It was Naomi.
Her sharp, concerned voice broke the tension in the room as she scanned the chaotic scene. Aiden, standing by the patient's bed looking sheepish, Mike smirking with arms crossed, and Heidi trying (and failing) to suppress her laughter.
Naomi's eyes narrowed.
"Why does it look like you all got caught in the middle of something ridiculous?" she questioned, suspicion evident in her tone.
"Because we did," Mike muttered dryly.
Heidi, still chuckling, stepped forward. "Long story short? Aiden tried to kiss me, Mike stopped him, and then... well, Aiden fell on her and—"
Naomi's eyes widened in disbelief. "Wait. You mean—"
"Yep," Heidi smirked. "He kissed her."
Aiden groaned in frustration. "It wasn't intentional! And besides, I was just—"
Naomi's gaze shifted to the patient, who looked embarrassed but trying to act normal despite her weak condition.
The orange-haired girl tried her best to avoid eye contact with anyone, though the pink tint on her cheeks betrayed her feelings.
With a sigh, Naomi turned back to Aiden. "Well, I suppose now would be a good time to introduce her."
Aiden straightened up, eager to move past the awkwardness. "That would be helpful."
Naomi nodded, then gestured toward the girl.
"This is Sarah. She's my first friend from Arcis."
"Sarah," Aiden repeated, his tone softening. "A pretty name for a pretty girl. Though I guess I already made a pretty bad first impression."
Sarah offered a weak smile, her voice barely above a whisper. "It's... okay. I'm used to awkward situations."
Mike shot Aiden a glare standing protectively in front of Heidi. "You're not off the hook, Aiden. You've caused enough trouble for us but thanks to the show, I may think about forgiveness depending on your behaviour from here on out."
Aiden scoffed. "Troublemaker, criminal, or whatever else you want to call me. I'm a free man. I do what I want, when I want." He smirked. "But even a free man has his principles."
Naomi frowned. "Principles? You?"
Aiden's grin faltered slightly, his expression growing uncharacteristically serious. "Believe it or not, I'm still a man of duty. I've done things I'm not proud of, but I don't turn my back on people in need. And right now, it seems like Sarah and I accidentally kissed and I am like an extra burden. So, yeah, I'm a pain. But at least I'm not spineless."
Naomi remained silent for a moment, taken aback by the sudden change in Aiden's demeanor. She had expected him to be nothing more than a reckless nuisance. But even she had to admit — there was a spark of sincerity in his words.
Aiden then turned back to Sarah, his curiosity returning. "So... what exactly happened to you? You're in pretty rough shape."
Sarah tensed, the memories of her torment flashing in her mind. But before she could speak, Naomi gently placed a hand on her shoulder.
"I'll explain," Naomi said softly.
Everyone turned their attention to her, the room growing silent as she began.
"After my father died, things in Arcis got worse. The outlaws took full control. They saw my father's absence as a chance to get revenge on anyone who was under his protection. My friends... they were some of the first targets. They were captured, tortured, and humiliated for over a year. The outlaws didn't want quick deaths — they wanted to break them. Physically and mentally."
Naomi's voice trembled, but she pressed on. "Sarah was one of the worst off. She was brave, trying to protect others even when she was helpless. The outlaws treated her like a trophy, a symbol of their so-called victory. And while I managed to escape the planet, they had no such chance. I should have gotten them out sooner."
Sarah shook her head weakly. "You... you did come back, Naomi. That's what matters."
Aiden clenched his fists, anger bubbling beneath his nonchalant façade. "Cowards. They tortured people who couldn't fight back? Typical outlaw scum."
Naomi nodded grimly. "And that's why I had to save them. I couldn't stand knowing they were suffering because of my family's connection to Celestic Justice."
The room fell into a heavy silence. Even Aiden, who had moments ago been his usual arrogant self, stood quietly.
Heidi broke the silence, her voice gentle. "But they're safe now. Thanks to Naomi, Jim, and everyone else."
Naomi nodded. "And I'll make sure they find peace — starting with Soluna. They deserve that much."
Aiden crossed his arms, his smirk returning just slightly. "Guess I'll have to stick around, then. You know, to see how this whole 'peaceful planet' thing works out."
Mike rolled his eyes. "Of course you will."
But even he couldn't entirely suppress the faint amusement in his tone.
_ _ _
Aiden, standing near Sarah's bedside, scratched the back of his head.
After the awkward tension settled, curiosity got the better of him again.
"So... uh, how old are you, Sarah?" Aiden asked, trying to maintain some semblance of composure.
Naomi answered for her. "She's 20. An year younger than me."
Aiden blinked, visibly relieved. "Oh, thank the stars. I'm 23, so I guess the age gap isn't too bad. At least no one's gonna call me creepy."
Before anyone could respond, Heidi chimed in with her signature teasing grin. "Oh, really? Because you were definitely about to commit a crime when you tried to kiss me."
Aiden stiffened, his eyes darting to her. "That— That wasn't a crime! I mean, technically, it didn't even happen!"
"But you tried," Heidi teased, savoring the rare opportunity to fluster him. "And I'm 18, by the way. So yeah, that definitely would've been questionable."
Aiden visibly paled. "Wait... 18?"
She nodded, still grinning.
Aiden's eyes darted toward Mike, who stood stoically, arms crossed as he stared Aiden down. "...And you? How old are you?"
Mike gave a blunt reply. "20."
For a moment, Aiden stood there, processing the information. Realization struck, and a wave of relief washed over him. Internally, he thought,
"By the stars... I was probably saved by that ridiculous accident. If I had actually gone through with it, I'd be dead by now. Heidi may act all carefree, but Mike? Yeah, he'd definitely kill me. And honestly, she doesn't even look like she's 18! No one would've guessed!"
Despite the lingering embarrassment, Aiden managed to force a smirk. "Well... I guess everything worked out. No crimes committed. Clean slate, right?"
Sarah smiled weakly. "You've got a strange way of introducing yourself."
Aiden replied in a flustered tone. "Yeah, because I am meant to stand out."
Mike's glare didn't waver. "Important note: Thanks to me, You avoided the crime...or else..."
"And next time," Heidi interrupted playfully, "maybe think twice before you go after someone without knowing their age. Just a friendly tip."
"Noted," Aiden mumbled, pretending to brush the whole ordeal aside.
Naomi, trying to suppress a laugh, shook her head. "At least this is one less disaster we have to worry about. Now, if we're done with the age revelations, we should probably check in with Jeromy. He's probably wondering why none of us have reported back yet."
Mike gave a curt nod, finally stepping away from the scene, though not without one last glare at Aiden. Heidi followed him, her smile lingering.
Aiden exhaled, relieved. "Yeah, definitely dodged a bullet there."
Sarah, still weak, managed to chuckle softly. "You're... definitely something else."
"Yeah," Aiden admitted, his lips twitching into a grin. "That's what everyone keeps telling me."