Pixel stood outside for a few more seconds even after Stephan's car disappeared from sight.
The night suddenly felt quieter now.
Too quiet.
A few moments ago his voice, his teasing, his presence had filled everything around her so completely that now the silence felt almost unfamiliar.
She looked down at the milk and bread still in her hands and let out a small laugh to herself.
Midnight milk and bread.
Just to stop him from leaving.
If someone had told her a few months ago that she would become this person, she would never have believed it.
Slowly, she turned and walked toward the entrance of her building.
The lift ride up to her apartment felt strangely long tonight.
Because for the first time in years—
she wasn't going upstairs carrying emptiness with her.
She was carrying him in her thoughts instead.
And somehow that felt even more overwhelming.
When she finally unlocked the apartment door and stepped inside, the silence greeted her immediately.
Usually she hated silence.
It reminded her too much of loneliness.
But tonight…
tonight it felt softer.
She placed the milk and bread in the kitchen absentmindedly before walking toward her room slowly. Everything still looked the same.
The same couch.
The same books.
The same dim light near the window.
But she felt different standing inside it now.
Pixel sat on the edge of her bed quietly and stared at her hands for a moment.
Her fingers still remembered the warmth of his.
That thought alone made her chest tighten.
A small vibration suddenly broke the silence.
Her phone.
The moment she saw Stephan's name on the screen, her heartbeat reacted instantly again.
A message.
She opened it immediately.
"I already miss you."
Pixel stared at the screen for three full seconds.
Then another message came.
"And don't say it's been only five minutes."
A laugh escaped her before she could stop it.
Actually laughed.
Alone.
At midnight.
Because of him.
She typed a reply slowly.
"You are actually becoming clingy."
The typing bubble appeared instantly.
"Three years of emotional damage. Let me recover."
Pixel shook her head smiling helplessly.
Another message appeared.
"Did you go upstairs safely?"
"Yes."
"Lock the door."
"You sound like an old man."
"Lock. The. Door."
Her smile softened immediately.
There was something comforting about the way he worried now.
Not controlling.
Not suffocating.
Just caring openly.
She locked the door properly and sent him a picture of the lock.
"Happy?"
"Very."
A few seconds passed before another message appeared.
"What are you doing now?"
"Thinking."
"Dangerous."
Pixel rolled her eyes instantly.
"You seriously need new dialogue."
"No. You professionally overthink."
Before she could reply—
her phone suddenly rang.
Stephan calling.
Pixel answered immediately.
"…You just left."
"And?"
"You couldn't even survive ten minutes?"
"No."
The honesty in his voice made her smile again instantly.
Then she heard the faint sound of traffic from his side.
"You're driving?"
"I'm at the signal."
Pixel immediately sat straighter.
"And you called me while driving?"
"The signal is red."
"That still doesn't make it okay."
A quiet laugh came from his side.
"You sound angry."
"I am angry."
"You're worried."
"I'm practical."
"You're worried."
Pixel sighed softly in defeat.
"Stephan, don't use your phone while driving."
The signal sound changed faintly from his side.
Green.
Stephan noticed too.
"…The signal changed."
"Then cut the call."
A pause.
"…You're ordering me?"
"Yes."
Another small silence.
Then quietly—
"You became strict suddenly."
"And you became irresponsible suddenly."
That made him laugh softly again.
God—
she loved hearing that sound far too much now.
"Fine," he said quietly. "I'll drive properly."
"You better."
A small silence followed.
Neither wanting to cut the call first.
Then finally Stephan spoke softly—
"…I miss you already."
Her heart reacted painfully again.
"You saw me ten minutes ago."
"Still."
Pixel closed her eyes briefly.
Every time he spoke honestly like this, she completely lost the ability to think normally.
"Drive safely," she whispered softly.
His voice became quieter too.
"You too."
She smiled faintly at the ridiculous answer.
"I'm literally at home."
"Still."
A small laugh escaped her again.
Then after a moment—
"…Goodnight, Stephan."
Silence for one brief second.
Like he liked hearing her say his name like that.
Then softly—
"Goodnight."
Pixel slowly disconnected the call after that.
And for a long moment afterward—
she simply stared at the screen quietly.
The future was still uncertain.
Her family still scared her.
Everything ahead was still complicated.
But tonight—
for the first time in years—
she fell asleep smiling.
For the first time in a very long time, Pixel slept peacefully.
No overthinking until dawn.
No waking up in the middle of the night with heaviness in her chest.
No loneliness waiting beside her in the dark.
Just warmth.
Softness.
And the lingering memory of Stephan's voice saying goodnight.
Morning sunlight slowly spread across her room through the curtains, falling gently over the bed. Pixel frowned slightly in her sleep before turning to the other side, pulling the blanket closer unconsciously.
Then—
her phone vibrated.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
Pixel groaned softly and blindly reached for the phone near her pillow.
