Kestrel approached from behind, took hold of the hand holding the cooking tool, switched off the stove, and hugged him tightly around his middle.

For a second, Ren’s solid muscles stiffened under her touch.

Kestrel sniffed, noticing her own growing hunger.

The place was filled with the aroma of the meal, a blend of oatmeal fragrance and mushroom scent. A sweet note lingered as well, a pure and enticing sweetness that was uniquely Ren.

Kestrel’s face was nestled against Ren’s sturdy, wide back, sensing the muscles stiffen before gradually loosening. She was somewhat confused about what type of hunger she was experiencing, but in any case, she felt an intense hunger, craving to devour everything.

She served the food Ren had prepared into two dishes.

He had sprinkled aromatic mushrooms into the oatmeal gruel. Kestrel wondered where Ren had found these mushrooms, perhaps he had ventured out while she was showering, limping on his wounded leg. The world outside hadn’t yet awoken, but with a meticulous search, it was still possible to locate some tasty food.

They sat down together to savor this piping hot food at the dining table. The meal was fresh and appealing, a great relief after enduring days of fierce combat. Being able to have such a warm and delightful meal nearly brought tears to Kestrel’s eyes, a surge of joy overwhelming her.

In the glowing oatmeal soup, slices of white edible mushrooms floated. Kestrel’s gaze on those tiny white mushrooms made her feel somewhat dreamy. It reminded her of a past chaotic moment when she tried to feed Ren colorful poisonous mushrooms they found in the underground den. Back then, she had forcefully held his jaw, cramming the randomly collected food into his mouth.

Thinking back on that, even Kestrel’s tendrils seemed to feel a bit embarrassed and clumsy.

Once they finished eating, Kestrel firmly decided not to let Ren exert himself any more, directing her tendrils to toss the dirty dishes into the sink with a loud noise. 𝙧𝙚𝙚𝔀𝒆𝓫𝓷𝙤𝓿𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝙤𝓶

Ren grasped her hand, guiding her to sit on the couch, where he attended to some of her minor injuries. They had carried limited medical supplies to avoid being weighed down. Ren hesitated to use up the scarce supply, gingerly using the small remaining amount on Kestrel’s body.

Right then, they were extremely close to each other. Kestrel could inhale the fresh fragrance of his newly washed hair, and clearly observe his fluttering eyelashes as he looked down. The hand that was wrapping the bandage around Kestrel’s arm was steady and slightly rough, slightly pinching her wrist’s skin.

Using a cotton swab, his other hand dabbed a bit of healing liquid onto the wounds, creating a mild stinging sensation.

Kestrel gave a quiet whimper, noticing Ren looking up at her with a faint smile.

The room’s lighting cast a somewhat mysterious glow, dim and blurry. His look and smile resembled a sudden nighttime blossoming of a rose, from its heart to its tender petals, he seemed completely mesmerizing, emanating an allure.

His sweet aroma pervaded the confined space.

Kestrel was uncertain if she ever mentioned to Ren that his smile was her favorite sight. Yet, it seemed like he instinctively knew, frequently gifting such smiles to her. That smile, silent yet profound, sparked some deep, innate feelings within, kindling a desire to gently provoke him, even in his battered condition.

Kestrel’s eyes drifted from the injury on Ren’s face downwards, past the collarbone where a nasty knife wound was visible, moving further to the chest covered with bandages, and down to the wrapped legs.

Ren was battered and bruised, with significant injuries to his ribs and legs, he should have been recuperating properly.

They were seated on the small, overly plush sofa. Ren held Kestrel’s hand; the disinfecting solution was thoroughly spread, with Ren’s fingers absentmindedly stroking her skin softly.

The aroma of beta pheromones was overwhelmingly potent, filling their surroundings.

Tendrils sprouted from the ground, accidentally toppling bottles and containers of medicine on the floor.

Kestrel bowed her head, gradually moving closer. She realized she should curb her impulsiveness, continuously reminding herself of Ren’s injuries, yet the subtle sparkle in Ren’s eyes and his affectionate smile towards her made it somewhat hard for Kestrel to stay composed.

Slowly, Kestrel leaned in.

At that moment, Ren lifted his finger, covered in clean white bandages, standing between them, and gently placed it on Kestrel’s lips.

"Wait, I need to tell you something," Ren’s voice was deep, sounding like water running in the deep sea.

"What is he trying to say now?" Kestrel’s thoughts became a little scrambled.

Ren’s deep voice felt like a soft feather drifting slowly in the sunlight, touching the heart, making you want to listen more but also wishing to quiet him down.

In the faint and shadowy light, the strong smell of beta pheromone mingled with the sweetness of Ren, making it hard to think clearly.

Kestrel wasn’t completely sure about what Ren was feeling, guessing that maybe he needed to rest. She also felt that maybe she shouldn’t be releasing beta pheromone right now.

Ren’s fragrance and voice caused Kestrel’s head to spin, making it difficult to think straight.

"I should have been the one to say it first. I haven’t properly told you yet," Ren’s forehead touched Kestrel’s, their figures only separated by his bandaged hand.

Kestrel softly voiced her agreement, asking, "Say what?"

After a brief silence, Ren’s low and resonant voice clearly rang in Kestrel’s ear, "I have feelings for you, Kestrel."

His words seemed to warm the air around them, "I didn’t do well, I should have confessed sooner. I should have been the one to express my feelings first."

Kestrel kissed the back of his hand, thinking he was kind of adorable. Then she asked, "Why do you have to be the one to say it first? Can’t I express my feelings, can’t I take the initiative?"

"Because I developed feelings for you before. I’ve liked you for a very long time, hoping that you would embrace me," Ren’s statements were fervent, lighting a fire within both of them.

He spoke with utmost seriousness and honesty, every word truthful. His confession was utterly bewitching.

"Am I the only one in this world who can’t say lovey-dovey stuff?" Kestrel pondered internally, removing the bandaged hand and kissing Ren.

As she kissed him, Kestrel noticed him shutting his eyes, enthusiastically reciprocating the kiss.

In that instance, Kestrel knew for sure that he had affection for her, he also wanted her, and he had yearned for this moment for a lengthy period.