"Finally… it's done."
Liam let out a quiet breath as he gently set the gift Ayaan had given him, his fingers lingering on its surface as if afraid it might fall apart again. He had carefully joined the broken fragments with glue, hiding the cracks beneath delicate decorations. What had once been damaged now looked whole—perhaps even more beautiful than before.
He placed it on the study table beside his bed and stepped back, his gaze resting on it with quiet satisfaction.
"Is it… you and me?" Looking at it, a thought slipped into his mind so naturally that it caught him off guard. A faint, unguarded smile curved on his lips.
"Do you feel the same way about me?" he murmured softly as he asked Ayaan. "If I told you what's in my heart… would you accept it?"
For a brief moment, he allowed himself to imagine the answer. The room was silent, yet his heartbeat felt louder than ever.
Then, slowly, the smile faded. "But how am I supposed to bring this up?" he whispered, his brows knitting slightly. "What if it's all in my head… and he doesn't feel anything for me?"
The thought weighed heavily on him, pulling him down into uncertainty. The possibility of becoming nothing more than a stranger to Ayaan was enough to make his chest tighten.
He decided to take more time, before confessing his feelings to Ayaan.
...
Midterms were finally over, and with them, the weight of relentless pressure lifted from everyone's shoulders. The campus felt lighter, almost alive with laughter and ease as students welcomed the long-awaited two-week break.
But for Liam, the vacation brought an unexpected change. He had planned to spend it with Ayaan—but his father had already made other arrangements. They would be returning to their home, spending the break with the entire family.
…
"I won't be here for the next two weeks," Liam said during their usual evening walk. His voice was calm, yet the words carried more weight than he intended.
Ayaan glanced at him. It wasn't something he expect suddenly. "Where are you going?" he asked, trying to sound casual, though a trace of disappointment lingered beneath his tone.
"Home," Liam replied simply.
A brief silence settled between them before Ayaan spoke again.
"Are you taking any gifts for your mom and grandparents?" Trying to be cheerful, Ayaan asks.
Liam shook his head. "That won't be necessary."
Ayaan stopped walking and turned to him, a slight frown forming. "How can it not be?" he said. "It's your first time going back after spending months in our village. We may not have anything luxurious here, but… you should at least take something as a gift."
Liam considered his words for a moment. "Like what?"
"If your mother likes traditional crafts, there's a small shop near the cross," Ayaan suggested. "You might find something there."
He paused briefly before adding, more softly, "And for your grandparents… you could take some of our village's special tea leaves. They're simple, but they help the body relax. People here really like them."
Liam listened quietly, uncertainty still lingering in his eyes. "I've never bought anything for them myself before," he admitted. "What if they don't like it?"
Ayaan's expression softened, a gentle smile forming on his lips. "Gifts aren't valued by their price, Liam," Ayaan said softly while looking at Liam as it's something he taught him. "They're valued by the heart of the person giving them."
...
On the day of his departure, Ayaan and Aiden came to see Liam off. Ayaan silently watched him disappear from his view while keeping a bright smile, and it slowly turns sad once Liam goes.
Before leaving the village, Liam made sure to buy everything Ayaan had suggested—choosing each item with quiet care.
When he finally arrived home, the gifts were received with polite curiosity. His grandparents, long accustomed to imported luxuries and refined tastes, couldn't help but find the items… simple. Perhaps even a little underwhelming at first glance.
Yet, because they came from their grandson, they did not dismiss them. Instead, his grandmother instructed the chef to prepare the tea.
A few minutes later, it was served.
The moment the steam curled up from the cups, something shifted. The aroma alone made them pause. It wasn't sharp or extravagant like the blends they were used to. Instead, it was warm—deep, earthy, and quietly comforting. It felt… familiar, in a way they couldn't quite explain.
His grandmother lifted the cup and took a careful sip. Her eyes softened almost instantly. "It's good," she said, a note of surprise in her voice. "You should try this."
