Chapter 89: Chapter 89

JONEA

I looked at Daran, waiting for an explanation. Whatever his reason was for stepping in earlier, I wanted to know. But he just stood there in silence, his eyes distant. It was like there was a part of him I could never reach, something he was hiding away, locked up tight.

Maybe it's better not to know, I thought. If he didn’t want to tell me, I wouldn’t force it. That's his world—a world I can't enter.

Finally, he offered to take me home, but I shook my head. I didn’t want to lean on him more than I already had. Without a second thought, I turned and walked away.

I could feel Daran watching me as I walked, but I didn’t look back. The walk home felt way longer than usual, and each step brought me back to the mess earlier—Owen and Hunter fighting. Because of me. It was strange, almost surreal.

Owen, with his warmth and straightforwardness, tried to protect me, and so did Daran. They both acted like I was some fragile porcelain doll that couldn't even get a scratch. But the way they protected me? It scared me. It was so intense, so possessive. Honestly, I wasn't even offended by what Hunter did. Sure, he might think I was only worth $500, but that didn’t bother me. Since the beginning, I never expected anything from him. So whatever he thought, I couldn’t care less.

The thing that bothered me was how Owen and Daran reacted—like they had some kind of duty to fight over me. Especially Daran, who had been hovering around me more lately, as if I was some problem he had to fix.

Sometimes, I wondered why he cared so much. Was it all because of the contract? Just because circumstances tied me to him? Or was I just an unfortunate burden in his life?

My steps slowed down as these thoughts weighed me down. Maybe Daran only saw me as a nuisance or a problem he had to handle. Thinking about that made my chest tighten, and frustration filled me as I walked alone in the quiet.

After taking the long way around, I finally ended up in front of the gate, staring at the house with hesitation. Was I ready to go back inside? Or should I turn around and keep walking aimlessly? It felt like I was stuck in this weird, in-between space, where nothing felt right. For now, I just wanted to stand here a little longer and enjoy the quiet night.

Under the cloudy night sky, I looked at the gate, feeling strangely empty. Thoughts of Daran still swirled in my head. How mysterious he was—so close yet so far away.

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DARAN

I rushed home, expecting to find Jonea inside, but after searching every room, she was nowhere to be seen. The worry I’d been holding back started creeping in.

Her door was slightly open, so I went in to check. But she wasn’t there either. The room was a mess, clothes and books scattered all over like she’d left in a hurry.

“Where did she go this late at night?” I muttered, feeling uneasy.

I went back to the living room, sitting on the couch and trying to calm down. Over and over, I checked my phone, hoping for a message from her, but nothing. I finally texted, “If you’re having trouble getting home, I’ll come pick you up.”

But my phone stayed silent. The anxiety was getting to me, and finally, I couldn’t take it anymore. I grabbed my coat and was about to head out to look for her when I opened the door and froze.

There she was, sitting on the steps, head down, looking weighed down by the world.

“Jonea?” I said, feeling a mix of relief and surprise. “What are you doing here?”

She slowly looked up, her voice raspy. “Daran, I’ve been sitting here since exactly ten p.m. So I didn’t come home late and didn’t break curfew.”

My emotions exploded—relief mixing with a flash of anger I couldn’t hold back. “Is that what matters right now? Just tell me, what are you doing here? Do you know how worried I was?”

She went quiet, looking surprised at my outburst. I immediately regretted being so harsh. I took off my coat and draped it over her shoulders, noticing how pale she looked, her eyes carrying a tiredness I hadn’t seen before.

I looked into her eyes and said softly, “You told me you wouldn’t make me worry.”

Jonea sighed, sounding defeated. “I’m sorry, Daran. I just didn’t want to come back in a mess like this.”

Hearing that tone in her voice stirred something strange in me. There was something hidden in her silence, something troubling. “Did something happen?” I asked, hoping she’d open up.

Jonea looked into my eyes like she was searching for something. “Daran,” she started, her voice hesitant, “you once said you liked how I’m always true to myself. So, let me be honest with you this time.”

I stood there, listening closely to every word she was about to say.

“You’ve met so many people and been through so much. I bet nothing is hard for you. But it’s not like that for me. I… I’m not that cool,” she said, looking down, her voice full of doubt. “We’re supposed to be two people living together because of a contract. But I can’t separate my personal feelings from this. I’m not as cool as you.”

Her words took me by surprise. I wanted to say something, but she continued before I could.

“I mean… no matter what you think of me, you’re special and important to me. So special that I’d be willing to sacrifice my own purity for your goals.” Her voice started to shake, and I could feel the raw honesty coming from deep within her. Her clear eyes looked right into mine, searching me.

I was stunned. No one had ever spoken to me like that before. Jonea, who’d always kept her feelings to herself, was suddenly opening up, telling me how much I meant to her.

I gazed back at her, my heart full of emotions I hadn’t recognized clearly before. “Jonea,” I said in a softer voice than usual, “you’re very special to me, too.”

She went still, her eyes searching my face, as if she wanted to be sure I meant what I said.

I couldn’t hold back any longer. Everything I’d felt all this time—the warmth that filled me whenever she was near, the worry that gripped me whenever she wasn’t home—all became crystal clear.

In the quiet of the night, her honesty and the look in her eyes made me realize my feelings for her had grown far beyond our contract.

Slowly, I leaned in closer. Her face looked a bit confused, but she didn’t pull back. Gently, I closed the distance, and in the softness of that moment, my lips met hers. The kiss was brief, but to me, it felt like an eternity.