Chapter - 18
The meeting had finally ended.
One by one, the guests hurried out of the mansion.
Nobody spoke much.
Not because they had nothing to say...
But because they were still trying to process the terrifying mob boss calmly eating strawberry cake while listening to Nani ramble about pink curtains.
One businessman whispered to another,
"...If I tell anyone what happened today, they'll think I've lost my mind."
---
The mansion gradually became quiet again.
Night settled over the estate.
The lights in the garden glowed softly.
Nani checked the time on his phone.
"Oh."
"I should head back."
He grabbed his bag and stretched.
"Dew will complain if I disappear again."
Tee nodded.
"I'll have a car prepared."
"Thanks!"
---
From the second-floor balcony...
Sky watched silently.
His gaze followed Nani all the way to the front entrance.
A strange heaviness settled in his chest.
The mansion had been lively for only a few hours.
And now...
It was about to become quiet again.
"..."
He hated that feeling.
He hated even more that he knew exactly why.
---
Nani reached the front door.
Just as his fingers touched the handle-
A warm hand gently caught his wrist.
He stopped.
Slowly turning around.
"...Mr. Sky?"
Sky stood there, still in his black dress shirt with the sleeves rolled to his forearms.
His expression remained calm.
But his eyes gave him away.
"You have to leave?"
Nani blinked.
"...I mean..."
"Eventually?"
Sky didn't let go immediately.
"The mansion is quieter without you."
Nani stared.
"...Was..."
"...that your version of a compliment?"
Sky thought for a second.
"...Probably."
Nani felt warmth creep into his face.
He quickly looked away.
"Y-You're acting weird again."
"I'm acting honestly."
"That's even scarier."
A tiny smile tugged at Sky's lips.
---
"I spent years thinking silence was peaceful," Sky said quietly.
"Then you arrived."
"You talked through breakfast."
"You argued with walls."
"You lectured me in my own house."
"You declared war over bedsheets."
Nani covered his face.
"When you list it like that..."
"I sound exhausting."
"You are."
"...Hey!"
Sky's expression softened.
"But..."
"The silence is worse."
Nani's heart skipped a beat.
He hadn't expected those words.
Not from Sky.
Not from the man everyone called cold-hearted.
---
Nani tried to recover first.
He puffed out his cheeks.
"So..."
"You finally admit you miss me?"
Sky held his gaze.
"...Yes."
The answer came so quickly that Nani forgot his next sentence.
"...O-Oh."
"I wasn't prepared for you to answer."
"I've been told honesty is good."
Nani laughed nervously.
"...Not this much!"
---
Sky took one small step closer, leaving plenty of space between them.
"Stay tonight."
Nani blinked.
"...Just tonight?"
"I know Dew's waiting."
"I'm not asking you to choose."
"I just..."
He paused, as though the words themselves felt unfamiliar.
"...wanted a little more time."
Nani's ears turned pink.
He pointed accusingly at Sky.
"You're cheating."
"How?"
"You suddenly became... smooth."
"I did?"
"Yes!"
"You can't say things like that with a straight face."
Sky looked genuinely puzzled.
"I was only telling the truth."
Nani buried his face in his hands.
"Oh no..."
"Cold Ice Cream learned flirting."
"I'm in danger."
From behind a nearby pillar, Tee whispered to a guard,
"...Did Boss just flirt?"
The guard blinked.
"I think so."
"Should we congratulate him?"
"No."
"We should stay very quiet before he remembers we're here."
---
Nani slowly lowered his hands.
His cheeks were still pink.
He tried very hard to sound confident.
"...I'm still angry with you."
"I know."
"You still owe me... a lot of apologies."
"I know."
"And I'm not making it easy."
"I know."
Sky smiled faintly.
"I never expected easy."
For a moment...
Neither of them spoke.
The cool night breeze drifted through the open doorway.
Finally, Nani sighed dramatically.
"...Fine."
"I'll stay..."
He raised one finger.
"...One night."
Sky nodded.
"...Thank you."
Nani quickly added,
"And don't look so happy!"
"I'm not."
"You are."
"A little."
Nani groaned.
"Great."
"I accidentally rewarded good behavior."
As he walked back into the mansion, he muttered under his breath,
"...He's impossible."
Behind him, Sky quietly followed.
For the first time in days...
The mansion no longer felt empty.
-----------
The mansion had finally fallen quiet.
Most of the staff had gone to rest.
Only a few lamps illuminated the long corridors.
---
Inside his bedroom...
Sky stood in front of the mirror.
He looked at his reflection.
"..."
Then, for reasons he refused to acknowledge...
