Previously : Suddenly, Bella grabbed Ellie's hand and pulled it to her face. Their faces were really close now—so close that their noses touched.
Ellie's eyes widened, surprised by what Bella just did. She swallowed hard.
Her heart was pounding loudly.
Thump Thump Thump Thump Thump
"I'm not shy!!" Bella said, She's bumping her forehead into Ellie as if to prove her point.
Ellie can feel a bit of tension between them, mixed with surprise and a hint of her intimidation.
"Ouch!!! That's a bit hurt, you're looks scary now, you know?" Ellie said, still rubbing her forehead with a playful smirk.
Bella felt a bit guilty, even though she tried to hide it with a scowl.
"Don't be too much, It doesn't hurt that much" She replied, while looking away, but her voice sounded a bit concerned.
"Hmm, that hurts a bit," Ellie replied, a little annoyed.
Then Ellie suddenly bumped her forehead lightly against Bella, But their foreheads were still touching, and neither of them moved as Ellie asked "How about now? Does it hurt when I bump it like this?''
They were so close, their breaths could be heard.
Ellie's sudden move surprised Bella. She didn't know how to react and, without thinking, pushed Ellie away, making her fall off the bed.
"Ouchhh, you attacked my 2 times now" Ellie touched her butt,
"Sorry, I didn't mean it" Bella replied.
"Never mind," Ellie said, still sitting on the floor, rubbing her back. "But seriously, you're stronger than you look."
Bella looked at her for a moment, then let out a small sigh.
"Stop being dramatic," she muttered. But her tone had softened.
Ellie chuckled. "You're not even gonna help me up?"
Bella hesitated. Then slowly reached out her hand, avoiding Ellie's eyes. "Fine. But don't expect me to say sorry again."
Ellie took her hand and let Bella pull her up. Their eyes met for a second—just a second—but it felt longer than it should.
"Thanks," Ellie said, brushing off her clothes.
Bella turned away quickly, heading back to her bed, trying to act like nothing happened. But her face was a bit red.
Ellie noticed. "Are you blushing again?"
"I'm not!" Bella snapped, but her ears were slightly red.
Ellie glanced at Bella, then quickly looked away too.
The room went quiet for a few seconds—just long enough to feel awkward, but not long enough to be uncomfortable.
"I should go do the laundry," Ellie said, scratching her head and walking toward the door a bit too fast.
As soon as Ellie stepped out, she leaned against the wall in the hallway and let out a breath she didn't realize she was holding.
"What was that just now?" she whispered to herself.
Her heart was still beating faster than normal. She blamed it on the fall.
Yeah. That had to be it.
She shook her head and walked off toward the laundry.
Back in the room, Bella sat on the edge of the bed, staring at the congee bowl on her nightstand. She wasn't hungry anymore.
She touched her cheek lightly—right where Ellie's hand had been earlier.
It was stupid.
But for some reason, she couldn't stop thinking about that moment when their eyes met.
Bella sat on the bed for a while after Ellie left the room. Everything was too quiet.
She glanced at the congee bowl, then slowly picked it up and walked toward the kitchen.
As she passed the living room, she stopped.
Ellie was there—half-leaning against the armrest of the sofa, with her head tilted back slightly, eyes closed. Her laundry basket was on the floor nearby, forgotten. She must've meant to sit for just a second—but ended up dozing off.
Bella stared at her for a moment.
The way Ellie looked… calm, relaxed. Her chest rose and fell slowly. She didn't look like her usual playful self—just… tired.
"She must've been exhausted from yesterday," Bella thought.
"Taking care of me… staying up all night…"
Bella hesitated, then walked to the kitchen and gently put the bowl in the sink. She rinsed it quietly, but her mind kept wandering back to Ellie.
After finishing, she peeked back into the living room. Ellie was still asleep.
Bella walked closer, just a little.
She crouched down in front of the sofa, resting her elbows on her knees. For some reason, she couldn't stop watching her.
"You're really something, huh?" Bella whispered under her breath. "Taking care of someone you barely know…"
She sat there for a few more seconds, then quietly grabbed a nearby cushion and gently tucked it under Ellie's head.
As she stood up, Ellie mumbled something in her sleep, but didn't wake.
Bella sighed, turned away, and muttered, "Idiot…"
The next morning came quietly.
The morning sun slipped through the half-closed blinds, casting soft lines across the floor. Bella stepped out of her room slowly, rubbing her eyes, stretching her arms. Her body felt lighter now, not as heavy as it did two days ago. The dizziness was gone, replaced with a quiet clarity.
She walked to the kitchen, thinking of making something simple—just toast and coffee. But she paused when she saw Ellie already sitting at the dining table, holding a warm mug between her hands, eyes lost in thought.
The moment they shared yesterday still lingered. Something between them had shifted. Bella didn't fully understand it yet, but it made her chest feel tight in a way she couldn't explain. She wasn't pushing Ellie away this morning. And maybe that was already something.
Ellie looked up, her face lighting up just a little.
"Morning. You look alive again," she said with a small smile. "That's good."
Bella nodded. "Yeah… I feel better now."
Her voice was calm, almost soft, as she started preparing her breakfast.
Ellie watched her from the table. "You never eat rice in the morning, huh? No wonder you're so tiny."
Bella gave her a side-eye. "Who eats rice this early?"
"Me," Ellie said proudly. "Asian problems."
Bella rolled her eyes, trying not to let the corner of her lips curl. She took her coffee and toast and leaned on the kitchen bench, eating in silence, standing like she always did when she didn't want to get too close.
But Ellie noticed.
"What are you doing over there? There's plenty of chairs. Why eat like that?"
Her voice wasn't judging—just genuinely curious.
Bella hesitated for a moment. Then she quietly walked to the table and sat down, just beside Ellie. Not too close, but not avoiding her either.
Ellie glanced at her. For a moment, she just looked. Bella's face still looked a little pale under the light, but there was color returning. And near her lips—a tiny crumb. Without thinking, Ellie reached out and gently brushed it away with her fingers.
Bella blinked, caught off guard.
"There," Ellie said softly. "Now I feel like your big sister taking care of her bratty little sister."
"I didn't ask you to take care of me," Bella muttered, turning away slightly, but her voice didn't carry as much bite.
Ellie smirked. "Are you mad again?"'
"But don't you think it's nice? Having a sister instead of a friend?"
Bella turned to glare at her. "I'm not your sister. Stop calling me that."
"Okay… sis," Ellie grinned, clearly enjoying the reaction.
Bella let out a quiet sigh. "You're so annoying."
Ellie leaned back in her chair. "Well, I wouldn't mind having a sister. I'm an only child."
Bella glanced over, her expression softening just a little. "Really?"
"Yeah. I used to have an older brother… but he passed away. Three years ago."
The room fell into silence. Bella looked down at her coffee, feeling a wave of guilt. She didn't mean to stir something painful. She wasn't even trying to ask anything deep. But now it was there—hanging between them.
Ellie noticed the look on Bella's face, the way her lips pressed together, her brows knit tight.
"It's okay," Ellie said gently. "It's in the past. I'm fine now."
Bella didn't reply. But her silence wasn't cold this time. It was careful. Thoughtful.
"Do you have any plans today?" Ellie asked, trying to shift the mood.
Bella shook her head. "Not really."