The faint morning light filtering through the thick curtains slowly woke Rey up. She felt better than yesterday.
Her headache had subsided, and her throat was no longer dry. She stretched under the soft black blanket.
She blinked, trying to remember what happened last night. She remembered falling asleep on the couch that also served as a seat in the main area, then vaguely feeling being carried.
Then... Kylo.
She was sure she saw Kylo's face, the blush on his cheeks, and heard his soft whispers.
Babe.
She even remembered feeling his warm embrace before she fell back asleep. But could it have been a dream? The effects of the flu and fever medicine? It felt too real but also too impossible in this open studio apartment.
Rey got out of bed, feeling a little dizzy but much more refreshed. She looked around the sleeping area that was only visually separated from the main room. There was no sign of Kylo in this studio area last night. She smelled the strong, fragrant aroma of coffee coming from the small kitchen in the corner of the room.
Slowly, Rey made her way to the kitchen and found Kylo Ren leaning against the small pantry, holding a cup of black coffee in both hands. His eyes were closed, and he seemed to be enjoying the warmth of the drink.
His clothes were different from last night. He was wearing a plain black shirt and dark pants, just like usual. His expression was flat and emotionless, as if nothing strange had happened last night in this studio apartment.
Rey paused near the sleeping area, observing him. Was it true that she had fallen asleep in Kylo's bed? Was it true that Kylo had held her and called her 'babe'? And that hug... was it real?
Seeing Kylo's cold and indifferent expression this morning, Rey began to doubt her own memory. Could it all be just a dream caused by the illness and medicine?
Although she didn't want to admit it, Rey felt a little disappointed.
oh, no.
Kylo suddenly opened his eyes, as if sensing her presence. His gaze met Rey's, without surprise or significant emotion.
"You're awake," he said flatly, then took another sip of his coffee.
"How do you feel?"
Rey was silent for a moment, her brain still trying to sort out the vague memories and the reality of this morning. She felt better physically, but confusion about last night's events still lingered in her mind.
Should she ask about the warm hug and the call of 'babe' that felt so real but in contrast to Kylo's current coldness?
Kylo put his coffee cup on the pantry with a soft thud. He looked at Rey with his usual flat expression.
"You look better," he said tonelessly, then continued,
"You must not have had breakfast. Neither have I. How about we go out for a while? There's a good coffee shop nearby that also serves breakfast."
Rey felt a little disappointed by the sudden offer of breakfast after his coldness. Did he really not remember anything from last night? Or was he just pretending? Curiosity and disappointment mixed within her.
"Breakfast?" Rey asked flatly, hiding her disappointment.
Kylo nodded briefly, his gaze unchanged.
"Yes. We need to eat. And you need to continue your painting after this."
Rey sighed softly. She felt it was useless to ask anything about last night if Kylo was acting like this. Maybe it was just her illusion. However, this invitation to breakfast at least gave her a chance to get out of the apartment that was feeling increasingly suffocating.
"Okay," Rey answered shortly.
"I want breakfast."
Kylo nodded expressionlessly.
"Good. Let me get my jacket."
He turned and walked towards the corner of the room, leaving Rey with her disappointment.
After leaving the magnificent and quiet apartment building, they walked along the busy street with the morning activities of the city of Los Angeles. The sunlight began to warm the slightly cold air after last night's rain.
Rey followed Kylo's wide steps, occasionally glancing at his back which remained expressionless even though he was in the middle of the crowd. The sound of car horns and the chatter of people around them felt in contrast to the awkward silence that enveloped the two of them.
Rey wondered what Kylo Ren's game really was. There was no explanation for what happened last night, no indication that he remembered hugging her or calling her 'babe'.
In fact, Kylo didn't seem to mind Rey staying over at his apartment unannounced. His demeanor this morning was completely blank, as if nothing had happened.
Rey pondered, wondering if this was normal in a relationship between two adults. She had no experience of this herself. Her life had been focused on one goal: to make enough money to go to college for art.
She never had the time or opportunity to date, go to parties, or go to nightclubs like her peers.
Her interactions with the opposite sex were always limited to work or casual conversation.
Kylo Ren was the exception, and their interactions felt strange and confusing, far from the romantic images she had seen in movies or heard from her friends.
They walked past rows of luxury boutiques and trendy cafes. People of all styles walked hurriedly, starting their day. The scene felt familiar but also a little foreign after the last few days she had spent in Kylo's dark, silent apartment.
Questions about Kylo kept swirling in her mind. Was this how Kylo interacted?
He was an unpredictable man, a walking enigma that Rey found both increasingly intriguing and frustrating at the same time.
She had no idea where their strange relationship was headed. What she did know was that she wanted to understand the man in front of her, though she wasn't sure why.
Rey cursed herself inwardly. Why am I attracted to this man? She thought bitterly. There was no logical reason to support her attraction.
Kylo was cold, secretive, and clearly harboring many dangerous secrets.
Rose's words about how dangerous it was to get involved with a man like Kylo flashed through her mind.
"He has a dark aura, Rey. Stay away from him before you regret it."
However, it seemed Rey's heart had its own agenda and chose to ignore her best friend's advice. There was something about Kylo that attracted her like a magnet
That afternoon, after an awkward breakfast dominated by conversations about the progress of the painting and the weather, Rey returned to Kylo's studio apartment.
He excused himself shortly after they returned, the roar of his motorcycle breaking the silence for a moment before it was silent again. Rey stood in front of her black wall, trying to focus on the nearly finished space shuttle painting.
However, her mind kept wandering back to breakfast. Kylo had not mentioned the events of the previous night at all. His demeanor returned to being cold and professional, discussing the details of the painting and the estimated completion time as if no warmth or affectionate calls had occurred hours earlier.
The more Kylo acted indifferent, the more Rey was convinced that her memories of the hugs and soft whispers were real.
Kylo must have woken up with Rey beside him. No matter how drunk he was, there was no way that fact could be brushed aside. Unless Kylo didn't want her to know that.
Rey felt irritated. She felt like she was being played, or at least that there was something he was hiding. She gripped her paintbrush tightly, determined to finish this painting as quickly as possible. The sooner she finished, the sooner she could get out of Kylo Ren's orbit of mystery and confusion.
She even began to think about dating. Maybe meeting someone more open and not keeping secrets would be better for her mental health.
With rough movements, Rey smeared paint onto the wall, venting some of her frustration on the black canvas. She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself and refocus on her work. But the irritation and confusion continued to plague her.
Suddenly, unable to hold it in any longer, Rey put down her brush roughly, turned to face the blank wall on the other side of the apartment, and screamed at the top of her lungs, letting out all the confusion, disappointment, and frustration she had been holding in.
"AAARRRGGGHHH!"