The night in King's living room stretched on. Most of the team had settled into the cozy chaos of pillows and blankets scattered across the floor. The TV hummed faintly in the background, but most weren't paying attention anymore.
Mia had dozed off beside King, her head on his shoulder. Cadel had knocked out earlier, curled into the armchair. On the other side of the room, AJ and Kiisi whispered quietly, their heads close together.
That left Jasmine and Ebun, awake and side by side on the carpet. The lamp threw a warm glow across the room, making it feel like their own private corner in the middle of the busy sleepover.
Jasmine nudged Ebun with her elbow. "You know," she whispered, "I've been thinking about what you told me before… about Treasure. I kept my mouth shut like you asked, but girl, the way you two act? Anyone with eyes can tell there's more going on."
Ebun's cheeks heated instantly. She looked away, tugging at her blanket. "Jasmine…"
Jasmine tilted her head, her grin both mischievous and knowing. "Come on, spill. There's no way you're still pretending it's just a crush. The way he looks at you? The way you light up around him? Damn, it's obvious."
Ebun bit her lip, her heart hammering. She had trusted Jasmine once before — trusted her to keep the truth about her feelings safe. Now, sitting here with her best friend's expectant eyes locked on hers, she felt the weight of an even bigger secret pressing on her chest.
Finally, she whispered, "It's not just a crush."
Jasmine's brows lifted, her grin widening. "I knew it. So what, you guys admitted it to each other or something?"
Ebun hesitated, then took a deep breath. "We're… already dating."
For a second, Jasmine just blinked. Then her jaw dropped. "Wait. Wait. WHAT?" she whisper-yelled, smacking her hand against the carpet. "You're telling me I've been sitting here teasing you for weeks, and you two have been together this whole time?"
Ebun covered her face with her hands, laughing nervously. "I didn't know how to tell anyone. I didn't even want you to look at me different. I thought if I kept it quiet, maybe it would just be ours for a while."
Jasmine leaned closer, her voice lowering but her eyes sparkling with excitement. "Damn, Ebun… that's huge. And you trusted me with it? I feel honored." She grinned, then added with mock seriousness, "But also kinda betrayed you didn't spill sooner."
Ebun peeked at her from behind her hands, smiling despite herself. "I was scared, Jasmine. Scared people wouldn't take it seriously. But Treasure's been… amazing. I like him more than I thought I could."
Jasmine's grin softened into something warm. She reached out and squeezed Ebun's hand. "I'm really happy for you. For real. And don't worry — your secret's safe. I won't say a word until you're ready."
Ebun nodded, relief flooding through her chest. "Thanks. You're… the only one I've told."
Jasmine smirked, the mischievous sparkle returning to her eyes. "Well, that just makes me your number one hype-woman. But warning — now that I know, I'm definitely gonna tease you more. Just… best-friend style, not expose-you style."
Ebun groaned, burying her face in her blanket. "Why do I feel like that's worse?"
"Because it is," Jasmine shot back, laughing softly.
The two girls leaned against each other, the quiet laughter melting into a comfortable silence. Around them, the rest of Royal Court dreamed away the night, but for Ebun, something had shifted. She no longer felt like she was carrying the secret alone — she had Jasmine by her side, and that made everything feel lighter.