When Liora finally emerged from the bathroom, she had mastered the art of feigned nonchalance. Her face was calm. Her steps were steady. Inside, however, her soul was still screaming.
She cleared her throat lightly. "Oh… you're awake?"
Xu Kai looked up from where he sat on the edge of the bed, lazily tying the straps on his boots. His hair was slightly messy, his shirt still rumpled from sleep—but his eyes, dark and unreadable, were very much awake.
"Mm," he hummed, tilting his head toward her. "Yeah. Woke up a little while ago."
Liora's heart skipped. She tried to keep her smile casual. "Ah… I see. I thought you were still asleep when I—" She paused. Too much. She cleared her throat again. "When I got up."
He arched a brow. "Mm. I was. For a while."
Her hands fidgeted at her sides. "When exactly did you wake up?" she asked, trying to keep her voice light and innocent. "Like… before or after I… uh… moved?"
