Chapter 185
In the living room, both of them were smiling, and even Noah seemed far more lively than usual.
A quiet warmth rose in Liam’s chest. Days like this... didn’t seem so bad.
But the moment the thought surfaced, he found it faintly absurd. He shook his head, trying to scatter the jumble of thoughts forming in his mind.
"Hey, are you done yet?" Noah’s voice suddenly rang out, snapping him back to reality.
Liam looked up to see his brother waving at him enthusiastically.
"What is it?" Liam asked.
"Come join us!" Noah said. "Hurry!"
To him, his brother standing there alone looked pitiful. It would be much better if he joined in.
He kept beckoning, but Liam didn’t move. That is, until Suzy glanced over as well.
Her gaze carried an inexplicable pressure, and in the end, he had no choice but to step forward.
"I... I’ll pass," Liam said. "You two go ahead. I’ll find you something to eat."
At the mention of food, Noah hesitated. "Then... okay. But come back once you find something!"
Liam let out a small, amused breath. "Got it."
"Liam," Suzy called out. "There are snacks here."
She pointed toward the basket nearby, the one she had brought earlier, packed with all kinds of treats.
"This is more than enough," she added.
Liam hesitated for two seconds before finally sitting down.
By then, Noah had already torn open several packages, spilling a cascade of colorful pieces across the table.
The little boy eagerly flipped through the instruction manual and pointed at a fire truck. "Suzy, let’s build this one!"
"Alright." Suzy took the manual and began sorting the corresponding pieces.
Liam sat beside them, watching as the two worked together in easy rhythm. For a moment, he felt oddly out of place.
He cleared his throat, picked up a piece, and tried to join in.
"This one should go here," he said, cautiously pressing it into place.
Noah glanced between the manual and Liam’s attempt, tilting his head. "I don’t think it goes there, Liam."
Liam paused, took a closer look, and realized he had indeed placed it wrong. Without a word, he pulled it off and set it aside.
Suzy stole a glance at him, the corners of her lips curving slightly.
Pretending not to notice, Liam picked up another piece. This time, he compared it carefully before attaching it.
"That one’s right!" Noah said happily.
Liam let out a quiet breath of relief, but in the next second, Noah added, "But it’s upside down. The pattern should face outward."
"..."
Liam lowered his gaze. Sure enough, the pattern was facing inward.
He pressed his lips together, removed the piece, and fixed it again.
This time it was correct, but his movements were noticeably slower than Suzy’s and Noah’s.
Suzy noticed his hands, long-fingered and well-defined, elegant in shape, yet somehow clumsy when handling such tiny pieces.
He picked up another piece, only to realize it was facing the wrong direction. He flipped it over, then back again, hesitating for a long moment before finally deciding where it should go.
"This one goes here." Suzy couldn’t help reaching out, pressing it into place for him.
Liam’s fingers stiffened. The moment he felt the warmth of her fingertips, it was like a spark of electricity. He withdrew his hand almost instantly.
"Oh," he muttered, his voice slightly muffled.
Meanwhile, Noah was completely absorbed in the world of building, oblivious to everything else, thoroughly ignoring the two of them.
Suzy focused on sorting the pieces, a task that didn’t require much effort, leaving her free to glance at Liam from time to time.
As they continued, Liam’s clumsiness became increasingly obvious.
He held a piece, trying several times to fit it in the right spot, his brows faintly furrowed, lips pressed into a thin line.
Suzy found it amusing, but didn’t dare laugh out loud. She lowered her head, pretending to concentrate on the build, though her shoulders trembled slightly.
"What are you laughing at?"
Liam’s voice came from beside her, carrying a hint of embarrassment he couldn’t quite hide.
"Nothing." Suzy looked up, but the smile hadn’t fully left her face.
Liam met her bright, sparkling eyes, a flicker of awkwardness crossing his expression.
He looked away, unconsciously rubbing the piece between his fingers.
"I’m just not very good at this," he said quietly, as if offering an explanation.
"I can tell," Suzy blurted, then immediately realized how that sounded. "I mean, it’s normal if you’re not familiar with it the first time."
Liam didn’t reply, but the flush had already spread from the tips of his ears to his cheeks. In the flickering candlelight, that refined face was tinted with a soft red, giving him an unexpectedly youthful air.
One thought flashed through Suzy’s mind.
He’s really beautiful. Yes, the man in front of her could genuinely be described as beautiful.
"Or... we could switch. You can find the pieces." Suzy suggested tentatively.
At the very least, identifying parts should be easier for him.
Liam nodded. "Alright."
But just as Suzy finished assembling the rear of the car, Noah suddenly pushed his pieces aside and leaned back against the sofa.
"I’m tired. I’m taking a break. Liam, you help Suzy build it."
A child’s interest came quickly and faded just as fast.
Right now, Noah wanted snacks.
Liam and Suzy exchanged glances.
The air fell silent for a second.
Noah looked up at them pitifully. "My hand hurts a little."
Oh, he was absolutely faking it.
Liam watched his younger brother clutch his snacks with greedy satisfaction and, for a fleeting second, had the strong urge to grab him and toss him back into his room.
But he held himself back.
"Got it."
Noah curled up at the far end of the sofa, hugging the bag of snacks.
After eating his fill, drowsiness crept in.
The dim lighting didn’t help. Before long, his eyelids began to droop, his head nodding as sleep slowly overtook him.
At some point, Suzy had shifted closer to Liam without even realizing it.
With a composed expression, she said, "Then we’ll do it like we agreed. You find the pieces, and I’ll assemble."
"Alright," Liam replied.
Suzy nodded and nudged the instruction manual toward him. "Help me find this one. Number 37."
Liam lowered his gaze and began searching through the pile. His long, well-defined fingers moved through the colorful pieces, sifting with surprising ease. Compared to his earlier attempts at assembling, he looked far more efficient now.
"Is it this one?" he asked, holding up a piece.
Suzy glanced at it. "No, that’s 42. I need 37."
Liam frowned slightly and continued searching. This time, he double checked several times before handing another piece over.
"What about this?"
Suzy took a look. "Yes, that’s the one."
She reached out to take it, and their fingertips brushed.