"Owwwh, Eve, are we finally done for tonight?"
Trying to suppress a yawn, Astra walks out of a massive corporate building alongside her manager for what seems like the eight time now today. Time never seems to stop for the singer and her manager for life in New Eridu was always abuzz no matter the hour, even more so on the night of a particular romantic occasion.
"We're finished for today, Miss Yao. I'll be driving you home now." Evelyn proceeds to sit on the driver's seat of their massively luxurious car normally used to take Astra wherever she needs or wants to go for her work or leisure.
Astra follows after her, positioning herself on the passenger's seat at the front. It has been a recent habit of hers to unwind there instead of the back whenever Evelyn would take the wheel. To Astra, her relationship with Evelyn went beyond just being acquaintances in work. The two would often spend their free time together and find comfort and solace in each other's presence.
The celebrations for the new year festival ended not too long ago. Life goes on as usual for the citizens of New Eridu. Its bustling and vibrant cityscape always a wonderful sight for Astra to gaze upon whenever she would go to and return from work, humming a few gentle tunes along the way amidst the silence. She would pass by many venues on the side of the road packed with couples looking to spend the night out.
Such indulgences never really fancied Astra, her type of a romantic evening would be to spend it with the one she loved in the warmth and comfort of their own home simply taking pleasure in the soothing quietness and the amenities around her. Her life as a famous celebrity sort of barred her from having any sort of genuine relationships that looked past her status, giving her this odd sense of loneliness before she met Evelyn.
She immediately snaps herself back to reality, taking a few glances upon her driver, wondering if things will continue to remain this way. Astra has always been fond of teasing her manager as a way of easing the tension between them after a hard day's work. Leaning slightly towards Evelyn, she gives her rosy cheek a few gentle prods with her index finger, sporting a cheeky yet innocent smile on her face.
Feeling the constant pressure being applied on her cheek, Evelyn merely lets out a sigh. Already having built a high tolerance for Astra's personal antics whenever the two would find themselves alone together.
"Eveeee~" Astra mumbled with a cheeky smile, still poking her straight-faced manager's cheek, trying to fish for a response.
"...Don't distract me while I'm driving." Evelyn hesitantly replies, trying to maintain her focus on the road ahead. For a slight moment, Astra was able to see a faint smile form on Evelyn's lips. Now finally having gotten a reaction, Astra softly chuckles, not being able to go for one day without being a tease towards her lovely manager.
"I didn't think we would be so swamped with work this early into the year. Oh, how nice it would be to turn into of one those seagulls around Port Elpis. Ignorance is bliss as they say!" Astra slightly shifts her body, stretching her arms forward, quietly groaning, trying to remove that sense of fatigue which she accumulated from all those busy hours. She never once thought that being wealthy and famous would be a life without struggles.
Maybe I should just retire now. Heheh, what do you think, Eve?" She teases her manager, knowing full well of the current circumstances regarding her contract with Odeum HAE.
"...Try not to joke around like that. We still haven't even reached a quarter of the amount needed to buy out your contract." Evelyn frustratingly answers before focusing once more on the road.
Giggling in response, she brushes her hair to the side. "You're so cute, Eve. I'm starting to feel awake already." Astra smirks as Evelyn tries to keep herself from getting flustered.
Their brief conversation was soon replaced by silence as Evelyn continues to drive. Astra stares through the window beside her, seemingly lost in thought. Deep down, she knew these lighthearted interactions would not last forever, and more intimate exchanges would take its place. Astra is aware of Evelyn's affection for her, she hides them well with her professional and intimidating exterior, but no amount of concealment can completely cover it from the singer. "I'm also an actress after all." She muses to herself.
Astra knows and understands that Evelyn needs her more than she needs her.
Yet, on the other hand, Evelyn also knew of Astra's infatuation for Wise. Always placing Astra's well-being and interests before her own, she quietly chose to bury these emotions. Already content with just being beside her.
"...Eve."
"...Eve, do you mind if you drive us somewhere else right now?" The silence was cut short by Astra, still gazing through the window and into the night's starry sky.
"Where could you possibly want to go at this hour? Evelyn asks nonchalantly. "We have a busy schedule tomorrow, and you need to be well-rested."
"If I had to take a guess, you want to go stop by Sixth Street?"
"Hmm, not exactly. Good guess though! Do I really go there that often?" Astra raises a brow. Her eyes slightly widen, realizing just how frequent she has been visiting that video store as part of her usual escapades from the daily grind of life.
Evelyn takes a slight pause. "You've been chatting and spending time with the managers of that video store almost every time you're free from work. It's not even hard to tell you have fee—"
"Cut! Jeez, Eve. You don't have to point that out too... even if it's just the two of us here." Astra crosses her arms, pouting. "Anyway, do you mind driving to the plaza near the Ballet Twins Road?
"...I'll drive you there now." Evelyn huffs in concession. Trying to spare herself the hassle of getting into an argument with Astra.
Her gaze lowers for a second. In truth, she could never even bear to stomach the thought of getting into a quarrel with her.
"..."
