Yuna's eyes fluttered open, greeted by the dull throbbing in her head. A headache plagued her, each pulse echoing like a distant drumbeat in her skull. She sighed, her hand instinctively moving to her temple, fingers pressing gently to soothe the ache.

She struggled to recall what happened last night as she closed her eyes while her body ached. Her gaze drifted downward to the glass floor covered with a Savona rug, where a collection of empty wine bottles lay scattered, their once vibrant contents long gone. The faint, sweet scent of wine still lingered in the air, mingling with the cool morning breeze that slipped through the window.

"Oh, men!"

Yuna muttered to herself, amusement flickering in her tired eyes. She quickly stifled a laugh, covering her mouth with her hand to avoid waking anyone else in the tree house.

Curiosity piqued; she leaned forward, peeking under the couch. Her eyes widened slightly at the sight of the few black cards, blank checks, a loose stack of cash, and, unmistakably, Zack's golden revolver.

Her fingers toyed with the edge of one of the blank checks as a fond memory surfaced. "The thrill of victory must have filled my father's heart whenever I asked him to let me win," she thought, recalling the strategic games she used to play with her father.

She planned to stay in the treehouse and spend the evening with a bottle of wine when Zack and Victor started to brag about their knowledge of liqueurs, from most popular to most expensive.

Victor, unable to resist any longer, finally asked if they could join her, noticing that she had already drunk nearly half the bottle on her own. Yuna raised an eyebrow and shot back with a smirk, "Oh sure, because that would make you leave, right?"

"This man is a walking encyclopedia, as you can see. He could go on all night discussing his incredible knowledge about alcoholic beverages." Victor gestured towards Zack with a wry smile.

Yuna glanced at them and asked, "Is this your new way of threatening?"

When Yuna suggested they play a game to liven up the night, they decided on a round of “bottle blow.” The deck of cards is placed as a loose or messy stack on the empty bottle. Each player blows cards off the deck on the bottle in turn. The one who blows the entire deck of the bottle loses.

Victor and Zack had soon grown frustrated, as the penalty for losing was to drink more liquor and receive a flick on the forehead.

*Flick!*

“Are you using this opportunity to torment us?” Zack muttered, rubbing his throbbing forehead from Yuna’s playful flick.

"It's flicking-licious." Arching her brow in the most menacingly playful way. She licked her thumb, clearly savoring the moment. She never intended to make it easy for them to win, no matter what games they were playing.

*Flick!*

Victor, caressing his forehead where a phantom flick always landed, whined, "I always thought you were just a fan of card games, not medieval torture!”

"Let's make a bet with money, or she'll drill a hole in our forehead." He added, attempting to hide the redness on his forehead with his black hair.

When Zack and Victor realized they might have little chance of winning if they teamed together, they tried to collaborate but kept losing until they used their checks and bank cards for a bet.

“Aren’t you a trickster?” Zack grumbled, looking dejectedly at Yuna. “I can’t believe I lost my golden revolver in this game!” He held up the gun like a treasured relic, then sighed dramatically. “First, my dignity. Now it's my prized possession. What’s next, my soul?”

“All’s fair in love and game night, dear.” Yuna chuckled, clearly amused at how Zack’s humor flourished when he was drunk. “Don’t forget, love—how you got me to marry you. That’s the real trick.” She added with a playful grin as she neatly tucked everything she had won under the couch.

...

Yuna rubbed her neck and temples, hoping to ease the persistent headache. After tidying up the treehouse with careful silence and tiptoeing down the staircase, she made her way home to fetch ingredients for breakfast.

As she cooked, she glanced around, delighting in the stunning view outside while she prepared the meal.

Before the sun had risen, the rhythmic sizzle of eggs and bacon frying in the pan roused Zack from sleep. The mouthwatering aroma of breakfast drifted through the air, causing his stomach to rumble.

“It’s still early, so stay in bed,” Yuna spoke softly. “I’ll wake you up when breakfast is ready.”

Zack groaned, his handsome face contorting into a scowl as he mumbled, “How did I end up sharing a bed with this guy?”

Yuna let out a sudden, playful giggle as a teasing thought crossed her mind. “Don’t worry, dear,” she said with a mischievous grin. “I promise not to misunderstand.”

This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

"Damn't! Remove that gross thought from your head." Zack grunted while gritting his teeth and rubbing his head.

“Simple. It's like the alcohol had a divine plan and decided to smite us all at once."

'What's the big deal about it?' She mumbled, sprinkling salt onto the second egg she cracked on the pan.

Zack reached up to rub his neck and muttered, 'That’s not it. She probably doesn’t realize how dangerous this guy can be, even while asleep. At least my head is still attached to my shoulders.'

When Victor woke up, he groggily ran his hands over his head, abs, and neck, conducting a meticulous self-inspection. His movements were slow and deliberate, his eyes narrowing as he checked for any signs of injury. “Do I have any bruises on my face?” he asked, a hint of concern in his voice.

