I carried my things into Chak's room. I placed my clothes neatly on his armchair and set the rest of my belongings down on the floor. My heart was quietly pounding. I couldn't help but worry about where I'd put all my stuff without taking up too much of his space.
"It'll be fine," I whispered to myself as I turned toward my own room. I changed the bedsheets and tidied up until the room looked exactly the way it had the day I first arrived at his place. When I closed the door behind me, I let out a small sigh of relief.
In the kitchen, I found Kit and Taeng laughing like two carefree children. They seemed so relaxed that I couldn't stop a smile from tugging at my lips.
"What are you two doing?" I asked, raising a curious brow.
"We're making an Italian specialty," Taeng said, his eyes twinkling.
"But our version of it," Kit added with a mischievous grin.
"Do you think she'll like it?" I asked, leaning casually against the counter as I watched them work.
"She has two options—eat it or don't," Taeng replied with a laugh.
In a more serious tone, I added, "Don't forget, she's Chak's half-sister. If she doesn't like it, you'll both have to answer to him."
I sighed as a memory from earlier that day flashed in my mind. "And… the way she silenced Orasa! Incredible," I said with admiration. "Did you see how Vikran blushed when she started pointing out the mistakes on the packaging?"
Kit chuckled. "If Chak hadn't been there, believe me, Vikran would've lost his temper and started yelling at her." He glanced at me, a knowing smile on his lips. "But when those two gave that icy look… I knew she had some connection to Chak. Still, I never imagined she was his half-sister."
"Same," I said with a soft laugh.
I stood and walked over to the drawer. Pulling out plates and silverware, I carefully arranged them on the table. As I reached for the glasses, the sound of the front door opening made me pause. I instinctively set the glasses down and turned around.
Chak and Anamarija stepped into the kitchen. She was holding a gray suitcase in her hand. Chak's calm gaze met mine as he spoke, "Show her where her room is. Then come to the bedroom."
"Alright," I replied with a nod and turned to her. "Come on. Let me carry your suitcase for you."
"Thank you, Niran," she said softly, her smile warm.
When we reached the room, she slowly stepped inside, taking in the space. She looked at me curiously and asked, "Is Chak always this quiet when he drives?"
I let out a small laugh. "Always," I replied.
Setting her suitcase down, I gave her a reassuring smile. "Come down for dinner in ten minutes," I told her.
She nodded. "I will."
Closing the door gently behind me, I headed for Chak's room. I knocked lightly, but before I could even step in, Chak grabbed my hand and pulled me inside.
"Chak, what are you doing?" I asked, surprised.
"I just want to spend a little time with you," he murmured, wrapping his arms around me. "I promised you yesterday I'd spend the whole afternoon with you… I just didn't expect this twist with Anamarija."
I hugged him back, smiling as I said, "I love being with you."
"Me too. Just having you here… that's already everything," he whispered, his eyes soft and full of emotion.
I leaned in and pressed a kiss to his cheek. "My artist," he whispered against my ear.
"My Chaky," I whispered back with a small smile.
"We should go down for dinner they're waiting for us," I said quietly, though part of me wished we could stay like this just a little longer.
"Just a little more," Chak pleaded softly, holding me tighter.
Smiling, I took his hand gently. "Come on."
As we reached the stairs, I slowly let go of his hand. I could still feel the lingering warmth of his touch on my skin and found myself wishing it would last just a little longer.
Anamarija was sitting at the table, and I could tell she felt a little nervous. I sat down next to her and gave her a reassuring smile.
"What did you cook?" she asked, her eyes lighting up slightly. "It smells amazing."
"Tomato sauce," Taeng explained. "We just made it our own way because Chak didn't have any basil. And we didn't have pasta either, so we used rice noodles."
"That's fine," Anamarija said with a gentle smile. "As long as there's something to eat."
As we started eating, Kit turned to her with a curious look. "So, which country are you from, Anamarija?"
"Slovenia," she answered confidently.
"Do you mean Slovakia?" Taeng chimed in.
"No, I mean Slovenia," she replied with a soft laugh.
"Where's that?" they both asked in unison.
"If I tell you where it is, you probably still won't know," she said playfully. "Unless you know where Italy, Croatia, Austria, and Hungary are."
"I know where Italy is!" Taeng said proudly, which made all of us chuckle.
