The silence after Ryan left didn't feel the same.
It wasn't just heavy.
It was… suffocating.
Aiden stood there, unmoving, his eyes fixed on the empty path Ryan had disappeared into.
His chest felt tight.
Not because of what just happened.
But because of what it meant.
"…you should go after him."
Kael's voice broke the silence.
Low. Careful.
Aiden didn't turn.
"…why?"
"Because he matters to you."
That answer came too quickly.
Too easily.
Aiden finally looked at him.
"And you don't?"
Kael didn't respond.
That was answer enough.
Aiden exhaled slowly, running a hand through his hair.
"This is exactly what I hate," he muttered.
"What?"
"You deciding things for me."
Kael frowned slightly.
"I'm not—"
"You are," Aiden cut him off, his voice sharper now. "You think you know what's best for me. You thought that before too."
The words landed.
Hard.
Kael's jaw tightened.
"…that's not what this is."
"Then what is it?"
Silence.
Again.
Aiden let out a bitter laugh.
"See? You still do it."
"I'm trying not to hurt you."
"Then stop acting like I'm someone you need to protect."
Kael's expression shifted.
Something deeper flickering in his eyes.
"…you don't understand."
"Then make me understand."
The words came out louder this time.
Not angry.
Desperate.
"I can't."
That was it.
That was the breaking point.
Aiden stepped back, shaking his head.
"Then don't expect me to just stand here and trust you."
Kael took a step forward.
"I'm not asking you to trust me."
"Then what are you asking for?"
A pause.
"…a chance."
Aiden stared at him.
His chest rising and falling unevenly.
"You already had one."
Kael didn't look away.
"I know."
"And you lost it."
"I know that too."
Silence fell again.
But this time—
It didn't feel like distance.
It felt like something fragile.
Something close to breaking.
"…then why are you still here?" Aiden asked quietly.
Kael didn't hesitate.
"Because I don't want to lose you again."
Those words should've meant something.
They should've fixed something.
But they didn't.
Because Aiden had heard things like this before.
And words—
They weren't enough anymore.
"…I'm tired, Kael."
That was new.
Not anger.
Not sadness.
Just… exhaustion.
Kael's expression softened.
"Tired of waiting," Aiden continued. "Tired of not knowing. Tired of feeling like I'm the only one trying to hold on to something that keeps slipping away."
Kael stepped closer again.
Slowly.
Carefully.
"You're not the only one trying."
Aiden shook his head.
"Then show me something real."
Kael froze.
Because that was the problem.
Everything he had to show…
Was something he couldn't say.
"…I am," Kael said quietly.
"No," Aiden replied immediately. "You're not. You're just standing here and expecting that to be enough."
Kael's hands clenched slightly.
"What do you want me to do?" he asked.
Aiden looked at him.
Really looked at him.
"I want the truth."
Simple.
Clear.
Unavoidable.
Kael's breath caught slightly.
"…not yet."
That answer—
It hurt more than anything else.
Aiden laughed softly.
"Of course."
He turned away.
"I should go."
Kael reached out instinctively—
But stopped himself.
Because this time…
He didn't want to force anything.
"…Aiden."
Aiden paused.
But didn't turn back.
"I'm not going anywhere."
A small pause.
"…even if you walk away right now."
Aiden's grip tightened slightly at his sides.
But he didn't respond.
And then—
He walked away.
Leaving Kael alone.
Again.
But this time…
It felt different.
Because Kael didn't follow.
He just stood there.
Watching.
Waiting.
Like he said he would.
The next few days passed slowly.
Too slowly.
Aiden avoided Kael.
Not completely.
But enough.
If Kael was there—
Aiden would leave.
If Kael spoke—
Aiden would keep his answers short.
Not cold.
Not harsh.
Just… distant.
And somehow—
That hurt more.
Because Kael could feel it.
The space.
The distance.
The hesitation.
But he didn't push.
Didn't chase.
Didn't force anything.
He stayed.
Just like he promised.
Ryan, on the other hand—
Didn't show up.
Not the next day.
Not the day after that.
And that absence…
It bothered Aiden more than he expected.
"…why do I feel like this?" he muttered to himself, staring at his untouched lunch.
Because no matter what—
Ryan had been there.
Consistently.
Without conditions.
Without confusion.
And now—
He wasn't.
"You're thinking too much."
Aiden looked up.
Lena.
She sat across from him, raising an eyebrow.
"You've been staring at that food for ten minutes," she added.
"I'm not hungry."
"That's not new."
Aiden sighed.
"What do you want?"
"To understand why you're making your life complicated."
Aiden frowned.
"I'm not—"
"You are," Lena interrupted calmly. "You've got one guy who broke you and came back with half-truths… and another who stayed but walked away because you couldn't choose."
Aiden didn't respond.
Because she wasn't wrong.
"…it's not that simple."
"It never is," Lena shrugged. "But your decision will be."
Aiden looked at her.
"What do you mean?"
"It means," she leaned slightly forward, "no matter what you do, someone gets hurt."
Aiden's chest tightened.
"And that includes you."
Silence.
Aiden looked away.
"…I don't want to hurt anyone."
Lena smiled faintly.
"Then you're already hurting yourself."
That hit deeper than expected.
That evening—
Aiden found himself back at the same place.
The quiet garden.
The same bench.
And just like before—
He wasn't alone.
"You always come back here."
Aiden didn't even react this time.
"…you're really not giving up, are you?"
Kael walked closer.
"I said I wouldn't."
Aiden exhaled slowly.
"…you're making this harder."
"For you?"
"For me," Aiden admitted.
That surprised Kael.
"…why?"
Aiden hesitated.
Because the answer wasn't simple.
"…because you're still you."
Kael frowned slightly.
"I don't understand."
Aiden looked at him.
"You're still the same person I…" he stopped himself.
"…the same person I couldn't forget."
That was enough.
Kael's expression softened.
"Aiden—"
"But that doesn't mean I trust you," Aiden added quickly.
"I know."
"And it doesn't mean I've forgiven you."
"I know that too."
Silence fell again.
But this time—
It wasn't uncomfortable.
It was… honest.
Kael sat beside him again.
Not too close.
Just enough.
"I'll wait," he said quietly.
Aiden looked at him.
"For how long?"
Kael didn't hesitate.
"As long as it takes."
Aiden shook his head slightly.
"You say that now."
"I mean it."
Aiden didn't respond.
Because part of him—
Wanted to believe that.
And that was the problem.
"…Ryan hasn't come back."
The words slipped out unexpectedly.
Kael's expression changed slightly.
"…do you want him to?"
Aiden didn't answer immediately.
"…I don't know."
That honesty—
It hurt more than a lie.
Kael nodded slowly.
"That's fair."
Aiden glanced at him.
"…you're not even going to get jealous?"
A small pause.
"I am."
That surprised him.
"But I don't have the right to show it."
That answer—
It felt different.
Real.
And somehow…
It made things harder.
The wind picked up slightly.
Cool.
Calm.
Aiden wrapped his arms around himself lightly.
Without thinking—
Kael moved slightly closer.
Not touching.
But enough to block the wind.
Aiden noticed.
"…you always do that."
"What?"
"Take care of me… without asking."
Kael looked at him.
"…is that a bad thing?"
Aiden shook his head slowly.
"…that's the problem."
Kael didn't understand.
But he didn't ask.
Because right now—
This moment—
It mattered more than answers.
They sat there.
Quietly.
Together.
Not close.
Not far.
Just… somewhere in between.
And maybe—
That's where they were now.
Not strangers.
Not lovers.
Something unfinished.
Something fragile.
Something that could either break again…
Or finally become whole.
[To be continued…]