It was Sunday, the kind of day where the slightly overcast weather made a warm cup of tea seem all the more inviting.
Half-expecting to be disappointed yet again, I headed to the tea room, bracing myself for crowds. To my surprise, however, the place was nearly empty.
“It’s quiet today, isn’t it? Looks like we got lucky,” I whispered as we were guided to the private room with the best view. Everett, after a short pause, replied, “Seems we did,” his mischievous grin making him look like a playful boy.
As he turned to answer me, the sunlight hit his back, pouring through the window. And when he smiled, it was as if a halo surrounded him.
Thump. Thump.
My heart began pounding loudly, making its presence known.
‘Really, now? Calm down, heart, please.’
I was suddenly anxious, worried that the loud thumping might somehow be transmitted through our clasped hands, letting Everett hear it. Almost instinctively, my hand moved toward my chest, trying to stop the wild pounding, but I forced it to halt mid-motion.
‘What am I doing? Pledging allegiance or something? Stop!’
Instead, I quietly took deep breaths, trying to slow my heartbeat and return to normal.
‘In, out. In, out.’
I focused so much on controlling my breathing that I barely noticed how empty the hall was as we walked toward the private room. It felt as though someone had reserved the entire place just for us.
By the time the waiter opened the door to our room, I had managed to compose myself—at least outwardly.
“Miss Diaz,” Everett gestured for me to enter first.
I let go of his hand, trying to do so with as much grace as possible, pretending I wasn’t still mesmerized by the spell of sunlight. Like a knight guiding his lady, Everett followed me into the room, pulling out my chair instead of the waiter.
The table was perfectly positioned to provide a view of the garden courtyard, the pride of the tea room.
“Thank you,” I whispered softly as I sat down, and Everett responded with a slight nod, sitting across from me.
He was seated with his back to the window, which meant…
‘It was cloudy just a moment ago… Why is the sun out now?’
Just as Everett settled into his chair, the clouds suddenly parted, and the sun began to shine brightly. The early summer light danced across his dark, silky hair, scattering golden rays in all directions. And when he turned to glance outside, the sunlight highlighted the sharp contours of his face.
A second blow.
Even stronger than the first.
Thump. Thump. Thump.
My heart, which I had just calmed, now pounded more furiously than before. I could feel the heat rising uncontrollably in my face.
Unable to take it any longer, I instinctively placed a hand over my heart. The rapid beating was so intense, I could feel it pulsating through my palm, as though it might break free from my chest.
“Ugh.”
A soft groan escaped me as I curled forward slightly, and Everett immediately rushed to my side.
“Are you alright, Miss Diaz?”
His voice was filled with concern as he leaned closer, searching my face for any signs of distress.
Avoiding his gaze, I turned my head to the side, covering my face with my hand.
‘It’s not your fault… it’s just… your face is too much for my heart right now…’
There was no way I could say that out loud.
Still, the memory of his glowing face lingered like an afterimage, making it impossible for me to look at him directly. I buried my face deeper into my hands, trying to cool down.
At least my hands were cooler than my flushed cheeks.
“I-I just choked on something,” I stammered, quickly making up an excuse.
Everett seemed somewhat relieved, nodding slightly.
“Here, have some water,” he said, motioning to the waiter nearby to bring cold water.
As the waiter hurried off to fetch the drink, Everett’s concerned gaze never left me. Even as time passed, I couldn’t bring myself to lift my head, which only seemed to make him more anxious. His eyes kept darting toward the door, clearly wishing the water would arrive sooner.
“Should I go down and get it myself?” he offered, growing more unsettled by the minute.
“No, I’m fine. Really,” I insisted, finally looking up, my voice a bit shaky. I tried to smile reassuringly, and while Everett didn’t seem entirely convinced, he reluctantly stayed put.
“But your face is still red,” he remarked, raising a hand as if to check my forehead, only to stop midway.
“This is…”
His hand hung in the air awkwardly before he quickly pulled it back, as though hoping that pretending it hadn’t happened would erase the moment.
Everett, realizing how ridiculous he must have looked, let out a soft, embarrassed laugh, the sound of it brushing lightly past my ears like a gentle breeze.
‘You’re too close…’
Everett had rushed over in such a panic that now, instead of sitting across from me, he was right beside me, leaning slightly forward to check on me. He was so close that I could feel the air vibrating between us, causing the tiny hairs on my neck and arms to stand on end.
It was the closest we’d ever been.
I was afraid even to breathe deeply, worried that he’d hear my shaky breath and realize just how flustered I was.
“Could you… step back a little?” I finally requested, my voice cracking slightly from the tension.
“S-sorry.”
Everett awkwardly took a step back, still facing me, his upper body leaning toward me ever so slightly, as if he wasn’t quite ready to let go of the moment.
It was the perfect metaphor for the distance between us—not too close, not too far, but always on the verge of something more.
I avoided his golden eyes, which seemed to want to say more, fearing that any further conversation might make my heart truly burst.
Thankfully, the interruption came just in time.
“Excuse me,” came the polite knock.
The door opened moments later, and the waiter entered, carrying a glass of water with a slice of lemon floating inside. Everett, who had been glancing anxiously at the door just seconds earlier, now looked slightly displeased at the interruption. He stepped back even further, giving us more space.
‘It’s almost like… we were caught in the middle of something we shouldn’t be doing.’
Though the room was comfortably cooled by magical stones, I still felt warm, as though the heat was confined to just the space between Everett and me. The waiter, however, seemed unaware of any such tension, offering his usual professional smile as he handed me the glass.
“The sun came out, and it seemed to warm the room a bit, so I’ve adjusted the temperature of the magical cooling stones.”
It explained why he had taken so long. He thought I was too hot.
What thoughtful service.
“Thank you,” I said, accepting the cool glass gratefully.
I had made up the excuse of choking, but truthfully, my throat was parched, and the water was refreshing. I drank the entire glass, leaving behind only the lemon slice and a few pieces of ice, feeling my mind clear as the cool liquid washed away the heat.
Feeling much calmer, I turned to the waiter, speaking as evenly as I could.
“I’d like to place an order, please.”
Despite still sensing Everett’s gaze on me, I focused entirely on the waiter, knowing that if I looked at Everett now, I’d need another glass of water.
At last, Everett returned to his seat across from me.
“Of course. I’ll take your order now,” the waiter replied, handing us both the menu.
After scanning the options, I ordered the first tea I saw at the top.
“I’ll have the same,” Everett said, his voice following closely behind mine.
Once the waiter left with our menus, the door closed behind him with a sound that seemed to echo like thunder in the quiet room.
Time had only passed for a few moments, but it felt like an eternity, with Everett’s hair still glinting in the sunlight.
Unable to hold it in any longer, I blurted out, my eyes squeezed shut.
“Um… Lord Roxas!”
Thank you for the translation