Ethan wasn't supposed to be here.
Not this early.
Not outside.
Not…looking for her.
But here he was anyway.
Standing just across the street from the building, hands tucked into his hoodie, eyes scanning every person that walked past like he had something to prove.
Or maybe…
Something to find.
---
"This is stupid," he muttered under his breath.
He had never waited for anyone like this before.
Never looked for someone.
People usually came to him.
Fans. Friends. Girls.
They all came.
But Lia?
She didn't.
Not like that.
She existed in her own quiet world.
And somehow…
Ethan had stepped into it.
Now he didn't know how to step out.
---
A small laugh caught his attention.
Soft. Familiar.
His head turned instantly.
And there she was.
Lia.
But she wasn't alone.
---
Ethan stilled.
There was a guy beside her.
Tall. Easy smile. Walking a little too close.
Talking like he had every right to be there.
And Lia—
She was laughing.
---
Ethan's jaw tightened.
Hard.
"What…"
The word slipped out quietly.
He didn't even realize it.
---
The guy said something else.
Lia shook her head, smiling again, her hand lightly brushing her hair back.
Comfortable.
Relaxed.
The same way she was with Ethan.
And suddenly—
Ethan didn't like it.
Not one bit.
---
He pushed himself off the wall, stepping forward before he could stop himself.
His movements were sharp. Controlled.
But inside?
Everything felt…off.
Too loud.
Too tight.
Too unfamiliar.
---
"Lia."
His voice cut through the moment.
She turned immediately.
And the second she saw him—
Her smile softened.
Different.
Warmer.
"…Ethan?"
Something in his chest eased.
Just a little.
---
But then—
The guy beside her looked at him.
Curious.
Assessing.
And Ethan felt it again.
That sharp, irritating feeling crawling under his skin.
---
"You know him?" the guy asked casually, glancing at Lia.
Before she could answer—
"Yeah," Ethan said.
Too quickly.
Too firmly.
Their eyes met.
And for a second…
Something unspoken passed between them.
---
"This is Daniel," Lia said softly. "He's a friend."
Ethan's gaze shifted to the guy.
Daniel.
He didn't like the name already.
---
"Friend," Ethan repeated, his tone unreadable.
Daniel smiled slightly, extending a hand. "Yeah. And you are…?"
Ethan looked at the hand.
Then at him.
Then back at the hand.
And didn't take it.
---
"Ethan," Lia said quickly, sensing the tension.
Daniel nodded. "Right."
A pause.
Then—
"Oh—you're that Ethan, aren't you?"
Ethan's expression didn't change. "Depends."
"The singer," Daniel continued, a small grin forming. "Didn't expect to run into you here."
Ethan shrugged. "Didn't expect to see you either."
The words were calm.
But sharp.
---
Lia glanced between them, her grip tightening slightly on her bag.
"Daniel was just leaving," she said quickly.
Ethan's eyes flicked back to her.
"Was he?"
---
Daniel chuckled lightly, clearly picking up on something. "I can take a hint."
He looked at Lia. "I'll see you later?"
She hesitated for a second.
"…yeah."
That one word—
It did something to Ethan.
Something he didn't like.
---
"Bye, Lia," Daniel said, then glanced at Ethan. "…Ethan."
And just like that, he walked away.
---
The moment he was gone—
Silence.
But not the soft kind.
The tense kind.
---
Lia turned to Ethan slowly.
"You're early," she said softly.
"Who is he?"
The question came out immediately.
No hesitation.
No filter.
---
She blinked. "I told you. He's a friend."
Ethan's jaw tightened. "Since when?"
"…a while."
"And you didn't mention him?"
Her brows furrowed slightly. "I don't have to tell you everything."
That made him pause.
Because she was right.
But it didn't stop the feeling in his chest.
---
"I don't like him," Ethan said flatly.
Lia stared at him.
"…what?"
"I said I don't like him."
"You don't even know him."
"I don't need to."
---
The tension grew.
Thicker.
Sharper.
---
"Why does it matter?" she asked quietly.
Ethan froze.
Because again—
He didn't have an answer he could say out loud.
---
"…it just does," he muttered.
"That's not a reason."
"I don't need one."
Her expression shifted slightly.
Not hurt.
Not angry.
Just…confused.
---
"Ethan," she said softly, "you can't just decide you don't like someone because they're talking to me."
His eyes snapped to hers.
"That's not what this is."
"Then what is it?"
Silence.
---
Because the truth?
The truth was dangerous.
The truth was something he didn't understand yet.
The truth was something he wasn't ready to admit.
---
"I just don't like it," he said finally.
And this time—
It wasn't sharp.
It wasn't defensive.
It was honest.
---
Lia studied him for a moment.
Then…
"You don't like…him?"
A pause.
"…or you don't like me being with him?"
Ethan didn't answer.
Because that question?
That one hit too close.
---
Her lips parted slightly, like she was about to say something—
But then she stopped.
Because she saw it.
In his eyes.
In the way he couldn't answer.
In the way he looked at her…
And then looked away.
---
"Oh," she whispered.
The realization settled quietly between them.
Soft.
But powerful.
---
Ethan ran a hand through his hair, frustrated. "Forget it."
But it was too late.
Because now…
She understood something he hadn't even said.
---
"Come on," he muttered, turning toward the building. "Let's go."
Lia hesitated for a second.
Then followed.
But this time…
The silence between them wasn't confusion.
It wasn't distance.
It wasn't even hurt.
---
It was awareness.
---
And as they walked side by side—
Not touching, but closer than before—
One thing became clear.
To both of them.
---
This wasn't just friendship anymore.
And whatever it was becoming…
Was only getting harder to ignore. 💕🔥