Akira settled onto the bed beside Naria, her intense gaze softening as she looked down at the infant. "I have to admit," she whispered, her voice a low, private murmur, "you really are incredibly cute, Little Miss."
Shockingly, Naria didn't look away. Her dark eyes remained locked onto Akira's, tracking her words as if she actually understood the weight of the compliment. Encouraged by the silent connection, Akira continued her one-sided conversation.
"Well, you are adorable... just like Naea," she added, her voice filled with a rare, unfiltered warmth.
As if reacting to the mention of her mother, Naria let out a tiny, melodic baby sound—a soft coo that echoed in the quiet room. Akira watched as the baby's face lit up, flashing a wide, toothless grin. Seeing that pure innocence, Akira couldn't help but break into a genuine smile herself.
Naria's smile was truly something magical; it was the kind of expression that could make anyone forget their troubles. In that moment, Akira realized the simple truth of the world: whether it was Naria or any other child, a baby's smile is the most precious thing in existence—the kind of light that can make even the most exhausted soul feel alive again.
After a while, Naria began to sense a change in the air. Feeling the absence of her mother, she started looking around the bed, her tiny eyes searching for Naea. When she realized she was alone with Akira, the crying started—a sudden, piercing wail that left Akira momentarily paralyzed with confusion.
Acting on instinct, Akira carefully lifted Naria into her arms, cradling her with a gentleness that seemed almost foreign to her persona. The baby was crying inconsolably, so Akira began to rhythmically pat her back with one hand, her touch filled with an unexpected tenderness.
Drawing inspiration from the way she had seen Naea move, Akira began to pace the room, let out a soft, low humming sound that vibrated through her chest. Between her full stomach and Akira's soothing, rhythmic walk, Naria finally began to calm down.
Then came the surprise. As her sobs faded into tiny gasps, Naria gently rested her small, precious head against Akira's shoulder. The moment their skin touched, a wave of pure warmth flooded through Akira. It was a feeling so profound and grounding that she found herself standing still, just soaking in the weight of the tiny life trusting her so completely.
Naea stepped back into the room after finishing the dishes, only to stop in her tracks. A soft, knowing smile spread across her face as she watched Akira—the formidable editor—standing peacefully with Naria's head tucked against her shoulder. Without breaking the spell, Naea slipped away to the spare room and returned with Naria's nighttime essentials from the shopping bags.
As Naea quietly began to set up the baby's sleeping area on one side of the large bed, Akira watched her in silence. She didn't say a word, too mesmerized by the warmth of the little soul resting against her to let anything disturb the peace.
After perfecting Naria's bedside setup, Naea approached Akira. With practiced gentleness, she took the sleeping infant from Akira's arms and laid her down. She leaned over, pressing a lingering kiss to the baby's forehead and cheek before stroking her head. "Sweet sleep, little one," she whispered.
As Naea turned to head toward the dressing room to change into her casuals, she found her path blocked. Akira, moved by the sight of Naea's maternal grace, caught her hand in a swift, fluid motion. With a soft pull, Akira drew her close, pinning her gently but firmly against the wall.
In the dim, aesthetic glow of the room, Akira's eyes burned with a familiar, deep-seated devotion. Without uttering a single word, she leaned in, claiming Naea's lips in a kiss.Akira framed Naea's face with her hands, her touch deceptively gentle as she leaned in. She began to kiss her with a soft, haunting passion—a slow, deliberate tasting of Naea's lips as if she were trying to reclaim a territory she had missed all day.
For Naea, however, the moment was jarring. The sudden intensity was confusing, and she found herself unable to respond. Her hands instinctively moved to Akira's chest, not to embrace her, but to create space. She remained still, a silent observer to Akira's desperation.