Hearing it, his grandfather followed, taking a sip of his own. For a moment, he said nothing. Then he gave a small nod, clearly impressed. "This is excellent," he admitted, setting the cup down with quiet approval. "Make sure to bring more of this the next time you visit."
He reached out and patted Liam's shoulder as he also liked his gift.
Later that night, after spending the entire day with his grandparents, Liam finally retreated to his room.
After a quiet bath, he stood by the window, gazing out at the night sky. The city lights flickered below—restless and alive—while above, the stars remained calm and unmoving.
Somehow, his thoughts drifted back to Ayaan. 'What would he be doing right now? Will he be missing me too?'
A faint sigh escaped his lips. With no way to reach him, the distance felt heavier than he had expected.
Eventually, he let himself fall onto the bed, staring blankly at the ceiling. Not knowing when, he falls to sleep while thinking about Ayaan.
Liam thought making himself busy would help him forget this strange longing—but instead, it only made things worse.
Everything reminded him of Ayaan. A laugh in the distance. A passing figure. A fleeting glance at someone who looked vaguely similar— More than once, he caught himself staring at strangers, only to realize they weren't him.
"I'm going crazy…" Liam muttered under his breath.
"It definitely looks like something's wrong with you." The voice came out of nowhere. Liam turned slightly to find Neon (his friend) standing beside him, arms crossed, watching him with a mix of amusement and suspicion.
"Are you in love with some village girl or something?" Neon asked, raising an eyebrow.
Liam frowned. "What are you talking about?"
Instead of waiting for an answer, he turned and started walking away.
"Come on, man, just tell me the truth," Neon pressed, quickly catching up. "I'm right, aren't I?"
This time, Liam didn't deny it. But he didn't admit it either. He simply stayed silent.
Neon grinned, taking that as confirmation. "So, who's the lucky girl?" he teased. "Who managed to steal our cold prince's heart that even the school's beauty couldn't succeed?"
"Shut up," Liam muttered.
"Hey, I'm serious—" Neon stopped mid-sentence, his attention shifting. "Wait… isn't that Ariana?" He pointed toward a girl a short distance away.
Ariana stood with two of her friends, shopping bags in hand. The moment she noticed them, her face lit up, and she waved.
Neon waved back instinctively, but when he glanced at Liam's expression—calm, distant, almost cold—his hand slowly dropped.
"Hi…" Ariana approached them, her eyes fixed on Liam.
"Shopping?" Neon asked, gesturing toward the bags.
"Yeah," she replied with a small smile, though her attention never left Liam.
"Liam… how have you been?"
"Fine." The answer was brief. Detached.
Ariana hesitated before speaking again.
"I heard your parents sent you to a village school…" she said softly. "It's all because of me, if you didn't involve in that fight may be… I'm really sorry." Feeling guilty, she spoke.
"It's not your fault," Liam cut in, his voice calm but distant. "If it were anyone else in your position, I would've done the same."
The words were polite. But the tone drew a clear line.
Ariana fell silent, unsure how to respond.
"Ari… the driver's waiting outside," one of her friends whispered.
She nodded, then looked back at Liam. "Let's meet again sometime," she said, forcing a light smile.
She turned to leave—then paused, as if gathering courage. "I'm still waiting for a positive answer from you, Liam." And with that, she walked away.
Neon let out a sigh. "Girls really do like guys who don't like them back," he said, shaking his head. "Why is that?"
"Because people don't really value things that come too easily… They think, it's cheap..." Liam replied casually.
Neon shot him an annoyed look. "You—"
Then his expression shifted, turning more serious. "Liam… she's a good girl. Honestly, she matches you in every way. So why don't you give her a chance?"
Liam looked at him annoyed. "Because I don't have any feelings for her."
Neon sighed. "Every guy in our class likes her."
"So What?" Liam replied, raising an eyebrow. "Not everyone has the same taste.
Also how am I supposed to give my heart to her when it's already been stolen by someone else."