"I'll give him a chance," Anamarija said finally, her voice calm but unwavering. "But only one. And if he succeeds in winning my heart… then I'll be his."
The room went still for half a second.
I felt it before I saw it — the shift.
It wasn't surrender.
It was a condition.
And somehow, that made it even more powerful.
I smiled slightly. "If I succeed to melt Chak's icy heart… maybe Vikran can melt yours."
I meant it lightly.
But it wasn't a joke.
Because I remember exactly how impossible Chak once seemed.
Cold. Closed. Untouchable.
And yet—
Here we are.
"Like brother, like sister," Non declared dramatically.
I glanced at Chak.
At the exact same moment, Anamarija looked at him too.
Their eyes met.
And for a second, I saw it — that silent understanding between them. Stubborn. Proud. Guarded in the same way.
Pim leaned forward, curiosity sparkling in her eyes. "So how did you do it?"
She was looking at me now.
"How did you melt Chak?"
I laughed softly.
"I'm not allowed to reveal the recipe," I said with a small grin.
Truthfully… there wasn't a recipe.
It was patience.
Consistency.
Refusing to back away when he pushed.
And loving him without demanding he change.
But some things aren't meant to be explained out loud.
"Okay," Anamarija cut in calmly. "Enough about Vikran. We'll see if he succeeds."
She folded her arms lightly, regaining her composure.
Taeng tilted his head. "And what if he doesn't?"
She didn't hesitate.
"Then he'll lose me."
There was no anger in her tone.
Just finality.
I felt a quiet respect rise in me.
She wasn't playing.
Kit nodded slowly. "You don't joke when it comes to love."
"No," she replied.
And I believed her.
Chak checked the time on his watch.
"It's time we go to sleep," he said evenly. "We're leaving at nine tomorrow."
Amara frowned. "Why are we leaving so early?"
"I have work," Chak answered shortly.
That was all he gave.
Kit, Taeng and I stood up almost at the same time.
We took a few steps toward the door.
Non looked confused. "Wait. Where are you two going? This is our room."
Taeng didn't miss a beat. "I'm going to sleep with my boyfriend."
He glanced at Kit with that shameless confidence that always made me smile.
I laughed softly. "Same. I'm going to sleep with him."
Without thinking, I reached for Chak's hand as I passed him and lightly played with his fingers for a second.
He glanced at me — just briefly — but there was warmth there.
Non gasped dramatically. "Why is everyone abandoning me?"
Kit looked at him calmly. "Look at it this way. You'll have the whole room to yourself."
Non considered it.
"…At least that's something."
He grinned. "No one will snore except me."
We laughed.
"Goodnight," I said, looking at Amara, Pim, and Non.
"See you," Taeng added.
After exchanging goodnights, we stepped out into the hallway.
The door closed behind us.
The air felt cooler. Quieter.
Anamarija walked beside Chak and me. Kit and Taeng followed just behind us.
No one teased her now.
No one mentioned Vikran.
It felt like the conversation had settled into something private — something she needed to process alone.
When we reached her door, she turned to face us.
"Who would have thought the truth would come out tonight," she said softly.
There was no embarrassment in her voice.
Just reflection.
Chak stepped forward without a word and pulled her into a hug.
I watched carefully.
He held her firmly.
Protectively.
And when he said, "Thank you," his voice was low — sincere.
I wondered what exactly he was thanking her for.
For being honest?
For not running?
For trusting him enough to stand there and admit she was giving someone a chance?
Maybe all of it.
They pulled apart slowly.
Then she stepped toward me.
I didn't expect it.
But she wrapped her arms around me.
Her hug was warm.
Less guarded than earlier.
"Goodnight," she said quietly.
"Goodnight," I replied, hugging her back.
In that moment, I realized something.
She wasn't afraid of Vikran.
She was afraid of what it would mean if he succeeded.
Because loving someone like that…
Changes everything.
She stepped back, composed again.
Strong again.
But softer around the edges.
And as she reached for her door, I found myself thinking—
If Vikran truly is patient…
If he truly means what he says…
Then he has no idea what kind of heart he's trying to win.
And somehow—
That made me root for him.