"Wait, just like that? Hmm, I thought you'd be more opposed to this."
"It's better this way rather than leaving to you sneak out and go there alone. Why are we heading there anyway?"
"Well, it's nothing special. Wise and I planned to have a date there tonight! You do know what the occasion is, no?" Her eyes gleam with anticipation. "I mean, this is the first time I'm actually celebrating Valentine's!" The songstress proudly exclaims, ignoring the fact her mail gets flooded with dozens of chocolates and bouquets from men and women alike every Valentine's.
"Though, it's a shame that guy can be as dense as a brick when it comes to my advances." Astra mumbles to herself, twisting locks of her hair.
"Wait, why are you only telling me this now? And you planned this knowing we have we have a busy day ahead later?"
"Oh, lighten up, Eve! We can just reschedule those things for another day." Astra smugly dismisses Evelyn's remarks.
"Let's hope this doesn't become a habit then." Evelyn sighs.
"...Right, Eve! I still haven't asked you about Wise! "
"Wise? Something about him?"
"I've heard you've been spending time with him lately, haven't you?" Astra gives her driver a cheeky smile. "Even sleeping with him in a capsule hotel. How bold!"
"Yeah... W-wha— How did you know about that?! Evelyn's voice spikes upon fully grasping Astra's words.
"That's just how it is with being a well-known person out in public. A bunch of eyes and cameras are already trained on you before you even realize it." Astra mutters casually.
"Astra Yao's gorgeous manager spotted leaving a capsule hotel at Lumina Square with a man!" quoting the post she found on the Inter-Knot. "What a scoop!"
"You're pretty famous yourself too, Eve! Astra winks at her manager, flashing a grin.
"Y-you're misunderstanding, he only helped me out with something!"
Quiet chuckles can be heard from the singer as Evelyn's cheeks begin to flush. "You're so cute! Guess you two have been hitting it off. Wise even told me you adopted a bangboo at the Reverb Arena!"
Taking a slight pause, she closes her eyes and smiles to herself. "Though, I'm glad you've been doing all this. To find someone else you can consider important just as they also treat you as someone dear to them makes me happy."
"...Hey, Eve. You're important to me too. Don't forget that." Astra tries to reassure her manager, but she knows Evelyn already understands this well. Spend enough time with someone and eventually words no longer need to be said in order to convey something to them.
There was no visible response, but Astra could clearly tell her words left something. She lets out another slight giggle, feeling very grateful for having someone like Evelyn as both her own manager and a close friend.
"Astra." For a moment, Evelyn seemed like she had something urgent to say but felt like it no longer mattered at that point. It was clear her sights and affection were set on someone else. She wasn't jealous at all, all Evelyn wished for at the end of day is to see Astra being safe and content.
"Eve?"
"...No, it's nothing. Thank you." For a second, her head dropped momentarily before shortly regaining her composure. Like the moths she deeply admires, she will always be drawn to her light regardless of what happens, regardless of what changes. It was Astra who gave her a newfound purpose in a life once filled with violence and killing. No longer must she shed and spill blood for some superiors who would throw her away at without hesitation once she's outlived her usefulness.
"I won't force you to say anything. But I'm always here if you need company." Astra consoles Evelyn, putting a hand on her manager's lap as a display of her affection.
Giving a slow nod, she looks towards Astra for a second, wondering if she is aware of her repressed feelings. If they could be more than just a singer and her manager, more than two close friends outside of work.
Never one to let personal thoughts and feelings gets in the way of her job as an assassin, but she's now working as the manager of New Eridu's most famous singer. For real this time, after she made that decision to choose her over the organization that gave her the mission to take out Astra in the first place. There was something about Astra that always seems to make her subconsciously bend to her will. She peers to the one next to her one more time. "No wonder she's got so many fans..."
The songstress looks out through the window beside her once more, being greeted by numerous crowds minding their own business, with some being captivated by her car given its rare and luxurious nature, making it a magnet for attention to many onlookers. Attention is something Astra is never short on which only pushes her to crave and savor these short-lived moments of peace and quietness even more.
"Has the night always looked this beautiful before?" Her gaze wanders on the tall skyscrapers and the lustrous stars above as silence takes over once more. A cluster of three stars captures Astra's stare.
"Hey, Eve! Those stars... there's three of them..."
Evelyn prompts herself to briefly look, not sure anymore why.
"Aren't they lovely? They're just like you, Wise, and me... Together..." Astra faintly whispers. There was a palpable sense of wishful thinking behind her voice just then, and Evelyn could feel it, though, she tries not to delve into it. Evelyn finds herself puzzled, but eventually couldn't help but gently smile, maybe it's because of that cheesy line, or Astra's childlike curiosity and innocence which drives her to imagine such things.
Thoughts of uncertainty and doubt begin to cloud Astra's mind, but she brushes them all away in an instant without a care.
She plans to make this Valentine's a meaningful one this year. Not just for Astra herself, but for her two dearly beloved individuals as well, though, they clearly haven't been told of the full picture yet.
A gleeful smile is painted on the singer's lips as she takes out her phone, sending a message to a certain proxy on a whim. The night is still young with so much left to do.
