A pang of longing twisted in his chest. He had imagined this moment for so long: finally being near her again, talking, maybe even asking her out. And yet, now that it was real, he realized how unsure he was of what he wanted.
A guy had just entered, tall, broad-shouldered, carrying himself with quiet confidence. He was handsome, just not in a polished, model-like way but in a rugged, arresting sense that drew attention without him needing to try. There was an ease to his movements, a quiet certainty, an undeniable presence that made the air shift when he walked into the room.
Han straightened slightly, instinct tightening in his chest. He'd always been secure in his looks, even in his charm. However, there was something about this man that unsettled him, not rivalry exactly but a sense that this stranger mattered.
The man met Noelle's eyes briefly, gave a small nod, nothing more and then walked out, not sparing another glance.
Noelle, however, had gone completely still. She tried to mask it, tried to pick up the thread of conversation again but Han could see it: the faint tremor in her hand, the tightness at the corners of her smile. Whoever that man was, his presence had shaken her.
Han forced a small smile, trying to keep his voice casual as he asked, "Someone you know?"
Her eyes flicked to him for half a heartbeat, then away. "Just… someone from school."
Han nodded, but the ache in his chest deepened. There were so many things he wanted to ask and yet all he could do was watch her, and wonder what kind of story had passed between her and the guy who had just walked out the door.
Could he claim a piece of her heart that had already started leaning elsewhere? The thought made his stomach tighten. He watched the way she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, the subtle curve of her smile and he felt both captivated and painfully aware of the distance he hadn't yet crossed.
Back home, he lifted his phone, thumbs hovering. Should he message her again? Ask to see her this week? Or should he just savour the moment, letting her presence fill the space between them without pushing too hard?
"Under the same stars," he murmured to himself, a quiet smile tugging at his lips. He remembered their phone conversation, how even though they weren't together, they shared that small, invisible connection. The thought was bittersweet.
He took a slow breath. Maybe today wasn't about rushing, about forcing an answer. Maybe it was enough to just be near her, to see her laugh, to feel the pull of what he'd been missing. And somewhere in the quiet of that café, Han realized that he would let his feelings guide him… carefully, cautiously but honestly, hoping that someday they might find a way to align.
His hands dug into his pockets, mind racing faster than his steps. He could still feel the warmth of Noelle's presence, the gentle tilt of her head as she laughed, the faint catch in her voice when she spoke. Every little detail stuck in his chest, stubborn and insistent.
He needed to see her again, but not just for the sake of old nostalgia. He needed to know if the feelings he'd carried all these months still hold weight? Could he truly want her or was he clinging to a memory?
The thought of asking her out again twisted his stomach into knots. He didn't want to seem pushy, didn't want to break the fragile balance of familiarity they'd rebuilt in a single afternoon. But the pull was undeniable. He wanted to hear her laugh again, to sit across from her, to share a moment that belonged just to the two of them.
Maybe a casual coffee, he thought, or a walk somewhere quiet. Somewhere they could talk without the hum of strangers around, without anyone else's eyes prying. Just her, just him, and the chance to see if the feelings that lingered in his chest were real or if he'd just been chasing a ghost all along.
As he reached the corner where he would catch the bus home, Han pulled out his phone, thumbs hovering over the keyboard. Should he text now, or wait until later? The idea of seeing her smile again, of hearing her voice even for a moment, was enough to make his pulse quicken.
He typed a tentative message, paused, deleted, started again. Finally, he sent it, careful, deliberate: "Hey, I really enjoyed today. Would you like to meet again later this week?"
As the message went out, Han exhaled slowly, the weight in his chest settling just a little. Whatever happened next, he knew he had to face his feelings honestly because pretending they didn't exist had never brought him peace.
The next day after school, as Ren accompanied Noelle home like he always did, she stopped him at the lobby of her apartment.
For a moment, she simply stood there, watching him. Then she crossed her arms.
"I didn't know you worked on weekends," she said, her tone light but her words edged with curiosity.
Ren looked up, startled for a fraction of a second before his expression smoothed into something unreadable. "I don't," he replied. "Just checking out a place when I saw you."
"Why would you need to check on a place?" she asked, pressed on.
He hesitated.
Noelle raised an eyebrow. "You never did answer a question directly, did you?"
Ren's lips curved faintly. "Maybe because not every question needs an answer."
That evasive tone was exactly what used to both infuriate and intrigue her. She leaned back, crossing one leg over the other. "So, mysterious as ever," she murmured. "You could just say you don't want to tell me."
He chuckled softly. "If I said that, you'd think I was hiding something."
"Aren't you?"
Their eyes met, and for a moment, neither spoke. Something unspoken lingered there. The weight of everything they hadn't said since the last time they parted.
Then Ren broke the silence. "You were with someone earlier," he said quietly. "You never told me his name?"
Her posture stiffened immediately. "You saw us."
He leaned back slightly, studying her. "Hard not to. He seemed... close to you."
Noelle frowned. "And what's that supposed to mean?"
"Nothing," Ren said, too quickly. "Just an observation."
Her voice dropped, sharp with defensiveness. "He's a friend from out of town. You don't get to question me about who I spend time with, Ren. At least I was honest about it."
"I wasn't questioning—"
"Yes, you were."
The words hung between them like static. Ren's jaw tightened and Noelle looked away.
Finally, he exhaled, softer this time. "I didn't mean it like that. I just... didn't expect to see you. And then seeing you with someone else—"
"We are not talking about me here." she interrupted but her voice wavered at the end.
Ren looked at her for a long moment and she felt that same pull she'd been fighting since the moment she saw him earlier: the one that made it hard to tell where anger ended and longing began.
He gave a small nod. "You're right," he said quietly. "It's not."
"Will you not tell me why you were there that day?" Noelle persisted.
Ren finally spoke, his voice quiet but steady.