"Hmm~hmm~"
But just as I entered, I heard the shower stop and someone humming with an eerily familiar voice.
'...Am I forgetting something?' I thought as I stood in front of the door, my hand still placed on the handle, 'Maybe I should come later.'
Click.
But before I could open the door, another door opened, and I instinctively looked in that direction.
"..."
But as I turned back, I found a pair of crimson eyes staring at me. However, I couldn't focus much on her eyes as my gaze fell downwards.
In her soft fabric bathrobe, Grace stood there frozen, with her hands holding a towel to dry her blonde hair.
With a single glance, I could see her pure white skin shining as the light fell on it.
Her curves were fully exposed as the robe tightly hugged her body.
Her exposed legs, up to her smooth, luscious thighs, gave me a view that I found hard to avert my eyes from.
"EDEN!" I snapped out of my daze as she glared at me while adjusting her bathrobe.
"Would you believe it's a misunderstanding?" I said hastily, avoiding her gaze.
Hmm, why is the room getting warmer?
Swish.
Bang!!
"Wait! Wait! Grace!" I narrowly dodged the vase she threw at me as she reached for another.
"Didn't I tell you not to come here!?" Her cheeks flushed with embarrassment, she hurled another vase at my face.
"You did?" I asked, catching the vase.
Her temperament was both a little intimidating and strangely.....alluring.
Wait not the right time to think about it.
"I warned you clearly to not come!"
"Um, maybe?" I replied hesitantly, unsure of how to reply. "I mean, I might have forgotten...or misheard...or—"
"Stop making excuses, Eden!" She grabbed a chair and than envopled it with black flames before throwing that on me.
"Ahh, fuck it." I muttered as I used [Star Sense] connecting a thin tread of Star Energy with the space node beside her.
[Space Wrap]
The space around me disoriented as the burning chair Thrown at me hit the wall behind me while I found myself beside Grace.
Her eyes widened in surprise, her anger momentarily forgotten, but she quickly started to glare at me again.
"Wha—"
Bang!!
But before she could do anything, I grabbed her by the waist and slammed her against the wall.
Grace blinked, processing what was happening for a moment before her expression changed, her cheeks still flushed with anger.
"What are you doin—"
"Shut up," I interjected, gripping her waist tightly as I leaned closer to her.
"Eden," she said softly, her tone less harsh than before, but ignoring her pleading eyes, I brought my face close to hers.
Feeling her warmth against me, I hesitated for a moment, unsure of why I was doing this.
But the intensity of the moment overwhelmed me, and I found myself leaning in closer.
"Eden, what are you—"
Before she could finish her sentence, I pressed my lips against hers, silencing her with a kiss.
At first, she stiffened in surprise, but then she melted against me, her lips responding to mine with a mixture of confusion and passion.
For a brief, fleeting moment, everything else faded away as we stood there, lost in each other's embrace.
But then reality came crashing back, and I pulled away abruptly, releasing her from my grasp.
"I...I'm sorry," I replied softly, my heart pounding in my chest as I took a step back. "I don't know what came over me."
Grace's expression was a mix of shock and confusion as she stared at me, her lips still slightly parted from the kiss.
"Eden.I.."
Click
.
But before she could say anything, the door clicked open, and another woman walked inside.
"....."
Sophia looked at both of us before she rubbed her eyes and looked again.
Swish! Swish!
"Wait! It's not wha—."
"Grace."
As I tried to explain, Sophia called her, and she started to conjure drills of wind, all aimed at me.
"Did he try to force you?" Sophia asked, still aiming the drills at me.
I looked at Grace as well—messy hair, in her bathrobe with exposed skin, a flushed face, and me standing close to her.
Yeah... I can see why Sophia is angry.
"No," Grace replied as she stood in front of me. "You are overthinking this."
"Then, why are you like this in the middle of the room!" Sophia snapped at her while glaring at me.
"I was going to change!" Grace replied, shaking her head violently. "He didn't...try to do...anything."
"Then why are you blushing!"
"I AM NOT BLUSHING!"
"Now, why are you shouting?"
"Argh....I am going to change."
Saying so, she fled to her room, leaving me alone with Sophia, her expression a mixture of suspicion and frustration.
"Eden," she began, her voice stern, "what exactly happened here?"
"... Nothing," I replied, my voice sounding feeble even to my own ears, "You came too early."
Swish! Swish!
"Wait, it was a joke! A joke!"
Sophia let out a frustrated sigh as she stopped the drills attacking me, saying firmly, "Grace is like a sister to me, and I won't tolerate anyone making her feel uncomfortable or threatened."
"I won't do anything like that, don't worry. Can I make food for you guys?" I replied, shaking my head.
She studied me for a moment before nodding and dispersing the drills as she walked back to her room.
With a heavy sigh, I headed to the kitchen to prepare some food for Sophia, Grace, and myself.
[....What happened to you?]
As I chopped vegetables and stirred pots on the stove, Edda asked.
"I...I lost control," I replied, the warmth of her lips still lingering in my mind.
[... Hormones acting up?]
"....maybe," I replied with a slight pause, pushing the responsibility to hormones.
"Anyway, I think I need to keep myself in control." I mumbled again as I focused back on the food.
...
...
...
As the aroma of freshly cooked food filled the air, Grace, Sophia, and I gathered around the dining table for dinner.
I served the steaming dishes onto each plate, careful not to meet Sophia's gaze directly.
Grace, on the other hand, seemed lost in thought, her gaze drifting between her plate and then at me.
"Enjoy," I said with a smile as I sat down with them and started to eat my food, though I still felt tense under Sophia's occasional glances.
The clinking sound of utensils was the only thing that filled the air as none of us tried to start a conversation.
"Grace," I called her attention, and she looked at me.
"What?" She asked, taking a bite of her food.
"Tell me when you're free," I replied, looking at her intently.
"Why?" She inquired.
"We have something to do, remember?" I reminded her.
She paused for a moment, then nodded as she recalled what I was referring to. She had asked me to train her in controlling her flames, and I planned to do so as soon as possible.
"I will," she replied before returning to her meal.
"I'm going to sleep," Grace announced as she stood up and walked back to her room, glancing at me once before leaving.
Once again, Sophia and I were left alone in the room.
"Just so you know, Eden," Sophia said as she pushed her plate away, "she will come to love you again."
"Are you so sure about that?" I asked, looking at her skeptically.
"I am," she affirmed, standing up from her seat. "Because you broke something that her mother always told her to hold in high regard."
I remained silent, still staring at her.
"You broke her pride, Eden."