Kaivan swallowed hard. Her words crashed into him like a rising wave. He knew Thivi was searching for something, an answer, a place to belong, but not like this.
"Thivi… listen," he said softly, yet with quiet resolve. "I'm not looking for love. I'm not thinking about romance. Not with anyone… not even with our friends."
But Thivi shook her head stubbornly.
"It's fine," she whispered, meeting his eyes without flinching. "I just want to be with you. So if you want me to go back to who I was… kiss me now."
Silence fell. The morning breeze brushed past them gently, but the tension between them grew heavier, thick enough to feel. Kaivan took her by the arm carefully and guided her toward the wooden shed behind the villa. Their footsteps were brisk, half running from something, half chasing something they couldn't name.
Inside, the scent of dry wood and cool air wrapped around them. The small room felt like a world apart.
"Thivi," Kaivan began, firmer this time, yet still gentle. "I can't keep going like this. I don't want a romantic relationship. And I don't want anyone else to know about… anything that happens between us. Do you understand?"
Thivi nodded slowly. Tears still clung to her lashes, but there was a quiet determination in her eyes, like someone ready to accept whatever answer awaited her. Then, without warning, she leaned in and kissed him. Not rushed, yet not hesitant either. A kiss that carried longing, hurt, and hope all at once.
Kaivan froze for a heartbeat. Then, drawn by something he couldn't name, he kissed her back. They held each other tightly, without words, only the uneven rhythm of their hearts filling the small room.
When they finally pulled away, Thivi gave him a faint smile. Her eyes, once clouded with tears, now seemed calmer.
"This is really you, right? Kaivan?" she asked softly, as if seeking proof that he wasn't just another illusion.
He nodded gently. "Yeah. It's me, Thivi."
She took a slow breath, her voice trembling but honest. "I want more than this, Kaivan. I want to feel… enough. For you."
Kaivan fell silent. A storm churned quietly inside him, compassion tangled with responsibility, closeness bound to boundary.
"Thivi… no," he murmured. His voice was soft, but firm like a calm tide. "That's enough. I'm not ready. Not because I don't care… but because I do."
His gaze held warmth, not rejection, like a wall built not to keep her away, but to shield her. He lifted a hand, brushing away the tear that clung to her cheek.
Thivi bit her lower lip. Her heart was a mess, caught between hope and fear. But she understood, Kaivan wasn't pushing her away. He was trying to protect what little steadiness they still had.
"I want more than this," she whispered again, her voice trembling with the weight of everything she couldn't say.
Kaivan didn't speak. He simply let her words settle, his silence offering a gentler answer than any refusal.
"People are worried about you," he finally said. "And I don't want to hurt you any further."
His words weren't cold, they were a warm boundary, a compass guiding her away from a cliff's edge.
Thivi lowered her head. The storm inside her slowly quieted, replaced by a fragile but growing understanding. Maybe her wish wasn't wrong, just not ready to bloom.
After a long silence, she nodded. Not fully steady, but willing. Somewhere in her chest, something small began to heal, an awareness that this wasn't an ending, but the first step toward finding herself again.
The sky was beginning to pale. The soft hues of dawn slowly replaced the darkness of night. The quiet villa was wrapped in fresh morning air. The scent of gunpowder and blood that lingered before faded away, washed clean by a breeze that carried the promise of a new beginning.
Inside the room, Kaivan lay still on the bed. His breathing had grown slow and steady, sinking into the exhaustion that finally overpowered his wariness. Even with bruises and open wounds still visible, his face looked more peaceful than usual. For a moment, the world seemed to give him space to breathe.
Felicia stood by the bedside, watching him closely. The morning light danced in her red eyes, reflecting emotions she could not put into words. Her gaze fell on Kaivan's shoulder, where an open wound remained raw. Slowly, she reached for a bandage on the table and began to wrap it.
Her hands trembled just a little. Each layer was wrapped with delicate care, as if she were trying to soothe something deeper than a physical wound. The feeling of his skin beneath her fingertips reminded her: he was alive. He was still here.
When she finished, Felicia let out a long breath. She was exhausted, yet unwilling to leave. Quietly, she lowered herself onto the bed beside him, slipping an arm gently around his body. She didn't want to disturb him, she simply wanted to be close. A faint smile touched her lips as her eyes finally closed.
Outside the room, Radit happened to pass by. He glanced through the small gap of the slightly open door, then froze.
Felicia was sleeping beside Kaivan, her arm wrapped around him.
"Oh crap… If Thivi sees this, we're dead," he muttered, face tightening.
Right at that moment, light footsteps approached from behind. Radit turned, and his face drained of color.
Thivi stood there. Her expression was calm, but her eyes were sharp.