The past few days had unfolded in a way that felt almost foreign to Hikaru.
Without her noticing, more than a week had passed since she began staying at Dmitri's house. With that much time gone by, the sharp vigilance she had carried when she first arrived had gradually softened. Most of her days were spent quietly accompanying Bela around the house—like this afternoon, when Bela invited her to drink tea and read together in the living room.
There were no orders or rules she had to obey there. Hikaru is free to be herself there, and that peace felt almost unreal for her.
As the thought crossed her mind, Hikaru's gaze drifted unintentionally toward Dmitri.
He sat not far from her, leaning back casually on another sofa with his phone in his hand. His expression was serious as he looked at the screen. Yet each time he glanced up to make sure she was still there, the hardness in his eyes softened instantly.
On some level, Hikaru already understood what that meant.
