Ava didn’t beco a fool captivated by vanity just because of a pair of shoes.
The fleeting joy couldn’t dilute her suspicions, especially when she found Sam’s bed empty at a ti when everyone should have been resting, should have been asleep.
All her doubts exploded at once.
Where could her brother be at this ti? It made no sense for him to go out so late.
To the bathroom? Impossible; Ava had noticed earlier that the bathroom light was off.
So, where could he be? The answer seed almost too obvious. Other than the room of that woman, where else?
From the beginning, she had her doubts about the so-called ordinary friendship between them.
Now, this piece of information was telling Ava sothing she hoped wouldn’t happen. What could Sam possibly be doing in Angel’s room so late at night?
It was enough to spark so rather embarrassing fantasies, yet Ava couldn’t hold back her swirling emotions, not even understanding why they were so overpowering, beyond her control.
Thus, Ava decided to find out for herself. She wanted to catch them in the act and confront Sam about why he lied to her.
So, she left the room, instead to that familiar door. With the utmost caution, she carefully opened a crack of the door.
Whispers floated out to her, the voices of her brother and that woman, Angel!
Initially, Ava wanted to burst in and catch them red-handed, but curiosity got the better of her.
What could they possibly be talking about so late at night?
She strained to listen, but their voices were too low, their words indiscernible.
She nudged the door open a bit more, barely making out the scene on the bed. She could see... the two of them... talking on the bed!
Although the lighting was dim, making it hard to see clearly, she could vaguely make out the silhouettes of two people on the bed.
So late at night, a young man and woman on the sa bed?! And you say you’re just classmates? Classmates crawling under the sa blanket? Perhaps discussing studies?!
Not a chance anyone would believe that!
Ava felt a rush of emotion surging to her head, an impulsive desire to not just open but kick down the door!
Just as she was about to act, she suddenly noticed an interlude between the two people on the bed. The silhouettes were blurry, but she could tell their figures had beco more intimately close.
Then, she couldn’t hear their muffled conversation anymore, only strange sounds she had never heard before.
Those were...
"Mmm... Ah... Uhh..."
And there seed to be...
"Gurgle... Gurgle... Huff... Huff..."
At that mont, Ava realized they were passionately kissing on the bed! Although she couldn’t see the scene clearly, Ava’s imagination vividly filled in how intimately they were kissing.
She felt angry, as if her most trusted brother had deceived her, hiding their true relationship.
But the urge to kick the door open faded, unable to rise again, not to ntion a weird feeling spreading from the bottom of her heart, as if affected by the embarrassing sounds, her legs grew weak.
Her body was heating up, a strange agitation and a novel sensation gradually spreading.
Ava suddenly dared not watch any longer, nor had the courage to burst in, but instead quietly closed the door and rushed back to her own room. It felt like she was compelled to flee, yet upon reaching the door, Ava stopped.
Why should she run away? After all, it was her brother who betrayed her trust.
Why did Sam lie to her? Despite being so close to Angel, he told her they were just friends.
Why? Ava was utterly confused.
But she didn’t have the courage to confront them in that room, unsure of what to say or how to question them.
So, Ava returned to the guest room where Sam was supposed to be sleeping. She went to Sam’s bed, intending to wait for him to return and demand explanations.
Perhaps due to the prolonged waiting or the agony of anticipation, Ava couldn’t help but lie down on Sam’s bed, enveloped by the familiar scent.
She was reminded of many mories, of tis when it was just their family. Unwillingly, she hugged the blanket imbued with Sam’s scent, trying to curl up within it.
"Ava."
"Ava."
"Ava?"
Her blurry consciousness was gradually awakened. Who was calling her na? This voice... was it her brother’s?
Ava, in a daze, opened her eyes to find Sam frowning down at her.
Instantly, her mories flooded back, realizing she had fallen asleep while waiting for him.
"Brother... uh!" Ava almost shouted his na, but Sam quickly covered her lips, silencing the impending loud outcry.
Sam looked at her, eyes wide and cheeks starting to blush, and said helplessly, "Keep your voice down this late. It wouldn’t be good to wake up Mom and Dad."
In reality, Sam was more concerned about not waking Angel, to avoid prolonging the night’s events.
Ava blinked in agreent, and Sam released his hand.
Ava looked at him sowhat displeased, while Sam took a seat on a nearby chair.
"Tell , why are you sleeping in my room this late?"
Ava stared at Sam with wide eyes. "Shouldn’t you be telling why you weren’t in your own room so late? Where did you co back from?"
Sam naturally didn’t want to tell the truth, even though Ava seed to know sothing, taking on a posture as if she was ready for an interrogation.
"It’s nothing. Suddenly coming ho, I couldn’t sleep, probably not used to it. So, I went downstairs for a walk."
Ava narrowed her eyes, unconvinced. "Lies, you didn’t go out. You went to soone’s room, didn’t you?!"
Sam’s expression remained unchanged. "I don’t know what you’re talking about. Did you see sothing?"
Ava’s face turned crimson at once. At that mont, Sam understood, recognizing that familiar expression... he knew Ava too well; that look ant he had hit the nail on the head.
Then, connecting the dots to the door that was left ajar, he knew everything.
"You went to her room, didn’t you?"
Ava sat on Sam’s bed, clutching his pillow as if it were her only support at that mont.
With her cheeks flushed, Ava slightly lowered her head, her expression obscured by the unlit room. Only her voice could be heard, suppressed and carrying an unusual fluctuation of emotions, sounding exceptionally somber and even despondent.
"I saw it... I saw brother in Angel’s room, sleeping together... I also saw you... kissing." The vulnerability and slight tremor in Ava’s voice as she spoke were palpable.
