Off she went into her room, heart still fluttering. It had been a beautiful night with Dragan. He was unlike anyone she'd ever met — kind, gentle, with a charm that felt genuine and disarming. The way he listened, the way he smiled, the way he looked at her — it all seemed to touch something inside her that had never been stirred before. She couldn't stop thinking about him.
Their conversation kept replaying in her head — every word, every laugh, the lingering glances that stretched between seconds and thoughts. Something had sparked tonight. Something strange, something unexpected, but undeniably real. Love… beginning to form at first sight. It was the kind of moment that stories were built from.
Dragan Reks walked slowly down the hallway, hands tucked into his robe pockets, his thoughts equally caught in the whirlwind of Aurelia. He passed by her room and whispered a soft, "Goodnight," almost afraid to say more, scared it would break the fragile magic in the air.
Just as he was about to step away, he heard a quiet creak.
The door had opened.
There she stood in delicate nightwear, her presence ethereal, radiant and breathtaking. Her hair flowed down her shoulders like a soft stream of silk. The warm light from the chandelier, filtered through polished glass, spilled gently across her face and hair, creating a halo-like glow that made her look almost unreal, like something drawn from a dream.
He turned, caught off guard but completely mesmerized.
"I just… I tried saying goodnight, that's all," he said gently, barely finding his voice.
She smiled, eyes dancing with playfulness. "Goodnight to you too. And don't forget ; dream about me," she said, her tone light, teasing, but there was something else in her eyes… something hopeful.
Dragan chuckled softly, his heart doing a quiet somersault. He nodded, then continued toward his room, still smiling to himself.
That night, the air was cold and calm, blanketing the halls in stillness. Yet within both of them, something warm stirred,a spark that refused to go out. Lying in separate rooms, beneath different ceilings but under the same stars, thoughts of each other danced quietly in their minds, like whispers carried by the wind.
It had been a good night.
One neither of them would forget.
"Hey, please. It's time. Wake up, Mr. Dragan Reks. You slept too long."
The voice was not one he expected. A new model stood near his bed .. sleek, polished, and designed as a guest assistant. A bot. One he hadn't seen before. He blinked at the unexpected figure, rubbing his eyes.
He was surprised to see it knowing his name.
He stretched, ran a hand through his hair, and winked at it casually. "How do you know my name?"
The bot paused a second, then said, "It's confidential… but I'll say it. It's your girlfriend. She told me to wake you up."
Dragan sat up, confused. "What girlfriend? When did I have a girlfriend? She's not my girlfriend."
The bot, unbothered by his response, tilted its head. "Okay, but… don't you have any feelings for her? Or is she your crush?"
Dragan stared blankly for a moment, then gave a tired sigh. "I don't have feelings for her. She's not my crush."
But even as he said those words, it was leading somewhere ,toward a forgotten heart. A feeling buried. Something he hadn't yet admitted even to himself.
Unknown to him, the bot was connected to Aurelia's bot. And everything that went on was projected clearly on her wall — a live display of the scene between the bot and Dragan Reks.
She watched, still, breath slowing.
"It's time I told you about Aurelia's condition. She has sickle cells flowing through her blood. She has a high AT mood swing — the most dangerous of all. She can be happy with you just now, laughing and full of light… and the next moment, she'll ignore you. You'll be seen as an enemy. That's how fast it shifts.
"It has been a challenge for her family.
"Her father tried… hard. He produced almost 30 serums, testing again and again, hoping to figure out what was wrong. But nothing really worked. Her mom… she could suppress the symptoms a bit with her psychological techniques. She tried to guide Aurelia emotionally, spiritually, mentally. But the condition was serious.
"In view of this, they decided to give her as much happiness as she could possibly have. Every smile, every hug, every day — they counted. She may have a shorter life. But her father never gave up. Still, to this day, he's researching, working tirelessly to find something… anything… that can help his daughter."
A father had once sent messages to his bosom friend, Dr. Megan Norr Reks ; the father of Dragan Reks. He had hope that Aurelia's conditions could be solved;not by him buh ...
Dr. Megan also tried. He performed tests on Aurelia — some promising, some uncertain. But in the end, all went in vain.
Aurelia didn't know the guy she had a crush on ; the one who made her heart jump — was the son of the doctor who once diagnosed her. It was a cruel coincidence. A small world moment that meant everything.
He was better. Kinder. But the treatment didn't work perfectly.
Still… it was just nice. Just being around him felt like light.
"But I thought he loved me," she whispered through her tears. "Not even a strand of feeling he had for me. He even faked the romantic conversation we had. And then I say… all boys are the same."
Her voice was soft. Broken. Her heart more so.
But the truth was, Dragan did feel something .;something growing inside him. A warm, glowing sensation that swelled in his chest every time he saw her. But what if she didn't feel the same? What if he confessed and it changed everything? That could stir chaos… or even break their delicate friendship.
Aurelia sat in her room, feeling uneasy. She hugged her pillow close, her cheeks damp with fresh tears. Dragan had played with her heart. Or so she believed.
Just then, she heard the indicators shining — blinking softly near the door.
Someone stood there.
She peered onto the monitor… and boom — it was him. Dragan.
Yeah, that's Reks.
The door wasn't locked. The AI assistant, in charge of room security, activated and said:
"You can come in."
Dragan stood at the entrance, eyes meeting hers. "Yeah, what's up?" he said with a casual tone, hoping to ease whatever tension had been brewing.
But she didn't respond. She stood up, expression unreadable, and walked right past him. Not a word. Not even a glance.
That's weird, Dragan thought. Oh, dear friends… we just had a nice moment yesterday. What happened?
He stood still, confused, surprised, trying to process what had just happened. Her silence hit harder than words could have.
He left the door open, stepped back, and walked slowly toward his room.
His thoughts ran circles.
"Why is she angry?"