Chapter 19: A Peaceful Night

{Eizkel's POV}

I got out of the shower and slipped on my black pajama pants—straight silk. The high-quality kind, too. The type that felt like clouds. Kate was still on the phone waiting for me, but honestly, I had no clue how to approach this situation.

For one, it felt weird trusting someone this quickly. I couldn't tell if it was the way she talked or the way she acted, but something about her just pulled me in. As someone who was too scared to pursue his only crush back on Earth, this all felt strange. Talking to women wasn't hard—but taking that next step, while actually aware of it, always brought me to a standstill.

She tried to hide the signs, but it was clear—she liked me as more than just a friend. How she got to that point so fast, I don't know. But I'd be lying if I said I wasn't curious about her too. I don't see her as just a friend, either.

The best thing I can do here is just be patient and keep doing what I'm doing. Rushing it will only bring me heartache—if losing Aria wasn't enough.

Aria. The only crush I ever had back on Earth. She was a wonderful woman, but my foolishness—and cowardice—landed me in the friendzone. I'll make sure that doesn't happen again in this world.

[Look at you. Finally doing something without the previous Eizkel in mind.]

'Annoying bastard. You ruined the moment.'

[Blegh!]

I could practically see Ezryn sticking his tongue out at me, mocking me. If—and I mean if—I ever get the chance to smack that smug bastard, I'm taking it.

Grabbing my phone and heading to the bed, I turned the camera back on. Kate didn't notice—she was too busy covering her face for some reason.

"Kate, why are you hiding your face? That's kind of insulting… to yourself."

"N-No, you idiot! I'm thinking about something. I know I'm beautiful!"

"Ah." I laid back in bed, stunned. At least she had just as much confidence in herself as I do… well, most of the time. If my earlier self-doubt wasn't obvious enough.

I watched her slowly regain her composure. Her golden eyes were just as resplendent and stunning as when I first met her. They gave me this strange sense of warmth—of belonging, even. Like standing in an open field beneath a clear afternoon sky. Everything just felt… right.

"Let me get in bed too. I've been sitting at my desk way too long." She stretched her arms, giving me a perfect view of her. The violet-colored pajamas she wore didn't just complement her figure—they enhanced it. The silky fabric hugged her curves gently, catching the light with every subtle movement and outlining her in a way that was almost unfair.

Her usual outfits from what I've seen leaned a little risky in some spots, but they were mostly conservative. The only real skin she ever showed off was her thighs but that was just because she wore knee-high socks.

'She talks about me being big but she's not exactly lacking in her own department either!'

Her pajamas really emphasized her chest. They were definitely more than a handful, and I was almost sure they gave her back pain of biblical proportions. I felt a little bad she had to deal with that… but also, blessed to witness this sight.

'Truly, whoever made her pajamas deserves a raise!'

"Hehe~, you gonna stop staring or what?"

"I don't apologize."

"You don't have to, idiot! I mean, I'd be surprised if you didn't look. They're a pain in the ass though."

"Maybe for you."

"..."

"W-What?"

"Are you actually a pervert?"

"I appreciate beauty and art."

"So… a pervert."

[She got you with that.]

'These two…' I shamelessly decided to move on.

"ANYWAY, you got class tomorrow?"

"Yeahhhh. It sucks, but it's necessary."

"Really? I thought it'd be some general class."

"Nope. It's Music Theory Advanced."

"That's badass! Is a music degree what you're going for?"

She proudly patted her chest. "Nope! It's actually Humanity Arts—Song and Culture."

"Amazing." That was the only word I could think of. I could feel the passion she had for it through the phone.

"What about you? Did you ever look and see your degree? Last time, you didn't know—like a big idiot." She turned onto her side, a bit of her hair falling over her face, but her smile still showing. I matched her, laying on my side as well, brushing my hair back so nothing was hidden. It felt pointless noticing all these little details… but somehow, it all felt nice.

"I didn't. But uh, I'm a bit of an actor." I didn't want to focus too much on this topic, but it felt right for her to know.

Her eyes widened, then softened back to normal. "Makes sense. Your mom's a huge actress, so figures. Got any roles coming up?"

The way she's looking at the camera is so cute! Her eyes radiated happiness, making my smile deepen.

"Why are you smiling so hard, idiot?"

"'Cause I can! And to answer your question—yeah, I actually have a main role coming up."

"Ooo! Ooo! What's the movie called?"

"An Echo Within."

"NO FUCKING WAY! SERIOUSLY!?"

My body flinched at her sudden shout, the blanket slipping down and letting the cold A/C nip at my skin.

"Y-Yeah."

"I can't believe my favorite book is getting a movie!"

O-Oh shit. I hope I wasn't supposed to reveal that!

[Too late, dumbass.]

Thanks, Sherlock.

"You better not ruin it! You know what—whenever you practice your lines, I want to be there!"

"Sure. Wanna come over tomorrow?"

"O-Oh. How about Friday? My dad's taking me to this annoying party tomorrow for my cousin."

I nodded. "Friday works. So what's that… two days from now?"

"Yeah. I've got a few classes that day, so it won't be till late."

"Me too..." I felt myself getting sleepier by the second. It was sudden, and I couldn't fight it.

"Hehe~, go ahead and sleep, idiot. Wait! Your phone better be on the charger."

I tiredly grabbed a long white cord and plugged it in absentmindedly. That was the last thing I managed before black filled my vision—my mind peacefully drifting off.