Chapter 226 - A strange walk
On the other side of the lodge, the soft hum of morning conversation had long since faded. Breakfast was done, and the lingering scent of toasted bread and tea was already dissolving into the late morning air. Hana sat cross-legged on a thin mattress, her cheeks puffed in barely contained excitement. She bounced slightly in place, her face glowing with curiosity and giddiness.
She hugged her knees to her chest and sighed dreamily. "First, my brother falls in love with a superstar... Now this second couple..." Her lips curved into a sly grin. "It really feels like I’m living in a romance novel."
Still lost in thought, she tapped her chin thoughtfully. "But... I have to make sure Jai feels the same. What if it was just impulse on his part? What if he doesn’t even realize what he’s feeling?" Her smile wavered for a moment before determination took over. "I’ll make sure. I’ll find out for sure today."
Springing to her feet, Hana dashed through the hallway with purpose. As she turned the corner to their room, she nearly ran into Shao, who was sitting outside the door with a pillow clutched to his chest, glaring at the floor like it had personally offended him.
"Hi, Brother Shao!" she chirped, waving with a mischievous smile.
Shao lifted his gaze and gave her a blank, unimpressed look before standing up and walking away without a word.
Hana pouted. "He’s so silent and resistant... it’s cute but so infuriating," she muttered.
She pushed open the room door with a creak. "Brother Jai—" But the bed above was empty.
Frowning, she glanced around. Yuki was lying on the lower bunk, playing with the ends of her long sleeves, and Kailun sat on a nearby stool with a book open, though his gaze was distant.
"Where did he go?" Hana asked.
Yuki giggled, covering her mouth. "Brother hid something in his pants and ran to the bathroom!"