(Michelle Lui's POV)
Saturday mornings used to be quiet for me.
Wake up late.
Scroll through my phone.
Pretend to study.
Rot like a happy salted fish.
But now?
My body woke me up at 6:48 AM.
On instinct.
Because Steven was picking me up.
Again.
For the third Saturday in a row.
Not a coincidence.
Not a fluke.
Not a casual "hangout."
Something was happening.
Something warm.
Something careful.
Something steady.
And I was already fully dressed before I could rationalize any of it.
A light beige cardigan over a soft white dress, ribboned half-up hair, peachy makeup.
Effortless but… not really.
I looked at myself in the mirror and sighed.
"Michelle… calm down. You're not fifteen. You're thirty. Mentally."
My reflection didn't care.
It blushed anyway.
--
Mom Smelling Romance From Three Rooms Away
When I came down for breakfast, my mother was already sipping tea like an empress who had predicted the future.
"Oh? You're up early," she said, smiling into her cup.
