The teasing, the stories, the bursts of laughter—it all faded into the night like embers after a fire. One by one, the girls were picked up.
May and Lana were picked up by their husbands and headed back to their rooms to sleep, leaving just Rina and Celeste behind.
Rina's room was big—big enough that the bed could fit two. Both girls lay side by side, but only one was still awake.
Celeste stared up at the ceiling, restless. Rina had already fallen fast asleep beside her. Carefully, Celeste reached for her phone on the side table and unlocked it. Her thumb hovered above one name.
Ash.
She tapped on the chat. Her heart thudded a little harder. She hadn't expected to miss him this quickly.
Should I message him? Ugh, what if he's already asleep?
Still, her fingers moved anyway.
Just as she started typing, the typing bubble from his end appeared.
She froze.
A slow smile crept onto her lips.
Celeste:
I kinda miss you already… is that dumb?
As she hit send, his message came in.
Ash:
Are you still awake?
Celeste's smile widened into a grin. Her heart did a small flip.
In the other room, Ash was sprawled on his bed, phone in hand. The second her message appeared, he let out a soft groan and rolled onto his back, covering his burning face with his pillow.
"So… I wasn't the only one thinking that way, huh…" he muttered, trying not to smile too hard.
He typed quickly.
Ash:
Not dumb. I was literally just thinking the same thing.
Right as he hit send, another message popped in.
Celeste:
Still wide awake TT Pls ashyyy I want YOU again in ME hihi
With a soft sigh, Celeste carefully peeled the blanket off herself and slipped out from bed. She moved slow, cautious not to wake Rina, whose arm was flung dramatically across a pillow like she was dreaming of fencing a bear.
Ash nearly dropped his phone.
His mouth parted slightly. Then he shoved his face back into the pillow with a strangled groan. His body tensed, ears flaming, heart pounding.
He peeked at the message again.
"God…" he whispered.
His phone buzzed again.
Celeste:
I'm outside your room.
Ash sat up straight, frozen. He turned his head slowly toward the door like it might explode.
She's what?!
He bolted up, careful not to make a sound, and padded to the door in his socks. Hand on the knob, he twisted it slowly and peeked out.
No one in sight.
He leaned out farther—just enough to look down the hallway.
There.
Leaning against the wall just across from his room stood Celeste, arms behind her back, one leg bent at the knee, foot flat against the wall. Her head tilted as she looked at him, eyes catching the low hallway light like little stars.
"Ashy…" she whispered, raising a hand in a tiny wave. Her lips curled into a soft, playful smile.
He stepped out without thinking.
His feet carried him toward her like he wasn't in control of his body anymore. Every step felt like a pull—toward her. Toward that look in her eyes, sparkling under the dim hallway light.
He reached her.
She didn't move.
And without even saying a word, he kissed her.
Soft. Sudden.
Celeste blinked—startled, but just for a second. Her breath hitched as his lips pressed against hers, tentative but eager. Then her eyes fluttered closed, and she leaned in, kissing him back.
Her hand slid up gently, fingers brushing his cheek, then resting there. The kiss deepened.
His lips moved with hers, slow and searching—tongue brushing lightly, teasing at first, then invited in. Her lips parted in response, and there was a breathless moment of silence between them, broken only by the quiet sound of their mouths moving together.
Celeste's fingers curled slightly on his jaw as she melted into him. Ash's hands hovered, unsure, then rested at her waist like she might disappear if he held too tightly.
The kiss lingered.
And when he finally pulled away, breathless, his eyes dropped to the floor immediately.
"S-sorry," Ash whispered, turning his head, his voice barely a murmur. "I… I shouldn't have…"
His ears were burning red.
Celeste let out a soft chuckle, the back of her fingers brushing her lips like she wanted to hold the kiss there just a bit longer.
Celeste giggled.
"Are we staying here… or sneaking out for real?" she teased.
Ash blinked.
"O-oh! Right. Wait!"
He hurried back into his room, leaving Celeste blinking, amused.
A moment later, he returned with a jacket in hand and offered it shyly.
"Here. Wear this," he said softly.
Celeste slipped it on, the sleeves way too long. She smiled, tugging them up as the scent of him wrapped around her.
"Thank you..."
Ash shut his door carefully, then turned to her.
"Okay… let's go."
He took her hand—Celeste let herself be dragged, no complaints.
They walked quietly through the halls, trying not to make any noise.
The corridor was dim and quiet until a strange sound broke the silence.
A muffled thump.
A faint gasp.
