On a nearby table sat a cup filled with a dark brew.

Engrossed in his phone, Mark looked up as she approached, motioning towards the cup, “It's best if you drink it warm."

She hesitated, eyeing the concoction suspiciously.

“What is it?”

“It helps with menstrual pains," he explained softly.

However, the dark liquid seemed anything but appealing.

"It looks like it might taste terrible," she protested.

With a teasing glint in his eyes, Mark tried to coax her into taking a sip. A playful struggle ensued; her hair, dark as the night, brushed against his face. With a mix of gentle persuasion and firmness, he succeeded in making her drink.

By the end, her eyes shimmered with the traces of tears.

"You shouldn't have come," Cecilia said, her voice layered with mixed emotions.

"Every time you're here, you always keep nagging me to do things."

Mark reached into his pocket and produced a wrapped candy.

As he unwrapped it, Cecilia's eyes lit up with anticipation.

Leaning in, she took it eagerly, the sweetness melting on her tongue.

Gently brushing her hair back, Mark murmured, “It wasn't like I was forcing you. I missed intimacy, but I respected your boundaries."

Feeling a blush creep up her cheeks, Cecilia retorted, "You have quite the audacity."

Mark leaned in, sealing his words with a gentle kiss, and then carefully covered her with a blanket.

"Stay warm," he said.

"I'm off to shower."

After a few moments, the gentle hiss of the shower echoed through the apartment.