"Lily."
She realized then.
It wasn't Aiden who called her.
It was Mira.
Mira was already walking toward her, her ponytail swaying lightly behind her shoulders, sunlight catching on the small silver earrings she always wore. Jake was a few steps behind, but he had already been intercepted by two girls from another department, tugging at his sleeve.
Mira did not look bothered.
She closed the distance quickly and stopped right in front of Lily, her eyes widening.
"Oh my Lily," she breathed, hands flying to Lily's arms. "This dress perfectly suits you. You look so cute. You know dresses suit you more than jeans."
She slipped an arm around Lily's waist and hugged her sideways.
The lace of Lily's dress brushed against Mira's fingers. The chocolate-brown jacket caught the morning light, making the fabric look warmer than it had in her room mirror.
"Thank you, Mira," Lily replied softly.
Her voice carried a shy edge.
She allowed herself one small glance from the corner of her eyes.
Aiden was standing there.
Not too close.
Not too far.
He looked… different.
He wore a relaxed-fit light-colored long-sleeve button-down shirt, thin vertical pinstripes barely visible unless you looked closely. The fabric looked soft, breathable, slightly wrinkled in a way that felt intentional rather than careless. His sleeves were rolled up just enough to reveal his wrists. Black wide-leg trousers fell neatly to his ankles. Casual sneakers grounded the look.
He looked clean.
Effortless.
And he was smiling.
Not the cold half-smile he usually wore.
Not the teasing curve of his lips when he called her "Winslow."
This smile was Bright.
Like he had been waiting to see her.
"Good morning, Winslow," he said.
Casual.
Almost too casual.
But his eyes lingered.
Just a second longer than necessary.
He looks different today…
His smile… I have never seen him smile like that before.
"Good morning…" she answered quietly.
Her voice barely reached him.
"Lily, we have class now. Let's go. See you later, Aiden," Mira said, already stepping forward confidently.
Lily nodded and began walking.
She had taken only three steps.
Then—
A sudden pull.
Her bag strap tightened sharply against her shoulder.
Her body jerked backward in surprise.
Her foot slipped slightly.
The ground tilted for a moment—
and then a hand caught her.
Firm.Steady.Warm against her wrist.
The pull was quick, stopping her before she could fall. Her back bumped softly into a solid chest, the sudden closeness stealing the air from her lungs.
She froze.
Aiden's hand was around her arm, pulling her just enough so she stood very close to him. Close enough that she could feel the warmth radiating through his shirt. Close enough that the faint scent of his cologne, reached her senses.
Her breath hitched.
She could feel his breath near her ear.
It was not rushed.
Everything about it was slow.
Deliberate and Controlled.
Mira turned around at the sudden movement.
Aiden did not let go immediately.
"I have something to tell her," he said calmly. "You go first, Mira."
His tone was normal.
Almost indifferent.
But his hand remained on Lily's arm a moment longer than needed.
Mira looked between them.
Then she shrugged lightly. "Okay, fine. Come quickly, Lily. I'll get us seats."
She smiled and turned away.
And only then—
Aiden released her.
As if nothing had happened.
"Oh, sorry, Winslow," he said, sliding one hand casually into his trouser pocket. "I just wanted to talk."
Lily's pulse had not slowed yet.
Her heart was beating in a way that felt unfamiliar — not fast in panic, but deep and heavy, like each beat carried weight.
"What is it?" she asked.
Her cheeks were already warm.
She knew she was red.
She could feel it.
"About the project," he said. His gaze did not leave her face. "I'm starting today after lectures. Do you have time, Winslow?"
She avoided his eyes at first.
"Yes… I have time after lunch," she answered. Then, gathering courage, she looked up at him directly. "What about you?"
Their eyes met fully this time.
His expression softened.
The corners of his mouth lifted slightly.
"I can manage my timetable for you," he said gently. "Let's meet at 3 p.m."
For you.
The words echoed in her mind louder than they should have.
For you…
Why did he phrase it like that?
Why did it sound too personal?
How can I answer normally…she thought, fighting the sudden nervous flutter rising inside her.
