The words hung in the air between them. Soyeon's expression shifted. "Oh. That's true."
"Hmm."
More silence. But this time it was different. Heavier. Weighted with guilt and confusion and something neither of them wanted to name. Liang Jian turned to look at her again. His dark eyes were troubled. "I'm sorry," he said quietly. "For dishonoring you like that. For kissing you without permission. For being so... reckless with your reputation. You deserved better than—"
Soyeon rolled her eyes so hard she thought they might fall out of her head. "Oh, stop that."
He blinked. "What?"
"Stop apologizing. Stop acting like you've committed some terrible sin." She set her chopsticks down with a sharp click. "You kissed me. I kissed you back. Nobody died."
"But Yifeng—"
"Yifeng doesn't own me."
"He's my brother."
"And?"