-----
Astra: Almost there! Sorry for the wait!
Wise leans against the railing of the plaza, putting away his phone after viewing the message, still pondering as to why Astra would invite her out at this hour and why he even agreed to it in the first place.
They haven't seen each other for some time now, no thanks to Astra's schedule being so packed lately which is probably why this is the only time she's able to spare for whatever she wants to do right now.
"Did she pick this place knowing it would be completely empty? At least she won't be needing that 'disguise' then. "
Valentine's has never really been an occasion Wise, and his sister ever looked forward to celebrating given their indoors lifestyle, and the nature of their work as proxies. They were just grateful for the amount of dennies they could save by not being tied to a commitment. Yet, life has its way of playing the siblings like a fiddle.
Becoming acquainted with numerous groups, and powerful individuals, working for New Eridu's Public Security as informants, and now all the way to making chocolate for the most famous singer in the city.
Wise and Belle had been busying themselves making chocolate together for a good chunk of the previous day, tasting and trying out all sorts of flavors until finally finding the ones that clicked, for them at least. Both each had their own respective outing to be at and agreed to make their own chocolate rather than simply purchasing them from a store as a gesture of celebrating their first actual Valentine's they exclaimed.
The dimly lit surroundings brought some soothing comfort to the proxy. "Belle's probably already been home hours ago..." Wise takes a look at the clock in his phone. He sighs, periodically checking out the finely decorated box in his hand. Wise never got to ask Astra what kind of chocolates she preferred, but doing so would only spoil the act later on.
An actual romantic relationship was never really on the table for Wise, while he indeed holds some degree of affection for Astra, he wasn't really sure if he was ready for such a commitment or if he would even make a good lover, especially to someone as dignified and famed like her. Perhaps her heart already belongs to someone more deserving of her.
Wise gently shakes his head to clear to clear his thoughts. He intends to just hand out the chocolates, catch up on recent times for a while, and then part ways. A straightforward sequence of events that shouldn't be too hard to follow.
A sigh leaves his mouth. "Why am I even getting hung up on th—"
"Wise!"
He quickly turns behind in surprise to be greeted by the sight of Astra and Evelyn, wondering how they were able to get this close without him noticing and if he was that deep in thought.
Astra walks up to him, always assuming a dignified and proper bearing while still maintaining that carefree attitude. It's a mystery to Wise how she does it.
"Missed me?"
"I guess I did." Wish sheepishly replies, unable to hold back a faint blush. "It's nice to see you again... you too, Evelyn."
"...Likewise, it's been a while." Evelyn answers with a smile, her arms crossed as usual. She appears to be scanning her surroundings, her eyes quickly darting across many directions, possibly on the lookout for any bystanders or paparazzis looking to eavesdrop.
"Sorry for inviting you out here so late. This really is the only time I can spare for today." Astra cheerfully says.
"No problem at all. Oh, right..." Wise extends his hand towards Astra, revealing an elegant box of what seems to be filled with chocolates.
"...Uhm, happy Valentine's... Astra." Wise starts stroking his cheek, a visible tint of red painted on them. He was definitely nervous, but not as much, mainly due to having been acquainted and even going out with many of the opposite gender. The only thing he can never get used to is Jane's relentless teasing.
Sparkles start to gleam in Astra's eyes as she sets her sight on the box. "Wiseee~!"
"How Lovely! Thank you!" She gracefully takes the box and immediately proceeds to open it, revealing a number of chocolates shaped in the likeness of a bangboo. "They're so cute!"
"Belle and I made them yesterday. It was definitely an experience so to say... Hope you like them." Wise says with a subtle tone of worry behind his voice. The siblings never got to let others try it out besides themselves during the whole process.
"It'd be a shame to eat these. They're adorable, and you even made them as well! Astra exclaims before hesitantly taking a bite.
The singer moans in satisfaction from the chocolate. "Wow! That was pretty good, Wise! You ever thought of starting a pastry business!?" She teases, still savoring the lingering aftertaste of the delicacy.
A sigh of relief washes over Wise after hearing those words. Maybe he just might heed Astra and start up a bakery after all.
"Glad you like it." He smiles.
Wise looks to Evelyn behind Astra, he takes out another box as he slowly approaches her. It just didn't feel right to him for someone to look as if they're left out.
"Hmm? Wise?" Evelyn's brows and eyes widen as she turns towards him, realizing his intention.
"Uh... This is for you too... Evelyn." Wise hands out another box, this time to Astra's manager. "I still had enough to fill another box... so..."
Evelyn blinks a few times, trying to grasp the situation she's in. "I-it would be rude to decline. Thank you, Wise." Both struggle to maintain eye contact with each other. She hesitantly takes the box of chocolates from his hand. For Evelyn, this was actually her first time to receive chocolates from someone during Valentine's.
Festivities and occasions had little meaning to her as someone who once lived in the shadows. Love wasn't something she openly craved, but she would find herself clinging and latching on to those who would often display any sort of affection towards her as a result of being deprived of a childhood with a loving family.
