Leia stepped out of the car as she shut the door with a soft click. "An ice skating rink?" she asked, a spark of surprise in her eyes as she glanced at Kieran.

"Yes. You once mentioned you know how to skate," Kieran said, stepping up beside her. "I thought we should try it. There are a lot of people here, the energy will relax your mind. So, shall we go in?" He let his hand slide naturally around her lower back before the bright lights of the arena.

"Yes, but not ice skating. But... We won’t feel cold, right?" Leia asked, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

"I’ve made arrangements for that too," Kieran said with a confident smile. "We have special suits to wear while skating."

The two began walking toward the entrance, where the manager, a woman with a professional but warm demeanor, was already waiting to welcome them. "It’s good to see you after such a long time, sir. Please, this way," she said, leading them through the bustling lobby.

As they walked, Leia’s eyes were drawn to the rink itself. It was filled with life. Dozens of people, especially children, were chasing each other across the ice, their laughter echoing off the high ceilings as they glided or tumbled onto the frozen surface.

They were shown into a private dressing suite where the manager presented them with thermal costumes designed for maximum warmth and movement. Leia took her set and headed to the ladies’ changing room, while Kieran disappeared into the men’s side.

Once they were ready, Kieran guided her toward the rink.

"Oh my God! I’m going to end up flat on my face," Leia whispered as she stared at the glass-like surface. Her legs felt unnervingly wobbly the moment she stepped off the matted floor.

"I’ve got you. You aren’t going to fall," Kieran reassured her. He stepped onto the ice with effortless grace, his arm wrapping securely around her waist to anchor her against him. He navigated her toward the center of the rink, shielded from the more chaotic skaters. Once they found a pocket of space, he transitioned his hold, releasing her waist to take both of her hands firmly in his.

"Don’t let go, okay? Seriously," Leia pleaded, her fingers clenching his as if he were her only lifeline.

"I won’t. But you need to relax, Leia. Try to loosen your body, don’t let your fear lock your muscles," Kieran urged. "Just focus on me. Watch my movements and let your feet slide forward, one at a time."

Leia took a long, steadying breath, her eyes locked onto his as she tightened her grip on his hands. Kieran moved backward, guiding her as she mimicked his rhythm. Slowly, her stiff movements began to smooth out.

Seeing a flash of confidence in her expression, Kieran suddenly released her hands and glided a few feet away.

"Now," Kieran said. "Walk to me."

Leia began to move toward him, her steps tentative and her hands hovering in the air as she tried to find her center of gravity. She was only a few feet away from Kieran’s reaching hands when a group of young boys suddenly zoomed past, cutting directly in front of her.

"Ahh!" Leia screamed, her heart leaping into her throat. Her legs began to shake vigorously as she lost all sense of balance. Before Kieran could lung forward to catch her, she went down, landing with a heavy thud on the cold ice.

The boys skidded to a halt, circling back like a pack of playful wolves. Instead of apologizing, they looked at her with wide, mischievous eyes and began to giggle.

"Aunty, you don’t know how to ice skate?" one of them asked, his voice full of innocent mockery. "Mama says that big uncles and aunties know everything."

"I’m not an ’aunty’! Call me sister!" Leia snapped back, her voice sharp as she tried to preserve whatever dignity she had left. She felt the chill of the ice seeping into her, but it was nothing compared to the heat of the blush creeping up her neck. She couldn’t believe she had just been humiliated by a group of young pups.

Kieran was at her side in an instant, hovering over her with a suppressed grin that told her he found the situation far more entertaining than he should.

Leia tried to push herself up, the slick ice making it nearly impossible until Kieran’s hand closed around her arm. With a single, effortless tug, he pulled her back to her feet, steadying her against his chest.

"Apologize to the sister," Kieran told the boys. His voice was soft, but with a slight command in it.

"Aunty, forgive us!" the leader of the group chirped, completely ignoring the "sister" request before the pack of them skated away, their laughter trailing behind them like a taunt.

"Hah! Do I really look like an aunty?" Leia turned to Kieran, her eyes wide with genuine offense. "I’m only twenty-four! How can they call me that? Gosh, I’m actually angry."

Kieran’s lips quirked. "They’re just little kids, Leia. Don’t mind them."

"Oh, I mind," Leia muttered, her competitive streak finally overriding her fear. She straightened her posture, her jaw setting in a line of pure stubbornness. "I’m going to show them. I’m going to show them I’m a fast learner. Let’s not waste time, teach me."

She turned and began to stride away from him toward a clearer patch of ice. In her indignation, she hadn’t even noticed that her legs were no longer wobbling; her movements were remarkably steady.

Kieran stayed where he was, a small, admiring smile tugging at his mouth. He crossed his arms over his chest, watching her go. "Then come back here," he called out.

Leia took off with newfound determination, gliding toward Kieran with much steadier strides. They spent the next half an hour practicing, eventually moving in a wide, fluid rotation around the entire rink.

Just as they were finishing a lap, Leia spotted the group of boys huddled near the edge. She slowed down as she neared them, her competitive fire fading when she caught the drift of their conversation.

"My mama will get angry if I don’t return home on time," the lead boy, the one who had teased her, was saying to his friends. His voice sounded much smaller now. "She’s been so sick. Daddy isn’t making enough money, but if I win the contest on Wednesday, the prize money can pay for her medicines. You all have to come and cheer for me, okay?"

The boy’s friends nodded solemnly.

Leia’s heart gave a painful tug. Her anger vanished instantly, replaced by a surge of warmth and respect for the child. He was carrying a man’s burden on such small shoulders. She felt an overwhelming urge to go over and pull him into a hug, but she hesitated. She didn’t want to embarrass him or wound the fierce pride he clearly possessed.

"What happened? Why are you staring at him?" Kieran’s voice was a low murmur.

"I want to help him," Leia stated, turning fully to face Kieran.

~~~~

Happy New Year, everyone 💕. May the year bring us joy, peace, good health and many more opportunities. Thank you for patiently waiting for the updates. I was unable to keep up the updates on the story because of some reasons. But I’m hoping daily updates before ending the story at good note.