“Aqua?”
Her breath caught.
“Kieran…”
For a moment, neither of them moved. The cold air hung between them, sharp and breathless, like the world itself was waiting.
Aqua swallowed hard. “What… what are you doing here?”
Kieran stepped down from the porch, the cold air swirling around him. “It’s… a long story.”
Aqua hugged her arms around herself. “I have time.”
Kieran exhaled, looking away for a moment as if choosing his words carefully. “After I left Sasaki Mansion yesterday, I called Cherry. Just to let her know I was coming home early.”
Aqua nodded, waiting.
“She… didn’t take it well.”
Aqua frowned. “Why not?”
Kieran let out a humorless breath. “Because she sent me there in the first place. She wanted KJ to focus on his studies without me distracting him. She said every time I’m
