...
The morning light seeped lazily through the gaps in the curtain, tinting the room a soft gold. The sun's rays drew faint lines on the crumpled sheets around us, as if the day itself was carefully painting the scene.
I had been awake for a while, but I didn't move. I stood there, motionless, just feeling. The warmth of her body next to mine was like an anchor that kept me present, away from any worries that the outside world might try to impose. The scent of her skin, a subtle blend of flower and sweat, of perfume and long night, still hung in the air, more intoxicating than any incense.
Nayun was sleeping soundly, her face buried between my neck and the pillow. His hand rested lightly on my chest, his fingers intertwined as if, even in sleep, he didn't want to let me go. Her body fit mine as if it had been molded for this, as if that bed, that moment, was a sacred refuge made just for the two of us.
And then she moved.
"Uh..."
A sigh escaped her parted lips as her green eyes slowly opened, clouded by sleep. They were still tired, but there was something serene about them, like the sea after a storm.
She blinked a few times, as if still trying to remember where she was, and then she smiled. That smile. That crooked little smile of someone who knows they've been caught in a vulnerable moment, but doesn't care.
She stretched, her arms reaching up in a lazy, almost feline gesture, revealing the soft outline of her body under the falling blanket.
"Good morning! Tigress."
I said playfully.
She looked at me with a mixture of amusement and defiance, then turned her face towards the window, where the sky was beginning to lighten with shades of pink and blue.
"Uhn... Good morning... what time is it?"
I looked at my smartwatch.
"Almost six."
Nayun grimaced.
"Oh, still? So... I'm going to get some more sleep..."
She flopped back on the bed with a contented sigh, pulling the blanket up to her chin, like a child hiding from the world. Her messy bangs fell over her eyes, and she looked like a sleepy version of a heroine who had decided, just for today, to give the world a break.
I couldn't help but laugh.
"Puff... Of course... But what about your morning training? Are you going to skip it today too?"
She opened one of her eyes, half-closed, and gave me a lazy look.
"Just today... promise."
"Morning training" was part of Cube's rigorous schedule. Not just a daily ritual, but an almost sacred commitment. The cadets knew that the first hours of the day, between five and eight in the morning, were when mana was at its densest. It was during this interval that the world seemed more alive, more pulsating. The atmosphere itself vibrated differently. Some said that even time flowed more slowly, allowing greater progress for those who trained more intensely.
For Nayun, with her competitive spirit, skipping a single training session would have been surprising.
But in the last few days... She had skipped several.
And I understood.
The stress of the week, her brother waking up from his coma, our relationship. All this had made her skip her training sessions.
I approached, turning sideways, and pulled a lock of her hair behind her ear. She mumbled something unintelligible and buried her face in my chest.
"You're really cute like that, you know that?"
"Hmm... stop talking nonsense..."
She said, in a muffled, sleepy voice.
"But it's true. When you sleep, it's like the whole world gets quieter. Like... A pause button in the chaos."
She didn't answer. She just slid her hand down my abdomen until it met mine, intertwining our fingers. Such a simple gesture... But it hit me deep.
We stayed like that for long minutes, just listening to each other. The faint hum of the still-sleeping city, the distant song of a bird, the breeze blowing against the window.
It was rare to have that kind of peace.
And then she murmured, softly:
"...I like that."
"Like what?"
"This here. Of us."
My heart leapt a little. Without hurrying, I brought my hand up to her face and stroked it with my fingertips. She closed her eyes, like a cat surrendering to affection.
"I like it too. More than I should."
She laughed lightly and then whispered:
"Then don't let me miss any more training without you."
"Deal. But only if you promise more mornings like this."
She opened her eyes, and the green ones looked even more vivid in the golden glow of the light.
"Cadet promise."
I gave her a small kiss on the lips. The kiss was quick.
"Stay here... I'll make us some coffee..."
"Uhmn!"
