Chapter?691 155.2 - Case of a breakfast


    Astron''s mouth curled into the faintest of smirks, an expression so rare it caught Irina off guard. Even that subtle shift in his usuallyposed demeanor was enough to make her realize he was amused-deeply so.


    Her cheeks burned as irritation red. "What''s with that smug face?" she muttered under her breath, though she couldn''t muster the energy to do anything about it. Instead, she huffed and stalked closer to him, her steps deliberate.


    "I want to do it too," she dered, crossing her arms as she stopped just short of where he stood.


    Astron nced at her, raising a single eyebrow. "Do what?" he asked, his voice calm butced with a subtle challenge.


    "Cook," Irina said firmly, her tone leaving no room for argument.


    His lips twitched again, and his gaze flickered back to the skillet on the stove. "Feeling useless?" he asked, the question deceptively casual.


    Irina bristled, her fists clenching at her sides. "Tch. Bastard," she snapped. "I''m offering my help."


    Astron didn''t miss a beat, his tone as steady as ever. "Sometimes, the best way to help is by staying still."


    Her eyes narrowed, her jaw tightening. "You''re saying it''s better for me to stay still?" she challenged, her voice rising slightly.


    Astron turned to face her fully, his purple eyes gleaming faintly with amusement. "It''s up to you how you interpret it," he replied, his tone maddeningly neutral.


    Irina huffed again, the frustration in her chest warring with a growing sense of determination. "Fine," she said, stepping closer until she was practically beside him. "Then I''ll interpret it my way. Teach me."


    Astron raised an eyebrow, clearly surprised by her persistence. He studied her for a moment, his gaze sharp and calcting, before he sighed softly. "Fine," he said, motioning toward the counter. "But don''t me me if you mess it up."


    Irina scoffed, rolling up the sleeves of her robe. "I won''t," she said confidently, though her heart was pounding. This wasn''t about proving herself to him-it was about proving something to herself.


    Astron handed her a bowl of chopped herbs, his movements as calm and precise as ever. "Start by mixing these into the batter," he instructed, his tone almost clinical.


    Irina nodded, herpetitive streak ring as she set to work. I''ll show him, she thought, her hands moving with surprising care as she followed his directions.


    Astron watched her quietly for a moment, his rare smirk softening into something closer to a faint smile. "Not bad," he said finally, his voice low.


    Irina nced at him out of the corner of her eye, her lips twitching into a small, triumphant smile. "Of course not," she muttered. But her heart fluttered slightly at the subtle praise, and for a moment, the tension between them melted away as they worked side by side.


    Just like that, she continued to work alongside Astron, herpetitive streak driving her to focus intently on every instruction he gave. At first, everything seemed to go smoothly. She mixed the batter with the herbs, followed his precise measurements, and even managed to roll the patties into even shapes. A small sense of satisfaction bloomed in her chest as she saw her worke together.


    "Not bad," Astronmented as he nced at her progress, his tone neutral but with a hint of approval.


    Irina puffed up slightly, a triumphant smirk on her lips. "Of course not," she replied confidently, her hands moving deftly as she turned her attention to the frying pan.


    But then things took a turn.


    Astron, managing multiple tasks at once with his usual calm efficiency, left her to handle frying the potato slices while he prepared another dish. Irina, eager to prove herself, worked with determination-until she made a critical error.


    She grabbed a pot of hot water, intending to pour it into the nearby kettle, but in her haste, her hand tilted at the wrong angle. A ssh of water spilled into the pan of frying oil.


    The reaction was immediate.


    With a loud hiss, the oil erupted into mes, a burst of heat surging upward. Irina jumped back, her eyes wide as the fire roared in front of her.


    "Damn it!" she eximed, her instincts screaming at her to do something.


    But this wasn''t the controlled fire of her Emberheart techniques-this was natural fire, born from chemical reactions, and it didn''t obey her in the same way. She reached out with her mana reflexively, but the mes resisted, wild and untamed.


    "Think, Irina," she muttered under her breath, her heart pounding as the fire grew. She nced at Astron, who was still managing his tasks with an infuriatingly calm expression, his sharp purple eyes flicking toward her briefly.


    Her temper red as she realized he wasn''t stepping in. He''s just watching me struggle?!n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Gritting her teeth, she shifted her approach. If direct maniption wouldn''t work, then-Telekinesis. Her mind snapped to the solution, and she concentrated, her mana surging outward as she used her telekinesis to smother the mes by cutting off their


    ess to oxygen.


    It worked-eventually.


    The fire sputtered out, leaving behind a charred pan and the unmistakable scent of burned food. Irina stared at the ckened remnants of what had once been her carefully prepared patties and potatoes, her shoulders slumping as she let out a defeated sigh.


    "Ah..." she murmured disheartenedly, her gaze fixed on the ruined meal.


    A soft sound caught her attention. She turned her head sharply to see Astron standing nearby, his arms crossed, an unmistakable smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. "Heh..." he let out, his tone carrying more amusement than she could tolerate.


    Her eyes narrowed dangerously as her face burned with equal parts embarrassment and anger. "You were watching me the whole time, weren''t you?" she demanded, her voice rising.


