Half a week had passed since their afternoon at Mitch Park. The rhythm of life at Gramps’ house was slowly becoming familiar—comforting even. Sona had found a routine of her own, often tagging along behind Gramps, eyes wide with wonder at everything he did.

This particular afternoon, Miura drove back to the house, Sona and Louis chatting animatedly in the back seat. Pulling into her spot near the front, Miura barely turned off the engine before Sona excitedly opened the car door and sprinted down the driveway toward the garage.

Louis scrambled out after her, his eyes immediately widening at the sight before him. Gramps sat on a rolling stool outside, a microfiber cloth in one hand and a bucket of soapy water next to him, meticulously cleaning a beautiful plum-purple muscle car. The sun gleamed against its vibrant paint, making it look almost unreal.

“Gramps!” Sona exclaimed, throwing her arms around his shoulders. “We brought Lou over!”

Gramps chuckled warmly, patting her back gently. “So I see, kiddo.” He turned his attention to Louis, noticing the boy’s astonishment. “Whatcha think, son? Pretty slick, huh?”

Louis stared in awe. “It’s so cool!”

Gramps laughed, giving the car a proud glance. “Yep, she’s a beauty. Got more’n twice the horsepower of the orange one sittin’ inside,” he nodded toward the open garage, where the vivid orange muscle car rested, freshly polished.

Louis’s eyes grew even wider as he noticed another car further in—a second purple beast, almost identical but slightly different. He pointed excitedly. “What’s that one?”

Gramps smiled proudly. “Ah, you got a good eye. That there’s a Demon 170. Same idea as this one I’m cleanin’, but she’s even faster—over a thousand horsepower. Only a handful of convertibles made of those, and this one here?” He patted the car he was cleaning gently. “One of a kind.”

Louis’s jaw practically hit the ground. “Whoa…”

Miura approached with an amused smirk, crossing her arms. “Glad to see you’re impressing the kids, dad.”

Gramps grinned up at her, unbothered. “Can’t let ’em grow up not appreciatin’ the finer things in life. Speakin’ of finer things, ain’t you got a date tonight?”

Miura chuckled lightly, trying to hide the faint flush in her cheeks. “Mark’ll be here soon to drop Louis’s stuff off and pick me up.”

He nodded approvingly. “Well, go get ready then. I’ll keep the kids entertained.”

Miura turned back toward the house, calling over her shoulder, “Don’t let them destroy anything!”

“No promises!” Gramps hollered after her, his laugh echoing through the garage.

Inside the house, Miura prepared for the evening, carefully selecting a simple yet elegant black dress. She hadn’t realized until this moment how nervous she was. Dating had never been a priority before—music always came first. Yet somehow, Mark had effortlessly found his way into her life, and she was surprised to discover she didn’t mind at all.

Back in the garage, Louis was examining the cars closely. Sona grinned proudly, leaning closer and whispering, “You should learn bass guitar, Lou.”

Louis turned curiously. “Bass guitar? Why?”

She nodded seriously. “My Auntie Rara says it’s the coolest. You’d be cool if you played it.”

Louis’s eyes lit up immediately. “Really?!” He turned eagerly to Gramps. “Can you teach me how to play bass, Mr. Gramps?”

Gramps chuckled, ruffling the boy’s messy orange hair. “We’ll see about that, son. Maybe someday soon.”

The sun was just dipping below the horizon, painting the Oklahoma sky in soft shades of pink and gold when Mark’s car pulled up the driveway. He stepped out, dressed smartly in dark jeans and a neatly pressed white button-down shirt, carrying a backpack stuffed with Louis’s essentials.

Miura stepped out onto the porch, catching Mark’s eye. She felt her heartbeat quicken slightly at the soft smile he gave her. “Evenin’,” he greeted warmly.

“Hey,” Miura returned softly, her voice holding a gentle warmth she wasn’t used to. She took the backpack from him. “Thanks for dropping Louis’s things off.”

“No problem,” Mark replied, glancing toward the garage, amused at Louis and Sona excitedly following Gramps around as he finished up his work. “Looks like they’re having fun.”

Miura shook her head with a faint smile. “Yeah, dad’s got a way of winning kids over.”

As if on cue, Gramps waved them off from the garage, calling out loudly, “Y’all better behave yourselves now, hear?”

Mark laughed softly, placing a gentle hand on Miura’s lower back as he led her to the car. “Guess we’d better go before he decides to embarrass us.”

Miura couldn’t help but laugh. “Too late for that.”

The evening unfolded easily, far more naturally than either of them expected. They dined at a cozy yet sophisticated restaurant in downtown Oklahoma City, talking for hours about everything and nothing. Miura found herself genuinely laughing, smiling freely, feeling lighter than she had in years.

After dinner, they wandered through the city streets, the gentle hum of nighttime city life around them. Eventually, they found their way to a stylish rooftop bar with a stunning view of the skyline glittering in the darkness.

Sitting at a table illuminated softly by candles, Mark looked at her thoughtfully. “So, I’ve been wondering… you’ve never actually mentioned what you do for a living.”

Miura smirked slightly, swirling her drink. “You never asked.”

Mark smiled sheepishly. “I guess it never came up naturally.”

She leaned back, considering him for a moment before casually replying, “I’m a singer. In a band.”

Mark chuckled, clearly impressed. “Really? What’s the band’s name?”

Miura watched him carefully, enjoying his obliviousness. “Rock On.”

For a moment, he stared blankly. Then his eyes widened, realization dawning. “Wait, wait… You’re that Miura? The lead singer of Rock On? The one they call Ice Heart?”

She laughed openly at his shocked expression, covering her mouth lightly. “That’d be me.”

Mark sank back in his chair, both amused and mildly embarrassed. “Wow. I… had no idea. You’re famous, and I had absolutely no clue.”

She smirked playfully, feeling unusually pleased by his reaction. “It was refreshing. Not every day I get to just be… myself.”

Mark met her eyes, sincere and gentle. “Well, I’m glad I got to meet the real you, Miura. She’s pretty incredible.”

Miura felt warmth rise in her cheeks, something she hadn’t experienced in far too long. For once, she didn’t hide it.

The night carried them along, each moment blending seamlessly into the next, until they found themselves at one of the city’s luxurious hotels, making a spontaneous decision to stay together a bit longer.

Inside their room, standing before the sprawling cityscape lit below, Mark turned to face her, gently cupping her cheek. Miura felt her pulse quicken again, but she didn’t pull away. His eyes searched hers quietly, almost reverently.

“You know,” he whispered softly, thumb brushing gently across her cheekbone, “I’m really glad you said yes tonight.”

Miura leaned into his touch, her eyes slowly drifting shut as she finally let her walls fall completely. “So am I.”