Evelyn would develop an almost obsessive desire to protect these individuals, though, she tries to be subtle about it. It's no surprise she's begun to view Wise in almost the same light as Astra after some intimate interactions here and there, secretly wishing for those moments where she can unload her burdens and be vulnerable around those close to her.
"Well, aren't you two being lovey-dovey?"
Astra's face lit up from what she had just witnessed. "You know... you're really considerate, Wise. Both of you looked so cute!" Astra playfully gives the proxy's cheek a few pokes to tease him causing him to blush.
It was usually Astra's constant teasing and playfulness that would always bring some liveliness to their outings whenever the three of them decide to meet up. Astra knew she was the one that connected the three of them together, and she would have it no other way. She cherished the two of them deeply, even going as far as to mention they were her two favorite persons once upon a time.
"Hmm, it wasn't really much to be honest..." Wise replies, trying to deflect the flattery.
"Even so! It must have taken you lots of effort to make them. I appreciate it, Wise, especially for giving one to Eve as well." It would always delight her to see Evelyn and Wise getting along.
"Wait, speaking of chocolates..."
Astra completely freezes.
How could she possibly forget something as important as bringing chocolates for such an occasion she was looking forward to. She sinks to the ground in an almost comical manner.
"...Eve, can you please end me now? Make it quick." Astra weakly whispers, ready to accept her death as the consequence for her own ignorance. Evelyn simply rolls her eyes in response to Astra's bizarre act, already used to it at this point.
The thought of having nothing to give Wise in return wrenched at her heart. "o
Oh, I'm a failure."
"Sorry, Wise. I don't have anything to give you in return." Evelyn smiles dejectedly. "To be honest, I was planning to buy some chocolates for Astra, but it somehow slipped my mind as well."
Wise simply sighs and helps Astra up. "It's alright, Astra. Just seeing you two for tonight is already more than I could ask for."
Astra immediately reverts back to her usual cheery self as if she never suffered a break down a few seconds ago. Both Evelyn and Wise couldn't help but sigh together.
"That won't do at all! I must eventually repay you and Eve for this, otherwise I'm going to have a bunch of sleepless nights, and I think Eve probably wouldn't like that!" Astra pouts.
"I told you already I'm fine, but if you insist." Wise scratches the back of his head, it didn't seem like he had much of a choice in this matter.
"Try not to worry about it, Wise~!" Astra winks at him to which Wise looks away in response, trying to cover his face with his hand. It remains a complete mystery to him how she can make him and Evelyn dance to her tune while being unable to assert themselves over her, though, both won't deny how endearing it is to them seeing Astra be the way she usually is.
"Let's go sit over there, you two!" Astra goes to take a seat on the nearby bench overlooking the river below the plaza. Many boats would occasionally come here, normally to pass through or simply idle to admire the surroundings.
The two follow after Astra, and sit alongside her, placing her in the middle.
"Eve! Here, let me feed you!" Astra takes another piece of chocolate and puts her hand right next to Evelyn's still closed lips.
"...Huh?! Evelyn suddenly leans backwards away from Astra." Ahem, I'm good, I already have my own anyway..."
Astra pouts. "Don't be a killjoy! Now, come here!"
Evelyn reluctantly leans forward to taste the chocolate between Astra's fingers, brushing her hair to the side. The sight was weirdly intimate to Wise.
"...Well? Pretty good, right?"
She takes her time to savor the taste of the confection before shortly swallowing it.
"...It's delicious." Evelyn softly mutters, pleased with the taste.
"Alright, your turn, Eve!" Astra hands over a piece of chocolate to Evelyn.
"...Are we really doing this?"
"Yep! Now feed me!" The singer playfully exclaims, opening her mouth wide.
"Hmm, no." Evelyn smirks. Wise, come closer."
"W-wait! Eve?" Astra quickly responds in surprise.
The sudden instruction from Evelyn almost made Wise jump. Was this her attempt at getting back at Astra for being such a tease?
"Miss Evelyn? Uh... It's fine honestly!" Wise waves his hands as a gesture for her to back off.
"Just eat it, Wise." She sighs, still wearing a gentle smile.
"Then... please excuse me." Wise leans over as Evelyn feeds him the chocolate. There was certainly something weird about being fed something he especially made to give away for Valentine's, but he tried not to mind it too much in attempt to maintain his own composure, merely to save face in front of two extremely gorgeous women despite already getting flustered several times no thanks to Astra.
"Oh my..." Astra looks in awe.
"Not very nice of you, Eve... Still, that was adorable!" Astra grins, implying Evelyn did little to agitate her.
A shameless yawn escapes from Astra.
"How's proxy life been lately, Wise? Astra randomly asks, attempting to break the awkward silence around them.
"You and Belle must be drowning in dennies with how much risk your job normally entails."
"Hmm, not exactly. Sure, we don't really face that many risks on our own safety thanks to Eous and Fairy, but our electricity bills have been pretty extortionate recently mostly due to the latter's excessive power consumption."
Wise sighs. "I would even say excessive is still a bit of an understatement, hah... We haven't been able to find many commissions too recently."
