Tonight was destined to be a restless, sleepless night for Celeste.
This was the first time in her life that she had allowed a male guest to stay overnight at her home.
The thought that just a thin wall separated her from a boy lying on the Living Room sofa sent ripples across her heart like stones tossed into a lake, never allowing her to fully settle.
Moreover, tomorrow was the decisive moment.
Just thinking about stepping into the academy and likely facing countless doubting glances, or even being ganged up on, filled her with unease and worry.
Even though Aiden repeatedly promised to stay by her side, the fear of the unknown still lingered stubbornly in her mind.
So despite lying on her familiar bed, Celeste felt like she was lying on needles and pins, tossing and turning, unable to find a comfortable sleeping position.
Whenever Celeste closed her eyes, her mind replayed every moment Aiden had reached out to help her, rescuing her from danger or embarrassment.
She couldn’t help but wonder: if she hadn’t met Aiden back then… what would she be like now?
Would she have already succumbed to loneliness and despair, truly spiraling into darkness as that Fake Video had shown?
Aiden once analyzed that Rufus was trying to win her heart with the classic “hero saves beauty” trope, which she had scoffed at, thinking it ridiculous.
But now, Aiden’s every move, his inadvertent kindness, his reliable promises, and the fact that he was currently guarding the door outside—all of these quietly but deeply affected her heart.
“You really have no idea… even though what you’re doing… is basically the same thing from the outcome’s perspective…”
Celeste mumbled softly, hugging her soft Pillow and burying her flushed face into it.
That boy always acted so naturally oblivious, leaving her to toss and turn here alone—it was downright cunning.
Her mind filled with thoughts of Aiden, hugging the pillow as she restlessly turned over multiple times on the bed, completely sleepless.
After a while of struggling, she finally couldn’t stand it anymore and suddenly sat upright on the bed.
Her ice-blue long hair, crushed and tangled from tossing around, framed a disheveled face with strands clinging to her cheek and neck, making her look somewhat bedraggled.
Why did she keep thinking about that guy?
Celeste scolded herself irritably—there was no way she could calm down enough to sleep like this.
Knowing Aiden’s easygoing personality, he was probably sound asleep on the Living Room sofa right now, while she was trapped by chaotic thoughts, tossing and turning alone.
It felt so unfair.
“Sigh.”
Celeste ruffled her already messy hair in frustration, then lay back down, staring at the vague outline of the ceiling in the darkness, letting out a long sigh.
At that moment, the rain began to patter steadily outside the window, growing heavier, tapping against the glass with a continuous, fragmented sound.
Celeste listened quietly to the rain striking the window, her already turbulent emotions swelling with a damp melancholy, like a heavy boulder pressing down on her chest.
What was she to do?
The future seemed shrouded by this Night Rain, blurred and unclear, the path ahead invisible.
Suddenly, a harsh, blinding flash of lightning streaked across the sky outside without warning, instantly illuminating the dim room like daylight and clearly casting Celeste’s suddenly pale face in stark relief.
Her expression twisted strangely, her pupils shrinking in fear.
“Boom—!”
Almost immediately after, a thunderous crack split the sky like it was tearing the roof apart.
“Ah—!”
Celeste clutched her head and let out a terrified scream.
In the Living Room, Aiden was jolted awake by the sharp scream.
He shot up from the sofa, completely alert.
At first, he thought he had imagined it in his drowsiness, but then another deafening thunderclap rolled across the sky, followed by an even more heart-wrenching scream coming again from Celeste’s room.
Only then did Aiden realize it wasn’t a hallucination.
His heart tightened, and he jumped off the sofa, taking two quick strides to reach Celeste’s door, anxiously pounding on it.
“Celeste! What’s wrong? Are you okay?!”
Inside came Celeste’s broken sobs mixed with lingering thunder, sounding utterly helpless.
“I’m coming in.”
Aiden didn’t bother with formalities or hesitations.
He quickly turned the doorknob and entered her room.
By the faint moonlight outside, he saw Celeste wrapped tightly in her Blanket, curled up like a frightened little beast in the farthest corner of the bed, clutching her head with both hands.
Her whole body trembled violently, as if she had just encountered something extremely terrifying.
“Celeste? What happened? Don’t be afraid, I’m here.”
Aiden hurried over, crouching down and softening his voice as he asked gently.
