CHAPTER 263: FINALLY, A DATE?

Brandon’s arm slid around Yverine’s waist, pulling her into him until there was no space left between them.

His hand rested on her lower back as he pressed a slow kiss to her lips.

She breathed out softly against him and the exhaustion of the night pulled her, but the feeling of his lips stayed with her even as her eyes closed.

Behind him, Elize shifted closer and hugged him from behind before placing a soft kiss on his neck "Good night."

The three of them settled like that and and within minutes, all of them had drifted off into a deep, peaceful sleep.

---

The first pale light of morning was creeping through the curtains when Yverine’s eyes fluttered open.

She blinked slowly and her mind was sluggish at first, until the warmth pressing against her reminded her of exactly where she was.

Her gaze drifted to Brandon first and saw that his hair was a little messy, one stubborn strand falling across his brow.

She couldn’t help but notice the faint shadow of his lashes and the even rise and fall of his chest.

His arm was still loosely wrapped around her waist with his hand resting against her back as if even in sleep, he didn’t want to let her go.

But it was the sight beyond him that made her pause.

Elize was pressed in close, one of her legs hooked naturally over Brandon’s legs.

Her head rested near his shoulder blade, and from the peaceful rise and fall of her breathing, she was still deep in sleep.

There was a faint, almost imperceptible smile on her lips, as if whatever dream she was having was a good one.

Her thoughts drifted back to the night before, and she remembered Elize’s words.

’As a family...’

Her fingers twitched slightly where they rested against his chest, her thumb brushing the fabric of his shirt.

Looking at him, her gaze condensed slightly ’Yesterday I agreed with Dhayun to share him.. but now it seems like it’s even more complicated than I imagined.’

’Even Miss Elize has accepted this...’

Her gaze softened ’It means she loves him that much that she is willing to sacrifice and share him.’

’Also, Aunt Ravene?’

She smiled dryly, as she couldn’t imagine that cool woman loving Brandon like that.

Her muscles tensed a little , and she tried to slide away from him without disturbing either of them.

She moved slowly, shifting her weight as quietly as she could... but before she could fully pull back, his eyelashes fluttered, and his eyes blinked open with the drowsy confusion of someone just waking up.

"...Sister Yve..." His voice was thick with sleep and the corners of his lips curled faintly as if even waking up to see her was enough to bring him comfort.

Yverine froze for a heartbeat "You’re awake?" she murmured, keeping her voice low so as not to wake Elize behind him.

Her fingers were still resting against his chest, and when she tried to pull them away, he caught her hand gently.

"Mm... you’re warm." His lips curved into a lazy smile as he shifted slightly, his hand holding hers in place.

Behind him, Elize stirred faintly, letting out a soft sigh but not waking up.

Yverine tried to look away, but his fingers tightened slightly around hers.

"...Don’t go yet," he murmured.

"...I wasn’t-" She stopped halfway and a small smile formed on his lips. "Stay a little longer."

She exhaled slowly, "...Just for a moment."

---

Brandon descended the stairs at a relaxed pace, still adjusting the cuff of his shirt.

The faint scent of fresh coffee and toasted bread lingered in the air, mingling with the lazy sunlight spilling in through the wide living room windows.

Halfway down, he raised an eyebrow as he saw Ravene strolling across the living room with Eira slung over her back.

Eira’s arms were loosely hooked around Ravene’s neck, her legs dangling lazily around Ravene’s waist.

He paused on the last step "Aunt Rave, Eira?"

Ravene stopped and turned her head toward him with a smile "Kael."

Brandon walked toward them and leaned in, brushing a quick kiss against Ravene’s lips, then tilted his head and did the same to Eira.

"Why are you carrying her around?" Brandon asked curiously.

Eira’s lips jutted into a pout as she muttered into Ravene’s shoulder, "This is her punishment for making me drink a lot of beer last night. My head still hurts..."

Ravene chuckled under her breath, shifting Eira slightly higher on her back "It was your choice to keep up with me. I just didn’t stop you."