"Oh, found something else to pass the time then?" Evelyn inquires.
"Yes, actually, I've been going out fishing with a pubsec officer I know whenever we're both free. It's rather therapeutic compared to exploring hollows that's for sure."
"Must be nice to have all the time for what you want to do." Astra mutters back with a hint of jealousy in her voice.
She loves her job, and she loves singing and acting all the more, but Astra would often wonder if that were all there really is to her own life. Writing songs, doing rehearsals, and performing gigs and auditions have all been quintessential aspects of her daily grind as a singer, many of which required her to sacrifice her own sleep and personal time for the sake of living up to expectations.
"...Sorry if that came across as rude. I felt like I wasn't me for a second. Anyway, I'd love to see you go fishing if you'd invite me!"
"Some trouble at work, Astra?" Wise tilts his head, showing signs of worry.
"Not at all! More like just too much work lately and not having much control over my own schedule isn't exactly helping either since I'm bound to a contract."
"...Thankfully, Eve knows how to talk some sense into those suits and listen to me every once in a while. Emphasis on that last part. I don't know where I would be right now without her." Astra tries to perk herself up.
"Astra..." Evelyn whispers, placing a hand on her lady's shoulder to bring some comfort.
"I'm also here if you need some help. Wise pauses for a brief second. "Though, I'm not exactly sure how I can be of assistance to your career..." He laughs awkwardly, rubbing the back of his head.
"Don't be like that! You don't remember when you helped me sneak out and accompany me on my birthday that one time? Astra takes a deep breath to relax.
"It's a bit weird to say this right now, I don't think Eve and I would have made it out of Starloop in one piece during my concert there if you and Belle hadn't been there. Thank you."
"Just seeing you two is more than enough to brighten my day. I mean it."
"By the way..."
Astra pulls her two companions closer for a hug. She takes out her phone, posing for a group selfie.
"A-astr—?!"
"Eve, Wise! Smile!" An audible click can be heard as Astra presses the button.
Each wore their own brand of smile for the photo. Astra was her usual glamorous self, winking at the camera while Wise and Evelyn donned a warm, albeit awkward smile.
"Wow~! I think I might get this framed! Don't we all look good here?" Astra shows the photo she took.
"Uhh, I guess so. You two look really pretty."
"Flirting now, Wise? Oh my~" Astra chuckles, cupping her own cheeks.
He sighs. "Think whatever you like."
Astra starts scrolling on the gallery of her phone, revealing a number of dazzling pictures she took."...You know, most people never truly appreciate the value of photos until much later in their lives once they look back on them."
Wise nods in agreement. "We're the same in that regard. Belle and I like to keep a memory board in our own rooms as a sort of space to hold all the pictures we might end up on reminiscing on. Truthfully, It's a bittersweet pastime."
Evelyn huffs, somewhat visibly distressed by the conversation.
"Can't relate with you two, unfortunately. I don't think there's ever been a moment in my past that doesn't either make me hate myself or fill me with regret." Her head lowers as she slowly clenches her hand, wishing there was a bottle of booze next to her right now to drown out the resurfacing memories.
"I'm sorry, Evelyn. That was inconsiderate of me."
"N-no... It's nothing to apologize for, my tongue just slipped there."
Astra clutches both of her bodyguard's hands much to the latter's surprise, holding them close to her chest.
"It's alright, Eve. There's nothing wrong with being your vulnerable self, especially around those close to you.
"...No good being on edge all the time, okay?" Astra looks Evelyn straight in the eye for a while before letting go of her hands.
"Astra's right, you work as her manager, but you're also her closest friend above all else." Wise reluctantly says.
Evelyn looks away to her side, composing herself before turning back to the ones beside her.
"...Thanks, I feel better now."
Just then Astra suddenly groans in an adorable fashion.
" Hmm, is there something bothering you, Astra?" Wise asks with palpable concern.
"Well, not to spoil the mood, but its Valentine's! We should be talking about romance and feeding each other chocolates, not getting sentimental and thanking each other over and over again!"
"Romance, huh..." Wise blankly stares upwards.
"Then... is there someone you want as a lover?"
Astra expresses a bit of surprise at Wise being ahead of her before she could give the same question herself.
"No fair, Wise! Asking me such a blunt question out of the blue...
"Uhm, you don't have to answer if you don't want to..."
Astra quietly chuckles to herself. "You need to work on your reverse psychology if you think that would guilt trip me into answering." She smirks at the proxy.
"I-I didn't mean it like that." He strokes his cheek.
"Heh, you're no fun... If you're really that curious about it,"
"I do."
"That's great to hear."
Astra pouts, seemingly disappointed in Wise's underwhelming reply. "Not going to ask who they are?"
"No, that would be too personal for me to ask. It's not my business anyway."
She doesn't bother saying anything back, only glancing at him with her regular cheeky expression as if trying to convey a particular hint to Wise even if it's to no avail. Still, it was always this kind of innocence and his purehearted nature which made him so endearing to her.
"How about you, Evelyn?"
