It was an hour later.
Kayden, holding a glass in one hand, stared at Diana with a complex expression that was neither a smile nor a frown. How can she get so drunk after just two glasses…?
Across from him, Diana was humming a tune that was out of key.
Unbeknownst to Diana, Rebecca could not drink more than half a glass of strong alcohol. And Diana could only drink one more glass than Rebecca. She was now paying the price for overlooking the fact that she had never drunk such strong alcohol before her regression.
She’s not good at singing…
Kayden inadvertently learned two new things about Diana. First, she couldn’t hold her alcohol well. Second, she wasn’t good at singing. Moreover, her usually quiet demeanor seemed like a dream compared to her current erratic behavior.
“Ugh… bitter…” Diana took another sip of the alcohol, grimaced, and then took a sip of water, smiling blissfully.
Kayden propped his chin on his hand, holding his glass, and watched her. Rather than finding it ridiculous, he found it endearing, and a smile crept onto his face without him realizing it. Her off-key singing, her scrunched-up face after sipping the alcohol—it all made him chuckle.
As Diana took another sip of water, she noticed Kayden wasn’t drinking and was just watching her, so she glared at him. But her drunken eyes weren’t very threatening.
“Why… aren’t you drinking? Drink ap.”
“But you’re already too drunk.”
“No, I’m nod.”
“Your speech is slurred. Besides, drinking alone isn’t fun.”
Kayden said as he took the glass from Diana’s hand. He could see she would suffer from a hangover if she drank any more.
Fortunately, Diana, who had been whining for a moment after losing her glass, soon quieted down. Instead, she seemed lost in thought.
Diana furrowed her brow seriously and muttered. “No, have to drink mor…”
“You can’t drink anymore.”
“No, not me… but Kayden.”
“Me?” Kayden pointed at himself with wide eyes.
Diana nodded and mumbled something unintelligible.
“What did you say, Diana?” Kayden stood up and asked again. He walked around the table and brought his ear close to Diana’s mouth.
Diana, as if sharing a great secret, cupped her hands around her mouth and whispered into his ear. “Kayden needs to drink…”
“Yes.”
“So I can take Kayden to bed…”
“Cough.”
Kayden’s smile vanished completely. It felt as if someone had lit a fire inside him. And that someone was Diana. Yet she seemed oblivious to his state, smiling at him with her drunken, unfocused eyes.
Seeing her innocent smile brought some sense back to him. Kayden let out a heartfelt sigh and stood up. “You’re drunk. Let’s stop here.”
“No, I’m nod.”
“You’re slurring your words.”
“Really? Am I?”
“….”
Thinking about it, Kayden wondered why he was even trying to talk sense with someone who was drunk. Shaking his head, he reached out and lifted Diana, supporting her back and knees.
“Let’s sleep together…”
Diana leaned her head against his chest, rubbing her cheek against him. He gritted his teeth, feeling his desire rise from holding her soft body.
Kayden quickly moved to the bed and carefully laid her down. “Go to sleep. I’ll sleep on the sofa in or in another room…”
As he tried to get up after laying her down.
“…!”
Diana suddenly wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him down on top of her. He managed to avoid collision by reflexively supporting himself with his arms on the bed, but instead, he found himself face-to-face with her drowsy, blue-purple eyes.
Kayden knew it was the eyes of a drunk person, but seeing those usually clear eyes so unfocused made him feel strange. Moreover, although he wasn’t as drunk as Diana, he had also consumed quite a bit of strong alcohol. Despite his efforts to calm down, his body was heating up.
Don’t look. Kayden closed his eyes tightly and turned his head to regain his composure. But then a warm breath hit his ear, accompanied by a soft whisper.
“Don’t go.”
“Diana.”
“Stay here, sleep… together.”
Kayden let out a groan of frustration. It felt like a test of his patience and morality, driving him crazy.
“Diana, please…” He groaned, using all his strength to resist the urge to pull her closer.
It was at that moment.
“Lullaby…”
“…”
“Lullaby… lullaby… Strange. Why aren’t you falling asleep…?” Diana was patting Kayden’s back, singing a lullaby that was out of tune.
The tension that had heated his body shattered instantly. Kayden doubted his ears for a moment before bursting into laughter. It was irresistible.
“Pft.”
“Lullaby… lullaby…”
“Ah, you…”
Kayden’s shoulders shook with laughter. Even as he laughed, Diana continued to hum her lullaby and pat his back.
After laughing for a while, Kayden looked at her with a resigned expression. “Alright, alright. I’ll lie down properly, so relax your arms for a moment.”
“Really…?”
“Yes, really,” Kayden answered with a chuckle.
Diana, who had been eyeing him skeptically, slowly released her arms.
As soon as her arms, which had been wrapped around his neck, disappeared, Kayden turned around on the bed and moved to lie next to her. He put a pillow under her head, laid her down properly, and covered her with a blanket. With one hand supporting his head, he patted the blanket.
“Sleep well now.”
“…”
Diana stared at the ceiling for a moment before turning to face him, blinking slowly.
“What?” Kayden’s gentle voice slipped through his lips. A faint smile never left his face as he looked at Diana. The moonlight streaming in through the window made his smile seem unreal.
The pleasant buzz from the alcohol and the beautiful moonlight created a situation where rationality could easily slip away.
She stared at Kayden’s face for a moment before calmly speaking. “Thank you.”
Kayden’s shoulders twitched at the sudden clarity in her voice and pronunciation. Did she sober up?
Kayden thought, studying her face. But despite her calm expression, her eyes were still half-closed. Guess not.
“What are you thanking me for?”
“…”
Although Diana had initiated the conversation, she fell silent when Kayden asked. He found it odd but didn’t dwell on it. It wasn’t unusual for a drunk person to fall asleep after expressing gratitude.
But Diana continued. “For calling me… a friend…”
“…?”
Kayden furrowed his brow slightly, trying not to make it obvious. No matter how hard he tried to recall, he had never said anything like that to Diana.
What is this? Could it be that we’ve met before, and I just don’t remember?
He wanted to dismiss it as drunken rambling, but his instincts told him something was off.
“Diana, that…”
Kayden started to speak, sensing something amiss. But then he saw Diana’s face, smiling faintly yet shedding silent tears, and he stopped. He felt like his breath was taken away.
Diana’s face had a faint smile, but tears streamed down her cheeks. Because of those tears, the words he wanted to say remained stuck inside.
Thank you. For seeing me as ‘me’. For seeing me as I am, for wanting to be my friend despite everything. And becoming someone I want to cherish dearly.
Someone I want to cherish and protect.
Diana slowly reached out and gently touched Kayden’s cheek. He flinched and stiffened.
“You’re warm…” Diana smiled faintly through her tears and then closed her eyes. Her smile faded, replaced by peaceful breathing.
Kayden, unable to describe how he felt, could only watch her. “…”
Originally, Kayden had planned to move once Diana fell asleep. However, he couldn’t shake off the warmth that touched his face, so he stayed by her side until morning broke.
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And someone was someplace waiting on a meeting that never held…. Tut tut tut 😄