Chapter 103: Noah Hiding with Iris.
After taking control, Noah, Iris started a fighting game and, after a few minutes, the mess no longer mattered.
The first match ended quickly, which Iris won, so Noah looked at the screen and complained.
"That was way too fast."
"That’s because you suck."
"I’m not that bad."
"You got destroyed."
"It’s the first match."
"Excuse."
"I want a rematch."
Iris accepted and, although the second match lasted longer, Noah lost again.
"You’re using the strongest character."
"No."
"Yes, that one is the strongest."
"Just admit you don’t know how to play."
"Fine, but that doesn’t change the fact that you’re using the strongest character."
Iris raised one eyebrow slightly.
"You can pick him if you want."
"Get ready, because now I’m definitely going to beat you."
"Yeah, yeah, whatever you say..."
They kept playing and, after several matches, Noah finally managed to win one, which made him raise both arms in victory.
"Finally."
Iris looked at him.
"You got lucky."
"It wasn’t just that."
"Yes it was. You pulled off that combo by pure miracle."
"I learned your moves."
"Liar."
"And you adapted poorly."
Iris stayed silent at that comment, so Noah smiled.
"What happened?"
"One more."
"Did losing bother you?"
"I want another rematch."
"It definitely bothered you."
Iris immediately started a new match and they spent almost two hours playing like that.
At some point, Iris brought drinks and some snacks into the room, so Noah ended up sitting on the floor leaning against the bed while Iris took the chair.
They talked about video games, then about the setup Noah wanted to buy to start streaming, and they also briefly talked about the café job.
"Does Luna work every day?"
Iris asked.
"No."
"But you guys overlap a lot."
"Luckily, yeah."
Iris took a sip of her soda.
"Convenient."
Noah looked at her.
"What’s that supposed to mean?"
"Nothing."
Noah decided to ignore it and grabbed another snack, while Iris watched him.
"Did Aria go to that café?"
Noah almost stopped chewing.
"How do you know that?"
"She posted a photo."
"She posted a photo!?"
Iris pulled out her phone and, after searching for a few seconds, showed him the screen.
Aria appeared sitting at a table in the café.
The photo had been taken from a rather elegant angle with the caption that said.
[Supporting local businesses with great potential.]
Noah stared at the post.
’I didn’t even know she did that.’
Iris put the phone away.
"So she did go."
"Yeah."
"What for?"
Noah hesitated.
"It’s complicated."
Iris looked at him.
"What did she do?"
"Several things."
"What things?"
Noah thought about everything that had happened.
The investment, the attempt at courting, the comments, the misunderstanding with the celebrity, the kiss and, of course, the earlier proposal.
"Mainly, she was trying to convince me."
"Of what?"
Noah looked at Iris, who was waiting for an answer and, after thinking about it for a moment, he didn’t have too many reasons to hide it.
"To accept her proposal."
Iris tilted her head slightly.
"What proposal?"
Noah answered as casually as he could.
"She asked me to be her fiancé."
Iris stopped moving and Noah took several seconds to notice the change.
"Iris...?"
She kept staring at him.
"Aria proposed to you?"
"Not exactly marriage."
"To be her fiancé?"
"Yeah."
"That means you’re going to get married."
"Eventually."
Iris slowly set her drink down on the desk.
"When did she ask you?"
"In high school."
"Before going to the café?"
"Yeah."
"And after that she went to your job?"
"Yeah."
Iris fell silent again, which started to worry Noah.
"Are you okay?"
"Yeah."
"Doesn’t look like it."
Iris picked up the controller again.
"Did you accept?"
"No."
The answer came out immediately, so Iris stopped and Noah continued.
"But I didn’t reject her definitively either."
Iris looked at him again.
"Why?"
"Well... because the situation is complicated."
"That’s what you always say."
"It’s because the situation is always complicated."
Iris frowned slightly.
"Aria doesn’t make proposals without thinking."
"I know."
"No..."
Iris shook her head.
"You don’t know."
Noah stayed quiet, so Iris continued.
"If she asked you to be her fiancé, she’s already decided she wants you."
"I noticed that."
"She doesn’t usually change her mind."
"I noticed that too."
Iris gripped the controller a little tighter and, when Noah was about to ask her something, he heard a noise downstairs, which belonged to a door along with a female voice.
"Iris, I’m home."
Iris’s eyes widened and Noah froze.
"Is that your mom?"
"Yeah."
"I thought she wasn’t coming."
"She wasn’t supposed to come until later."
Iris stood up immediately and ordered him.
"Hide."
Noah blinked.
"What?"
"I said hide."
"Why?"
Iris was already looking around.
"Because she doesn’t know you’re here."
"And?"
Iris looked at him like he had asked something absurd.
"You’re a guy and... if she sees that we were alone together in my room, then..."
Noah understood.
’Ah, she’s right.’
The voice came from downstairs again.
"Iris."
"Yes!"
Iris opened the closet, which was full of stuff, so she closed it.
She looked under the bed, but there was no space.
