He didn’t say anything for a mont, only watched her reaction with quiet satisfaction. The light from the lake reflected in her eyes, turning them into molten honey.
"I thought girls preferred candlelight and flowers," he said softly, stepping beside her. "So, I made sure you got that too."
Bella turned to him slowly, her heart aching with sothing warm and overwhelming. "You... you really did all this?"
He smiled faintly, that rare, gentle smile that appeared only when he forgot to hide behind his usual calm. "It’s your night, Bunny. I wanted you to have both — the story for your heart and the beauty for your eyes."
Bella felt her throat tighten. She didn’t know what to say. Every lotus, every flicker of light, every quiet detail spoke of how much he had thought of her, how much he had noticed her.
When he pulled out her chair, she sat down slowly, still gazing at the glowing lake. The soft music playing in the distance blended with the whisper of the water.
Leo poured her a glass of juice and sat across from her, the candlelight flickering across his sharp features. "Better?" he asked gently.
Bella nodded, her eyes bright with emotion. "More than better," she whispered. "It’s perfect."
She noticed that he poured wine for himself, and she pouted softly before sipping her juice like an obedient child.
Leo chuckled, that deep, amused sound echoing under the glow of the lanterns. "Well, if you think I’m being unfair, you shouldn’t," he teased lightly. "You can’t handle alcohol, Bunny."
Bella’s jaw dropped as she turned to him, cheeks puffed and eyes wide. "How do you know what I’m thinking?" she demanded, her voice full of mock offense. "And excuse , I can handle alcohol! It’s just that my body wasn’t used to it that one ti!"
Leo raised a brow, his expression unreadable except for the faint smirk tugging at his lips. "Oh? You an the ti you drank half a glass and then started arguing with the chair?"
Her eyes widened in horror. "W-what chair?"
"The one you called Mr. Chair," Leo replied smoothly, leaning back as if recalling a fond mory. "The one you got stuck to and said, ’Mr. Chair, I’m married! Let go!’"
Bella’s mouth fell open, her face turning crimson. "No! I didn’t— you’re lying!"
"Oh, you did," he said, his smirk widening, clearly enjoying her embarrassnt.
Bella groaned and covered her face with both hands. "Oh my god, why are you like this? Stop rembering these things!"
"Because," he said lightly, reaching over to gently pull her hands away from her face, "you make it impossible to forget."
She stared at him, heart pounding, her breath catching at how close he suddenly was. His gray eyes reflected the pink glow of the lotuses, soft and intense all at once.
Then he pointed over her shoulder, his voice low and calm. "Look there."
She blinked, turning her head, and her mouth parted in awe. Near the far edge of the glowing lake, a moose had appeared, its enormous antlers glimring faintly in the twilight, reflecting the soft golden light from the lotus lanterns. For a mont, it looked almost otherworldly.
"Leo... why are its horns glowing?" she gasped, holding his hand tighter. "You didn’t put lights on him too, right? That’s so harmful for animals!" Her voice carried both shock and concern.
Leo looked at her with that half-amused, half-helpless expression that always ca out when she said sothing so innocently wrong. "No, Bunny," he said, trying not to laugh. "No one stuck lights on the poor thing. The horns are painted with reflective spray. It keeps them safe from cars at night. It’s used to prevent accidents."
Bella blinked again, then covered her face, embarrassed. "Oh... I’m sorry," she murmured, her cheeks pink as she peeked up at him shyly.
He chuckled softly, the sound low and warm as he brushed his thumb over her knuckles. "You’re too pure sotis," he said with a teasing glint in his eyes. "That’s exactly why the world needs people like you—who’d worry about a glowing moose instead of just admiring it."
Bella pouted but smiled anyway, resting her chin on her hand as she looked back toward the animal standing peacefully beneath the trees. "Still... it looks magical."
Leo nodded, his gaze softening as he watched both her and the golden light dancing across the lake. "It does," he said quietly. "Everything looks magical when you’re the one seeing it."
Bella’s cheeks flushed at his sudden complint, and she quickly looked away, her fingers brushing the rim of her glass. "Why do you talk like that lately..." she mumbled shyly. "You used to be... different."
Leo tilted his head slightly, pretending to think. "Different how?"
"Well..." Bella drew in a breath, trying to rember. "You used to ignore a lot. You didn’t talk much, and when you did, you sounded so cold. Now you’re..." she trailed off, struggling to find the word. Her heart was already beating faster under his gaze.
Leo smiled faintly, his voice low and calm. "Sorry, Bunny," he said. "But things have changed between us, haven’t they? You’re not a stranger to anymore."
Bella blinked, her lips curving in a small, shy smile. "Yeah... we’re close now," she said softly, nodding as her gaze drifted toward the table again.
For a mont, there was only the sound of the night—the water brushing gently against the shore, the lotus lights flickering like stars in the lake, and the soft rustle of wind through the trees.
Then her eyes caught the deep red of his wine swirling lazily in the glass beside his hand. It looked beautiful in the candlelight, like liquid fire. She pouted a little as she watched him lift the glass to his lips.
He noticed instantly.
"What?" he asked, amusent tugging at his mouth.
"Nothing," she said quickly, turning her face away—but her eyes darted back to the glass again.
Leo leaned closer, lowering his voice until it brushed like velvet against her ear. "Bunny," he murmured, "don’t tell you want to drink wine too."
Bella’s cheeks reddened even more. "I just wanted a sip..." she muttered, her voice small and shy.
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