A visibly startled look adorned her face after hearing that question. Wise sees her reaction and starts reconsidering if he should have even asked. It was already very obvious to him who the object of her affection is anyway.
" Actually, forget I asked that..."
Paying no mind to Wise taking back his question, she takes a few seconds to pause.
"...I do. Though, I'm not sure if that person would reciprocate my feelings or maybe I'm just overthinking it... I don't know." Evelyn finally answers with a weary smile.
By now, it was clear to Evelyn that Astra is fully aware of her thoughts, yet she wonders why she can't bring herself to directly confront Astra about it.
"I see. But how much do you like that person?" Astra abruptly butts in for a follow-up to Wise's question.
"A lot."
"...Was that a good enough answer?" Evelyn rubs her eyes, feeling a little cathartic.
Astra gasps and appears to be blushing for the first time tonight.
"That so sweet of you~! S-say, Eve, you ever thought of becoming an actress?!~"
"I'll stick to what I'm good at. I Appreciate the offer though."
"Ahem!" Astra fakes a few coughs, slowly directing her attention to Wise as he quietly gets up from the bench to leave only to be stopped by Astra's hand holding onto his arm.
"Going so soon?"
"Wise?" Evelyn looks at him with concern.
"Uh, felt like I was interrupting something between you two..."
Astra's cheerful demeanor suddenly shifts into something more somber, still not letting go of Wise's arm.
"Thats not true, and you know that yourself. This wouldn't be a date without you."
"...And besides, I still haven't paid you back for those lovely chocolates you gave to me and Eve just yet!"
Wise lets out an audibly sigh. "Then, I'll take you up on those words."
"Wait, how exactly are you going to pay me back tonight? You don't really have to."
"Let's save that talk for later~" She winks. "First things first!"
I think a little revenge is in order for those questions you gave us earlier." She playfully pokes his cheek.
"Hmm, it's only fair I suppose. Throw it at me."
"Let's see, Is there—
"Do you like Astra...?" Evelyn completely drowns Astra's words in that moment. It was audible with no possible room for twists or misunderstandings. She wasn't too sure why she asked Wise that particular question. Perhaps she really couldn't bear the tension anymore and wanted to settle things now for her sake, or it was done out of selflessness for her two companions beside her, wishing them happiness.
"Eve..." Astra looks to her.
There was hardly any hint of surprise in both their faces. Both Astra and Wise knew the night would eventually come to this and that time has arrived.
"...I won't deny that I do. So, my answer is yes." Wise finally speaks up after a minute-long silence.
"But..." Wise pauses.
"I'm not so sure if I could be a lover suitable for her. I don't even know if this is something I want right now... The feeling probably isn't mutual anyway."
"If anything, both of you rightfully deserve each other, and I would never rob you two of that."
Evelyn couldn't help but silently gasp upon hearing his words.
"Uh, sorry if you were expecting a more interesting answer, but that's really it." He leans backwards to relax.
There was a slightly disappointed look on Astra's face as if she was genuinely hoping for a different kind of response despite the sincerity in his answer.
"Wise..." Astra gently smiles at him, a faint blush present on cheeks.
"...What if I told you those feelings are mutual?"
"I doubt you're teasing this time, but my stance won't change."
"...I really don't know why you're like this. You've already done too much for Astra... and even me. It won't hurt to be selfish or once. Its fine." Evelyn glances at Wise.
"But you—"
"Thats it. Astra, go kiss him already, so we can get this over with."
"H-huh?! Isn't there supposed to be some build up before that happens like in those romance movies, r-right, Wise?" Astra struggles to compose herself.
Wise lets out an exhausted sigh, still unsure of what to do in this situation.
"I'd rather stick with what we have now than leave one of you to eventually drift away. Anyway, I can't cross the line. Not when all three of us are such good friends."
"Friends..." Astra stands, leaning on the railing overlooking the river of the plaza. Her hair is blown majestically by a gust of wind passing by as she turns to her lovely companions, flashing a brilliant smile.
Both merely sat still appreciating the dazzling sight before them, wondering why someone resembling a radiant star like Astra would choose them of all people to be her beloved favorites.
"Then..."
"Can we not be something more together?
" Us three... as lovers." She hesitated to finish her words, but this was nothing in comparison to her many onstage performances where all sorts of judging eyes and lenses would be trained directly on her.
Wise simply remained silent at the suggestion of such an idea, for either him or Evelyn to be pushed together with Astra was one thing, but the thought of them being lovers to each other...
"Astra... you... What are you saying?" Evelyn could hardly speak straight, not knowing what to feel.
Astra pouts but quickly smiles again. "Making a lady be blunt about it..."
"I love you two." She proudly exclaims with utmost confidence.
"I didn't get this far in life without being a little greedy here and there, and I guess I really am greedy enough to want both of you."
"...Only if you two would join me in this of course." She fakes a laugh to ease the tension, becoming almost visibly nervous. Only now does Astra believe her own greed may have finally caught up to her.
Evelyn stands, taking a few steps towards Astra. She takes her lady's hand and firmly grips with her own.
