Bab 178: I'm not snubbing the play, I'm indulging the kitten

The setting of the winter festival play seemed to shift after the conclusion of the song. From what she could tell, it must have been a jump in time. It was still a little hard to follow, but she was pretty sure this was the case.

Isabelle looked over and found Phoenix sitting up straight, hands resting comfortably in his lap, completely invested in the story that played out on stage.

A faint smile tugged at his lips as he watched, brows furrowed slightly as if contemplating something deeply.

He looked engrossed and serious for once, though his expression still held a touch of amusement. It made her smile as she watched him watch the play.

His golden eyes flickered briefly to meet her own and he chuckled softly when he noticed her staring at him. His gaze returned immediately to the play, though she could still see the slight upward curl at the edges of his mouth.