Chapter 262
Her eyes, clear like crystal yet empty of any emotion that could be recognized, stared straight into Theo's.
This was not a mere fleeting glance.
Her gaze was intense and fully concentrated, as though she were reading an exceedingly complex text written within Theo's pupils.
For eight seconds that felt far longer than their actual duration, she examined every detail, every shadow, and every glimmer within Theo's eyes.
Those eight seconds were a deep and uninterrupted inspection, an attempt to understand something that perhaps could only be found through direct eye contact.
Only after that tense period of observation ended did Aldraya open her mouth.
Her voice was flat, sounding almost like a technical inquiry or a logical request.
Yet the content of her question was anything but ordinary or technical.
With her characteristic innocence, without the slightest hint of embarrassment or nervousness, she voiced her desire.
She asked—seeking confirmation—whether she was allowed to take a shower together with Theo.
The request was delivered simply and directly, as if she were asking to borrow a book or use a tool.
There was no trace of romance, temptation, or even awareness of the intimate and taboo connotations such a request carried in most social contexts.
"Hold on—why so sudden? As far as I know, you have your own bathroom, and we still have plenty of time before class."
Fiiiih!
"Is something bothering you?"
Theo responded immediately, firm yet controlled.
His head moved in a slow shake, a gesture that was not only a refusal of Aldraya's request, but also an effort to steady himself.
In that shake, he tried to convince his own mind that he was not losing his sanity, that every word coming from Aldraya's mouth—no matter how extraordinary it sounded—was real and had to be faced with a cool head.
He needed to reaffirm the boundaries of reality before being swept away by the strange logic the girl brought with her.
Before issuing an absolute refusal or launching into a long explanation, Theo chose to understand the root of the matter first.
With a voice that remained calm despite the turmoil within his heart, he posed a counterquestion.
He asked for the specific reason behind Aldraya's desire.
Logically, the request made no sense.
Aldraya had her own room, complete with a proper, fully functional private bathroom.
There was no pressing practical reason for them to share the same bathing space.
Theo also pointed out the factor of time.
This was not an emergency situation where they were so late that sharing facilities was necessary to save minutes.
They still had ample time before classes at the Star Academy began.
So what, exactly, was the motive driving this strange request?
"I want us to share one space, one time, and one togetherness—you and me."
Aldraya did not give the answer Theo expected.
She did not respond at all to the logical questions about reasons, facilities, or time constraints.
Those questions seemed to evaporate into the air, untouched and unacknowledged.
Instead, she executed a simple yet effective conversational maneuver.
She turned her question into a statement.
What had been a request for permission now became a declaration of desire.
With the same flat tone, without any rise or fall in intonation that might suggest emphasis, Aldraya delivered her statement.
Yet despite the monotone delivery, there was a force behind her choice of words that carried its own weight.
She stated her desire clearly and directly.
She wanted one bathroom.
She wanted one moment.
And she wanted a togetherness that existed specifically between herself and Theo.
She bound those three elements into a single, complete package of intent.
The statement was not grounded in practical reasoning.
There was no explanation of efficiency, convenience, or urgent need.
It was purely emotional and existential, even though it was conveyed in a cold, restrained manner.
"One bathroom" might represent a desire to erase physical separation, to merge their private spaces.
"One moment" could refer to her search for a shared experience beyond the routine of sleeping and waking.
And "togetherness" was the core of it all—a declaration that what she sought was not merely physical closeness, but a form of unity within everyday activity, an acknowledgment that her existence was connected to Theo's.
And all of this was expressed while her facial expression remained unchanged, flat like still water.
There was no furrowed brow of concentration, no faint smile slipping through, no shy or daring look.
That empty expression made her statement feel even stranger, deeper, and far harder to reject with shallow reasoning.
'What other excuse can I even use?'
Shaaaah!
'At the very least, it has to be strong—something that can stop her already solid resolve.
Fuuuuusssh!
'Ah, there it is—'
"Do you want the twelve Supreme Angels—your brothers and sisters—to judge our relationship as something too close?"
Even though Theo was fully aware that his logical argument might not be able to penetrate the wall of Aldraya's innocent yet unyielding desire, he still had to try.
His deep understanding of Aldraya's character—or rather, her fundamental nature as a former Supreme Angel—told him one thing.
Once a desire took root in this girl's mind, there was almost no force in the world that could divert or stop it.
Even death itself, in their past experiences, had seemed to willingly make way for her.
Facing such resolve, a blunt refusal without explanation would only backfire.
Therefore, Theo chose to speak.
His voice remained calm, striving to infuse as much consideration and reason as possible into his words.
He explained that there were reasons—principles and consequences—that made bathing together in the same space at the same time impermissible.
He tried to map out the invisible yet very real social and moral boundaries for Aldraya.
One of the main reasons he presented, which he hoped the remnants of Aldraya's awareness as a social being could still grasp, concerned the perception of others.
Specifically, Theo mentioned the twelve Supreme Angels, who were none other than Aldraya's siblings from her past.
Theo explained that he did not want those angels—who might still be watching, or who might one day interact with Aldraya again—to see a level of intimacy between the two of them that was too extreme.
Closeness such as sharing a bed at night might still be interpreted as protection, but bathing together crossed the boundary of intimacy acceptable by any norm.
Such an act, according to Theo, could lead to serious misunderstandings, damage reputations, and possibly provoke unwanted reactions from those who still regarded Aldraya as part of the heavenly hierarchy.
With this reasoning, Theo attempted to pull Aldraya out of her narrow personal logic and remind her of a broader network of relationships, where their actions carried meaning and consequences for others.
Fuuuh!
"Fine! Fine! I agree! We'll shower together! But on one condition: no strange behavior in the bathroom.
Just showering. Cleaning ourselves."
However, Aldraya's response was nothing like what he had expected.
She did not argue with words, nor did she show understanding.
Instead, she took a more direct and startling physical action.
With a sudden, fluid movement, she stood up from the edge of the bed.
To be continued…