20

Chapter 20

"Next week? Are you serious?" Salvia asked, wide-eyed with excitement.

"Yes, Dad wasn't lying about the tickets. He really did get them," Darian confirmed.

Salvia's face brightened even more at Darian's response. She couldn't contain her joy. The news of her father's return felt like a breath of fresh air. Overcome with happiness, she leaped out of bed and ran out of the room, shouting with glee as she went in search of Devan, eager to share the news of her father's much-anticipated return.

Unfortunately, while Darian's good news was a cause for celebration for Salvia, it wasn't so for Devan. Although Devan felt relieved that he would no longer be responsible for looking after Salvia, he also felt unsettled. This meant he would soon have to leave the house—a place he had called home for the past five months.

Initially, the house had felt like a prison, but over time, it had transformed into a sanctuary that Devan had grown to love. The idea of leaving it behind made him uneasy. He wondered what excuse he could use to stay.

Darian wasn't going to kick him out outright, and Devan's sister would likely ask him to stay. However, it was clear that any arrangement would be temporary. Devan knew himself well enough to understand that he couldn't overstay his welcome once he was no longer needed.

If Devan were still a child, he might not hesitate, but his situation had changed. Now, as an adult, he had chosen to live far from his family for years. It would be highly suspicious if he decided to stay at Darian's residence now, especially with the excuse of wanting to be near Salvia. But Devan couldn't be that honest, even though the thought of being separated from her weighed heavily on him.

"uncle" Even though Devan's gloomy expression was the reason Salvia paused her joyful conversation with her parents about the upcoming return home, she couldn't ignore his downcast mood.

Salvia was in the middle of reminding Devan about the souvenirs her father was supposed to bring. However, before she could finish expressing her desires, she noticed that Devan was lost in thought, his gaze distant and blank. Curious, Salvia wondered what was wrong, especially since Devan had seemed fine just moments before.

"Is there a problem at work?" Salvia ventured, trying to guess.

"Are your parents coming home?" Devan asked in response, even though he already knew the answer. Salvia's excitement when she had come to his room was clear evidence of that. But Devan needed to make sure. He wanted to gauge Salvia's reaction to her parents' return.

"Yes, dad said next week," Salvia confirmed.

Salvia's response, accompanied by the bright twinkle in her eyes, made it clear to Devan how happy she was. He didn't know just how close Salvia was to her father, having never witnessed their interactions firsthand. However, from their phone conversations, Devan had gathered that Salvia and her father shared a deep bond.

Darian, with his open-minded approach, didn't restrict his daughter like many parents might. Instead, he positioned himself as a friend to her, creating a relationship with no obvious barriers. From the interactions that Devan had overheard, it was evident that the father-daughter pair shared a profound love and affection. It was no surprise, then, that Salvia was so thrilled about the news of her parents' return. She clearly missed her father deeply.

Nodding slightly in response, Devan pulled Salvia into a hug and placed a deep kiss on the top of her head. He remained silent as he held her, which puzzled Salvia. Her surprise grew as she noticed Devan's unusual behavior. Although she liked the comfort of his embrace, her curiosity couldn't be quelled.

"uncle, why?" Salvia asked again, but received no answer. Devan only tightened his embrace, resting his head in the crook of Salvia's neck. While Salvia found the gesture endearing, she couldn't shake off her discomfort. Devan seemed unwilling to let go, leaving Salvia both amused and slightly unsettled.

Devan seemed to want to stay in the embrace for a while longer, his weak tone making Salvia pull her hand away from his shoulder where she had been pushing him.

"Are you sick?" Salvia asked, genuinely puzzled by Devan's unusual behavior.

"I'm okay," he replied, though his tone didn't change and made it hard for Salvia to read his expression.

"Why? Why are you suddenly so quiet like this?" Salvia asked, her concern growing.

"I've never been one for talking much," Devan said quickly, causing Salvia to chuckle in frustration.

"I know, but this is really strange. You're acting so differently!"

"There's nothing strange about it," Devan replied nonchalantly, tightening his embrace. Salvia reflexively slapped his back before pushing him away with all her strength, freeing herself from his hold.

"Are you trying to suffocate me?!" she exclaimed with an accusing tone, which only made Devan laugh, looking more relieved than guilty.

But despite Salvia's initial annoyance, she found herself captivated by Devan's rare, beautiful laugh. Her frustration gradually faded, replaced by an adoring gaze that Devan, of course, noticed. Salvia's emotions were always evident; she couldn't hide her feelings. Her expressive nature made it easy for Devan to understand her heart's atmosphere. From their first meeting, Devan had been aware of Salvia's interest in him, which had initially led him to avoid her, though he had eventually faltered.

"There's no news of anyone dying from a hug, Sal," Devan said with a chuckle.

"Who says? If hugs are like the one you just gave, there's a real possibility that I could be the first!" Salvia retorted, her tone playful yet sincere.

"Hush, don't speak so carelessly! I didn't mean to suffocate you. I'm just excited," he said, though he couldn't hide his own irritation. He was excited about the sudden childishness in his behavior, his reluctance to part with her. Even though he had wanted to move out of the house once her parents returned, he now found himself unwilling to leave. He wanted to stay here, to see her every day, and to maintain this closeness with her.

"But you seem more like someone with a grudge than someone excited," she teased with a smirk.

He wasn't offended; in fact, he laughed. Especially when she shivered and tried to move away. She looked so adorable that he couldn't resist pulling her into another hug and showering her face with kisses. She laughed, and he, not content with just kissing, began to tickle her waist. This made her laugh even harder, kicking her feet in the air as she tried to escape his playful assault.

"Ah, you're unbearable," Salvia managed to say between her laughter. Her laughter was so intense it almost hurt, but Devan didn't stop. Instead, he grew more enthusiastic, tickling her even more. Soon, she was sprawled beneath him, begging for mercy while still laughing uncontrollably from the tickling.

In that moment, Devan forgot all about his sadness and the fact that he would soon have to part with her. He let himself savor this closeness for as long as possible before he would have to leave the house.

Ah, Salvia. Even though it wasn't time yet, he already felt a pang of longing for her. Would she still like him after he moved away?