After a while, Mira let out another long, theatrical sigh, her hand propping up her chin, elbow resting on the cool railing. She looked his way before resting her chin on her palm.

  “I always wanted to visit Japan,” she admitted, her voice quieter now. “But now that I’m here, I don’t get to see any of it. It’s just meetings, security, tight schedules… I might as well be in a glass box.” She gestured toward the city beyond the water. “All of that, right there, and I can’t even enjoy it.”

  He watched her for a beat, amber eyes catching the light. “Is there somewhere you want to go?”

  Mira blinked, startled by the question. "We’re flying back tomorrow," she said, feeling a mix of regret and resignation. “And there’s still a schedule in the morning. Meetings. More briefings.”

  Adrian kept his tone even. “Flights can be changed.”

  “There’s no way,” she replied instantly, almost out of reflex. Then she paused.

  Her hand was still under her chin, her gaze lingering on the city lights. Slowly, her head turned toward him, standing beside her, close enough that she could feel the calm weight of his presence.

  “Wait…” she said, eyes narrowing slightly. “Are you saying…”

  Her eyes sparkled for a moment, then she frowned, lips pursed. “That’s not possible. My class is still waiting. I can’t skip any of them.”

  Just then——her phone vibrated.

  Her eyes widened.

  “Monday morning… cancelled?” She mumbled aloud, scrolling. “Monday afternoon… also cancelled?”

  She blinked. “Wait, what?”

  Her mouth parted into a wide, uncontainable smile, her eyes sparkling in disbelief and delight. She turned sharply toward Adrian.

  Adrian’s expression shifted—just enough to suggest he knew exactly what she was thinking.

  One that said,

  One that didn’t need to say anything else.

  She narrowed her eyes suspiciously, but the smile didn’t fade. “You didn’t…”

  He said nothing. Just sipped from the glass again—still smirking.

  Who knows why both classes were suddenly cancelled?

  “So,” Adrian said smoothly, voice low as ever, but there was a glint behind his eyes, “your answer, Mira?”

  Her grin was already too wide to be subtle. “Yes.”

  Then, unable to contain her excitement, she bounced slightly on her heels and exclaimed, "Yes, yes, yes!"

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  She grabbed his arm with both hands, hugging it close like a kid clutching a prize at a fair, completely forgetting she was in a floor-length party gown with glitter still catching the deck lights. Her eyes sparkled, and her cheeks flushed with the kind of happiness that didn’t care who was watching.

  Adrian let out a short laugh—one of those rare ones that crinkled the corner of his eyes. He glanced aside for a second, shaking his head like he couldn’t quite believe her, then looked back at her.

  The smirk remained the same as before, yet it transformed into something softer and more inviting.

  Like a boy who just pulled off the perfect Christmas surprise and didn’t mind being caught.

  ?

  As the night deepened, the atmosphere on the cruise softened into a gentle hum of laughter and conversation. The formalities had long given way to easy, relaxed chatter, and even the music had shifted—once a grand orchestral piece, now a mellow, slow melody that danced with the evening breeze.

  Mira and Adrian remained on the rooftop for a little while longer, neither in a rush to return to the crowd below. But eventually, the wind grew cooler, and the party guests began trickling back inside, signalling that the night was winding down.

  “We should head back,” Adrian finally said, his voice calm, yet leaving no room for disagreement.

  Mira nodded, brushing a loose strand of silver hair behind her ear. She wasn’t tired, exactly, but there was a comfortable weight in her limbs—the kind that came after a long evening spent among people, after conversations that required poise and careful thought.

  Descending from the rooftop, they walked through the main hall, now quieter than before. A few guests remained, some lingering with drinks in hand, others taking final photos against the shimmering city skyline.

  As they stepped off the cruise onto the dock, Mira moved with her usual grace—until the hem of her gown caught beneath her heel. A sharp gasp escaped her lips as she felt herself stumble forward, her balance slipping.

  Before she could fall, a firm hand caught her at the small of her back, steady and unwavering. Adrian. The warmth of his touch burnt through the fabric, his palm pressing lightly against her bare skin where the gown dipped at the back. For a fleeting moment, she was hyper-aware of the sensation—of his strength, of his scent, of the sheer closeness between them.

  Flustered, she quickly regained her footing, pulling away with a mumbled, "I’m fine," before practically fleeing toward the waiting car. Like a Cinderella running from the prince before the clock struck midnight.

  But tonight, the prince didn’t stay behind.

  Adrian followed, his steps unhurried as he caught up with her. He said nothing, only opening the car door for her before sliding in beside her.

  The ride back was silent. Mira kept her gaze fixed on the city lights blurring past outside, her mind still replaying the sensation of his touch.

  ?

  Professor Robert Lang scanned the crowded gate lounge, looking for an open seat. Spotting one near a familiar figure, he made his way over.

  “Well, well,” he said, setting down his bag, “didn’t expect to see you here, Kaede.”

  Professor Elena Kaede looked up from her phone, surprised. “Robert? Small world. I thought you flew back yesterday.”

  “I was supposed to,” he said, rubbing the back of his neck. “Got pulled into a panel at the last minute. Ethics in autonomous tech or something just as thrilling. You?”

  Elena gave a dry laugh. "We're hosting a special roundtable to discuss emerging strategic alliances. The invitation landed right after the consortium wrapped. Seemed… sudden, but official.”

  Robert nodded. “Same. Mine came through with a note from the consultant board. Sounded like they’d been planning it a while.”

  “They do move fast when they want to,” Elena mused, stretching her legs. “I barely had time to email my TA about cancelling Monday’s session.”

  “Same here,” Robert chuckled. “I just told mine to push back the readings and tell the students I’d make it up next week.”

  They shared a moment of quiet as the boarding announcement crackled overhead.

  Elena stood and grabbed her coat. “Well, if they keep flying us out and feeding us Belgian pastries, I’m not complaining.”

  Robert smiled. “Perks of being on someone’s radar, I guess.”

  As they joined the queue, neither gave a second thought to the invitation’s origin—just another line in a busy academic life.

  ?