Chapter 133: A Certain Someone Who Insists on Being Very Close
"Right now, then!" Sophie Wexler’s eyes brightened, afraid he would go back on his word.
She was ready to get right to it!
She even rolled up her non-existent sleeves.
Cillian Forrest: "..."
Cillian Forrest chuckled helplessly and reached out to stop the eager woman. "No need to rush."
Sophie Wexler thought he was going to back out again and looked at him suspiciously. "What you just said wasn’t just a stalling tactic, was it?"
’I just took a Crystal Stone from him, after all.’
’Besides, I’ve never seen a Healer-class actively chasing someone down to soothe them. The world’s gone topsy-turvy.’
Cillian Forrest looked at the woman before him. It was as if she’d explode on the spot if he gave an answer she didn’t like.
Cillian Forrest couldn’t help but laugh, then gave her a deep look. "Is your spiritual power completely full right now?"
Sophie Wexler: "..."
Her expression froze, and her earlier momentum faltered.
It was true. She had just soothed that boy and purged his toxins, which had consumed a large amount of her spiritual power. Even with the boost from the Crystal Stone, she couldn’t have recovered so quickly.
’My brain just wasn’t working. I almost forgot about that.’
"In a couple of days, after you’ve recovered, you can perform the cleansing for me?" Cillian Forrest asked gently.
"Okay," Sophie Wexler agreed at once.
Once things calmed down, Sophie Wexler noticed she had several missed calls on her communicator.
"Did you just try to call me?"
As soon as the words were out, she remembered that the first thing Cillian Forrest had said upon entering was to ask if she was okay.
Sophie Wexler explained, "I was helping him purge the toxins then, so I didn’t hear it."
Cillian Forrest hummed. "I know."
’Though I only found out after I got back.’
On the way back, his initial intention had been to ask if Shawn Thorne was home, but he hadn’t expected the call not to go through.
And he couldn’t get through no matter how many times he tried.
At that moment, countless possibilities flashed through his mind. The matching had just concluded, and many eyes were on her.
His worry shifted from Shawn Thorne to her. No one knew that on the way back, the speed of Cillian Forrest’s flyer had far exceeded the legal limit.
He probably had a string of penalty notices lying in his Light Brain right now.
Cillian Forrest strode into the living room, and his eyes immediately fell on what was on the table.
Sophie Wexler followed his gaze and said, "Oh. That was originally for you, but the kid said he was hungry, so I let him have it."
He’d only eaten for a little while before his Disorder Period suddenly struck, so she hadn’t gotten around to cleaning any of it up.
Cillian Forrest looked at the food that was supposed to have been his: "..."
’It seems I should have a word with His Majesty,’ he thought. ’Shawn Thorne needs more classes, lest he have free time to run around outside in the future.’
"Oh, right, are you hungry?" Sophie Wexler asked, suddenly remembering something.
’He left early this morning and didn’t come back for lunch. I wonder if he’s eaten.’
’But he usually just has nutrient liquid. I don’t know if he’ll want to eat actual food.’
’Oh well. Whether he’s hungry or not, I need to eat.’
’Purging toxins takes a long time. My lunch has long since been burned off.’
’If Cillian isn’t hungry, I’ll just make something for myself.’
Sophie Wexler: "If you’re not eating, I’ll just..."
Cillian Forrest: "I’m hungry."
Sophie Wexler: "Huh?"
Cillian Forrest smiled. "I said, I’m hungry."
After a moment, Sophie Wexler finally reacted. "Oh, oh, okay! Then I’ll make you something too?"
"Mm-hm."
In the kitchen, Sophie Wexler looked quizzically at the man who had followed her in. "What are you doing?"
"Joining you."
Cillian Forrest picked up some ingredients and started working. "We’re eating together, shouldn’t we cook together?"
Sophie Wexler blinked. ’He’s got a point.’
Two minutes later, Sophie Wexler stopped what she was doing and stared fixedly up at the man pressed right up against her.
Cillian Forrest slowly looked up, his hands never ceasing their work on the ingredients. "What’s wrong?"
Sophie Wexler looked at his innocently questioning face: "..."
She gritted her teeth. "You’re too close."
’Cooking together is fine, but can’t you stand over there!’
’Don’t you think it’s a little too crowded with you standing here?’
’The kitchen isn’t this tiny!’
Hearing this, Cillian Forrest acted as if he’d only just realized how close they were. "Oh," he said, shuffling to the side a little.
But a moment later, a certain someone had crept close again.
And he did it in a way that just barely avoided getting in her way.
Sophie Wexler: "..."
Eventually, she gave up trying to reason with him and just let him be. It was no use saying anything.
Over the course of preparing the meal, Cillian Forrest always managed to operate precisely within Sophie Wexler’s orbit. Sophie went from being uncomfortable at first to completely used to it by the end.
He even started handing her things she needed without her having to ask, a perfect, unspoken rhythm developing between them.
Once she got used to it, it didn’t even feel crowded anymore. After all, a certain someone had excellent control, maximizing his own gains without interfering with her.
By the end, Sophie Wexler had grown completely accustomed to having someone beside her. Gazing at the food in the pot, she picked up a piece with her chopsticks. "Can you taste this and see if it’s right?"
Seeing this, Cillian Forrest very naturally opened his mouth.
Sophie Wexler: "???"
’I meant for you to get a plate and use your own chopsticks to taste it.’
Cillian Forrest seemed to understand her meaning. He quirked an eyebrow, motioned for her to look at him, and said, "My hands are full."
Sophie Wexler looked at Cillian Forrest, who was indeed holding things in both hands.
Resigned, she brought the chopsticks to a certain someone’s lips.
A flicker of a smile crossed Cillian Forrest’s eyes. He didn’t tease her any further; he knew not to overplay his hand.
Cillian Forrest ate the food from her chopsticks, tasted it, and commented, "It’s delicious. You should try some too."
Sophie Wexler said, "Oh," then grabbed a fresh pair of chopsticks, took a bite, and her lovely eyes narrowed slightly in pleasure.
"So good. I’m truly amazing."
An affirmation from the master chef herself.
She completely missed the fleeting look of disappointment that crossed the eyes of the man beside her when he saw her switch chopsticks.
By the time the two of them finished dinner, a lot of time had passed.
After dinner, Sophie Wexler didn’t feel like moving, so she had Tammy clear the dishes.
Sophie Wexler rested for a while, browsed StarNet on The Capital Planet, and practiced on her newly purchased musical instruments.
It wasn’t until she was standing before the bed, ready to sleep, that she suddenly remembered something.
The bedding!
’I was planning to go out and buy some this afternoon, but the kid’s arrival threw my plans into chaos.’
’I was so busy with everything else after that, I completely forgot.’
She stood before the bed, staring blankly.
"Well, I slept in it yesterday. One more night won’t hurt, right?"
’Tomorrow, I’ll definitely make Cillian Forrest get the guest room ready so I can move in there.’
’Yes, definitely tomorrow!’