Anamarija leaned in slightly, her voice warm as she continued, "Slovenia is a small country, but it has everything mountains, lakes, rivers, caves, the sea, hills… In just a few hours, you can go from the flatlands to the coast to the high mountains. And along the way, you'll see beautiful forests everywhere."
She smiled wider, her eyes glinting with pride. "On top of that, we have amazing food. And I speak a language that only about two million people in the world know."
I noticed Chak watching her from across the table. A rare, soft smile tugged at the corners of his lips as he listened.
After we finished eating, Chak turned to Anamarija and said, "I'm not sure if I've thanked you yet for helping Niran."
"No problem," she replied with an easy smile.
Then Chak's tone shifted his voice deepened, and his eyes turned sharp. "Just so you know, Niran is taken."
"I already know," Anamarija answered calmly. "From the very first minute I walked into the meeting room."
"Really? How?" I asked, curious.
She turned her eyes to me and smiled knowingly. "I saw the way he looked at me
jealous, like I'd taken something that belonged to him."
Chak tried to defend himself. "No, that's not—"
But Kit cut him off with a grin. "You can't fool her, Chak." Then he leaned back and added, "You know what my favorite part of the meeting was?"
"What?" both Chak and Anamarija asked at the same time.
Kit smirked. "Your icy glares. The two of you could freeze a whole room."
Chak's brow furrowed slightly, while Anamarija averted her gaze.
"Could you… do it again? Just for me?" I asked, half-joking.
They both looked at me with the same cold, piercing stare.
"I don't see the difference," Taeng said, glancing between the two of them.
Anamarija turned to him and asked, "What's your name again?"
"Taeng," he said with a small nod.
"And I'm Kit," Kit added quickly.
"Kit," Anamarija repeated with a faint smile. "Interesting name."
"Seriously?" Kit muttered, scratching the back of his head awkwardly.
Anamarija pushed her chair back and stood up. "I think I'll head to my room and start unpacking my things," she said politely.
As she began gathering the plates from the table, Chak's voice cut in, calm but firm. "Leave it. I'll call the housekeeper."
"Housekeeper?" Anamarija asked, her brows lifting in surprise. "I thought that was something that only existed in TV dramas."
Kit and Taeng both chuckled quietly, trying to hide their amusement.
Chak ignored their laughter and turned to me. "Come on. Let's go organize your things."
I nodded, standing up to follow him. My heart skipped slightly at the thought of being alone with him again, even for something as simple as unpacking.
Chak led me back upstairs to his room. The air between us felt calm but charged, like we both knew there was more in this simple task than just unpacking.
He opened the wardrobe and gestured to one side. "This space is for you. You can hang your clothes here," he said, his voice softening.
I stood there for a moment, looking at the empty space he had made for me. It felt strange—like this wasn't just temporary anymore. I wasn't just staying over. I was moving into his life.
"Are you sure?" I asked hesitantly. "I don't want to take up too much of your space."
"You're not," Chak said firmly, looking me straight in the eyes. "This is your home too now."
My chest tightened at his words. Your home too.
I gave him a small smile, trying to hide how much those words meant to me. "Okay."
We started hanging up my clothes together. His fingers brushed against mine a few times as we worked, sending small electric sparks up my arm.
When we finished, I stepped back and looked at the wardrobemy shirts and jackets now hanging next to his. It felt… surreal.
"Thank you," I said quietly.
Chak turned to me, his expression softening even more. "You don't have to thank me, Niran. You belong here. You belong to me"
Without thinking, I stepped closer and wrapped my arms around him. He stiffened slightly in surprise but then relaxed, hugging me back with a warmth that made me never want to let go.
"Sometimes I still can't believe this is real," I whispered against his chest.
He tilted his head down, his lips brushing my hair. "It's real. And I'm not letting you go."
I pulled back just enough to see his face, my hands resting on his chest. Then, before I could second-guess myself, I leaned in and pressed a soft kiss to his lips.
For a moment, it was just us. The world outside didn't matter.
When we finally pulled apart, Chak's eyes were darker, filled with something unspoken.
"Can I ask you something?" I said softly.
He raised a brow, curious. "What is it?"
"Will you… play something for me? On your guitar?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.
For a second, his expression softened even more, and the corners of his lips tugged into the smallest smile. "You want me to play for you?"
I nodded, feeling heat rise to my cheeks. "I do. I… I just like hearing you play. It's… calming."