The kiss was a contradiction: it was physically soft, yet emotionally heavy. Behind every touch was the unspoken frustration of the day—the lingering chill of the Agency's call and a strange, sharp pang of jealousy from watching Naea give her affection to Naria.As the seconds ticked by, the passion only deepened, becoming more suffocating in its softness. Finally, after two minutes of enduring the silent storm, Naea gathered her strength. She firmly broke the contact, pressing her palms against Akira's shoulders to push her back, forcing the space between them that Akira was so desperately trying to close.Naea broke the silence, her voice a soft, steady whisper as she looked into Akira's turbulent eyes. "What's wrong...?"
Akira didn't answer with words. Instead, she took Naea's hand, guiding her palm until it rested against her own cheek. Looking deep into Naea's eyes, she finally spoke, her voice thick with unspoken weight. "I just... I just felt like loving you. There doesn't have to be a reason for that."So, Naea... do I have your permission to kiss you?"
Naea searched Akira's face, sensing the lingering shadows of the day. Using the hand Akira held—and her other one—she framed Akira's face, pulling her closer until their foreheads touched. "Akira," Naea murmured, her breath warm against Akira's skin. "You have my permission for that."
With the "green light" given, Akira leaned in, claiming Naea's lips once more. This time, the wall between them vanished. Naea's hands moved from Akira's face to grab her shoulders, and for the first time that evening, she began to kiss back.
Feeling the response, a surge of raw, frustrated energy built up inside Akira, and she tried to turn the kiss harsh, driven by the lingering stress of the Agency call. But Naea was ahead of her. She gave a light, warning tap on Akira's shoulder—a silent command to stay gentle.
Akira immediately obeyed, slowing her movements until she was perfectly in sync with Naea. She let go of her dominance, choosing instead to feel every deliberate movement Naea made. Naea took the lead, kissing her with a passion so bold and sure of itself that it always managed to catch Akira off guard.
For four long minutes, the world outside—the Agency, the missions, the secrets—ceased to exist. Finally, Naea pulled back, and as their lips parted, Akira felt the tension finally drain from her body. She was, at last, truly relaxed.
Naea stepped back, her breathing slowly returning to normal as she looked at Akira with a soft, lingering gaze. The tension that had clouded the room just minutes ago was now replaced by a deep, comfortable silence.
"Stay here with the baby," Naea said softly, her voice carrying a sweet, domestic authority. "I'm going to go change."
With a final, affectionate glance at both Akira and the sleeping Naria, she turned and headed toward the dressing room to swap her day clothes for something more comfortable.
Akira didn't argue. A genuine, relaxed smile spread across her face—the kind of smile she only ever showed within these four walls. She moved back toward the bed and sat down beside Naria. Watching the rhythmic rise and fall of the infant's chest, Akira felt a profound sense of peace. The Agency, the missions, and the outside world felt miles away. Right now, her only duty was to be the guardian of this quiet, sleeping room.A few minutes later, Naea returned to the room. She had changed into a casual, comfortable nightgown that fell just below her knees—the soft fabric catching the dim light of the lamps. As she stepped inside, she found the room bathed in a peaceful silence.
Akira was already lying down beside Naria, her eyes closed in a state of rare relaxation. She hadn't needed to change; she had already slipped into her casuals earlier that evening when she sat down to edit Wei Jian's book. Because of that, she was already settled and perfectly "chill," looking like the picture of calm strength.
Naea stood at the foot of the bed for a moment, watching them. The formidable editor and the tiny "Little Miss" were side by side.
Naea climbed into her side of the bed, turning toward Naria as she settled in. She pulled the plush blanket"Naea pulled the blanket over them, covering all three of them together—herself, Naria, and Akira as well."
creating a warm, protective cocoon. Within minutes, the exhaustion of the day took over, and she drifted into a deep, peaceful sleep.
Akira, too, had fallen asleep, but her mind refused to grant her the same peace.
In the depths of her dream, she found herself standing before Naea. But this wasn't the Naea who had kissed her earlier. This Naea looked at her with eyes brimming with tears—and a cold, piercing hatred that cut deeper than any blade.
