"Maybe," she said, turning her gaze to the window. "Just… trying to take everything in. You, work, exams, us."
"Us," he echoed with a small smile. "My favourite part of that list."
That earned him a soft laugh, the kind that always tugged something deep in his chest. He reached across to brush a stray strand of hair from her face, his thumb lingering at her jawline before returning to the wheel.
When they pulled up outside her apartment, the rain had quieted to a drizzle. The driver made a move to step out, but Ren caught his eye in the rearview mirror and shook his head.
"I'll walk her up," he said simply. "You can go."
Noelle blinked at that. "You're sending him home?"
Ren shrugged, his tone casual. "He's been working all day. Besides…" His eyes softened. "I figured we could take our time."
She knew exactly what that meant. The way he said it wasn't heavy or demanding; just gentle, laced with unspoken longing. Her heart gave a small, traitorous flutter.
"Ren," she began softly, "you know what happens when you say things like that."
He looked at her with a smirk, but there was a flicker of something more under the surface. "Yeah, I know. You get all shy and adorable and I forget every other reason I am supposed to keep my hands to myself."
Noelle rolled her eyes but couldn't suppress the smile tugging at her lips. "You're incorrigible."
"I'll take that as a compliment."
They walked up the dimly lit corridor, his hand brushing against hers with every step. But when they reached her door, Ren's expression shifted, a hint of frustration clouding his features. He paused, looking at her with an almost offended air. "You really think I can't keep it in my pants, huh?" His tone was playful but edged with a bite, something deeper simmering beneath the words. "I'm not that easy to read."
Noelle's smile faltered, her cheeks heating slightly as she looked away. "That's not what I meant…"
Ren's eyes softened, his mood shifting again. "I know," he said, his voice quieter now. "But you make it hard to behave when you keep looking at me like that."
She hesitated for a heartbeat before unlocking the door and stepping aside to let him in, the weight of their unspoken words hanging in the air between them.
The apartment was quiet, the faint scent of her lavender candles still lingering from earlier. Ren toed off his shoes, glancing around with an easy familiarity; he'd been here enough times but somehow, every visit felt a little more personal, a little more theirs.
"Isn't this place too small for you?" she teased, remembering how she'd once worried her place was nothing compared to his home.
Ren turned toward her, his smile soft. "It's perfect," he said simply. "It's where you are."
Something about the sincerity in his voice made her chest tighten. She looked away quickly, busying herself with setting down her bag. But then he stepped closer, slow enough for her to feel his warmth at her back before he even touched her.
"Noelle," he murmured.
She turned… and he kissed her.
It wasn't rushed. It wasn't even meant to lead anywhere. It was just a quiet, lingering affirmation that they'd found their rhythm again, after the doubts, the distance, the noise.
By the time they pulled apart, her breathing had gone shallow, her hands curled lightly against his chest.
"Stay?" she whispered, almost unsure.
He smiled that small, steady smile that always made her feel like she could trust him completely. "Only if you want me to."
She nodded once, wordlessly. The night felt suspended in that single breath.
He tilted her chin up and kissed her slowly, deliberately, full of meaning. There was no rush, no hunger like before. Just warmth. Familiarity. A deep, quiet knowing that came from two people who had weathered enough to appreciate stillness.
When they pulled away, she smiled faintly. "You smell like smoke and miso," she murmured.
"Occupational hazard," he said softly, brushing his thumb along her jaw. "But you don't seem to mind."
"Maybe a little," she teased but her fingers had already found the hem of his shirt, tugging it lightly before she turned away toward the ensuite in the bedroom.
Ren followed her, not only out of desire but out of something steadier. Something that felt like home.
They lay down without words, limbs tangling naturally, her back pressed against his chest. His arm wrapped around her waist, fingers tracing idle patterns on her skin.
For a long time, they didn't speak. Just the rhythm of their breathing and the faint buzz of the city outside.
Finally, she whispered, "You'll be really busy soon, won't you?"
"Yeah," he murmured against her hair. "But I'll still come back to this. To you."
Noelle turned slightly, enough to see his face in the dim light. "Promise?"
Ren smiled, brushing his lips over her temple. "Cross my heart."
Her eyes fluttered shut, comforted by his warmth, by the slow beat of his heart against her back.
And as sleep began to pull her under, she murmured, half-dreaming, half-awake, "You better. Or I'll come find you."
He chuckled quietly, hugging her closer, his voice barely above a whisper. "I'd count on it."
Within minutes, they were both asleep. A quiet tangle of limbs and warmth, the city humming softly outside while, in their small world, everything finally felt at peace.
Noelle stirred first, the lingering calm of the night still wrapped around her like a comforting cloak. As she blinked awake, the day ahead called softly but urgently.
Noelle lay still for a moment, savoring the peace, the quiet hum of the night still settling around them. The weight of Ren's arm draped over her was a gentle reminder of his presence and the steady rise and fall of his breath next to hers was the only thing keeping the world from rushing in.
As she lay there, she took the chance to admire the profile of the handsome stranger beside her. The dim light cast soft shadows over his face, highlighting the strong lines of his jaw and the slight curve of his lips, still holding the trace of a smile. There was something almost surreal about being this close to him. This man who had entered her life like a storm, yet somehow made everything feel steadier.
Her fingers moved almost of their own accord, tracing the sharp angles of his jawline, the soft curve of his chin, as if memorising every detail. She lingered over the fine line of his nose, then let her fingertips drift to his eyelashes, marveling at how long and dark they were, almost absurdly perfect. She wondered how many times he must have seen the world through those lashes: how many faces he must have studied, how many fleeting moments had passed beneath those dark lashes, just as this one was now.
Her breath caught in her throat as she leaned closer, her fingers brushing ever so lightly against his skin. The intimacy of the moment wrapped around her like a delicate thread, both thrilling and tender.