It might seem inexplicable, after all, they were siblings. Why should a sister feel aggrieved seeing her brother intimately involved with a suitable girl at the appropriate age?
But quickly, Sam realized sothing.
He sighed softly, saying, "Ava... do you feel like your brother has deceived you, claiming it’s just a classmate relationship when in reality, it’s sothing more, yet not admitting to being lovers?"
Ava remained silent, her head bowed, hugging the pillow tightly.
Sam stood up and then sat beside Ava, his voice lowered, "My relationship with Angel is special, and complex. Our story is quite unusual... so it’s not possible to candidly tell you what exactly is between us.
But what I can tell you is, we are definitely not in a romantic relationship, at least not in any established sense right now."
Ava finally looked up, her gaze direct, her expression revealing an unprecedented level of incomprehension and defiance.
"Has brother turned into soone who shirks responsibilities, a playboy who disappoints girls, during his ti in Kuhang?" She found it harder to believe her brother had beco that kind of man than to accept his actual involvent with Angel.
Sam shook his head, "I can assure you, I haven’t beco that kind of person, nor will I ever be. It’s just that, how should I put it, things between her and aren’t so simple, and I don’t want you to worry about these issues on my behalf. If all of this gets resolved in the future, maybe I’ll explain what exactly happened, but for now... it’s not possible."
Ava stared intently at Sam, "How am I supposed to know you’re not lying to this ti? Even though you seem to have your reasons, you were definitely kissing, weren’t you?"
Sam spread his hands in a gesture of helplessness, managing a smile. "Indeed, there was kissing... but it doesn’t necessarily signify anything more. How should I put this, relationships between n and won are much more complex than you might think. I hope you never have to understand the situation and feelings I’m dealing with now.
And... I want to tell you, it’s not that I want to deceive you, but rather I don’t know how to explain to you. I can’t... I just can’t..."
Sam’s words trailed off into sheer helplessness. He didn’t know how to explain further, initially hoping to act as a mature big brother and dispel his sister’s misunderstandings.
However, Sam found that the situations he was entangled in, the story’s ending he knew, everything he wanted to avoid, and his complicated feelings for Angel, seed like they were all fated.
There simply was no explanation; all he could do was deceive, yet Sam didn’t want to lie. Deception would only lead to an endless cycle of lies needing to be covered up.
Would he still be a good brother then? Clearly not.
And if he told them everything, could they help him shoulder it, or would they just worry unnecessarily? He didn’t want them to worry; it was better for him to bear and resolve these issues alone.
Sam didn’t want his family to lose their peace and potentially be put in danger because of him. After all, Angel didn’t seem to be a kind-hearted heiress, and the consequences were unpredictable.
Towards the end, Sam realized the most helpless person was himself. Unable to gain understanding or effective help, he had to find his own way out.
It seed there was no other option...
Ava would probably dislike this version of him, thinking he was still lying and making excuses. But it was better than her getting hurt.
It seed that was the only way.
Just as Sam was drowning in these pessimistic thoughts, suddenly, warm arms embraced him, covering him with a familiar scent. It was Ava’s embrace.
In this mont, she hugged him.
Sam froze, taken aback by her action.
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Then, he heard her whispering in his ear, her words soft and delicate. "Although I don’t know what happened, what brother encountered in Kuhang... I can see that you’re feeling helpless."
Sam felt a sudden urge to cry, despite most of his impressions and mories of this girl stemming from dreams he had after crossing into this world.
Her words seed to offer him understanding and comfort that no one else could provide.
It was like a ray of light stubbornly piercing through an airtight cage that was nearly suffocating him. The sword hanging over his head seed to veer off its course due to a warm breeze.
Sam wanted to say sothing, but he feared his voice would choke up the next instant. Ava’s voice, however, beca even softer.
"It’s okay. If brother doesn’t want to talk about it... then we won’t. It doesn’t matter to , as long as brother isn’t deceiving , that’s all that matters."
Sam found himself at a loss for words. He now truly felt like he was the one blessed with fortune.
Looking past Ava at the wall, his gaze blurry, he wanted to say more but could only whisper, "Ava... thank you."
Ava shook her head, releasing Sam’s shoulders, and looked directly into his complex and profound eyes. She smiled sweetly, just like in his mories, the most beautiful and pure girl.
"Let’s pretend nothing happened tonight, I’ll forget about this evening."
Sam sighed in relief, feeling as if all his strength had left him. "Thank you."
Ava, with her cheeks slightly flushed, glanced at Sam. Then...
"Mua~"
Ava gently kissed Sam’s cheek, just a light peck.
She quickly got up from the bed, almost as if fleeing.
Reaching the door, she opened it but couldn’t help turning back for one last look at a stunned Sam.
"Goodnight, brother!"
Sam watched in a daze as the door closed again. The next mont, he lay powerless on the bed, covering his face, looking up at the ceiling, yet unable to resist smiling.
"How co I have such a great sister?"
After hastily leaving the room, Ava returned to her own, shut the door, and leaned against it.
Her cheeks flushed, eyes wide, she involuntarily covered her wildly beating heart.
What had she just done? She had stealthily kissed her brother’s cheek?!
Why did she feel such an impulse? Why?!
She felt utterly mad. Ava didn’t understand why she had acted that way, and it took her a long ti to calm the turmoil in her heart as she returned to her bed.
The girl, now serene, lay engulfed in her bed, clutching her blanket tightly, slowly closing her eyes in the darkness.
"I don’t want to be like that woman... Only I can... understand brother like this, right?"
"Yes... only ..."
"I don’t want that bad woman to take brother away..."
"I won’t allow it..."
Whether these were the whispers of dreams or clear thoughts, no one could tell. Not even the night moon could unveil.
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