"S–Sir…" Eden's voice came out barely above a whisper as she tried to move away from the man whose head was resting on her shoulder.
The plane had been in the air for a few hours now. Exhausted, she'd fallen asleep soon after takeoff. But she woke up abruptly when she felt something heavy against her shoulder. Blinking in confusion, she found a man—probably in his mid-thirties—leaning against her, fast asleep.
She tried to nudge him off, gently at first, then more firmly. But every time she pushed him away, his head would find its way back to her shoulder, as if on purpose.
Her hands curled into fists. If it weren't dangerous to use her pheromone inside the plane, she would've done it already. The irritation bubbled inside her, especially when she felt the man's hand brush against her arm—subtle, but deliberate.
"Hey, mister."
The voice came from the other side of the aisle. She turned and saw a young man wearing a dark cap and sunglasses. His face was mostly hidden, but his tone was calm—steady, with a quiet authority that made her glance twice.
"Sorry," Eden murmured apologetically, straightening in her seat.
But before she could say anything more, the man beside her leaned in again, resting his head on her shoulder once more—his hand finding her arm again, this time more boldly.
Eden stiffened.
The man in the cap noticed. Without a word, he reached over, gently but firmly pushing the sleeping man's head back onto the headrest. It wasn't rough, but it carried weight—enough to free her shoulder.
"T-thank you," she said softly, her voice uneasy.
"Let's switch seats," the stranger said. His tone was low, but firm.
"Huh?" she blinked, confused.
"You're clearly uncomfortable," he said evenly. "And I can't sleep if you keep fidgeting. So… let's switch. Okay?"
Eden hesitated, then nodded. He was right—her restlessness must've been bothering him too. And besides, she couldn't bear sitting next to that man any longer.
"Thank you," she said quietly.
"No need," he replied, standing up. "I'm doing this for myself too."
They switched seats. Once settled, Eden couldn't help but glance at her former seatmate. To her surprise, the man had once again leaned to the side—this time onto the shoulder of the stranger who'd just taken her place.
And then she heard it.
"Ah!"
The man yelped, jerking upright and clutching his finger as if it had been twisted. His face was pale with confusion and disbelief as he turned toward the man beside him.
The stranger sat there calmly, expression unreadable behind his shades. Without a word, he shifted slightly, blocking Eden from the man's view.
The air between them fell still. No one spoke. But the message was clear enough.
From that moment on, the man didn't lean on anyone again.
"Eden!"
The familiar voice made her look up. A woman was waving excitedly from beyond the crowd at the arrival gate.
When Eden saw her, she broke into a smile and hurried forward. "Aunt Paula!" she exclaimed, wrapping her arms around the woman.
Paula laughed as she hugged her back tightly. "Oh, my goodness. I can't believe this is you now," she said, pulling away to look at her.
She frowned almost immediately. "Wait—what's with these thick glasses? You're hiding your beautiful eyes! And this outfit—what on earth are you wearing?" She gave Eden a quick once-over, disbelief in her eyes. "Is this what's fashionable these days?"
Eden blinked. "What? Is there something wrong with what I'm wearing?"
"Wrong? Everything! Thick black frames, messy hair—such a waste of a pretty face—"
"It's fine," Eden interrupted gently. "I don't want to attract attention anyway."
Paula paused. Her eyes softened as she looked at her goddaughter — older now, more poised, but with a quiet sadness hidden behind the smile. It had been years since she'd last seen her, years spent away from them living in a foreign country alone.
"It's me. Don't worry too much," Eden said, smiling faintly.
Paula sighed. "It just feels like yesterday you were this little girl running around my office," she said wistfully. "And now… you're a grown woman standing right in front of me."
"At some point, people have to grow up," Eden murmured, her eyes drifting toward the glass doors of the arrival hall. She was looking for someone — the man who'd helped her earlier on the plane. She had wanted to thank him again, but he was nowhere to be seen.
"What's wrong?" Paula asked, noticing her distracted gaze.
"Nothing," Eden said quickly. "Let's go. I can't wait to see Mom."
"I bet you are," Paula said with a soft smile. "And she's been waiting for you, too. You know she would've come herself if—"
"Yeah, I know," Eden interrupted quietly. "Her job… and our situation. She can't be seen picking me up. It's okay, Ninang."
Paula's heart tightened at the tone of her voice. "I'm sorry, Eden."
Eden shook her head and forced a small smile. "You don't have to apologize. I understand. I'm fine."
But Paula knew that smile too well. Behind it was the same ache she'd once seen in Cynthia's eyes — Eden's mother, one of the country's most beloved actresses. She had been Paula's closest friend since high school, and she knew exactly what her goddaughter carried inside her heart.
A few minutes later, they stopped in front of a modern-looking salon. Eden frowned in confusion.
"What are we doing here?" she asked. She had expected Paula to take her straight home — to her mother. She'd waited so long for that moment.
Paula gave a small sigh. "You already know the situation with your mother… and with Cynthia," she said gently.
Eden's expression dimmed. "So you're telling me I have to change how I look?"
Paula reached for her hand. "Believe me when I say this — you're beautiful, Eden. You look exactly like your mother." Her tone softened, but the implication was clear.
Eden nodded slowly, understanding what her godmother couldn't bring herself to say. "You mean… I have to hide who I am. So I won't cause a scandal."
Paula said nothing, but her silence was enough.
"I'm sorry, sweetie. Thank you for understanding. You know your mom is famous, and—"
"People don't even know she had me," Eden interrupted softly.
"Y-yes…" Paula's voice faltered.
Eden smiled faintly. "Well, changing my look doesn't mean anything, right?" She tried to convince herself as much as she tried to explain to her godmother. Since stepping into the spotlight, her mother had to do everything alone. She had to raise Eden in secret. They had to hide their relationship, but it didn't mean her mother was absent from her life. Still, Eden longed for the simple things—birthdays celebrated openly, school events attended together, graduations shared side by side. All of it had been quiet, secret, with only Paula present and her mother watching from afar. It was a privilege she couldn't have, but she had learned to accept it.
"Thank you, sweetie," Paula said, pressing a kiss to her forehead. Eden returned a small smile, and together they entered the salon.
The beautician's eyes widened. "Paula, darling… you want me to… change her look? Hide her beauty?"
"Yes," Paula said firmly. "I'm challenging you to do something different. Your skill is unquestionable—you are the best I know. But this child… she has to play a very specific role. Can you do it?"
The beautician glanced at Eden before returning her gaze to Paula. "It's a shame to cover up her looks," she murmured.
"It's temporary," Paula replied. "It's just for a role. Nothing more."
The beautician squinted at Eden. "Is she your new talent? Why haven't I seen her in any shows?"
"You know," Paula said, "her face reminds me of someone." She paused, suddenly remembering the resemblance to Cynthia, Eden's mother. She wasn't surprised the beautician might have thought she recognized the girl.
"I know she's beautiful," Paula continued, "but trust me, this is your first time seeing her. Just… handle it. We're running late."
"All right," the beautician said, stepping closer to Eden.
She started with Eden's hair, curling it softly while commenting on its glossy black strands. She shaped her eyebrows, then placed oversized spectacles over her face. Finally, she stepped back and presented Eden to Paula.
"Perfect!" Paula said, examining her goddaughter. She was certain no one would question her presence or mistake her for Cynthia. "I hope we can keep this visit a secret. You know I hate spoilers, especially with my new talent projects."
"You can count on me," the beautician said, smiling. Paula nodded and gave her a small gesture of thanks before leaving the salon. Eden stayed quiet, letting the transformation sink in, not asking any questions.