“You’ve got a bug on your face. A ladybug, to be precise,” Yuna said with a smirk, finding their actions somewhat amusingly absurd.

Victor was just about to brush the ladybug off when Yuna stopped him with a sudden challenge. “Hold on. I’ll return your card and the blank checks if you can guess the color of the bug on your face.”

"Red!"

Victor provided a confident response.

"Wrong. Last chance. Is it male or female?"

"Isn't ladybugs color red?"

Because he had doubts, he removed it from his face and scrutinized it.

It's pink!

After a few minutes, as Yuna finished preparing the fried rice, Victor still hadn’t responded about whether the ladybug was male or female. The vegetables and meat blended seamlessly into the rice, each ingredient perfectly seasoned and cooked.

Victor’s face was a picture of focused concentration as he peered closely at the ladybug. His raven-colored eyes, dark and intense, narrowed slightly, their sharp gaze fixed on the small creature.

"Male!" With a confident grin, Zack coached him.

Victor’s expression darkened as he fixed Zack with a piercing glare. His eyes, sharp and unyielding, narrowed into a steely, gunmetal gaze.

"He can answer in your favor. I assume you are still having trouble checking its genitals," she said while setting the dishes on a small dining table.

Zack hid his laughter with a cough on Yuna's words.

"There's a reason that it's called Ladybug."

Victor snickered as he objected.

"Female!" He pulled a confident face again.

“Final answer? Should I go with Zack’s guess or yours?” She inquired, placing the food on the table with a teasing smile.

Victor thought as his white upper canine teeth nibbled at his lower lip. Finally, he gestured to accept Zack’s answer instead.

'Of course, he is a genius.' He murmured.

Yuna stared at the ladybug and said, "He is correct; therefore, you can rest easy tonight." She paused, letting the words settle, then added, "Indeed. Trust makes people more relaxed." A warm, reassuring smile softened her expression.

Victor, who had too much pride to accept that he won because of Zack's help, responded with a dismissive edge to his voice, "It doesn't bother me at all if you have those."

"You are sober now; are you sure? Wow. Can I be ultra-rich overnight?"

Victor and Zack exchanged glances. They were puzzled by Yuna's brief laugh and mumbled words, unsure of what she was thinking. Despite their confusion, they remained silent, their eyes following her every move as she prepared the coffee and milk with an air of quiet contentment.

"Pardon me. I am just talking to myself. I am trying to recall my impossible bucket list."

What would she do with the amount of money she could have? The question loomed large, nearly driving them to internal hysteria. Without uttering a word, they both understood the gravity of the situation, their apprehension binding them in silent agreement.

"Ahem."

Victor cleared his throat, looking away.

"I'll take those because I won. Didn't I?"

He spoke with a prideful air, though he was eating his words.

Yuna raised an eyebrow and clicked her tongue. "Tsk. Under the couch. Do not take the cash."

Victor glanced nervously at Zack, then back at Yuna. “Can I leave my cards instead?” he asked tensely.

Zack, catching the hint, nodded in acknowledgment.

“I already have an extreme, magical one, though. That’s the tip for the cab.”

"..."

Yuna received a black card from Zack with no spending restrictions, and they also provided her with a grand in exact cash every time she went outside. This arrangement allowed her to save $12,000 each month. She used this money to help her family and Blake's studies, discreetly disposing of it in a trash bin at a convenience shop where she would call Blake ahead to pick it up.

"..."

Victor was too embarrassed to say anything further. Zack felt the same way.

"Sunrise in the forest is coming soon. Hurry! Feel like a god, having breakfast while enjoying the sunrise."

Just as Yuna wrapped up her prayer, the sun decided to make a grand entrance, peeking over the horizon behind her like a celestial spotlight, as if it were performing just for them.

"It's behind your back," Victor said, trying to get her attention.

"The sun rises," he added with a hint of impatience.

Yuna replied, "I am already facing the two dazzling suns."

With a lively smile, she began digging into her breakfast, her comment referring to Victor and Zack’s striking looks, who, with their comic book figure charm, certainly seemed like a pair of dazzling suns themselves.

Victor and Zack turned their eyes toward her.

Two dazzling suns?

Yeah.

One outshined.

...

Yuna washed the plates while Victor and Zack were absorbed in their phones. Zack, his brow furrowing in concentration, found something intriguing on the internet. He turned his gaze to Yuna’s back and asked.

“How can you tell if those lightning bugs are male or female?”

"You are talking to me, dear?"

She responded by asking whether Zack was speaking to her or Victor.

"Yeah."

"The male fireflies blink their lights as they fly about to signal potential mates, and females flash their lights back if they are interested but stay still in their location. In addition, females are much larger than males."

Her response was delivered with expertise and ease, showcasing her depth of knowledge on the subject.

Zack and Victor exchanged glances.

So she knew the ladybug was female, and Zack was wrong. What is she up to? They both wondered, their thoughts converging on the same puzzling question.