“Aiden…”
Celeste’s voice trembled upon hearing him, as if she had found her only lifeline.
She suddenly lifted her head from the Blanket, tears streaming from her eyes, and threw herself into his arms.
Her cheek pressed deeply into his chest, her slender body still trembling uncontrollably, clearly shaken by immense fright.
“What happened? Did you have a nightmare?”
Aiden was momentarily stunned by her sudden embrace, then reacted and gently stroked her back, trying to soothe her, quietly asking again.
“Boom—!”
Before she could answer, another roaring thunderclap shattered the night.
This time, with Aiden’s steady presence, Celeste didn’t scream again, but she shook violently in his arms and clutched his arm even tighter.
“Celeste… are you afraid of Thunder?”
Feeling her clear reaction to the thunder, Aiden finally realized what was wrong and tentatively asked.
Celeste buried her face deeper into his chest, as if trying to block out the frightening noise.
She gave a faint, almost inaudible
“mm”
in response, then whispered in a voice thick with tears and pleading,
“Please… Aiden… just let me lean on you for a while… just a little while… until I fall asleep…”
“All right.”
Aiden maintained the embrace, gently patting her back and speaking softly with as much warmth as he could muster.
As the thunder faded, leaving only the sound of steady rain outside, Celeste’s tense body slowly relaxed, her trembling easing.
She seemed a bit embarrassed, moving slightly to gently withdraw from Aiden’s arms, but still sat closely beside him, as if she needed his warmth to feel safe.
“When I was little… my Father… abandoned me and my Mother… on a night just like this, with heavy rain and Thunder… he left without looking back…”
Celeste lowered her head, leaning near Aiden’s shoulder.
Her voice was tinged with a nasal tone as she began to recount the reason for her fear of thunder.
“I still clearly remember my Mother’s expression back then—so desperate, helpless, and pained… So… ever since then, I’ve had this… instinctive fear of heavy rain and Thunder…”
“It’s okay now… it’s all in the past… I’m here now.”
Aiden didn’t know what to say for a moment.
Any words seemed pale and powerless against such a deep childhood wound.
He simply held Celeste’s hand gently and spoke softly in comfort.
He had only learned from the system task that Celeste’s misandry stemmed from her Father abandoning them.
He hadn’t expected such a poignant detail.
Once the Thunder finally passed and Celeste’s emotions steadied, Aiden realized their posture was a little too intimate.
On top of that, Celeste wore a thin nightgown, and due to their earlier movements and embrace, the neckline had slipped open slightly, revealing a patch of pale skin and delicate collarbone.
“Well… if you’re okay now, I’ll—”
Aiden awkwardly looked away and cleared his throat, preparing to get up and leave.
Before he could finish, Celeste instinctively reached out and gently grasped his sleeve.
“Aiden… could you stay with me a little longer? I know this is a lot to ask… but could you just sit here and keep me company for a while… and leave only after I fall asleep?”
Celeste raised her head, her eyes still slightly red-rimmed, and pleaded softly with a hint of shyness.
Her cheeks flushed slightly as she spoke, fragile and uneasy, as if terrified to be left alone again in the darkness and thunder.
“All right.”
Seeing her pitiable expression, Aiden found he couldn’t bear to refuse.
He sighed quietly inwardly and nodded, then moved a chair beside Celeste’s bed and sat down.
Celeste lay back down, but kept one hand holding onto Aiden’s, as if it were her lifeline.
Her face gradually showed a peaceful, trusting expression as she obediently closed her eyes.
Knowing Aiden was right there within reach, watching over her, seemed to drive away all worries and fears.
She no longer allowed her mind to spiral into insomnia, and soon her breathing steadied and deepened as she drifted into sleep.
Aiden waited patiently for a while, seeing that Celeste was truly asleep, then tried to gently withdraw his hand and leave.
But even in her sleep, the girl unconsciously gripped a few of his fingers tightly—not forcefully, but with a clingy dependence that was impossible to break.
“Sigh.”
Afraid that moving too much would wake her, Aiden looked at her peaceful sleeping face and finally gave up the idea of leaving.
He adjusted his position, letting one hand remain in Celeste’s grasp while resting the other on the bedside table.
Propping his head up with his palm, he leaned back in the chair.
With the rain outside gradually softening, he too drifted into a drowsy sleep.