She passed him the hairdryer, their arms briefly appearing together in the frame.

Elizabeth's gaze shifted downward, noticing their sleepwear.

Her eyes widened slightly as she realized they were wearing matching pajamas.

She had originally intended to wear them with Nathan after tonight, so she had placed them in the bathroom earlier. When she put them on just now, she hadn't given it much thought...

There was a time when she dreamed of wearing matching outfits with Ethan in their shared home. After she had abandoned all hope, this once-unattainable wish was now effortlessly fulfilled.

Life certainly had its ironic twists.

She handed him the hairdryer without explanation.

After all, Ethan wouldn't care about such details.

He wouldn't care what she wore since he felt nothing for her.

Besides, she had been perfectly clear earlier - these were Nathan's pajamas, so it made sense for her and Nathan to have matching sets.

She turned back to the counter to retrieve Nathan's dessert.

Ethan's eyes briefly swept over Elizabeth, taking in their coordinated sleepwear...

He lowered his gaze, a faint redness appearing in his eyes.

Ethan returned to the bathroom to continue drying his hair.

Elizabeth placed the tea and apple pie on the nightstand. Seeing Nathan sleeping so soundly, she hesitated to wake him immediately. After a moment's consideration, she walked to the bathroom door and knocked. "Ethan, let me have the clothes you changed out of."

The door opened.

His hair was still damp. "What do you need them for?"

Without elaborating, Elizabeth stepped into the bathroom.

His discarded clothes lay by the sink, stained with Nathan's vomit.

She reached for them, but Ethan immediately stopped her. "What are you doing?"

Her expression tightened slightly. "I'm going to wash them. Do you really want to go home wearing Nathan's pajamas?"

The night was bitterly cold - he'd freeze in those thin pajamas.

"I can wash them myself. You don't need to trouble yourself..."

"I'll use the washing machine and dryer," she clarified.

Ethan looked slightly embarrassed.

He had thought she meant to hand-wash them. Having watched her skillfully clean the floor earlier, he didn't want to add to her burdens.

"I don't want to waste time," she said impatiently, and he released his grip.

But he immediately regretted it when she picked up his boxers.

A faint blush colored his cheeks.

"It's not hygienic to wash underwear with other clothes. Do you know how to clean them properly? If not, I'll just throw them away," she added casually.

Her tone was as matter-of-fact as if discussing the weather.

Was this her indifference toward him now? Could she really discuss such intimate matters so calmly?

"Better to discard them. You'd have to leave them here to dry anyway. It's too much trouble for you to come back just for a pair of boxers."

Without waiting for his response, she tossed them into the nearby trash bin.

Ethan pressed his lips together, remaining silent as Elizabeth gathered his remaining clothes and left.

The bathroom felt suddenly smaller. As she brushed past him, he caught the subtle scent of her perfume lingering in the air.