibly fancy, like something out of a dream, far grander than anything Ausse had ever seen. The air buzzed with soft chatter and the gentle clinking of forks, a fancy sound that both impressed and intimidated her. Jades, always calm and proper, had a private table waiting for them, a quiet spot in the elegant buzz.
Ausse was super shy, completely overwhelmed by the beautiful place and being so close to Jades. She kept her eyes glued to her lap, trying hard not to look at him, though she couldn't help but sneak quick peeks. Jades, not sensing her nervousness, broke the comfortable quiet.
"Ausse, what do you want to order?" His voice was a mix of cool and caring, a tone she was starting to recognize.
She finally looked up, but her eyes quickly darted away from his. "I'll eat whatever you order," she mumbled softly, politely, her gaze finding comfort in her hands again.
A slow, gentle smile spread across Jades's face, a rare sight that changed his whole look. "Please look up at me, my lady," he teased, a playful twinkle in his dark eyes.
She slowly did as he asked, her eyes darting towards his, then quickly away. Her cute awkwardness just made his smile bigger. And then, she was lost. His smiling face, surprisingly warm, caught her completely. Their eyes met for a quick second, and a blush crept up her neck. His dark brown eyes, usually so serious, looked surprisingly soft when he looked at her.
The waiter arrived, placing many delicious dishes in front of them. Ausse had never seen so much amazing food; it was a colorful, fragrant feast, each dish more tempting than the last. Her hunger, which she'd mostly forgotten about because of her nerves, finally took over. She started eating, her usual slightly clumsy way of eating surprisingly charming to Jades. He watched her, quietly enjoying her carefree eating. Suddenly, Ausse felt his stare, a strong feeling that made her blush even more.
"Sir, please look at your food," she whispered, barely audible.
Jades almost laughed out loud. "You've already made many 'holes' in my face by staring; can't I make one in you too?" he playfully shot back, his eyes sparkling with fun.
Her cheeks turned bright red, and in her embarrassment, she fumbled, spilling some sauce on her dress. "Oh! My terrible clumsiness! Now I have to go to the restroom." With a quick apology, she practically ran from the table, driven not just by the stain but by the heat in her face.
As she rushed through the restaurant, her mind still buzzing from Jades's teasing, she bumped into a woman. "Sorry! That wasn't on purpose," Ausse stammered, truly sorry.
"Watch yourself!" the woman snapped back rudely.
Ausse, too flustered to argue, mumbled another quick apology and hurried to the restroom. "Oh, Jades is waiting! I need to clean this dress quickly," she whispered to herself. She looked at her reflection in the mirror, took a deep breath, and tried to calm down. "Ausse, control yourself," she scolded, a small, determined frown on her face.
After a quick clean-up, she headed back, feeling a bit lighter, her confidence slowly returning. But as she got closer to their table, her heart sank. The same rude woman from before was clinging to Jades, her arm linked through his. To Ausse's dismay, Jades seemed completely fine with it, his face showing no emotion. A wave of unexpected sadness washed over Ausse. She didn't want to break into their moment. Without a word, she turned and left the restaurant, deciding to walk home.
The initial sadness turned into a rush of questions. "Who was she? They seemed to know each other." Then, a more confusing thought popped up. "Wait! Why am I so bothered? It's his life." Despite her inner turmoil, the walk home was easy for Ausse, as she was good at remembering roads. Once she was home, she changed out of her stained dress into her comfy clothes and immediately started doing chores, trying to distract herself.
A little while later, Jades appeared at the doorway.
"You came home by yourself?" he asked, his voice his usual cool tone, though with a hint of confusion. "I was looking for you at the restaurant."
Ausse, her back to him, kept doing her chores, ignoring him on purpose. "I just felt uncomfortable there and came back!" she said sharply.
Jades looked genuinely confused. He sat on the bed, his eyes on her. "If you felt uncomfortable, you should have just told me. I could have driven you home."
Ausse finally turned, her annoyance bubbling up. "I wanted to tell you, but you were busy flirting with some lady, so I decided not to interrupt."
"Flirting?" Jades's question hung in the air, a mix of surprise and real confusion.
She didn't answer, simply turning away and leaving the room, ending the conversation abruptly. Jades, too lazy to clear up the misunderstanding, stayed on the sofa, a silent question mark over his head.
As the day ended and dinner time came, Jades sat at the dining table. Ausse, still annoyed from before, served the food and started eating in silence, not a word exchanged.
"Are you jealous?" Jades finally broke the quiet, a playful glint in his eyes.
"No! I am not," she snapped back, her voice firm, though a tell-tale blush was starting to creep up her neck.
"Then why are you so bothered?" he pressed, his playful tone still there.
Her face turned bright red at his accurate comment. Unable to say anything, she quickly got up from the table and rushed out of the dining room. She went to Jades's room, a place she often slept in when he wasn't home, a familiar comfort. She dove under the blankets, trying to escape her strong feelings, and soon fell into a deep sleep.
Two hours later, Jades came into his room, not knowing Ausse was there, as he was used to being alone. His shirt was unbuttoned, showing a bit of his chest. As he got closer to the bed, he was shocked to see Ausse. A quick look of surprise crossed his face. He reached for a pillow near her, planning to sleep on the couch, but the small movement woke Ausse up.
Her eyes snapped open, and she was equally shocked to see him. "What are you doing here?" she asked carefully, her voice still a bit sleepy.
"This is my room," he said in a cool, matter-of-fact tone.
Ausse flustered, quickly scrambling off the bed. "Then just rest!" she blurted out, her face burning, and she started to leave the room.
But before she could, Jades's hand shot out, gently but firmly grabbing her arm. "You can sleep here," he said, his voice softer now, though still cool. Ausse, still flustered, tried to pull her arm free. In her struggle, she lost her balance, pulling Jades down with her. He tumbled onto the bed, landing on top of her.
His bare skin touched hers, sending a jolt through her. Her face turned an even deeper red. His dark, soft hair brushed against her cheek. "You really are very clumsy," he mumbled, a hint of amusement in his voice.
Their eyes met, a proper, steady gaze that held them in that moment. The world outside the room faded, leaving only the two of them, their eyes locked, an unspoken understanding passing between them in the quiet, intimate night.