The café felt too small.
Too loud.
Too suffocating.
---
Ethan stood there, frozen.
Lia's words still echoing in his head.
"That's not enough, Ethan."
---
And she was right.
He knew she was right.
---
Because what he had been giving her—
Half answers.
Half feelings.
Half truth—
It wasn't fair.
---
Not to her.
Not to himself.
---
Lia grabbed her bag slowly.
"I should go," she said softly.
---
Ethan's heart dropped.
No.
Not again.
Not like this.
---
"Wait."
---
His voice came out sharper than he expected.
More desperate than he wanted.
---
Lia paused.
But she didn't turn around immediately.
---
"Please," he added, quieter now.
---
That made her stop completely.
---
Daniel looked between them, then stood up slowly.
"I'll give you guys a minute."
---
Ethan didn't even acknowledge him.
Didn't look at him.
Didn't care.
---
Because right now—
There was only Lia.
---
Daniel walked away, leaving them standing there.
Alone.
Again.
---
Lia turned slowly.
Her eyes met Ethan's.
Guarded.
Tired.
But still…
There.
---
"You said it's not enough," Ethan started.
His voice wasn't steady.
But it was real.
---
She didn't respond.
Just waited.
---
He took a step closer.
Then another.
---
"I know," he said.
"I know it's not enough."
---
Her brows furrowed slightly.
Because this…
This was different.
---
No deflection.
No running.
---
Just him.
---
"I've been saying 'I don't know' because it was easier," he continued.
"Easier than admitting that I do know."
---
Lia's heart started beating faster.
---
Ethan let out a slow breath, running a hand through his hair.
"I've been trying to convince myself that this doesn't mean anything."
---
A pause.
---
"But it does."
---
The words landed.
Heavy.
Certain.
---
Lia's fingers tightened slightly around her bag.
---
Ethan stepped closer again.
Close enough now that the distance between them felt thin.
Fragile.
---
"I know what this is," he said quietly.
---
Her breath caught.
"…what is it?"
---
He looked at her.
Really looked at her.
No fear.
No walls.
No hiding.
---
"It's you."
---
Silence.
---
Confusion flickered across her face.
"…what?"
---
Ethan swallowed.
Then said it properly.
Fully.
---
"It's you," he repeated.
"It's always been you."
---
Her heart stuttered.
---
"I come to that stairwell because of you," he continued.
"I stayed because of you. I changed because of you."
---
Each word felt like a piece of something breaking open inside him.
---
"I didn't want to admit it," he said.
"Because I was scared."
---
Lia's eyes softened slightly.
---
"Not of you," he added quickly.
"Of…feeling like that again."
---
The truth sat between them.
Clear now.
Undeniable.
---
"But that doesn't change anything," he said.
---
A pause.
---
"It doesn't change the fact that I think about you all the time."
"It doesn't change the fact that I hate seeing you with someone else."
"It doesn't change the fact that when you stopped coming…"
---
His voice dropped.
Lower.
Quieter.
---
"…I missed you."
---
Lia's breath hitched.
---
"And not just the place," he added.
"Not just the routine."
---
His gaze locked onto hers.
---
"You."
---
Silence fell again.
But this time—
It wasn't heavy.
It wasn't breaking.
---
It was…shifting.
---
"I didn't say anything before because I thought if I didn't name it… it wouldn't be real," Ethan admitted.
"But it is."
---
Another step closer.
Now they were barely inches apart.
---
"And I'm done pretending it's not."
---
Lia stared at him.
Her emotions all over the place.
Shock.
Relief.
Fear.
Hope.
---
"…Ethan," she whispered.
---
"I like you."
---
The words were simple.
But they carried everything.
---
"I don't know how to do this," he added.
"I don't know how to be… normal about it."
---
A small, almost self-aware laugh escaped him.
---
"But I know I don't want to lose you."
---
Her eyes softened completely now.
---
"And I know I don't want you with him," he admitted.
Then quickly—
"…not because I get to control that."
A breath.
"…but because I want you with me."
---
Silence.
---
Lia's heart felt like it was going to burst.
---
Because this—
This was everything she had been waiting for.
---
But also everything that scared her.
---
"You're late," she said softly.
---
Ethan blinked. "…what?"
---
"You're saying all of this now," she continued.
"After everything."
---
"I know."
---
"I gave you a chance," she said.
"I asked you what this was."
---
Ethan nodded slowly. "…I remember."
---
"And you said you couldn't."
---
Her voice didn't break.
But it was close.
---
Ethan swallowed.
"I know."
---
Silence.
---
"But I'm saying it now," he said.
---
A pause.
---
"Is that enough?"
---
The question hung between them.
Fragile.
Terrifying.
---
Lia looked at him for a long moment.
Really looked at him.
At the way he wasn't hiding anymore.
At the way his voice wasn't guarded.
At the way he finally looked…real.
---
Then she took a small breath.
---
"It's a start."
---
Ethan's chest loosened slightly.
---
But she didn't move closer.
Not yet.
---
"Don't make me regret it," she added softly.
---
"I won't," he said immediately.
---
And for once—
He meant it without hesitation.
---
They stood there.
Close.
Not touching.
But not distant anymore.
---
Something had shifted.
Something real.
Something fragile.
Something new.
---
And this time—
Neither of them walked away. 💕