"You should have just killed me too, shouldn't you?" Naea's voice echoed, sharp and accusing.
Akira's eyes snapped open. Her heart was racing, her breath coming in jagged gasps. The horror of Naea's gaze and those haunting words had shaken her to her core. Trembling slightly, she sat up and reached for the water on the side table, drinking it down in one gulp to wash away the dryness in her throat.
She turned to her side, her eyes searching for the reality to ground her. There lay Naria, breathing softly in her sleep, and beside her, Naea—looking utterly peaceful. They looked like the perfect picture of a mother and daughter, a sanctuary of innocence that Akira was terrified of shattering.
Akira gazed at Naea's sleeping form, her thoughts swirling in the quiet darkness. Even if I had never asked if you wanted a baby, she mused silently, I would have still left someone behind for you. Someone who would stay by your side after I am gone, so you would never have to taste the bitterness of loneliness.
A soft, sad smile touched her lips as she looked at the infant nestled between them. Only a tiny life, a little soul, could fill that void. I had planned for this child right after our wedding. I had even chosen the name "Naria" back then. I just didn't realize that the fate of our world would choose this specific little soul to be our Naria...
Haunted by the lingering chill of her nightmare, Akira felt a desperate need to be close to Naea. Moving with extreme caution, she lifted Naria and gently shifted the infant to the side, clearing a path so she could slide closer to her wife. She lay there in the dark, her eyes fixed on Naea's peaceful face, unable to sleep, her heart still racing from the dream's accusation.
However, the moment Naria lost the warmth of her mother's body, the peace shattered. Still with her eyes closed, the baby began to wail, sensing the sudden coldness. Akira froze. She realized that if she moved now, Naea would know she had displaced the baby. Panicked and unsure of what to do, she squeezed her eyes shut, pretending to be fast asleep.
The sound of the cries instantly reached Naea's subconscious. Still half-asleep, Naea reached out her hand to pat the spot beside her, thinking she was comforting Naria—but her hand landed on Akira instead. Confused by the different height and the distance of the cries, Naea snapped her eyes open.
She sat up abruptly, seeing Akira lying right where the baby should have been, while Naria was crying further away on the bed. Naea immediately rushed to Naria, scooping her up into her arms and bringing her back to the center.
"Akira... wake up," Naea whispered, her voice tired but firm. "Go back to your side and sleep there, please..."
Akira, still keeping up the act of being asleep, slowly shifted back to her original spot. Naea settled Naria between them once more, and the warmth of her mother's touch silenced the baby almost instantly. Naria fell back into a calm slumber, but Naea remained awake, her eyes open in the darkness, sensing the strange restlessness that had taken over the room.
The silence of the room was broken by Naea's quiet, tired whisper. "Akira... what was that all about? Why did you feel the need to move Naria aside like that?"
Akira finally opened her eyes, her voice low and laced with lingering fear. "I was asleep... but I had a terrible nightmare. When I woke up, I just—I needed to hold you. I'm sorry, Naea. I didn't realize it would wake Naria and disturb your sleep."
Naea sighed softly, her heart softening at the vulnerability in Akira's voice. She sat up and gently lifted Naria, moving the infant to the far side of the bed so that she herself was now in the middle. Though she kept her face turned toward Naria to watch over her, she reached back with one hand, finding Akira's hand and pulling it toward her.
Understanding the silent invitation, Akira slid closer and wrapped her arm around Naea in a protective back-hug. The contact immediately acted as a balm to her frayed nerves.
I'll get a cradle for Naria tomorrow, Akira thought to herself as she held Naea tight. She can sleep comfortably there, and I can have you back in my arms.
With that silent promise made, the restlessness finally vanished. Akira drifted off into a dreamless sleep, anchored by Naea's presence, while Naea and Naria settled back into the peaceful rhythm of the night.