He didn't say anything, but the way he looked at me like I'd asked for the simplest yet most intimate thing made my chest feel warm.
"Alright," he said quietly.
When we reached the living room, we saw Anamarija sitting on the couch with her legs tucked under her. She was holding a book and reading intently.
As Chak and I walked closer, she looked up and quickly stood. "Oh sorry," she said, holding the book out slightly. "I didn't mean to take this without asking. It's just… this was the only one I found in English."
Chak's lips curved slightly in understanding. "It's fine. You can read it," he said calmly.
"Thank you," she said, clutching the book to her chest.
I glanced at the cover as I passed it was a classic novel, one Chak had probably read more than once.
Chak moved toward the corner where his guitar rested on its stand. I followed him silently, feeling my heartbeat quicken in anticipation.
Chak sat on the edge of the couch and picked up his guitar from the stand. I settled next to him, my eyes drawn to his long fingers as they began to strum softly across the strings.
The sound that filled the room was warm and gentle, like a quiet lullaby meant to soothe a restless heart. Each note seemed to wrap around me, pulling me deeper into this fragile, perfect moment.
When I glanced at Anamarija, she was still curled up on the other end of the couch, her book resting in her lap. Her eyes fluttered shut, her breathing evening out as sleep began to claim her. Slowly, the book slipped from her hands onto the cushion beside her.
Chak noticed too, his strumming growing softer, more delicate—like he didn't want to disturb her.
"She fell asleep," I whispered, a small smile tugging at my lips.
Chak's mouth curved into a faint smile as he continued playing, his dark eyes focused on the guitar.
I stood quietly and picked up a light blanket from the back of the couch. Gently, I draped it over Anamarija's shoulders, tucking it around her. She didn't stir.
When I sat back down beside Chak, our shoulders brushed ever so slightly. That one touch sent a surprising warmth rushing through me.
"Thank you," he murmured.
I turned to him, a little confused. "For what?"
"For being here," he said softly, his gaze meeting mine for a fleeting second before returning to his guitar.
My heart tightened. "There's nowhere else I'd rather be."
We sat there in silence, the only sound his fingers coaxing soft melodies from the strings. I found myself wishing this moment could stretch on forever—that it could just be the two of us in this quiet space, with no one else in the world.
After a few more soft strums, Chak set the guitar back on its stand. He stood and offered me his hand.
"Come on," he said quietly. "Let's get some rest."
I slipped my hand into his, letting him lead me upstairs. The house was silent except for the faint sound of Anamarija's even breathing below.
When we entered the bedroom, Chak closed the door behind us and leaned back against it, his dark eyes fixed on me.
He pulled me into his arms, and I rested my head against his chest.
After a while, I pulled away from Chak's embrace, though part of me didn't want to.
"I'm going to take a quick shower," I said softly.
He nodded, his eyes following me as I grabbed my towel and headed to the bathroom. The warm water helped ease the tension in my shoulders, but my mind kept drifting back to the man waiting for me in the bedroom.
When I returned, my hair slightly damp, I saw Chak sitting in the armchair by the window, a book open in his hands. His expression was relaxed, his long fingers turning the pages with quiet focus. The sight made my chest tighten in a way I couldn't explain.
I walked over to him, leaning down slightly. "You look so serious," I teased, and before he could reply, I pressed a soft kiss to his cheek.
Chak glanced up at me, his lips twitching into the faintest smile. "Go get some rest. I'll join you in a moment."
Reluctantly, I nodded and climbed into bed, pulling the covers over myself. I turned on my side and closed my eyes, though I wasn't truly sleepy.
A few minutes later, I heard the sound of water running in the bathroom. My heart thudded in anticipation.
When Chak finally emerged, his hair damp and a towel slung casually over his shoulders, I stayed still, pretending to be asleep. The mattress dipped slightly as he climbed in beside me.
For a few moments, there was only silence… until I felt his lips brushing softly against my temple. Then another gentle kiss at the corner of my jaw. And another—light, teasing, making me fight back a laugh.
"Stop it " I murmured, my eyes fluttering open as a small giggle escaped me.
Chak smirked, his arm sliding around my waist as he pulled me tightly against his chest. "Goodnight, my artist," he whispered, pressing a final kiss to my forehead.
A warmth spread through me as I whispered back, "Goodnight, Chaky."
In his arms, with his steady breathing lulling me, I felt completely at peace.