Without even opening her eyes properly, she answered the call.
"…Hello…"
A low chuckle immediately came from the other side.
"You sound half dead."
Pixel's eyes opened slightly at the familiar voice.
"…Stephan?"
"Hm."
She sat up slowly, hair messy, voice still sleepy.
"What time is it…"
"Seven thirty."
Pixel immediately frowned.
"Why are you awake at seven thirty voluntarily?"
"I have responsibilities unlike some people."
She narrowed her eyes sleepily.
"You called me this early just to insult me?"
"I called because you stopped replying."
That made her blink.
Slowly she opened her messages.
Three unread texts.
"Reached home."
"Drive safely lecture accepted."
"And?"
Pixel stared at the last message.
"…I fell asleep."
"I noticed."
A faint smile appeared on her lips immediately.
"You're still dramatic in the morning."
"And you're still sleepy in the morning."
She dropped back against the pillow again while holding the phone near her ear.
On the other side, Stephan was still at home.
Not office.
His room curtains were half open, morning light falling across the table near him while several company files lay untouched nearby. He had changed into formal clothes already, tie loose around his neck, watch resting beside him.
Clearly ready for work.
But not leaving yet.
Because he was busy talking to her instead.
"You're not in office yet?" Pixel asked softly after hearing the quiet atmosphere.
"No."
"You're getting ready?"
"Yes."
She smiled slightly.
"That sounds more normal."
Stephan leaned back against the chair near his window.
"You thought the entire company reaches at seven thirty?"
"With you? Possible."
A quiet laugh escaped him.
"You think I torture employees that much?"
"You scare them enough."
"That's different."
Pixel smiled sleepily while fixing her hair with one hand.
Then softly—
"You really went back immediately though."
"I told you I would."
Her expression softened slightly.
"…Are you okay?"
The question made his eyes lift immediately.
"What do you mean?"
"You left everything emotionally before," she whispered. "Now suddenly going back there…"
Stephan looked toward the files on the table quietly.
"It feels different now."
"How?"
A small silence settled before he answered honestly.
"Before, work felt like somewhere I had to survive."
A pause.
"Now it feels like somewhere I return from."
Pixel's chest tightened softly after hearing that.
Because she understood exactly what he meant.
Home.
He was talking about home.
About her.
The silence between them softened again.
Then suddenly a knock came from Stephan's room door.
"Sir, breakfast is ready."
One of the house staff.
Stephan answered without taking his attention off the call.
"I'll come down."
Pixel smiled slightly hearing the formal tone.
"You're already in CEO mode."
"I was always in CEO mode."
"No," she murmured softly. "Not really."
That made him pause.
Because she was right.
Before, he handled responsibility like a machine.
Now there was warmth in him again.
Life in him again.
Pixel stretched slightly against the bed before speaking again.
"What's your schedule today?"
"Meetings."
"That sounds exhausting."
"It is."
"Then behave properly with employees."
"They survive."
"Stephan."
"What?"
"Don't scare people on your first day back."
A faint smile appeared on his face again.
"I'll try."
"That means no."
"Correct."
Pixel laughed softly.
God.
She really had missed this.
The normal conversations.
The teasing.
The comfort.
The feeling of starting the day with him.
"You know…" she murmured quietly, "…this feels dangerous."
"What does?"
"Getting used to this."
Stephan's expression softened immediately.
"Too late."
Her heartbeat reacted instantly again.
"You always say things suddenly."
"And you still react every time."
"Because you don't warn people before speaking."
"I thought your heartbeat enjoys it."
Pixel immediately covered her face with the pillow.
"This conversation is ending."
"No."
"Yes."
"No."
She laughed helplessly again while Stephan quietly enjoyed every second of it.
Then finally another knock came from his side.
This time firmer.
Probably Stevan.
"BRO IF YOU DON'T COME DOWN MOM SAID SHE'LL SEND STAFF TO DRAG YOU."
Pixel burst out laughing instantly.
Stephan closed his eyes briefly in irritation.
"Stevan."
"ALSO STOP SMILING ALONE LIKE A PSYCHO AND COME EAT."
Silence.
Pixel laughed harder.
"You're getting bullied in your own house."
"I regret helping him emotionally."
"You love him."
A small pause.
Then quietly—
"Yes."
Simple answer.
But real.
Pixel's smile softened immediately.
Finally she glanced at the clock beside her bed and sighed.
"I should get ready too."
Stephan stayed quiet for one brief second before speaking softly—
"I'll call you later."
Again, it didn't sound like a question.
It sounded certain.
And strangely—
she liked that.
"…Okay."
A small silence followed.
Neither disconnecting immediately.
Then softly—
"Have a good day, Stephan."
His expression softened instantly hearing her say his name like that.
"You too."
And even after the call disconnected—
both of them stayed staring at their screens for a few extra seconds.
Smiling without realizing it.