"But wi.. I mean ruby..." Julian’s voice was hesitant as he looked up at her. His brows furrowed slightly, worry clouding his face again. "We still don’t know how to write and read properly."
Julian looked at Ruby with hopeful and hesitated eyes. The thought of her divorcing him still lingered painfully in his heart, but he pushed it aside. Right now, all he wanted was to create more opportunities to be close to her, hoping to change the distance between them.
Ruby noticed his hesitation and spoke after thinking for a moment. "How about I teach you? I know how to read and write," she said after a moment of thought. She wasn’t particularly busy these days, aside from making clothes. Once her PIC card arrived, she would register her business and likely have no time for such things. But for now, this felt manageable.
Julian’s face lit up. "Really?" he asked excitedly, his voice full of hope. Before he could stop himself, he hugged her gently. He was feeling shy, but he felt it was the only way to be close to her.
Ruby froze for a second. His embrace was warm, and his scent was comforting, but she felt bit uncomfortable. She awkwardly patted his back, unsure of how to respond.
"Thank you," Julian whispered as he hugged her tighter. Ruby bit her lip, trying to hide the discomfort, and gently pulled away.
Julian watched her, his face darkening. He could tell she wasn’t comfortable with his touch. Why does she pull away every time I try to be close? he wondered.
As he looked at her, a thought crossed his mind. The witch he was falling in love with now felt different from the one he had married. Back then, she had been irresponsible, alcoholic, maybe a little hateful, but now... she was calm, independent, and so much more serious.
Who is the witch I’m really in love with? he thought. Is she the same person, or is she changing before my eyes?
He smiled at her, trying to hide the confusion in his heart. "I’ll work hard to learn from you, wife," he said, his voice soft and gentle but filled with warmth.
Ruby nodded and looked at him briefly. "Good. Let’s start tomorrow," she replied, her voice steady but distant.
Julian looked at her, biting his lip, as if he wanted to say something more but couldn’t find the words.
Just then, Millo’s voice rang out from the living room. "Julian, Julian! Kenji is calling you!"
Julian gave Ruby a small, hesitant smile, nodding in her direction before turning to leave. "I’ll be back," he said softly, stepping out of the room.
Ruby watched him go, a sigh escaping her lips once he was out of sight.
She pulled out her stitching materials and spread them out on the bed.
She picked up the needle, her fingers moving with more confidence than before. As she threaded it, she thought about how far she had come from her first attempts. Each stitch felt smoother, Her movements were no longer as stiff, and she felt more connected to the process.
The room was quiet except for the soft sound of the needle piercing the fabric, the rhythm soothing her mind. Ruby’s brow furrowed in concentration as she made small adjustments, perfecting each stitch. The sun’s rays filtered in through the window, warming the space, adding to the peaceful atmosphere.
Meanwhile, Julian was in a much better mood, especially after Kenji had told him that Pillu had invited them to watch Soulstream tonight.
"I can’t wait to watch it again!" Milo beamed, excitement clear in his eyes as he grabbed onto Julian’s hand.
Julian chuckled softly, rubbing his head in a playful way. Sometimes, he couldn’t help but wonder if he was actually the older one in this relationship. Milo always seemed so childlike, even though they were both grown ghost.
"I’m going to make lunch," Julian said, gently pulling his hand away from Milo’s grasp.
Milo pouted, not ready to give up so easily. "I will help you," he declared, stubbornly wrapping his arms around Julian’s.
"No need," Julian laughed, clearly enjoying the playful banter.
Milo’s eyes sparkled with determination. "No! No further argument! Because Milo is going to help you," he said with a grin, and Julian couldn’t help but laugh at his persistence.
Julian smiled, watching as Milo held onto his arm with a firm grip, clearly not about to back down. His eyes sparkled with that innocent, almost mischievous glint that always made Julian smile.
"Alright, alright," Julian said, pretending to sigh in defeat, "but only because you’re so determined." He gave Milo a playful nudge.
Milo’s face lit up with triumph, and he squeezed Julian’s arm in excitement. "Yay! I knew you’d let me help!" he cheered, hopping a little as if he had won a small victory.
As they walked to the kitchen together, Milo kept chattering about the stream they were going to watch, his voice full of energy. "I hope tonight’s episode is super exciting! Do you think it will be better than the last one?"
Julian chuckled softly. "I’m sure it will be. But we’ll have to see."
Milo was already searching through the cabinets, pulling out various ingredients with a concentrated frown on his face, as if deciding what to make. He tossed a playful glance at Julian. "Maybe I should cook today. You always make the best meals. I want to try and make something good too!"
Julian raised an eyebrow in amusement. "Oh really? Are you sure you’re up for it?"
Milo nodded fiercely, his eyes bright with determination. "Of course! I’m going to make the best lunch ever!" He flashed a wide grin, and Julian couldn’t help but laugh at the sheer sincerity in Milo’s voice.
"Alright, Chef Milo," Julian said with a smile, stepping back to give Milo room to work. "I’m looking forward to seeing what you come up with."
Milo beamed, his cheeks slightly flushed in excitement. "You won’t regret it!" he said, already fully engrossed in his task.
—To be continued...🪄