Her voice trembled just slightly when she spoke again.
"Okay then… what about coloring stuff?"
She focused on practical details, as if logic could save her from whatever this feeling was.
"Don't worry," he replied easily. "They'll provide the materials. They just need us there."
He tilted his head slightly, studying her reaction.
"Now go to your class. I'll call you."
His voice held a faint teasing edge.
Subtle.Easy to miss.
But Lily noticed it.
"Okay… see you," she said quickly.
She did not look at him again.
She walked forward faster than necessary.
Her steps almost uneven.
Behind her, Aiden watched her retreating figure, the soft sway of her dress, the slight stiffness in her shoulders.
He chuckled quietly under his breath.
"She's like a little puppy," he murmured to himself, amused by how quickly she fled.
---
The cafeteria buzzed with conversation and clinking utensils.
Lily sat across from Mira, but her attention kept drifting.
Her phone lay beside her tray.
Every few seconds, her eyes flickered toward it.
No notification.
Still she checked again.
Mira paused mid-sentence and narrowed her eyes playfully.
"Ah ha. Lily. Why are you looking at your phone so many times? Are you waiting for someone's call?"
Lily stiffened.
"No—Mira—it's not like that," she said too quickly.
Her honesty was clear.
But so was the redness creeping up her neck.
Mira leaned closer, resting her chin on her palm.
"Lily," she asked softly, curiosity shining in her eyes, "have you ever fallen in love?"
The question hung between them.
Lily's fingers stopped moving.
"…Love?" she repeated quietly.
"I don't know about love, Mira."
She gave a small, uncertain laugh.
"What do you think love feels like?" she asked. Not in movies. She thought.
"In real life." Lily say.
Mira's expression changed.
It softened.
"I don't even know when it started… or maybe it was something else. Something people call love."
Mira said quietly.
"But for me… it feels like a dream I never want to wake up from."
Her eyes glowed as she spoke.
"It's beautiful. I want to share every small thing with him. When he teases me, I pretend I'm annoyed, but I like it. When he comes near, I feel like I'm about to explore something new. I imagine the future… every minute becoming brighter with him in it."
She smiled faintly.
"But I'm scared. I'm scared that if I say how much I love him… I might lose him."
Her voice lowered.
"This is the hardest feeling I've ever had."
Lily listened carefully.
Her chest tightened.
"I think," Lily said gently, "the person you like will definitely like you back. If he knows how much you love him… how could he look at anyone else?"
Lily didn't know if she believed her own words.
She had only felt something for four or five months.
Mira's love felt deeper.
Older.
"I don't know," Mira said, smiling sadly. "I want to tell him. To Jake. But he isn't interested in relationships, you know—"
The name hit Lily unexpectedly.
Jake…Not Aiden.
Her mind went still for a second.
The world around her blurred slightly.
"…Jake," she repeated internally.
Why did that realization feel like something shifting quietly inside her?
She didn't understand why her heartbeat changed again.
She didn't understand why relief and something else tangled together inside her chest.
Mira kept talking.
But Lily wasn't fully hearing anymore.
Because suddenly—
Everything felt different.And she did not know why.
The thought moved through her slowly, like a door opening after being locked for too long.
Lily blinked, staring at Mira as if she had not heard correctly.
"Wait…" she said quietly.
Her fingers tightened slightly around the edge of the table.
"Is Jake the one you like, Mira?"
Her voice came out softer than she expected, carrying both confusion and disbelief.
Mira looked at her for a moment. Then a shy smile slowly formed on her lips.
"Yes," she admitted.
She leaned back slightly in her chair, rubbing the back of her neck with a small embarrassed laugh.
"That's right, Lily. It just… slipped out of my mouth now. I wanted to tell you before, but I felt shy about it."
Her smile faded a little, replaced by something more honest.
"And sometimes," she added quietly, glancing down at her hands, "I even felt jealous of you."
Lily froze.
Her eyes widened slightly.
"Jealous… of me?"
She almost laughed from disbelief.
"But you're beautiful, Mira. And kind. And confident." Her voice carried genuine confusion. "Why would you feel jealous of someone like me?"