She mumbled in protest as I got out of bed, the sheet clinging to my waist as if it had a mind of its own. I laughed softly, carefully untangled myself and walked to the kitchen, feeling the cold floor beneath my feet.
"Before that, I think I'll go and have a bath."
Making breakfast like this, impregnated with the remnants of our fight last night, isn't very hygienic.
I changed my stride and walked towards the bathroom, but before I entered completely, I spoke to Nayun.
"I'll leave the water in the bath ready for when you go to shower."
"Hmm!"
A low grumble was the answer I received from her.
...
15 minutes later...
I stepped out of the bath feeling light, dressed in a black T-shirt and brown sweatpants.
I walked to the kitchen with quiet steps, trying not to wake Nayun.
Before I started, I peeked into the bedroom.
She was still there, lying on the sheets as if she were part of them. One arm outstretched, the other hugging the pillow. Her bangs were falling over her eyes and the sun, now a little higher, was playing with the strands of her hair, making them shine like gold.
I sighed, smiling to myself. It was impossible not to fall in love with that scene.
I went into the kitchen.
The idea was simple: today I wanted to make a breakfast inspired by Brazil. And for that, there could be no shortage of cheese bread. I had a quick, practical recipe saved on my tablet. I put the oven on to heat up and started mixing the polvilho, grated cheese and eggs, remembering the tips I'd found in the video.
"Let's get started..."
The words escaped my lips as if I were invoking a sacred ritual. And, in a way, I was.
Cooking was a hobby that I had carried with me from my other life.
As I cracked the eggs into the ceramic bowl, the sound of cracking shells mingled with the faint crackle of the oven starting to heat up.
The sticky texture of the sprinkle mixture, still a little dry, soon came to life when I added the grated semi-hard cheese. A subtle aroma began to form, promising.
I carefully poured the dough into the silicone molds, shaping each cheese loaf as if they were little jewels. While they waited for their turn in the oven, I put the kettle on. Tea for her, black coffee for me. Nayun never liked coffee, she said it was too bitter, like certain truths you only swallow out of obligation. She preferred floral teas, light and fragrant.
There was still no sound from the bedroom. Just the comfortable silence that filled the house like a thick blanket on a cold day. I took some papaya, peeled a banana and cut it into small pieces, carefully placing it on a plate. I also separated a few slices of wholemeal bread, spread a thin layer of ricotta cheese and left out some jaboticaba jam, an unusual combination, but one she had loved last time.
The smell of the cheese rolls was beginning to spread now, warm, toasty, with that background of melted cheese that seemed to stick to your nostrils. It was impossible not to smile. The sound of the oven working, the steam starting to whisper through the kettle.
And then I heard footsteps, weak and slow, coming from the back.
The sound of footsteps echoing across the floor stopped.
I turned around slowly.
Nayun was standing in the kitchen doorway, wearing just one of my T-shirts, which fell over her body like a makeshift dress. Her hair was still messy, her eyes half-open, but there was a new glow in them, a mixture of comfort, curiosity and hunger.
Especially hunger.
She approached me and hugged me.
"What are you doing?"
She asked, her voice still hoarse from sleep, but the delicious smell she smelled in the air woke her up slightly.
"I thought I'd make a more western breakfast today. It's called cheese bread, I'm sure you'll like it."
Note: Cheese bread is typical of Minas Gerais, a state in the south-east of Brazil. Its origins date back to the colonial period, when enslaved people used polvilho (instead of wheat, which was scarce) to make bread. Over time, the region's aged cheeses began to be added to the recipe, giving rise to Cheese bread as we know it today.
Today, it is popular throughout Brazil, but has a special affection in Minas Gerais, where it is a symbol of hospitality and is present in practically every breakfast or and afternoon coffee.
She rubbed her eyes with the back of her hand and started back to her room.
"I'm going to take a shower and come back."
"Yeah! Coffee will be ready when you get back."
I turned around and went back to preparing the last details.
...