A Love Beyond the Chaos

Chapter 9: The Morning After

The sunlight streamed through the blinds, casting soft golden streaks across the room. Aiah blinked, stirring beneath the warmth of the blankets. She was still cocooned in the softness of Mikha's arms, his chest rising and falling rhythmically against her back. For a moment, she lay there in stillness, the events of the previous night replaying in her mind like a vivid dream. But it wasn't a dream.

The heat of their shared moments, the gentle words, the tenderness in his touch—it had all been real. Her heart swelled at the memory, a blush creeping up her neck as she glanced down at her skin, noticing the faint reddish marks trailing along her collarbone and shoulders.

Lovebites.

Her eyes widened slightly, and she instinctively pulled the covers higher, feeling a rush of embarrassment and excitement all at once. She was hardly the type of person to wear the evidence of such a night openly. But how could she hide something like this?

Carefully, she shifted out of Mikha's embrace, trying not to wake him as she slipped from the bed and padded across the room. His shirt, which she had thrown on in the middle of the night, hung loosely around her frame, the fabric soft and familiar against her skin. She looked over at Mikha, still asleep, his hair tousled and peaceful, the calm expression on his face a stark contrast to the intensity they had shared just hours earlier.

Aiah allowed herself a small smile, her fingers grazing the marks on her neck again. But her mind quickly returned to reality—today was another workday, and they'd be seeing their friends.

And their friends were not the type to miss details. Especially something as glaring as the lovebites currently scattered across her skin.

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By the time Aiah and Mikha arrived at the office, the morning was in full swing. They had exchanged a few soft, lingering looks on the way over, but the closer they got to their usual circle of friends, the more cautious Aiah became. She could feel the curiosity in the air, as if everyone had somehow picked up on the shift between them.

When they stepped inside, Colet was the first to spot them. She waved excitedly from across the break room, her eyes narrowing slightly as she took them both in.

"Well, well," Colet said, grinning as she strolled over. "Don't you two look well-rested."

Aiah forced a casual smile, feeling the heat rise in her cheeks as she fiddled with her bag. "Yeah, just... got a good night's sleep, I guess."

"Right." Colet's grin widened, and before Aiah could even react, Sheena, Maloi, and Jhoanna appeared from around the corner, their eyes zeroing in on her and Mikha like sharks who had caught the scent of blood in the water.

"Aiah!" Sheena exclaimed, linking arms with her and pulling her toward their usual coffee spot. "I've got to know. What is going on with you?"

"What do you mean?" Aiah asked, her voice a little too high-pitched as she tried to play it off.

Sheena raised an eyebrow, her gaze flicking pointedly to Aiah's neck. "I mean, what's with the glowing skin and... lovebites?"

Aiah's stomach flipped, and she instinctively raised a hand to her neck, but it was too late. Colet, Maloi, and Jhoanna were all staring, their eyes widening in unison as they zeroed in on the small red marks.

"Oh. My. God." Jhoanna's jaw dropped dramatically. "Are those what I think they are?"

Aiah's face burned, and she shot a desperate glance at Mikha, who was standing stiffly by the coffee machine, pretending to be preoccupied. His usual confidence was nowhere to be found.