Mira immediately shook her head.
"Don't say that." Her voice turned firm in a gentle way. "You're beautiful, Lily."
Mira lowered her gaze to the table.
Her fingers traced a small circle against the wood surface.
"It's because of Jake," she admitted.
Her voice softened.
"When he teases you… when he talks to you more than anyone else… I feel something strange inside my chest."
She let out a small breath and smiled weakly.
"That's when I realize I'm jealous."
She looked up again.
"I know it's pathetic."
Lily's chest tightened.
"No, Mira," she said quickly.
She shook her head.
"It's not pathetic at all."
Then she hesitated.
Her words slowed.
"I'm actually the one who should say sorry."
Mira blinked.
Lily rubbed her fingers together nervously.
"I didn't understand anything," she admitted softly. "I thought the person you liked was…"
She paused.
"…Aiden."
For a moment there was silence.
Then Mira suddenly burst into loud laughter.
Not a shy giggle this time.A full, unrestrained laugh.
Students from nearby tables turned their heads in surprise.
"No way!" Mira said between laughs.
"How did you even think that, Lily?"
She wiped a tear from the corner of her eye, still smiling.
"Aiden knows too… It's Jake."
She shook her head again, amused.
"Aiden is basically like my brother."
Her voice softened warmly.
"He's my closest friend. We've known each other forever."
She shrugged casually.
"I know he thinks the same way about me."
Lily felt something inside her chest loosen.
A tight knot she had been holding without realizing slowly began to unravel.
"But… I saw you looking at him that day," Lily said quietly.
Her voice carried embarrassment now.
"The day we watched the movie."
Mira's smile softened.
"Ah…"
She leaned forward slightly.
"From your point of view it probably looked like that."
She rested her chin on her palm.
"But I was looking at…. Jake." She say shyly.
Lily blinked slowly.
"So it's not Aiden—"
"What about me, Winslow?"
The voice came from behind her, low and unexpectedly close.
Lily's breath stopped.Her back stiffened instantly.
She turned around quickly.
And there he was.
Aiden stood just behind her chair, leaning slightly forward because of their height difference.
He was close enough that she could see the fine strands of his dark hair falling across his forehead.
Close enough to notice the calm gray color of his eyes.
Those eyes were already watching her.
Waiting.
Their gazes met suddenly.
For a moment neither of them moved.
His expression was not teasing or cold.
Just quietly attentive.
His eyes remained on her face as if he had been studying her expression the entire time.
Lily felt heat rush to her cheeks.
She broke eye contact first, lowering her gaze quickly.Her fingers tangled together nervously on the table.
Aiden walked around the chair and sat down beside her.
Mira spoke first.
"I never told Lily it was Jake I liked." she explained casually.
"Lily ended up thinking it was you."
Aiden turned his head slightly toward Lily.
A small smile appeared on his lips.
Not a loud laugh like Mira's.
Just a quiet curve of amusement.
But he said nothing about it.
Instead he leaned his elbow against the table.
"Winslow," he said calmly.
"I tried calling you earlier."
His gaze rested on her again.
"But then I saw you here so I came."
His head tilted slightly as he observed her half-finished tray.
"Are you done eating?"
Lily could feel it.
The attention.
Not just from him.
But from the surrounding tables.
Several girls nearby were watching.
Their eyes shifted between her and Aiden.
Lily's fingers tightened nervously around her spoon.
"I—"
Her voice nearly caught in her throat.
"I finished eating."
She turned quickly toward Mira instead.
"Mira, if you're done, we can go."
"Oh," Mira said suddenly.
She checked her phone.
"Actually I have somewhere to go today."
She stood up, grabbing her bag.
"Sorry, Lily."
Then she smiled playfully and looked between them.
"Aiden is here with you, so don't worry."
Lily's heart dropped.
That's exactly the problem.
Mira waved goodbye and walked away.
Leaving the two of them alone.
For a few seconds neither spoke.
Then Aiden stood.
"Come on," he said simply.
Lily followed him.
But she didn't walk beside him.
She walked a step behind.
End of chapter 29