The day had been unusually quiet.
Mia sat at the edge of the music room, small fingers resting over polished piano keys that still vibrated faintly from her last haunting note. Outside, the wind whispered through the villa's well-kept hedges, and inside, everything stood suspended in a rare, still peace. Ken sat a distance away working, he had set up a mini office in the music room, he enjoyed listening to Mia practice
That was until the other butler's voice interrupted.
"Sir Rowland... Lady Yelena has arrived."
Ken's documents rustled slightly. Selene, who had been tending to the window plants, blinked. Sebastian, standing near the far wall behind Ken, turned as if someone had whispered a secret.
The name alone brought memories of storm and sunshine.
The double doors opened with a gentle push, and in came not chaos, but grace.
She moved like a fairy , swift, fluid, each motion a statement. Her golden eyes sparkled with energy that couldn't be tamed, and her champagne-pink outfit shimmered in the sunlight that streamed through the window.
And in her arms—squirming, red-faced, deeply embarrassed—was a frilly little girl with matching gold eyes.
"Oh my STARS, Kenny! You didn't tell me our little war goddess was this adorable!" she beamed, practically floating into the room. "Come here, come here! Let Lina keep you!"
Mia blinked. Her muscles tensed instinctively.
Too loud. Too fast. Too close.
"Wait—" Mia tried, but it was too late.
Lina had already swooped in. Mia dived to her right dodging her cuddle attack cushioning her landing tactfully with a roll but that only made Lina -as she insist on being call by her 'people'- more fired up. she launched forward arms wide open. 'poor Mia...' Sofia thought.
"kyaa...."Kiss. "Left cheek!" Kiss. "Right cheek!" Kiss. "Forehead!!"
It was like being hit by a glittery hurricane wrapped in perfume and maternal affection.
"Stanger danger..." Mia said loudly , her eyes pleading for help from Ken, Sebastian, anyone... Then she realized, they betrayed her! was this Yelena that important? "I do not like being touched," Mia finally said coldly, her voice low, carefully measured.
Lina froze mid-motion, blinking at her her smile widened Then, softly, her voice shifted.
"I know, little one. I know. But I couldn't help it. You remind me of someone I never got to hold long enough…" She looked at Ken who quickly averted his eyes.
Something flickered in her eyes. Not pity. Not guilt. Just... something real.
Mia paused. Her shoulders relaxed by a centimeter.
Aunt Lina was... exaggerated, yes. But not fake.
Ken approached behind them. "You're being excessive again, Lina."
Lina flicked his forehead, much to his visible discomfort. "I have exactly one brother and one niece. Let me spoil at least one of them."
She turned back to Mia with a wink. "Now, why don't you two go have some tea together tea in the garden, Selene, do you mind?
They moved into the back gardens, where wisteria vines curled elegantly around archways and Selene had already prepared a tea set. Mia sat down neatly, her eyes scanning the tray, her mind noting every spoon's placement, every angle.
Sofia sat across from her, still slightly red in the face.
"I apologize for my mother," Sofia muttered. "She... has no concept of personal boundaries. Or moderation. Or shame."
"She's... different," Mia replied, watching her carefully." but true..."
Silence stretched a moment.
"She dresses all the girls in the family. It's a tradition. A loud, sparkling, emotionally exhausting tradition. and apparently i am in it every single time"
Mia giggled. Sofia felt a little relieved, her smile is beautiful, she thought mesmerized a little.
"Does she do it out of cruelty?" Mia asked mid laughter
Sofia blinked. "No. Out of obsession. She genuinely believes she's making the world a cuter place."
Mia laughed again. serene who was there was still trying to recover seeing mia laughing the the first time
Sofia tilted her head. "You're strange."
"So are you."
They stared at each other for a moment, each sizing the other up.
Mia broke the silence first, glancing toward the villa's window.
"Sebastian," she said, voice calm, "bring the chessboard."
There was a momentary shuffle of surprise from the edge of the garden.
Sofia blinked. "You play?"
Mia turned back to her. "I win."
Two hours passed in a blink.
The pieces moved like whispers. The teacups emptied. The garden's shadow shifted.
Sofia was good. Too good for someone her age. She took risks Mia respected. Calculated traps. Bait that nearly worked. Twice, Mia felt her mind tense—not from difficulty, but from delight.
This wasn't a game. This was a conversation in silence. A battle between masks.
"You held out longer than anyone else," Mia said at last as she moved her rook and forced the final check.
Sofia let out a breath. "You play like a snake. But a polite one."
Mia blinked. Then, after a long pause, she extended a hand across the table.
"Would you like to be friends?"
Sofia stared.
"You're serious?"
"Statistically, it's advantageous to align with competent individuals."
A beat.
Sofia smiled. "I accept."
Back inside, after the meeting, Lina returned—this time with dresses. Lace. Ribbons. Silk. Disaster in baskets.
"Just one outfit! For bonding!"
Mia, for once, didn't resist.
Because when she looked at Lina, bouncing on her heels and glowing with joy, she saw it:
The loneliness. The longing for closeness. The desperate, cheerful grasp for something warm.
Lina wasn't pretending. She really wanted to be in her circle.
And for once... Mia let her hope. she wasn't on guard, she wasn't calculating, she just let her have her way
She stood still as Lina twirled her into a dress. Even allowed the bow.
And when she caught Sofia's gaze—similarly dressed, similarly stunned—Mia gave her the faintest of smirks.
Friendship... might not be so inefficient after all.
Though.... it was a long and loud night.