"Good morning!"
Just a single greeting.
But I was staring at the name of the sender—Lily.
Lily messaged me? On her own?
That was... surprising.
I smiled.
Now then, I should probably reply, right?
But if I reply immediately, wouldn't that be weird?
...Whatever. Let's just reply.
"Good morning, miss."
I hit the send button.
No immediate reply.
I opened some videos and let them play, but my focus was elsewhere. I kept glancing at the top of the screen, checking for notifications.
I was subconsciously waiting for her reply.
Not good.
I can't let myself fall into the same pattern I did with her—not again.
I decided to stop checking and just let Lily take her time.
---
Two hours passed.
It was the last day of the weekend. All the studying could wait until afternoon.
Ting...
A notification.
I thought—Lily?
I opened the chat.
Disappointment.
Just a random message. An app update announcement.
I sighed.
Really? Now?
But then—another ting.
And this time...
"Morning has already passed. Had breakfast yet?"
I smiled and typed:
"Yeah, I did. What about you? Did you have breakfast?"
She read it instantly and replied shortly after:
"Yes."
Short. Just one word.
Still, I wanted to keep the conversation going.
"Without me?"
I don't know why, but I wasn't as hesitant now. Even though we'd only talked once, I had this feeling—Lily was just like me.
Calm. Open-minded. No ego.
Ting.
A laughing sticker.
Then her reply:
"Should I parcel the food to your location?"
"Did you make the food?"
"Who else?"
"You know how to cook?"
"Of course..." She sent a proud-face sticker.
I smiled again.
"What dishes can you make?"
"What dishes can I make? Ask me what I can't make!"
"You can cook everything?"
"Any doubt?"
"No no... of course not," I replied.
Then paused, thinking for a second.
And typed:
"Then I should marry you. You can make me delicious food every day..."
The message was read.
But no reply came.
Two minutes passed.
Then three.
Then five.
I got anxious.
Did I offend her?
I started typing an apology—fingers hovering over the send button—when a message popped up.
"Sorry. Mother called me."
I let out a long breath.
Phew. She wasn't offended.
Before I could reply, another message came through:
"You want to marry me?"
I stared at the screen.
She really is like me—blunt and open-minded.
What should I say?
No need to overthink it. We're just having fun.
"Yes, obviously. You can cook everything! I'll get to eat anything I want, whenever I want. That's paradise!"
She sent a laughing sticker.
Then:
"You're silly."
----
He wants to marry me just so I can cook for him?
I smiled. Solace was quite the funny guy.
But talking to him is... comfortable.
It's like I can be myself around him. I don't have to think too much. With most people, I'm quiet—careful. But with Solace... I don't feel the need to weigh every word.
Is it the way he talks? Blunt, direct, casual?
He's definitely not like the other boys.
I glanced at my phone.
No reply yet.
Is he busy? Am I disturbing him?
The thought barely crossed my mind when the phone buzzed again.
"Hey..! Just think about it... You can cook for me even at midnight when all the shops are closed! Isn't that great?"
A laugh escaped me.
This boy...
I typed:
"Yeah yeah. Keep being delusional. Why would I marry you anyway?"
The reply was read immediately.
Then:
"Ain't I a good choice?"
Good choice? Sir, I don't even know you.
I smiled again.
Our chat continued. Before long, it was time for my daily bath.
I typed:
"I have to go now. Talk to you later."
Send.
A reply came almost instantly:
"You're going? Leaving me alone?"
Followed by a teary-eyed sticker.
I couldn't help but laugh.
"Stop being so cringe. Pickup lines won't work on me."
I placed my phone on the nightstand, the screen still glowing with our last messages.
He really was... something else.
I stretched, arms reaching above my head, letting out a quiet sigh. The fabric of my oversized t-shirt shifted as I moved, slipping slightly off one shoulder. The air in my room was cooler now, brushing across my skin, raising a soft trail of goosebumps down my arms.
It was getting late. The kind of late where the world softens, and everything feels a little heavier... a little slower.
I stood up, the hem of my shirt brushing against the tops of my thighs as I walked toward the bathroom. My bare feet made small sounds against the floor.
Time for a bath.
My hand paused on the doorknob.
I looked back at my phone once more.
No new message. Just that last reply of his—sweet, teasing, just a little silly.
I smiled to myself.
Then pushed the door open, stepping into the steam-kissed quiet.
---
"Stop being so cringe. Pickup lines won't work on me."
Her last message made me laugh.
I really was being cringe today. Tossing cheesy pickup lines at her like it was my job.
But what could I do?
I wanted to see how she'd react. And honestly... I was satisfied with the result.
It was already noon. Time to take a bath.
Bathing was one of the few things I genuinely enjoyed. When cold water cooled down my body temperature, it felt like my head cleared up. Like a reset.
But before that...
I looked around.
The room was a mess.
Sigh.
Let's get to work, Solace.