Your Guardian

Bonus Chapter 1: New Beginnings

The evening sun bathed the living room in a warm, golden glow as Aira sat curled up on the couch, her eyes drifting over the words in the book she was pretending to read. But her mind wasn't on the story; it was on the woman standing in the kitchen, focused on preparing dinner. Tawan moved with her usual calm precision, and Aira found herself smiling at the sight.

It was a scene she had grown accustomed to, but one that still filled her with a sense of warmth and contentment. After everything they had been through, this quiet, domestic moment felt like a dream come true.

As if sensing Aira's gaze, Tawan looked up, her eyes meeting Aira's across the room. A small smile tugged at the corners of her lips. "What are you thinking about?"

Aira closed her book, setting it aside as she stretched languidly. "Just admiring the view."

Tawan raised an eyebrow, a teasing glint in her eyes. "The view?"

Aira nodded, her smile turning playful. "Mm-hmm. It's not every day you get to watch your girlfriend cook dinner."

Tawan's cheeks flushed a light pink, and she shook her head with a soft laugh. "You're impossible."

"And you love it," Aira shot back, standing up and making her way to the kitchen. She wrapped her arms around Tawan's waist from behind, resting her chin on Tawan's shoulder. "What's for dinner?"

Tawan glanced at the pan in front of her. "Something simple. Stir-fried vegetables and chicken."

Aira hummed appreciatively. "Smells amazing."

They stood like that for a moment, Aira's arms wrapped around Tawan, both of them basking in the comfortable silence that had settled over them. It was moments like these that made Aira realize just how deeply she had fallen for Tawan. There was something so grounding, so wonderfully real about being able to hold her, to feel her warmth, to share these everyday moments.

After a while, Tawan cleared her throat, breaking the silence. "I've been thinking about something."

Aira perked up, her curiosity piqued. "Oh? What is it?"

Tawan turned off the stove, wiping her hands on a towel before turning to face Aira. "I've been considering my next steps. Now that things have calmed down, I've been thinking about starting my own private security firm."

Aira's eyes widened in surprise, then quickly filled with excitement. "Really? That's amazing, Tawan!" She paused, her smile softening. "But... why?"

Tawan leaned back against the counter, her expression thoughtful. "I realized that I want to use my skills to help people in a different way. Being a personal bodyguard was meaningful, but I think I can do more by providing security services on a larger scale. Helping people feel safe, training others... it just feels right."

Aira nodded slowly, processing Tawan's words. "I think that's a great idea. You'd be amazing at it."

Tawan's eyes softened as she reached out, brushing a stray lock of hair from Aira's face. "It would mean a lot of changes, though. I'd be busy setting things up, traveling to meet clients... I don't want that to affect us."

Aira's heart warmed at the concern in Tawan's voice, but then a tiny flicker of something else stirred inside her—a feeling she wasn't quite used to. "Clients... you mean, you'd be protecting other people?"

Tawan blinked, clearly taken aback by the question. "Well, yes. That's part of the job."

Aira's gaze dropped for a moment, a small pout forming on her lips. "So, you'd be running around keeping other people safe while I'm stuck here missing you?"