He fixed his hair.
Once.
"...Too much."
He flattened it again.
He reached for a bottle of perfume.
One spray.
"...That's enough."
A second later...
"...Maybe one more."
Tss.
He frowned at himself.
"What am I doing..."
He adjusted the sleeves of his black shirt.
Rolled them neatly to his forearms.
Straightened the collar.
Looked in the mirror again.
"...Ridiculous."
Outside the door...
Tee happened to walk past.
He blinked.
"...Boss?"
Sky looked over.
"What."
"...Are you..."
Tee looked at the perfume bottle.
"...Getting ready?"
"No."
"You fixed your hair."
"I always do."
"You used perfume."
"I always do."
"You've looked in the mirror four times."
"...Leave."
Tee slowly raised both hands.
"I'm leaving."
As he walked away, he whispered to a nearby guard,
"Our boss is preparing like he's going into battle."
The guard frowned.
"Meeting?"
"Worse."
"Young Master Nani."
---
Meanwhile...
Nani lay comfortably on the guest room bed.
A pink blanket covered half of him.
He was watching random animal videos.
One video made him laugh so hard he almost dropped his phone.
Knock.
Knock.
"Come in."
The door opened.
Sky stepped inside.
Nani looked up.
"Oh."
"Cold Ice Cream."
Sky quietly closed the door behind him.
"Can't sleep?"
Nani shook his head.
"No."
"My brain is too energetic."
Sky sat in the armchair across from him.
For a while...
They simply talked.
About nothing important.
Nani complained that Dew still couldn't decorate properly.
Sky listened.
Nani complained about overpriced desserts.
Sky listened.
Nani explained why premium cotton blankets were scientifically superior.
Sky listened.
Finally...
Nani stopped talking.
"...You're really listening."
"I always do."
"You don't look like it."
"I still do."
Nani smiled without realizing it.
---
A comfortable silence settled between them.
Sky watched him for a moment.
"You smile more lately."
Nani blinked.
"...Do I?"
"A lot more."
"...Maybe."
Sky's voice softened.
"It suits you."
Nani immediately looked away.
"...You're doing it again."
"What?"
"Saying things that make me..."
He rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly.
"...Forget how to answer."
A faint smile appeared on Sky's face.
"I like seeing you speechless."
Nani gasped dramatically.
"Rude."
"I thought you liked me because I talk too much."
"I do."
"But this is cute too."
Nani felt warmth rush to his ears.
"...My ears are probably red."
"They are."
"You looked?"
"I couldn't help it."
"Oh my God..."
Nani grabbed a pillow and hid half his face.
"You're impossible."
---
Sky stood and walked over slowly.
He stopped in front of the bed.
"Nani."
"...Hm?"
"Look at me."
Nani lowered the pillow just enough for one eye to peek out.
"Cheater."
Sky chuckled quietly.
"Both eyes."
Nani sighed dramatically.
Then lowered the pillow completely.
Their eyes met.
Neither of them spoke.
The room felt strangely still.
Sky reached out slowly.
Giving Nani every chance to move away.
His fingertips gently brushed a loose strand of hair away from Nani's forehead.
"You really are fearless."
Nani smiled shyly.
"I wasn't at first."
"And now?"
"...Now..."
He looked into Sky's eyes.
"...I don't feel scared when you're close."
For the first time in years...
Sky's guarded expression softened completely.
He asked quietly,
"...May I?"
Nani understood what he meant.
His heart raced.
For a second, he simply looked at Sky.
Then...
Very gently...
He nodded.
Sky leaned in slowly.
Their first kiss was soft.
Brief.
Careful.
There was no rush.
Just a quiet moment where neither of them spoke.
When they pulled apart, they stayed close, foreheads almost touching.
Nani's cheeks had turned bright pink.
"...I..."
He covered his face with both hands.
"I forgot every sentence I know."
Sky laughed softly.
"I noticed."
Nani peeked at him through his fingers.
"...You planned this."
"I planned to talk."
"And?"
"The rest..."
A rare smile crossed Sky's face.
"...Just happened."
Nani groaned dramatically.
"I've officially been defeated."
Sky tilted his head.
"So easily?"
"Don't get used to it."
"I won't."
"But..."
Nani mumbled into his hands,
"...That was nice."
Outside the room, Tee happened to pass by.
He noticed the peaceful silence inside and smiled to himself.
Without knocking, he quietly kept walking.
"...Some moments..."
"...don't need an audience."
And for the first time since Nani had wandered into Sky's life by mistaking a mafia mansion for a luxury hotel...
The distance between them finally felt a little smaller.