Chapter 74: Chapter 72: What's with This Feeling?

The morning sun filtered softly through the curtains, casting golden streaks across the living room. Lumine stirred slightly, her neck stiff from sleeping in an awkward position on the couch. Her phone buzzed faintly on the coffee table, but her focus wasn’t on that—it was on the weight resting against her shoulder.

Scaramouche was still there, fast asleep with his head nestled against her shoulder, his usual sharp expression replaced by something softer, more vulnerable. His indigo hair was slightly tousled, and his breathing was slow and steady.

Lumine felt her heart skip a beat. What… is this feeling?

She hesitated, her fingers twitching slightly as if resisting the urge to brush his hair out of his face. Her mind was racing. Scaramouche—cocky, sharp-tongued, always at odds with her brother—looked so peaceful, almost… cute.

Stop it, Lumine. She shook her head lightly, scolding herself internally.

But her thoughts were quickly interrupted by a groggy voice from the hallway.

“Lumine…? Are you awake—”

Aether stood at the entrance of the living room, rubbing his eyes. But when his vision cleared, his gaze locked onto Scaramouche’s sleeping form resting against his sister.

Silence.

The tension was so thick it could’ve been cut with a knife. Aether’s hand slowly clenched into a fist.

“…What the hell is he doing there?”

Scaramouche, stirred by Aether’s voice, shifted slightly and slowly opened one eye. His violet gaze met Aether’s furious golden one, and a smug smirk crept across his face.

“Morning, sunshine,” Scaramouche said, his voice low and raspy from sleep.

Aether’s eyebrow twitched. “Get. Away. From. Her.”

Lumine let out a long, tired sigh, rubbing her temples. “Aether, please. It’s too early for this.”

But Aether was already marching over, grabbing Scaramouche’s collar and yanking him upright. Scaramouche stumbled slightly but caught his footing, his smirk never fading.

“What’s wrong, big brother? Jealous I get more time with her than you do?” Scaramouche sneered.

Aether’s jaw clenched as his grip on Scaramouche’s collar tightened. “Do you ever shut up?”

“Aether, stop!” Lumine’s voice cut through the rising tension. Both boys froze, turning their heads toward her.

She stood up, crossing her arms and glaring at the two of them. “I am so done with you two constantly fighting over me like I’m some prize at a carnival.”

Aether released Scaramouche with a frustrated sigh, stepping back. Scaramouche adjusted his collar, still wearing his infuriating smirk.

Lumine pointed at both of them. “You two need to figure this out. Because I am tired. And I swear, if you start fighting again, I’ll lock you both out of this apartment.”

Aether sighed heavily, rubbing the back of his neck, while Scaramouche shoved his hands into his pockets, looking away.

After a few moments of awkward silence, Aether muttered, “Fine… but I’m watching you, Scaramouche.”

Scaramouche chuckled under his breath. “And I’m sure you’ll do a great job at it.”

Lumine groaned and flopped back onto the couch, grabbing a pillow and covering her face.

As the tension started to ease, Scaramouche glanced at Lumine out of the corner of his eye, his smirk softening just a little. Aether, still annoyed, walked back to the kitchen, leaving the two alone again.

Scaramouche quietly sat back down on the couch, a bit more distance between them this time. Lumine peeked out from behind the pillow, catching his gaze.

“…You’re such a headache, Scara.”

He shrugged nonchalantly. “And yet, you let me stay.”

Lumine rolled her eyes but couldn’t help the faint smile tugging at her lips.

That strange feeling from earlier still lingered in her chest, and as Scaramouche leaned back, resting his head on the couch with a faint sigh, Lumine couldn’t help but wonder—

What exactly is this feeling?

Timeline:8:28AM🇵🇭