A soft, breathy noise came from one of the rooms they passed.
Then another—
"…Ah—w-wait… ngh—"
Ash froze. Celeste stopped too. They stared at the door.
"…Y-you're too fast—haa…"
The kind of sound that made you listen harder, not because it was loud but because it wasn't. Like someone was trying desperately to stay quiet but not quite succeeding.
"…N-Noah—n-not there—ah!"
"AH—!"
"N-Noah—Ah—t-they—Ha—they might h-hear us—Ugh…"
"S-Sorry—Ugh—Ha—"
Ash stood stiffly, his ears flaming red, eyes wide with horror. His entire face flushed as if someone had set him on fire from the inside out.
"Ah—Ah—Ugh—"
"D-Don't make—Ugh—noise—La-Lana—Ah…"
Every voice. Every breathless moan. It was all barely muffled—like the walls were trying their best but couldn't hold the sound in. The rhythm was unmistakable.
Celeste blinked once, then slowly turned to look at him.
A devilish smirk curled on her lips. She leaned in close—so close that Ash could feel the heat of her breath tickling his ear.
"Wanna do it too?" she whispered, her voice like silk and sin.
Ash jolted as if electrocuted.
"N-No—N-not now!" he whispered harshly, adjusting his glasses. "W-we should k-keep walking!"
Celeste chuckled, letting herself be dragged along, clearly enjoying how warm his hand suddenly got.
They walked faster now but the hallway suddenly felt endless, like the universe was punishing them for eavesdropping.
Ash's ears were still glowing.
They hurried down the stairs.
"I can't believe we just heard that," Ash muttered, mortified.
Celeste laughed behind her hand.
They reached the bottom floor and slipped through the glass door leading to the other side of the house. Before them stretched a quiet garden bathed in moonlight. The wind was cool, brushing against their faces as they stepped out. The garden stretched in soft shadows—leaves rustling gently, silver pooling over stone benches. In the distance, the city lights blinked like fireflies. The stars above shimmered, and the moon hung low, casting everything in a dreamlike glow.
Celeste exhaled, enchanted.
"Pretty…"
Ash glanced at her.
"Yeah… it is."
But he wasn't looking at the view. He was looking at her.
She noticed and smirked, nudging him lightly with her elbow.
"Hey, your family's house is huge. I swear, it fits you guys perfectly—loud, warm, and kinda chaotic."
He laughed quietly.
"Yeah. That… that checks out."
She tilted her head toward him.
"It's a good kind of chaos, though."
He hesitated, then said
"I like being with you more"
Celeste blinked, and for a moment, her teasing softened into something warmer.
"…Even when I say unholy things into your ear?" she asked sweetly.
His glasses nearly slipped off his nose.
"D-Don't remind me!"
She giggled, walking backward toward a stone bench.
"You're so easy to tease, Ashy. It's cute."
"You say that like you enjoy tormenting me."
"I do enjoy tormenting you."
She sat down and patted the space beside her. The breeze tousled her hair as she looked up at him expectantly. Ash hesitated for only a second before sitting beside her, their shoulders just barely touching.
For a moment, they just listened to the quiet rustling of leaves, the chirp of distant insects, and the faraway hum of city life.
Ash spoke first.
"So… they didn't scare you too much, right?"
Celeste snorted.
"Scare me? Nah."
Ash gave her a sideways glance.
She grinned. "Okay, maybe a tiny bit during that rapid-fire interrogation. But honestly? They're amazing. Loud, chaotic, and way too honest but I loved them."
Ash smiled, the tension in his chest easing.
Then she added, her tone turning thoughtful,
"I learned a lot about you tonight."
He blinked.
"Yeah?"
Celeste turned to face him.
"Ash… you never told me about your dad. Or how you used to grow your hair out."
Ash shrugged, looking away.
"I didn't think it was important."
"It is," she said softly. "You are."
He glanced back at her, caught off guard by how sincere she sounded.
"You've been part of my life for a while now," she went on, "but there's still so much I don't know about you."
Ash opened his mouth to respond—but she kept going, teasing now,
"Like that phase when you let your hair grow like you were starring in a coming-of-age anime."
He groaned.
"Oh no. They told you about that?"
She laughed.
"They even showed me a photo. Ash. You had bangs. Like—blow-dried bangs."
Ash buried his face in his hands. "I was experimenting!"
"With wind resistance?"
"Oh my god…"
Celeste nudged his arm gently.