    Astron''s smirk widened just slightly, and he shrugged nonchntly. "I was curious to see how you''d handle it."


    "You-!" Irina stomped her foot, her frustration boiling over. "You could have said


    something!"


    "And interrupt the heir of the Emberheart family in her moment of glory?" he replied smoothly, his tone maddeningly calm. "That would''ve been rude."


    Irina''s eyes burned with a mixture of embarrassment and determination as she pointed a finger at Astron. "Let me show you how to be rude!" she growled.


    SWOOSH!


    Before Astron could react, she lunged at him, her movements swift and fueled by her frustration. Her hands reached for the dishes he had so carefully prepared, her intent clear-if her meal was ruined, so was his.


    Astron''s eyes widened briefly in surprise before narrowing, hisposure slipping just slightly. "What are you doing?" he asked, pulling the te of food back as he


    stepped away.


    "Avenging myself!" Irina dered, her fiery determination unrelenting.


    Astron sidestepped her with practiced ease, holding the te high above his head as she reached for it. "Don''t you think this is a bit extreme?" he asked, his tone still maddeningly calm despite the situation.


    "No!" Irina shot back, her voice sharp. "Not when your smug face is involved!" The kitchen became a chaotic battlefield as the two moved around the space, Irina relentless in her pursuit of the food and Astron determined to keep it out of her reach. tes ttered, a chair tipped over, and more than one utensil ended up on the floor


    as they circled the ind and darted between counters. Astron ducked under one of her grabs, his movements smooth as he maneuvered away from her. "You''re going to destroy the kitchen at this rate," he pointed out, his voice steady despite themotion.


    "Then stop running and take responsibility!" Irina retorted, lunging forward again.


    Eventually, she cornered him near the far counter, using her body to block his escape. Astron nced around, his sharp eyes assessing his options, but before he could make another move, Irina surged forward, her hand outstretched toward the te he held. The sudden motion brought her chest to press lightly against his, and before she knew it, she was leaning into him, her face mere inches from his. Her outstretched hand hovered just shy of the food, but her focus faltered as the proximity hit her. The room seemed to still, the sounds of their chaotic chase fading into the background as Irina''s breath caught in her throat. Her fiery red eyes locked onto Astron''s sharp purple gaze, the intensity of his expression sending a jolt through her


    chest.


    For a moment, neither of them moved. Astron''s free hand rested lightly against the counter for bnce, his other still holding the te out of reach. Irina''s fingers hovered just above it, trembling slightly as the realization of their position sank in.


    This... Her thoughts scrambled, her heart pounding. This isn''t- Astron''s gaze flickered, the faintest hint of amusement returning to his eyes as he arched a brow. "You seem determined," he said, his voice low and teasing. "But are you


    sure you''re after the food?"


    Irina''s checks red a deep crimson, the words snapping her out of her daze. "You-!" she sputtered, her hand pulling back as she stepped away hastily.


    Her sudden retreat caused her to bump into the counter behind her, the motion jolting a te that rattled noisily. She clutched at her chest, trying to steady her


    racing heart as she red at him.


    "You''re...."


    "You are?"


    Irina''s words trailed off as she locked eyes with Astron again, her chest tightening. His


    calm, sharp gaze held a faint glimmer of amusement, and it only irritated her further. Flustered, she turned her head away with a sharp huff and moved to sit at the table. "Humph," she muttered, crossing her arms and shaking her legs idly as they dangled from the chair. She didn''t say another word, though the faint pout on her lips spoke


    volumes.


    Astron watched her for a moment, his expression softening into something close to amusement. "Now what?" he asked, his voice smooth as he leaned casually against the


    counter.


    Irina didn''t look at him, her fiery red hair swaying slightly as she turned her face stubbornly to the side. "Humph!" she repeated, her tone carrying an air of exaggerated


    indignation.


    Astron raised an eyebrow. "You look like you''re waiting for something," he observed,


    his tone teasing.


    Irina''s legs swung a little faster under the table, her pout deepening. She didn''t reply,


    but her expression resembled that of a cat sulking while very obviously waiting to be


    fed.


    "Sigh..."


    Astron sighed softly, shaking his head as he picked up the te of perfectly cooked


    food and approached the table. He set it down in front of her with a deliberate motion, the enticing aroma wafting up as the nended.


    Irina''s nose twitched slightly at the smell, her stubborn facade cracking just a little.


    She nced at the te out of the corner of her eye, but quickly looked away again, her arms still crossed.


    "Are you going to eat, or should I take it back?" Astron asked, the teasing lilt in his


    voice unmistakable.


    Irina''s foot stopped mid-swing, her fiery gaze snapping to his. "Don''t you dare," she


    said, her voice sharp but tinged with an undeniable hunger.


    "What if I dare?"


    "Humph!"


    Seeing her eyes filled with fire, Astron shook his head.


    "It is prepared for you anyway. Who can take it away from you?"


    Irina huffed again but reached for the fork. As she took her first bite, her expression


    softened, the vors melting away her irritation. She didn''t say a word, but her shoulders rxed slightly, and her legs resumed their swinging under the table.


    TAP!


    "Here. Your tea."


    ".....Thanks....


    Eventually, the mood became normal.


    But well, Irina was really having a hard time.