“About to hit the southern wall with blind determination,” a teasing voice chimed in.
Aoife recognized the familiar voice and looked up to see none other than Ethan Johnson.
Ethan, a midway actor turned idol, has been in the industry for three years but still remains relatively unknown, fondly teased by fans as the “blurry coffee.”
His appearance embodies the popular sunlit youth style, with almond-shaped eyes, dark eyes, a crescent moon smile, dimples at the corners of his mouth, giving off a vibe akin to sucking on a sweet.
With such looks, he shouldn’t be so blurry, attributing the reason to his laid-back and lazy nature. In his early days, he relied on passerby’s photos to trend on hot searches, but he lacked marketing skills.
In the campus drama where Aoife starred as the female lead, Ethan played the supporting male lead, characterized by his optimistic and quirky nature, quietly guarding the female lead, accompanying her through laughter and tears. Despite their childhood memories, he failed to win her heart and ended up attending her wedding, watching her happily wed another man while he drowned his sorrows at a table.
In many idol dramas, the secondary male lead often surpasses the male lead in popularity. In this campus drama, Ethan’s character was very endearing and garnered significant audience appeal.
Ethan smiled, noticing Aoife’s misty eyes staring at him in silence. He reached out and touched her forehead, jokingly asking, “Elisa, are you speechless because you hit your head?”
Aoife snapped out of her daze, taking a step back to avoid his touch. “I’m fine. And, can you please stop calling me Elisa?”
“Why? What should I call you if not Elisa? Isn’t that your name?” Ethan’s voice remained gentle as he persistently asked, showing a curiosity that didn’t seem off-putting.
“I’m Aoife. I’m not worthy of the name Elisa.” She expressed unworthiness, not disdain.
It was a reminder to herself that she had always been Aoife, not Elisa. Despite having changed her name, she couldn’t adapt to being called Elisa; even Finn only called her Aoife.
Who doesn’t like their own name? Ethan pondered briefly, trying to understand what might have caused Aoife to reject her own name.
“Your original name is Aoife, huh?”
Aoife nodded. “Yes.”
“Then I’ll call you Aoife from now on.” Ethan glanced at Aoife, finally noticing her hand and inquiring with concern, “What happened to your hand?”
Aoife involuntarily concealed her hand, but it was too late. Continuing to deceive Ethan with the same lie she used on the doctor earlier: “I tripped and fractured my pinky.”
“You’re really unlucky. Are you here at the hospital alone?”
Aoife nodded.
Ethan’s gaze held a hint of pity. It was late at night, raining and windy. He felt chilly even in his coat, let alone Aoife, who was only wearing a thin dress. Her hair and body bore marks of being soaked by rain, shivering before him like a kitten, tempting someone to take her home and warm her.
“When do you plan to go back?”
Seeing the rain still falling outside at this hour, she hesitated, “I’ll go back once the rain stops.”
“You might have to wait until tomorrow. You’re soaked, and if you don’t get hospitalized tonight, you might get sick by morning.” Plus, he had just touched Aoife’s forehead, sensing a slightly elevated body temperature.
“I’ll take you home.”
Their relationship on the set was good. Aoife was usually quiet, reading in a corner and helping out on set. Occasionally, she’d cook when they had potlucks, serving up delicious dishes that had everyone drooling.
“You can’t do that…”
Interrupting her, Ethan said, “Why not? We’re friends. If you want to thank me, just cook a few dishes for me later, like that cold beef dish we had last time. It’s perfect as a snack.”
Afraid of Aoife’s refusal, he grabbed her hand and led her outside. Feeling the chilly wind at the doorway, Ethan stopped and took off his coat to cover Aoife. “It’s cold outside. Wear this coat, so you don’t catch a cold.”
“If I wear your coat, what about you?” He was the second man in her life to treat her kindly, but Aoife wasn’t accustomed to such kindness, fearing she might grow accustomed and become greedy, which would be detrimental.
Knowing when to stop was a lesson she had learned.
As Aoife started to take off the coat, Ethan quickly stopped her, saying, “I’m a man. I’m not cold. Let’s go, and don’t remove it. You can take it off when you get home.”
“If I’m dirty, I’ll dirty your car.” Aside from the rain, she carried traces of dirt. Aoife was someone who disliked inconveniencing others.
“You’re not dirty at all, very clean.” Ethan firmly held Aoife’s hand, looking back at her with a smile. “Let’s go. We’ll brave this rain together.”
Aoife lowered her eyes to their intertwined hands, feeling a strength she couldn’t break free from. She tried to match Ethan’s pace, rushing into the rain towards the darkness.
On the same night, the same rain brought about different moods. Having someone to endure the rain with made it less cold.
The car’s heater was on, filling the space with warmth. Gradually, Aoife stopped shivering.
Watching Ethan drive attentively, she asked, “Are you feeling unwell? Why are you here at the hospital so late?”
“My throat was bothering me, so I came to get some medicine. I live nearby. Where do you live?” Ethan casually inquired.
Aoife mentioned a place, “North Bankshire.”