Brandon let out a short laugh, "Then you should ask Aunt Elize to make ginger and honey tea. It’ll help."

At that exact moment, Elize walked downstairs with her hair loosely tied back.

She passed behind Brandon and then smacked his ass playfully with her hand.

Brandon shot her a mildly surprised glance and she squeezed his ass gently "You got some nice ass too, Kael."

He leaned to her and pecked her lips "Thank you..."

With a final squeeze, she let go of his ass and glanced at Eira "I’ll prepare it for you. Come on."

After them, Yverine stepped down and paused at the threshold of the kitchen as she leaned slightly against the doorframe to glance inside.

Brandon, Ravene, Eira, and Elize were gathered around the counter where steam curled lazily from the coffee cups and a single tea cup.

The morning light poured in through the window and seemed to paint the whole scene in warm gold, highlighting the comfortable ease they shared.

It was a simple moment. And yet...

Her gaze trembled faintly and a thought passed though her mind. ’It’s... nice, it seems...’

In that small picture, there was no pretense, no formality, and no measure of strength or skill.

Just... belonging.

She imagined herself among them... not as a guest lingering on the edges, but truly within that circle.

The idea felt strange, almost foreign, and yet part of her longed for it.

Her lips pressed into a thin line before a sigh slipped from her lips.

Brandon looked at her and smiled warmly "Sister Yve, come in."

Forcing a faint smile, she stepped forward, entering the kitchen.

Brandon wanted to introduce her as part of the family but since she hasn’t agreed to the relationship, he just stayed silent.

So he only glanced at her briefly with a flicker of understanding in his eyes before turning back to the counter.

Elize was already setting out an extra cup without being asked, and Ravene shifted slightly, making space at her side.

The invitation wasn’t voiced, but it was there... in the warmth of the room and in the way Brandon’s attention never quite left her even as the others laughed and chatted around him.

And though Yverine didn’t say it aloud, she felt the faintest pull toward that circle, as though some part of her was already leaning in.

Looking at Ravene, Brandon asked "Where is Noona?"

"She is still sleeping."

---

"Haha, finally a date."

Brandon muttered as he looked at Yverine, who was hugging his arm with a big smile on her face.

With a chuckle, she spoke, "Yeah, a date... so properly confess this time."

Nodding his head, he replied "Alright."

The morning was calm and Brandon and Yverine were strolling side by side.

Then, the peace shattered.

"HELP!!"

A woman’s voice tore through the street.

"What is happening?!" someone else cried and the panic in her tone made heads turn in every direction.

Another scream followed, "ABERRANTS?! HOW DID THEY COME HERE?!"

"W-WHAT?"

"WHAT IS HAPPENING?"

Brandon and Yverine both stopped dead in their tracks.

Without a word, they sprinted toward the source, their footsteps pounding against the cobblestone street.

The crowd ahead was parting; the women were shouting and dragging others away.

When they broke past the fleeing civilians, they saw what was actually happening.

In front of them in the square, a fissure has appeared in space, and it is accompanied by the sound of something grinding and tearing at once.

Through that tear in space, hulking monsters stepped out.

The first one was a tall, sinewy aberrant with elongated limbs.

Behind it, more silhouettes shifted, some crawling, some leaping, and every aberrant radiating that suffocating aura Brandon knew too well.

"...Rupture?" Brandon gaze narrowed as he muttered under his breath.

Yverine blinked in confusion "But Solvyrn City is not a Rupture-prone zone."

Several of the academy’s students who were in the surrounding area had formed a loose perimeter as they took their battle stances.

Ether flared faintly from their bodies with shimmering auras in varying colors.

Beside Brandon, Yverine let go of his arm "Looks like our date will have to wait."

Brandon looked at the aberrants clawing their way through the rupture "Hm. We’ll finish our date later. For now-"

"GRAAARGGGHHH!" One of the monsters let out a piercing screech and its jagged limbs struck the cobblestone, sending cracks racing through the ground.

"-we deal with this."