"I love you too. And it's only because it's you and Wise that I would be happy to do this."
They turn to Wise, silently urging him on to rise and join them as he faintly chuckles before shortly doing so.
He lovingly takes Astra's other hand into his. "Likewise, I love you as well, Astra."
A sense of warmth fills Astra as she holds onto both Wise and Evelyn. She was most definitely certain there were butterflies in her stomach from the sensation she is experiencing.
"Finally honest with ourselves, are we? I'm glad." Astra giggles as their hands reluctantly pull away much to Evelyn's slight annoyance, still not satisifed of her desire for the sensuality she's begun to crave. Though, she tries not to express it, Astra could easily see right through the walls Evelyn would put up around herself like it was almost second nature to her.
She looks to Wise, still reeling in the thought of being in a relationship with Astra Yao alongside her manager, now also her equal lover.
"...Wise, do you mind if we go there for a moment?" Astra points to a certain corner with her eyes."
"Hmm, Astra?" He questions her intention as his train of thoughts was interrupted, seemingly worried about Evelyn being left out of something important.
"There something I need to you know. It's about... Eve." She whispers quietly.
"About Evel— Huh?!"
Wise hesitantly complies as Astra drags him away by the arm before he could raise any more concerns.
Evelyn raises her eyebrows, curious on what Wise and Astra are up to without her.
"Where are you two going?"
"Sorry, Eve! Just need to impart something important! We'll be back~!" Astra playfully winks at her in response.
"H-huh...?" Evelyn just stood still in a state of astonishment.
Having reached the spot, Astra takes a few moments to compose herself while Wise remains silent. Hoping he would receive her words well. But her worries would all be swept away upon seeing the reassuring smile on his lips.
"...Wise, It makes me happy to know you've spent a lot of moments with Eve whenever I'm too busy to be with her. I can tell you she really appreciates it."
Wise slowly nods. "Uhm, I see... I don't think I really did much to be honest."
"Oh, Eve wouldn't like it if she heard that~"
"So, what exactly were you going to tell me?"
Astra sighs. "You may already be aware of this, but Eve isn't the tough and intimidating girl she puts herself out to be in work and public. In truth, she's the most delicate of us three."
"I think that's kind of the impression I got from her." Wise mutters, rubbing his eyes to ward off the drowsiness.
"You get it? In a way, she's only longing for some kind of intimacy, but I can't always be there for her."
Wise only nods, now aware of where Astra is taking this conversation and what her intention is.
"Sorry if what I'm about to say sounds too selfish of me."
"Go ahead, I'm here for you."
"Wise, I want you to love Eve the same way you would love me. Be by her side... especially when I can't be with you two."
"...Actually, I have no problem with that. It's just... Wise trails off, slightly nervous that Evelyn may not be completely onboard with this proposition.
Astra smirks. "Don't worry. It'll come naturally, and when it does happen... Do it because you love her, and not out of something like pity because she can see right through you~! Astra suppresses a giggle, putting a hand to her lips.
"Thanks for the advice. I'll keep it in mind."
"Besides, aren't the two of you already pretty close?"
"A-are we?" Wise nervously asks.
Astra mentally face-palms herself at the thought of her boyfriend still being this dense after everything that's happened tonight.
"Trust me. That girl would never show herself being vulnerable to anyone else apart from you and me. Did you really never find her being a bit... clingy?"
Wise recalls the night he slept in a capsule hotel together with Evelyn after she gestured for him to stay.
"Now that you mention it, she did say something about how she would—"
He abruptly stops himself from speaking any further.
"No, it'd leave a bad taste on my mouth if I finished that. Not a fan of gossip."
A sense of guilt overwhelms Astra, causing her to turn away.
"...Sorry for unloading all of this on you."
Wise thought of embracing Astra to ease her but immediately decided not to. He promises to himself not to do anything physical with Astra in Evelyn's absence and also trusts his partners to do the same.
"Don't be. I said I'm here for you... just as I would be for Evelyn."
Her eyes light up almost instantly. "You know, it's like I'm falling for you all over again~"
"Now you're just flirting. Let's head back."
Astra and Wise walk back to find Evelyn leaning on the railing, enjoying the chocolates Wise gave her while possibly daydreaming or blankly staring at the sky.
"Eve!" Evelyn turns around, happy to see the two back.
"Oh, back so soon?" Evelyn cheekily asks, crossing her arms.
"Hehe... Sorry we had to leave you alone." Astra anxiously scratches her head. It was completely understandable for Evelyn to be somewhat frustrated for leaving her there after all.
Evelyn merely sighs, not able to bring herself to be mad at her partners at this point. She has utmost faith that her love for them was not misplaced.
"What did you two even talk about over there?"
"Not much, I wanted to give Wise a few pointers about our relationship, but I did mention some personal things. I won't lie."
"Uhm, Evelyn, I can assure you Astra did it for your sake."
Evelyn grins. "Stop being so serious."
