Encouragement Under the Spotlight Chapter 3

When she sat up and turned her head to the sound of her heartbeat, Caleb beside her had already changed the subject, looking at another photo and saying, "In this photo, you are really smiling from head to toe!"

That was a photo taken on her birthday last year. She was holding the railing of the pirate ship with one hand and holding the oversized bow on her head that Professor Jin insisted on giving her to wear with the other hand. Her hair was fluttering in the wind.

There was no obvious smile on his face, but the aura of happiness around him could not be concealed. It was just like he said, his whole body was smiling.

She had a boyfriend whom she had made a great effort to date, and Professor Jin who had always taken good care of her like a family member. The Diamond 1st anniversary concert was about to begin, and on that day she really couldn't think of anything unhappy.

She looked at the photo and suddenly said, "Sometimes I fall asleep in the waiting room or next to my mom. When I wake up and look at the people around me, I always feel like I'm dreaming."

She was so happy that she often felt like she was in a dream. She felt that her current life was too far away from her and not real at all, as if she was watching the protagonist's life scenes in a cinema.

He probably knew why she had such thoughts, but he still asked: "Why?"

"Because I'm so happy, really." She turned her head and smiled at him, then took his hand and moved the light to the previous photo: "In fact, when I was a child, I always felt like a kite in the sky, and the only connection with the world was the kite string tied to the orphanage."

"I have thought many times about what it would be like when I turned 18 and became an adult. I should have moved out of the yard by then. Would that mean that the only connection between me and the world would be severed? Without anyone to rely on, I would just drift wherever the wind blew."

"Fear, anxiety, want to escape, but always can't help but think of it when I'm quiet." Ava stared at the photo, suddenly smiled and lowered his head: "My mom, Mark brother, Diamond... I never thought that I would have so much and become so happy."

Caleb turned around and put his arm around his shoulder, teasing her deliberately: "I am very dissatisfied that you did not mention the three words 'Caleb' in your words just now."

Ava smiled helplessly and put his head on his shoulder: "I really admire you."

He reached out and touched the head that was resting on his shoulder, and said softly, "Don't be afraid, I will hold the kite string tightly and won't let the wind blow you away."

She shook her head. "No."

Caleb: "What's wrong?"

"The kite string is now in my mom's hands, in Mark's hands, in Diamond's hands, and even in Platinum's hands." She looked up into his eyes and said, "The only thing it's not in is your hands."

"Then I..." Caleb couldn't help but be stunned for a moment after hearing her words, and turned his head back to the photo.

"Then I am the kite next to you."

"And you are another kite beside me......."

Two almost identical sentences were spoken at the same moment, and the two people turned to look at each other at the same time.

Ava's eyes were slightly red. He raised his hand to suppress the sourness at the root of his nose, and finished the second half of the sentence with a smile: "I hope that no matter whether we are happy or sad, we can see each other as soon as we turn our heads."

Caleb reached out, pulled her into his arms and hugged her tightly.

Ava raised his hands and put them around his waist, calling him: "Caleb."

"Um?"

"I seem to have found a boyfriend who really understands me."

"Really? Then you have to cherish me. It's not easy to meet someone who understands you."

"I have always cherished it."

"Then cherish me a little more."

"Okay~"

Blame it on the dim and dreamy lights around her, blame it on the smell on his body that makes her feel inexplicably at ease, blame it on his voice that is just so much to her liking.

Everything at that time was bewitching her, and she was loyal to her heart. For the first time, she took the initiative to tell others her inner thoughts.

Even if she spoke out her past fears, she still felt a little uneasy, and wanted to cut off the topic again and hide her feelings.

But, she really doesn't want to continue like that...

Perhaps it was because there were more and more people around her who she could rely on. As her tears increased, she seemed to have more courage than before to face everything.

Maybe she knew that it didn't matter even if she got hurt.

Because she already has a place to heal and people to take care of her.

In front of the photo wall, two people sat side by side, looking at the photos together, and then talking about what happened on the day the photos were taken.

Even though it happened in the past and is a memory they both share, they still discover facts from different angles or beauty that they have never noticed before.

"Do you remember the time we met backstage at a music show? Although I only had time to look at you once, I was really satisfied that day! I hadn't seen you for a long time before that day."

"Hmm..." Ava turned her head, trying to find a comfortable place on his shoulder.

"During that time, you and I were busy, and we didn't even have much time to talk on the phone. Actually, that's not right. I did have time to talk on the phone, but you weren't my girlfriend at that time, and I was afraid that if I talked on the phone too much, you would notice my feelings."

Ava: "Hmm..."

"Do you understand that feeling? I want you to know that I like you, but I am also particularly afraid of letting you find out that I like you. I am afraid that you, who are so rational, will ignore me after knowing it, and I will not even be your friend anymore."

Ava: ".........."

"I don't dare to call you too often, nor do I dare to send you too many messages, but I clearly want to hear your voice very, very much."

