"You may not know me well," she said at last, her voice soft but carrying a quiet weight, "but I am, in truth… in your debt."
She stepped forward slowly, every movement calm and deliberate, until she stood right in front of him. Her gaze locked with his, searching as if trying to see past the calm he wore on his face.
Then, without warning, she stepped closer and wrapped her arms around him.
Dave froze for a moment, pretending to be shy, even lowering his head slightly—but a faint smile still tugged at the corner of his lips.
I guess… she got my warning, he thought.
"I don't know," Dave said, tilting his head with an innocent look, "what exactly do you mean by that?"
Bibi Dong's smile was faint, impossible to read. "Follow me."
She turned without another word, her robes swaying gently as she walked. The sound of her steps echoed down the torchlit corridor as she led him deeper into the palace—a place far away from the noise and formality above.
Finally, she stopped in front of a pair of black lacquered doors with gold markings. "This place…" she said softly, her voice echoing faintly, "would have been my nightmare. A place of shadows and chains… if not for you."
Dave looked around with an easy expression. "Doesn't seem that scary to me," he said lightly.
Her eyes softened, almost wistful. "That's because I've decided it will no longer be what it was. I will make this a place of beauty… starting now."
She pushed open the doors. Warm golden light spilled out into the hallway. The room inside was filled with rich fabrics hanging from the ceiling, and the air was scented with soft, curling incense. Whatever darkness this place had once held was gone—replaced with something warm and welcoming.
Dave stepped inside, glancing around before looking back at her. "Yep, this place is not scary at all," he said with a faint smirk.
She smiled knowingly, and the doors closed behind them with a soft thud as she walked toward him.
Her lips parted slightly at his words, her eyes searching his face—looking for even the smallest hint of a lie. She found none.
She leaned in again, their lips meeting in a kiss that was deeper and slower, tasting the reality of him. Her hands moved to rest on his shoulders, and his arms wrapped around her, pulling her closer.
The golden light caught in her hair, making it shine as she pulled back just enough to whisper, "I've carried many titles… but with you, I want none of them. No throne, no crown. Just… me."
Dave smiled faintly, resting his forehead against hers. "Then just be you. That's all I want."
They stayed like that for a long moment—no politics, no schemes, no heavy past between them. Just two people, sharing a quiet space the world couldn't touch.
Her fingers traced the line of his jaw before she kissed him again, this time lingering, sure of herself. Dave's hands stayed at her waist, holding her as if promising silently: I'm not letting go.
Bibi Dong closed her eyes for a moment, as if steadying herself, before letting out a quiet breath against his cheek. "You don't realize how dangerous you are to me," she whispered.
Dave tilted his head, a faint smirk on his lips. "Dangerous? I thought I was the one who should be worried about you."
Her soft laugh eased the tension, though there was truth in it. "You should. I've ended lives for far less than what I feel right now." Her fingers slid from his jaw to the back of his neck, curling there, holding him close. "But you… you make me want to protect instead."
Dave's gaze deepened, his hands sliding from her waist to the small of her back, pulling her just a little closer until their foreheads touched again. "Then maybe… you're not as dangerous to me as you think."
Something unspoken lit in her eyes. She didn't kiss him right away. Instead, she let the silence linger, her thumb brushing slowly over his collarbone as if memorizing every detail. Her knees pressed lightly against his sides, her body leaning in until there was no space left between them.
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