"It was kinda cute, though. I mean, apparently it became a whole cycle? After growing it out, you'd cut it again… and then grow it again. A habit, they said."
Ash gave a sheepish chuckle.
"Yeah… I guess I got used to it. Started growing it again in high school. Then just trimmed it to keep it neat. College came, then work—and somehow, that longer hair phase just kinda stuck. But now… it's gone."
"Well," Celeste said with a grin, "I prefer your short hair, though. It suits you."
Ash looked at her, his expression somewhere between embarrassed and touched.
She shrugged, suddenly a little quieter.
"I guess I'm realizing just how much I don't know about you."
Ash blinked, his voice softer now.
"You know the important stuff."
"But I want to know the small things too," she said. "The weird habits, the embarrassing stories… the things you think don't matter."
He met her gaze.
"I wanna know everything, Ash."
And just like that, his heart forgot how to beat.
Celeste tilted her head, watching him with that playful glint in her eyes. Then she leaned in slightly and added under her breath,
"Well… at least I'm the only one who knows how good you are in bed."
Ash choked on absolutely nothing.
His entire soul left his body for a full two seconds.
"C-Celeste!" he hissed, gripping the edge of the bench like it might keep him from collapsing.
She burst out laughing, covering her mouth as she doubled over.
"Oh gods—your face!"
"You can't just—say things like that!"
"Why not?" she shrugged, still grinning. "It's true."
Ash turned the color of a sunset. "That's not the point!"
Celeste leaned back against the bench, sighing contentedly as if she hadn't just detonated his dignity.
"Relax, Ashy. It's not like I'm shouting it off rooftops. I'm just… reminding you."
"Reminding me of what?"
"That you're more than just the polite, glasses-wearing, awkward guy everyone thinks you are," she said, her voice a little softer now. "You've got layers. Fire. Secrets. You hide so much of yourself and I like being the one who gets to see the parts no one else does."
Ash looked at her, stunned into silence. His heart was doing somersaults and his brain had filed for temporary leave.
"…You mean that?" he finally asked, voice barely above a whisper.
Celeste turned to him, smiling with no teasing this time.
"Yeah. I do."
The night stretched quiet around them. Somewhere far off, the sound of a car passed by, the wind stirred the leaves, and the stars blinked overhead—witnesses to something quietly unfolding.
Ash looked down at their hands resting between them, then back up at her.
"Can I ask something kinda dumb?"
She leaned in.
"Only if I get to answer it in the most dramatic way possible."
"…Why me?" he asked. "Out of all the people you could've chosen to flirt with, mess with, be with—why'd you pick me?"
Celeste tilted her head at him.
"Ash, everyone could fall in love with you. That's not really the surprising part."
Ash blinked.
"Huh?"
She gave a little shrug.
"I mean it," she said. "You're kind. You're genuine. You listen without making people feel small. You care even when no one's watching. Even a cat would fall for you."
She gave a small smirk.
"So yeah… I understood why Isadora liked you. It wasn't hard to see."
Ash glanced down, cheeks pink.
Celeste leaned back, arms folded behind her head, voice turning smooth and deliberate.
"I just got there first, Ash. That's all. I was the one who had the nerve to take the first step—to chase after you when everyone else just admired you from a distance. I flirted with you not just for fun, not just to tease… but because I wanted you. I wanted to be the one to shake up your world, to get under your skin, I wanted to be the reason you let your guard down."
She glanced at him, voice lowering.
"You needed a little corruption to realize you could love someone back. Someone had to cross that line first. I just happened to be the first brave enough to do it."
He stared at her—quiet, stunned.
She laughed under her breath. "When you moved into the apartment temporarily, on the first day I thought—'oh, he's really is cute and hot.' That was it...I wasn't planning anything. But on the second day? I couldn't stop looking at you. That's probably when it hit me...that this guy is the guy I want to fall in love with. Teheehee."
Ash's face turned red.
"I don't believe in love at first sight," she said after a pause. "But I've got one rule when it comes to love—once I lay eyes on someone who shakes up my whole damn world, I make myself fall. Stupidly. Completely. And I'll make him fall even harder… just as hard as he fucks me."
Ash groaned into his palms, hiding his face.
"Y-Y-You were being poetic! Why would you ruin it with that?"
Celeste grinned, unbothered.
"Because it's true."
Ash remained silent for a moment, eyes downcast, hands resting in his lap. Celeste tilted her head slightly, watching him. The stars above flickered quietly, their light brushing against the curve of her cheek.
Then—he sniffled.
Celeste sat up straighter, concern flickering in her eyes.