Anamarija gave us one last look before unlocking her door.
"Good night," she said softly.
Then she stepped inside her room and closed the door behind her.
Our room was directly across from hers.
For a second, I stood in the hallway and looked at that closed door. So much had changed tonight. So many truths laid bare.
Chak's hand brushed lightly against my lower back.
"Come," he said quietly.
He opened our door, and I stepped inside first. The room was dim, lit only by a warm bedside lamp. It felt calmer than the chaos of emotions we had just left behind.
I barely made it a few steps in when I felt his arms wrap around me from behind.
Strong.
Certain.
His chest pressed against my back.
He didn't say anything at first. He just held me, like he needed to make sure I was really there. Then his lips found the side of my neck — slow, unhurried kisses, warm against my skin.
I exhaled softly.
"Chak…" I murmured.
His grip tightened slightly.
I turned in his arms so I could look at him. His eyes were darker than usual, but not cold — never cold with me.
"Go shower," I said gently, brushing my fingers over his chest. "I'll wait for you."
He studied me for a moment, like he was debating whether he trusted me not to fall asleep.
"Don't," he warned quietly.
I smiled. "I won't."
He leaned in, pressed one last kiss to my lips — slow and deep — and then disappeared into the bathroom. A few seconds later, I heard the water start running.
The room fell into a soft silence.
I changed into the clothes he had lent me — one of his oversized shirts and a pair of loose pants. They smelled like him. Clean, familiar, comforting.
I lay down on the bed, pulling the blanket over myself.
Just for a moment, I told myself.
Just until he comes back.
The day replayed in my head — little elephant, games, truth...
A faint smile touched my lips.
If I managed to melt Chak's icy heart… maybe Vikran really did stand a chance.
My eyes grew heavier.
The sound of the shower faded into the background.
I didn't even realize when sleep claimed me.
Morning light spilled softly across the bed, warm and quiet.
I was still half-asleep, my cheek pressed against Chak's chest, when I felt his fingers brush gently through my hair.
Slow.
Careful.
Like he didn't want to wake me — but also didn't want to stop touching me.
I shifted slightly, inhaling.
He leaned down, and I felt his lips press a soft kiss to my forehead.
"Good morning, my artist," he murmured.
My heart did that stupid little thing it always did when he called me that.
I opened my eyes slowly and looked up at him. His face was calm, softer than the world ever got to see.
I pushed myself up just enough to reach him and pressed a light kiss to his cheek.
"Good morning, my Chaky," I whispered.
His jaw flexed slightly at the nickname, but he didn't complain.
He never did.
Instead, his hand slid to the small of my back, steady and warm.
"You slept deeply," he said.
"You're comfortable," I replied.
A faint smirk touched his lips. "That's dangerous."
"For you?"
"For anyone who tries to move you."
I smiled and let my fingers trace absent patterns over his chest.
A soft knock interrupted the quiet moment.
I blinked.
Chak glanced toward the door. "Breakfast."
Of course.
He had probably arranged it already.
He carefully shifted out of bed, and I watched him walk to the door, still a little dazed from sleep. When he opened it, a hotel staff member rolled in a cart and quietly set it near the small table by the window.
The scent of coffee and warm food filled the room almost instantly.
By the time the door closed again, Chak was already pouring coffee.
"You planned this?" I asked, sitting up properly now.
"I don't like rushing in the morning," he replied simply.
He handed me a cup first.
Always me first.
I took it, our fingers brushing briefly.
But right now, in this room, it felt like the world had slowed down just for us.
Chak sat beside me on the edge of the bed instead of at the table.
"You should eat," he said.
"Yes, boss."
He gave me a look.
I leaned over and stole a small piece of fruit from his plate instead.
He didn't protest.
Instead, he watched me with that quiet intensity that still made my stomach tighten.
"What?" I asked.
"Nothing."
"That's not nothing."
He exhaled softly. "Stay close today."
There it was again.
Not control.
Not jealousy.
Just quiet protection.
I reached over and squeezed his hand gently.
"I'm not going anywhere."
And as we sat there, sharing breakfast in soft morning light, I realized something simple but overwhelming—
No matter how chaotic things became outside that door…
This was home.