"Isabella , why are you lying down so early?" Zyran asked. His tone was casual, as if he owned the place.
Isabella placed her arm over her eyes. She let out a long sigh. "Why are you here? I don’t want to see you."
Zyran walked in as if he hadn’t heard her. He sat down beside her bedding, his long legs stretching out comfortably. He looked around the room, then at her again, amusent lighting up his eyes.
"You’re not very welcoming. I ca to check on you. You should at least pretend to be happy to see ."
"I’m not," Isabella said plainly. She rolled onto her side, her back facing him.
Zyran clicked his tongue, then leaned forward. "You’re the least friendly female I’ve ever t."
Isabella let out a small snort. "You’re the least person I like."
Zyran burst into laughter. His shoulders shook as he laughed without holding back.
"That’s fine," he said smugly. "I like you enough for both of us."
Isabella sat up and glared at him. "Don’t say nonsense."
Zyran rested his chin on his palm and stared at her openly, as if she were doing sothing amusing.
"You’re so cute when you’re annoyed," he said. "I think you like ."
"I don’t." Isabella scooted away from him on the bedding.
Zyran moved closer again. "You do."
"I said I don’t!"
Zyran didn’t look offended. Instead, he reached out and flicked her forehead lightly.
"Ow!" Isabella slapped his hand away. "Don’t touch !"
Zyran’s grin widened. "Then stop making such a cute face."
"You—!" Isabella raised her hand to hit him again, but Zyran caught her wrist easily. His fingers wrapped around her hand, warm and firm.
"Don’t be violent," he said, but his tone wasn’t scolding. It was teasing. "I ca to talk, not fight."
Isabella pulled her hand back forcefully. "I didn’t ask you to co."
"I know." Zyran leaned back on his palms. "But I was bored. And when I’m bored, I co to see you."
"I’m not entertainnt."
Zyran blinked slowly. "You are."
Isabella stared at him with disbelief. "You’re impossible."
He only smirked.
Silence filled the room for a mont. Then, unexpectedly, Isabella lay back down and covered her face with her hands.
"Why do you always co to bother ..." she muttered, her voice muffled.
Zyran tilted his head. The playful smile on his lips softened for the first ti.
"Because it’s fun," he said honestly. "You’re interesting."
Isabella lowered her hands and peeked at him. "How am I interesting?"
Zyran lifted one shoulder lazily. "You’re different from other won. They see a man like and get shy or scared. But you? You glare at , hit , insult , tell to leave..."
He leaned closer, lowering his voice.
"And you don’t an it."
"I an it very much," Isabella said quickly.
Zyran laughed again.
Isabella couldn’t help it. His laugh was stupid. It made her want to laugh too. She grabbed the nearest pillow and smacked him with it.
Zyran fell backward dramatically, as if the pillow had knocked him over.
"Ah! Isabella attacked !" he said, clutching his chest in fake pain.
Isabella burst into laughter. It slipped out before she could stop it. Her shoulders shook as she tried to control herself.
Zyran lifted his head slightly, eyeing her.
"There. That’s the laugh I wanted to hear," he said.
Isabella imdiately stopped laughing and glared at him. "What laugh?"
"That one." Zyran pointed. "The one you try to hide."
"I wasn’t hiding anything."
"Mm." He smirked knowingly. "Of course not."
Isabella puffed her cheeks, annoyed again. "You’re really annoying."
Zyran reached out and tapped her cheek gently. "But you still laugh."
"Because you’re stupid," Isabella shot back.
"That’s fine. I don’t mind being stupid if it makes you laugh."
Isabella opened her mouth, then closed it. She had no coback for that.
Zyran scooted closer until he was sitting right beside her. Their shoulders brushed. Isabella stiffened but didn’t move away this ti.
He looked at her quietly. His joking mood faded into sothing softer, deeper.
"Isabella," he said suddenly.
She blinked. "What?"
Zyran’s red eyes didn’t drift away like usual. They stayed on her face, steady and serious.
"I really want you to be mine."
Isabella’s breath caught. She looked away quickly, her heart thumping too loudly.
"Don’t say stupid things," she muttered.
"It’s not stupid." Zyran’s voice lowered. "I an it."
For the first ti since he entered the room, he wasn’t teasing. His tone made Isabella’s ears warm.
"You don’t even know well," she said quietly.
"I know enough," Zyran replied. "And I’ll learn the rest."
Isabella kept staring at the floor. Her face felt hot. She didn’t know how to respond.
Zyran leaned closer, his hair brushing her cheek. "Look at ."
"I don’t want to."
"Then I’ll keep staring at you until you do."
Isabella turned her head sharply. "Don’t—"
But before she could finish, Zyran sat up straighter, his expression freezing for a mont as his ears twitched.
Footsteps approached the room.
A mont later, the door opened.
Cyrus stepped inside, his long hair tied back, his expression calm as always. His gaze landed on Isabella first, then shifted briefly to Zyran sitting a little too close to her.
Zyran lifted his chin, smug. He didn’t move away.
But Cyrus didn’t react with anger. Instead, his eyes softened when they returned to Isabella.
"Isabella," he said gently, "it’s ti to eat."
His tone was warm, as if nothing in the world could bother him.
Zyran clicked his tongue. "Always ruining good monts."
Cyrus ignored him completely. He held out his hand toward Isabella.
"Co," he said. "The food will get cold."
Isabella hesitated only a second before getting up from the bedding. She placed her hand in his.
As Cyrus helped her stand, he shot Zyran a calm, unreadable look.
Zyran grinned back with a challenging smile.
Isabella didn’t notice their silent exchange. She only felt relieved to escape the awkwardness Zyran had caused.
But as she walked out with Cyrus, her fingers brushed her cheek, still warm from Zyran’s earlier closeness.
Behind her, Zyran leaned back on the bedding, hands behind his head.
"Tch."
He smirked to himself.
"She definitely loves ."
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