All the supposed order had disappeared in less than thirty seconds.
Noah pointed to a corner.
"Behind the curtain?"
"She’ll see you."
"The bathroom?"
"We only have one bathroom."
"Then what?"
Iris opened a small door next to a shelf, which was a storage space, so Noah looked at her.
"No."
"Get in."
"Iris."
"Hurry!"
Footsteps could be heard coming up the stairs, so Noah got in and Iris closed it.
There was little space for Noah in that place.
’This is ridiculous.’
He heard the bedroom door open.
"Iris."
"Hi, Mom."
"Why do you have the curtains closed again?"
"I like it like this."
"You’re going to go blind."
"I already told you that’s not how it works."
"Don’t argue."
Noah stayed completely still while Iris’s mother kept talking.
"Have you eaten?"
"Yes."
"What?"
"Food."
"Iris."
"A sandwich."
"That’s not lunch."
"It had a lot of ingredients."
"That doesn’t make it a proper lunch either."
Noah had to hold back a laugh and the conversation was way too normal.
"I’m going to make something for dinner."
"Okay."
"Want anything special?"
"No."
The mother stayed silent for a few seconds and then spoke again.
"Why did you clean?"
Noah opened his eyes slightly while Iris took a moment to answer.
"I always clean."
"No."
"Yes."
"No, I know better than anyone."
The awkward silence settled in.
"Your clothes are under the bed."
Noah covered his mouth.
"I was organizing."
"You also hid cans behind the desk."
"I was going to throw them away."
"And you put all the cables in a box."
"Organization."
Iris’s mother fell silent again.
"Did someone come over?"
Iris answered way too fast.
"No."
Noah closed his eyes.
’Don’t be so obvious.’
"You sure?"
"Yes."
"A friend?"
"No."
At that answer, the mother decided to ask as a joke.
"Or maybe a boy?"
Iris didn’t answer, so Noah opened his eyes.
’Why are you taking so long!?’
"Iris."
"No."
"You got nervous."
"No."
"You’re not hiding someone here, are you?"
"No, of course not."
"Did you invite someone over while I was gone?"
"No."
The mother seemed to get closer and Noah could hear her better.
"Though I doubt that would happen, if you ever invite a boy over, let me know."
"Why?"
"Because I live here and because I don’t want to come back and find something I shouldn’t see."
Noah froze at hearing that while Iris answered.
"Th-That wouldn’t happen!"
"That’s what they all say."
"Mom!"
"What?"
"Stop talking."
Her mother let out a small laugh.
"I’m just saying be careful."
"I already told you there’s no one here."
"Perfect."
There were a few seconds of silence before the woman continued.
"Then I also don’t have to worry about becoming a grandma."
"Mom!"
Noah brought a hand to his face while Iris spoke louder.
"Leave."
"Alright, alright."
The mother laughed again.
"I’m going to buy a few things for dinner."
"Fine."
"Want to come?"
"No."
"Figured."
Footsteps could be heard walking away, but before leaving the room, the mother spoke again.
"Iris."
"What?"
"Open the curtains."
"No."
"You can’t live like a bat."
"Close the door."
The door closed while Noah waited.
Iris didn’t open it right away; several seconds passed, then a minute, and finally they heard the front door close.
Iris opened the small space, so Noah got out and the two of them stayed silent.
Iris’s face was completely red, while Noah decided not to say anything, same as Iris.
Five seconds passed, ten, and Noah looked toward the door.
"I think I should go."
"Yeah."
Iris answered immediately, so Noah grabbed his things and they went downstairs together.
Iris first checked that her mother had really left before opening the door and Noah put on his shoes.
"Thanks for inviting me."
Iris nodded.
"Thanks for coming."
"I had fun."
"Me too."
Noah stepped outside, but before walking away, he looked back at her.
Iris was still in the doorway and seemed to want to say something, so she slightly opened her mouth, but stopped.
Noah waited.
"What’s up?"
Iris looked down.
"Nothing."
Noah raised an eyebrow.
"It looked like you were going to say something."
"It wasn’t important."
"You sure?"
Iris nodded.
"Yes."
Noah watched her for a few seconds, since he didn’t seem convinced.
Iris held the door.
"See you."
"See you..."
Noah started walking away, but after a few steps, he looked back again.
Iris was still there and, when their eyes met, she quickly closed the door, leaving Noah standing still.
’She definitely wanted to tell me something.’
He took out his phone while continuing to walk.
He thought about texting her, but then decided not to, since maybe Iris just needed time.
However, after everything they had talked about that day, especially after telling her about Aria’s proposal, Noah couldn’t help but wonder what she had wanted to say to him before saying goodbye.
Inside the house, Iris stayed leaning against the door with one hand on her chest and closed her eyes.
She had had the chance; she only needed to say a few words, but she couldn’t do it.
Iris slowly lowered her head.
"Idiot..."
It wasn’t clear if she was referring to Noah or to herself.
Meanwhile, Noah, who was walking back home, kept thinking about exactly the same thing.
’What was it that Iris wanted to tell me?’