The next morning, Leia never expected to see Nathan waiting for her outside her apartment. As she stepped out of her building, her eyes widened in surprise at the sight of his familiar car parked at the curb.
"Nathan? What are you doing here?" she asked, her voice tinged with excitement and disbelief.
Nathan leaned casually against his car, his usual composed expression softened by a small, affectionate smile. "I came to take you to work."
Leia felt her heart do a little flip. "You're going to spoil me at this rate."
Nathan chuckled, stepping closer before wrapping an arm around her waist and pressing a gentle kiss to her cheek. "You're my girlfriend. If I don't spoil you, who else would I spoil?"
Leia blushed, her heart melting at his words. It was still surreal, this shift in their relationship—the fact that the boy she had admired from afar for years was now the man holding her close, treating her like someone to cherish.
With a teasing smirk, Nathan opened the passenger door for her. "Get in, my love."
Leia rolled her eyes playfully but couldn't hide the grin on her face as she slipped inside the car.
As soon as she was settled in her seat, Nathan handed her a warm cup of coffee and a neatly packed breakfast.
"Here, eat this before you start your day," he said simply, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
Leia stared at him for a moment before taking the coffee with both hands, her chest tightening with emotion. He had woken up early, come all the way to pick her up, and even brought her breakfast?
"Nathan…" she murmured, touched by his thoughtfulness.
"No need to look so emotional," he said with a chuckle, glancing at her before turning back to the road. "Just eat."
Leia smiled, warmth spreading through her chest. She never thought being cared for like this could feel so… wonderful.
They spent the drive chatting about random things, laughter filling the car as the city passed by. Before she knew it, they were parked in front of her office building.
As she unfastened her seatbelt, Leia turned toward Nathan with a grateful smile. "Thank you for driving me… and for breakfast."
Before she could think twice, she leaned forward, pressing a soft kiss to his lips.
It was quick—just a fleeting touch—but when she pulled back, she found Nathan staring at her with a mischievous glint in his eyes.
"I like this kind of reward," he murmured, a smirk playing on his lips. "Now I'll have to drive you to work every day."
Leia let out a small laugh, feeling giddy and lighthearted. "I'll see you after work?"
Nathan nodded. "Of course. I'll be here to pick you up."
With a small wave, Leia stepped out of the car, her heart feeling lighter than it had in years.
Nathan watched her walk into the building before finally driving away, a small, satisfied smile lingering on his lips.
—
Leia had a packed schedule that day, completely immersed in work, but during a short break, she checked her phone—only to find a message from Yun Fei, the blind date she had met earlier.
She frowned slightly, feeling a pang of guilt.
She knew she needed to turn him down properly, but for some reason, she hesitated. She didn't want to be rude, and Yun Fei had been genuinely kind to her.
With a sigh, she typed out a polite response.
Leia: Hey, Yun Fei. Thank you for reaching out. I really enjoyed our conversation the other day, but… I've started seeing someone. I didn't want to leave you waiting, so I wanted to let you know as soon as possible.
She hesitated for a moment before hitting send, feeling a strange mix of relief and nervousness.
Now that she had made her choice.
—
When they arrived at Nathan's home in the evening, his grandmother was already waiting—a delighted smile lighting up her face the moment they walked through the door. The table was filled with home-cooked dishes, their warmth and aroma immediately wrapping Leia in a comforting sense of familiarity.
"Ah, finally, my dear Leia! Come, come, sit down. I've made all of Nathan's favorite dishes—I hope you like them too."
Dinner was filled with easy conversation and laughter. Leia had always adored Nathan's grandmother—she was warm, full of energy, and clearly had a mischievous side that she didn't hesitate to show. But halfway through the meal, Nathan suddenly set his chopsticks down and spoke, his voice steady, certain.
"Grandma, Leia and I are officially together."
Leia had just taken a sip of her drink when the words registered in her mind, and in the next moment, she nearly choked, coughing slightly as she turned to look at Nathan in surprise.
His grandmother's face lit up instantly, clapping her hands together as a delighted laugh escaped her. "Finally! Oh, what wonderful news! Now hurry up and register your marriage."
Leia's breath hitched.
Marriage?!
She turned sharply toward Nathan, eyes wide in disbelief. They had only been together for two days!
Nathan, however, only chuckled, reaching out to gently pat her back. "Grandma, you're going to scare Leia away if you rush things like this."
But the elderly woman simply waved a hand dismissively, her expression completely serious. "Nonsense! You two have known each other for years. What difference does it make if you get married now or later? Registering doesn't mean you stop dating—it just means you belong to each other legally!"
Leia swallowed hard, unsure of how to respond. Her mind was still processing the situation, but when she turned back to Nathan, she froze.
Because he wasn't laughing it off.
Instead, he leaned back slightly, his eyes thoughtful, his expression unreadable. "You do have a point," he murmured, his fingers lightly tapping against the table as if he was… considering it.
Leia's heart skipped a beat.
Wait. Was he actually considering this?!
—
Later that evening, Nathan drove Leia home. Both of them sat together on the couch and the weight of his grandmother's words still lingering between them.
Leia finally broke the silence, turning to face him. "Nathan… you don't actually think we should register our marriage now, do you?"
Nathan didn't respond immediately. He simply studied her for a moment before finally saying, "Why not?"
Leia's lips parted slightly, caught off guard by his straightforwardness. "Because… we just started dating?"
Nathan tilted his head slightly, his expression calm yet unreadable. "So?"
Leia blinked. "So?! Nathan, marriage is a huge decision! What if one day we quarrel? What if we realize we're too different? What if—"
Nathan leaned in, resting his forehead lightly against hers, his voice lowering into a gentle murmur. "Leia, I will always give in to you."
Leia stilled.
Her heartbeat stumbled over itself, her breath catching at the unexpected words. "…What?"
Nathan chuckled softly. "Even if we argue, I'll always be the first to apologize. Because no matter what happens, you're more important to me than any disagreement we could ever have."
Leia felt a warmth spread through her chest, something too deep, too overwhelming to put into words.
She let out a small breathless laugh, her fingers instinctively reaching up to brush through his hair. "That's not how relationships work, you know."
Nathan smirked. "It is if I say it is."
Leia groaned, covering her face with her hands. "You're ridiculous."
Nathan chuckled again, wrapping an arm around her waist to pull her closer. "I'm serious, Leia. We have missed each other for many years and I don't want to waste any more time. If it makes you feel better, I can wait. But just so you know…"
He leaned in closer, his voice dropping into something warmer, softer. "…I was actually planning to propose when I confessed to you."
Leia froze.
Her head shot up, eyes wide in disbelief. "You WHAT?!"
Nathan chuckled, clearly enjoying her flustered reaction. "I held back because I didn't want to scare you. But now, after hearing Grandma say it out loud, I'm thinking—why should I wait?"
Leia gasped, her face instantly turning red. "Nathan!"
Before she could even gather her thoughts, Nathan leaned in even closer, his lips barely an inch from hers, his breath warm against her skin.
"Besides," he murmured, "if we register, we can have a much deeper level of intimacy."
Leia's face burned.
She smacked his chest, flustered beyond words. "Nathan, you—! You're such a—"
Nathan laughed, catching her hand before she could swat at him again. "Relax, I was just teasing." Then, he tilted his head slightly, his voice dipping into something more affectionate, more sincere.
"But Leia… I meant what I said. I am not planning to let you go..."
Leia stared at him, her heart pounding wildly in her chest.
And for the first time, she realized—
She didn't want to let him go either.