"H-Hey?" she said gently, her voice softer now.
Ash didn't look at her.
"There's… something wrong with what you said," he mumbled.
"Huh?" Celeste blinked, brows drawing together.
He didn't explain.
Instead, he reached out and pulled her toward him quick, clumsy, almost desperate and kissed her.
It caught her completely off guard. Her breath hitched, and for a second, she didn't move. But Ash didn't stop—he kissed her like he had something to say that words couldn't carry. His lips moved with quiet intensity, his hands trembling slightly as they cupped the sides of her face. He bit her lower lip just enough to make her gasp, and the moment her mouth parted, he deepened the kiss—his tongue slipping past her teeth, hungry and aching.
She tasted salt.
Tears.
His.
The kiss wasn't perfect. It was messy and unpracticed, desperate and warm. But it felt real.
Too real.
When he finally pulled away, he didn't go far—just rested his forehead against hers, breathing unevenly.
"You say you fell first," he murmured, his voice hoarse, "but I never even thought I could fall."
Celeste stayed still, her hands resting lightly against his chest.
"I didn't get it," he said. "Love?... I thought it was just… something other people did. Something you watched in movies or read in books, but not real for people like me."
He let out a shaky breath.
"Then you happened. And I didn't know how to handle it. You were too much, in the best and worst ways. You pushed every boundary I had. Flipped every quiet rule I lived by."
His lips twitched into the barest smile.
"You didn't just make me fall—you wrecked me."
Celeste blinked hard. Her expression was unreadable.
"At some point, I started thinking maybe this wasn't love, maybe it was obsession. Because I couldn't stop thinking about you. I noticed every little thing. I wanted to be near you, even when I knew I shouldn't."
He paused, then looked her straight in the eyes.
"But...it's not obsession... Because if it was, it'd be selfish. It'd be all about what I get from you. But this? It's different. I want your bad days too. Your silence. Your chaos. I want to hold all of it, even when it's inconvenient. Even when it hurts."
He swallowed hard.
"That's how I know I love you. Because I don't just want you. I'm willing to stay when it's hard. Even when you're mad at me. Even when you say you don't want me. Even when you scare me. Even when you push me away. I'll still be here."
A beat passed.
Then another.
Celeste reached up, thumb brushing a tear from his cheek.
"…You're not careful with words," she said finally, her voice unsteady. "But that's probably the most honest thing anyone's ever said to me."
Celeste kissed him.
No more words.
No more drama.
Just a kiss—firm, quiet, and enough.
And the night stretched on.
__________
The next morning.
Sunlight filtered through the curtains as the kitchen came alive with the sounds of clinking utensils, soft chatter, and the scent of garlic frying in oil.
Rina stood near the sink, tying her hair back while dicing onions.
May was at the stove flipping fried eggs, her husband setting down plates on the table.
Their mom moved gracefully between them, humming as she stirred a pot.
May's three kids were already awake and running around—barefoot, laughing, and half-dressed.
"Mom, is Uncle Ash still sleeping?" the eldest asked, gazing up the staircase, his hair still messy from bed.
"Sister Cel's sleeping too," said the second one, hugging her stuffed toy.
"Even Aunty Lana and Uncle Noah are still in their room," the youngest added with a sleepy squint.
May snorted under her breath, glancing toward her husband.
"Just let them," she said with a smirk, flipping the egg.
Their mom turned from the table with a soft smile. She wiped her hands on her apron and looked toward the hallway.
"They're probably all just tired," she said, eyes twinkling a little. "Love can really wear you out."
The kids blinked up at her.
She added with a chuckle,
"When you're young and in love, sleep tends to come last."
Then she gave a playful side glance to May, who bit back a laugh.
"Is love the reason people stay up late?" The eldest kid asked.
Rina, slicing tomatoes with a dry look, muttered,
"Apparently it also makes you forget what time it is."
May turned, eyebrow raised.
"Jealous?"
"I'm just saying," Rina replied, deadpan. "I'm the only one here who got a full eight hours."
Their mom laughed and gave her a kiss on the head.
"Don't worry, Rina. Your time will come. Maybe next holiday."
"Sure," Rina said, popping a tomato slice in her mouth. "Can't wait to be third-wheeled by three couples and a frying pan."
Everyone chuckled.
And the morning rolled on—bright and alive.
Ash and Celeste still fast asleep, fully clothed and tangled up in dreams.
Lana and Noah… well, they weren't just sleeping, and everyone knew it...Except the kids.
___________