Chapter 10: Just Another Completely Normal Night (Except Not Really)

Chapter 10: Just Another Completely Normal Night (Except Not Really)

Bright stood there, frozen.

His brain felt like an overloaded circuit, refusing to process the sheer insanity of the past few minutes.

Was he supposed to think about the fact that Emily—his Emily, his annoyingly unpredictable Emily—had just kissed him?

Or was he supposed to think about the fact that this Emily was that Emily?

The same little girl with the big round cheeks, the one he had thrown himself in front of a bullet for all those years ago?

It had been so long since then.

After everything he had been through—the orphanage, the streets, scraping by every day just to survive—he had almost forgotten the past entirely.

Every new day had been a battle on its own.

And yet, here she was.

Emily.

Bright blinked slowly, still feeling mechanical, like a machine booting up after a system crash.

"You…" He finally spoke, voice half stunned, half dazed. "You're Emily? That Emily? That cute girl with big cheeks? That—"

Emily's face darkened instantly.

"Bright, shut up." She shoved her hands into her pockets, turning slightly away. "It's okay to be surprised, but don't say stupid things."

Her voice was calm as ever, but Bright caught it.

The faint dusting of pink across her cheeks. The way she shifted her weight just slightly, feigning her usual cool, aloof attitude like she always did when something caught her off guard.

She was embarrassed.

And for some reason, that only made Bright want to push further.

"You always knew and never told me?" His voice was steadier now, but still tinged with disbelief.

Emily stopped mid-step.

Bright narrowed his eyes. "And what about the kiss? Doesn't that mean you like me?"

Emily didn't answer immediately, so Bright pressed further, a baffled but sly expression creeping onto his face.

"Say, I know I'm amazing and also handsome, but I don't just accept anyone as my girlfriend—"

Emily snorted, turning back toward him with a smirk. "Have you had a girlfriend before?"

Bright's mouth opened—then shut.

"…That's not the point."

Emily grinned in victory.

Bright groaned, rubbing his temples. "You're impossible."

Emily rolled her eyes. "Anyway, sorry about earlier. Get in the car. Too many people are watching."

Only then did Bright notice the stares.

A group of people had gathered nearby, watching them with blatant curiosity.

A couple of older women whispered behind their hands. A few teenagers were snickering to each other. One guy even had his phone out, possibly recording.

Bright felt his entire soul leave his body.

"Great," he muttered. "Now I have witnesses."

Emily opened the passenger door, smirking. "You're welcome."

Bright sighed heavily before getting in.

The ride was quiet, but this time, it wasn't the awkward kind.

Bright was still processing everything, while Emily casually watched the city lights outside.

After a while, Bright sighed. "So… about the kiss."

Emily didn't even look at him. "What about it?"

Bright stared at her. "Are you seriously not gonna explain?"

Emily stretched lazily. "Why? You already know I like you."

Bright almost swerved into another lane.

"Wha—" He snapped his head toward her, only to find her smirking at him.

"…You're messing with me."

Emily chuckled. "Took you long enough."

Bright groaned. "Unbelievable."

"Don't lose hair over this. It's normal," Emily said with a straight face.

Bright side-eyed her. "Normal? Really?"

Emily nodded. "Mom does it to strangers all the time."

Bright's face twisted. "Your adopted mom. And how do you know they're strangers? What if they're secret lovers?"

Emily waved him off. "Focus on driving."

Bright grumbled under his breath but didn't argue.

The car fell silent again, this time a little more comfortable.

Soon, Emily's neighborhood came into view.

Bright had always known she was well-off. Even back when she handed him the key to the apartment months ago, he had guessed she had money.

But this?

Emily lived in a quiet, upscale part of the city, where every house looked big enough to fit a small family but still modest compared to true mansions.

That wasn't all, though.

Bright had done the math.

Emily didn't just own this house.

She owned multiple apartments.

For someone who barely cared about material things, she sure had a lot of property.

As he pulled into the driveway, Bright glanced at her. "So, how rich are you exactly?"

Emily smirked. "Enough."

"…That's vague and suspicious."

Emily unbuckled her seatbelt. "Bye, Bright."

Before he could respond, she suddenly leaned in—

And kissed him again.

Bright's brain completely shut down.

It was quick, just a soft press of lips, over in a second.

By the time he even registered what happened, Emily had already jumped out of the car and rushed toward her house.

Bright stared after her, stunned.

He blinked.

Once. Twice.

Then, slowly, he touched his lips, face heating.

"…What the hell just happened?"

By the time Bright got home, exhaustion had fully settled in.

He peeled off his jacket, took a long shower, and flopped onto his bed.

His mind refused to settle.

Today had been too much.

A grenade, a revelation, a **kiss—no, two kisses—**and now he knew Emily had known all along.

He sighed heavily, staring at the ceiling.

"Today was a big, long, and very realistic dream," he muttered. "It's time for me to wake up."

His stomach rumbled loudly.

"…Even in dreams, I still need to eat."

With another long sigh, Bright dragged himself out of bed and shuffled toward the kitchen, searching for something to eat before finally passing out.