After waiting for a long time without hearing her answer, Caleb lowered his head and saw that she had fallen asleep on his shoulder without knowing when, and her whole body looked soft against him.

So he was talking to himself for so long while looking at the photo?

"Let's go back to the bedroom and sleep." Caleb stood up and picked her up, saying helplessly and lovingly: "If you are sleepy, just tell me earlier. How can you fall asleep like this!"

After going downstairs and putting her on the bed, Caleb leaned over and pinched his nose: "Alas~~~~I can't do anything about you~"

Why did she get up because she couldn't sleep? I'm afraid she didn't sleep at all the whole night. Otherwise, according to her usual vigilance, she wouldn't have woken up when someone carried her downstairs. Moreover, she was not the kind of person who would be distracted and fall asleep when someone was talking. No matter whether she liked to listen to that person or not, her politeness was always online.

Lifting the quilt, Caleb lay down next to her, putting his arms around her waist and holding her loosely.

Don't worry or be afraid. No matter where you are in the future, I will try my best to make sure you see me as soon as you turn your head.

He probably knew why she couldn't sleep.

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At six o'clock in the morning, the person under the quilt moved a few times. Ava rubbed her eyes and squinted to look out the window. Because the bedroom window was one-way glass, she did not draw the curtains when she went to bed last night, so she could see everything clearly now.

Eh? When she was sleeping last night? No, she didn't sleep at all last night. Wasn't she in the attic looking at photos?

Ava subconsciously wanted to sit up, but was held down by the thing binding her waist, and it got tighter when she moved.

Something furry rubbed against her neck a few times. She turned her head and looked at his sleeping face. As her memory slowly came back to her, she remembered that she must have fallen asleep while looking at the photos.

She usually wakes up easily even when she's asleep. Why did she sleep so soundly today? She didn't even have any memory of coming down from the attic. He must have carried her down.

It was just getting light outside the window, and the neon lights on the distant buildings seemed to be dimly lit. Ava opened her mouth and yawned, then turned her head to look at the alarm clock on the bedside table. It was only six o'clock. No wonder she was still so sleepy.

The biological clock she developed during the holidays was very punctual. Even though she went to bed early in the morning today, she still woke up on time.

However, it was a rare vacation and he didn’t have to get up early. After hesitating for a while between getting up to run and going to bed, Ava greedily decided to sleep.

But... Caleb, why are you here? Why don't you go back to the study and sleep!

Ava looked at him with his mouth slightly open, and reached out to lift his chin but then retracted his hand.

Forget it...I don’t want to wake you up now.

She lay down, closed her eyes, turned over, snuggled in his arms, grabbed the corner of his pajamas, and fell asleep again.

When she opened her eyes again, the room was well lit and it was already bright outside. The sunlight shone through the window glass, casting a warm glow on the ground.

However, she didn't see any of that. When she opened her eyes, all she saw was his white T-shirt and the sound of his strong heartbeat in her ears.

The feeling of waking up in someone's arms is too strange and too wonderful.

Ava turned around and glanced at the alarm clock. It was already past ten o'clock, almost eleven. She slept in on the first day of the Year of the Rooster. However, the feeling of sleeping in was so comfortable.

She turned around, poked his cheek with her hand, and whispered, "Caleb, it's time to get up."

Seeing that he didn't respond, I took his arm away from his waist, got out of bed, and prepared to wash up before calling him to get up.

After washing up, he came out of the bathroom and knocked on the bedroom door. Ava put his ear against the door and listened attentively for a while, but could not hear any movement inside.

Still asleep?

Ava didn't knock on the door again. She pushed the door open a crack and looked inside. The person on the bed was sleeping soundly with his back to her.

The corners of her mouth curled up into a slight smile, she pushed the door open, walked in, and gently closed the curtains to block out the sunlight outside. She tiptoed out, closed the bedroom door, and turned to go to the kitchen.

Forget it, I'd better wait until breakfast is ready before calling him.

What should I eat for breakfast on the first day of the Chinese New Year? Porridge or dumplings from the fridge? Or a Korean breakfast? Actually, there is nothing wrong with eating lunch at this time.

She was in the kitchen worrying about what to eat for breakfast, while he was sleeping in the bedroom and showed no sign of waking up.

There is no communication and everyone is unrelated, but the air is indescribably harmonious.

Taking out the side dishes sent by Tian's mother from the refrigerator, Ava suddenly turned his head to look in the direction of the bedroom, then lowered his head and curled his lips with a smile.

Why does this scene look so much like the scene after marriage in the TV series HAPPY ENDING?

A wife who gets up early to cook, and...a husband who sleeps late.

However, if we follow the routine of idol dramas, wouldn’t it be more in line with the conventional romantic scene if the roles were reversed?

Shaking his head to get rid of those things in his mind, Ava was speechless about his current changes, but there was nothing much to say or think about.

This is how she became what she is now, step by step, day by day, naturally.