"Look, whatever it is, I trust you two." She brushes a few strands of hair to the side, seemingly not bothering to care that much anymore due to the lack of either sleep or caffeine now taking effect on her. It was mostly thanks to the ones beside to her that she didn't have to be tense most of the time now at least outside of work as Astra's manager.
Astra walks between Wise and Evelyn, gazing upwards at the stars above again. "It's been a lovely night with you two."
Wise chuckles "I don't think any of us would deny that. Guess we'll call it here then?"
An alluring smirk forms on Astra's lips. "...We could, but I don't think it would be right to end it here."
"We still have some memories left to make, don't we?"
She puts her index finger to her lower lip, slowly inching towards Evelyn.
"Let me make it up to you, Eve." Astra whispers before softly placing a hand on Evelyn's cheek.
"A-Astra... W-wha—"
Astra begins to lean forward, her lips finally joining with Evelyn's. It took a second or two for the latter to reciprocate and gently push back a little, letting out a subtle moan as they practically gave in and lost themselves to each other.
More quiet moans followed while Astra shifts to wrap her arms around Evelyn's waist, drawing her closer. All the build up of tension and suppressed emotions further intensified the moment. Only did the increasingly urgent need to breathe bring them to slowly drift apart, leaving both feeling cathartic.
"...How was it?" Astra gently smiles at Evelyn.
Evelyn remained speechless; her mouth agape as she tried to take some deep breaths to recover her breathing. She puts up the palm of her hand against her lips, still feeling the lingering sensation of what she did with Astra.
"I love you, Eve. Don't stop being precious for me, alright?"
Evelyn simply nods in response, not in the right state of mind to even speak right now.
"Wise! Why don't you go give Eve some love as well?" Astra scoots behind Wise, urging him to kiss her by giving a few light taps on his back to get him to move forward.
"Huh?! I don't think that's appropriate to do right now..." Wise sheepishly says.
"W-what are you making him do?" Evelyn recoils in surprise, still somewhat dazed from her kiss with Astra.
"Oh, just doing some counselling for you two." Astra tries to play it off casually as she slowly moves Wise even closer.
They stood right next to each other, awkwardly waiting for the other to make the first move. Something in Wise made him really want to inch closer and do the deed, but his thoughtful self wouldn't allow it without her consent.
He notes how awfully submissive Evelyn becomes when it comes to matters like this. Maybe he could just do it, and she'd naturally give in. Though, taking advantage of someone's submissiveness didn't sit right with him.
Suddenly, he felt some tugs on the cuff of his jacket.
"Go ahead..." Evelyn looked at him in the eyes briefly before turning away, struggling to keep herself steady for what's coming. She didn't mind doing it with Wise at all, not because it's for Astra's sake or to repay him for those chocolates, it was simply for the fact that she loves him as he became another light alongside Astra to pull her out of the shadow.
Seeing her gesture of approval, Wise placed a few fingers on her chin then gently proceeded to close the gap between their lips. Evelyn pulled on his arms to move him a little closer. They stood there in bliss shortly before parting. The kiss was tender, sweet, and innocent. Only lasting for a brief moment with neither side being assertive. Astra remained still, admiring the scene unfolding before her.
Just then Wise notices a tear freely flowing down Evelyn's eye, her walls beginning to crumble under the overwhelming affection.
She never imagined doing this with Astra just a few days ago, much less with Wise, yet here she is now, engaging in such loving acts with both of them, and she wouldn't have it any other way.
He takes out a handkerchief, wiping the moist trail on her face. Evelyn did not sob.
There was no need for words or vocal declarations of love for both mutually understood the significance behind their actions.
Astra heartily strides in. "Look at my cuties being lovey-dovey~"
"Hope you two still have enough love saved for me."
"That goes without saying." Evelyn mumbles.
"Always will." Wise chimes in.
"In that case... How about I repay you right now, Wise?"
Wasting no time, Astra grabs him to take his lips, kissing him in the same manner as she did with Evelyn. The proxy made no attempt in resisting Astra's alluring advance and forceful movements, her flowery scent certainly didn't help either.
"There."
Astra was a natural at leaving her mark on people, whether it was through her memorable performances on stage or something more when it comes to her lovers, often leaving them a blushing mess as is the case with Wise right now. She is self-aware of how pushy and assertive she can be and is not ashamed of it in the slightest.
Now content after getting everyone to kiss, Astra releases a big sigh of relief, having never felt so liberated in her life to have such loving and talented lifelong companions beside her. She didn't know any more if this was her plan or if the stars really just happened to align for her for something like this to happen.
"To be honest, I never thought we would actually end up like this." Wise nervously rubs his cheek.
Astra smirks.
"Who decided that love should only be between two people anyway?"
"No need to bother yourself with that." Evelyn embraces Astra from behind and buries her nose on the singer's hair, still looking for just a little more physical contact.
"Yeah, maybe you're right. I'm so lucky have to you two."
She subconsciously takes Evelyn's hand along with Wise's in the heat of the moment, pulling both of them to join for a loving embrace as their foreheads gently bump, and hands connect under the warmth of the moonlight. The night is still young with so much left to do.
"Eve, Wise, I don't want to be alone tonight..."