The sun had barely dipped below the rooftops when Lysia stepped into Caelum's room, still in her uniform, a small notebook hugged to her chest.
She didn't ask.She never had to.
He simply nodded toward his desk, and she sat.
Outside, spring wind danced in the trees. Inside, the quiet tick of a clock filled the room.
Tutoring Session
Caelum stood beside her chair, leaning one hand against the desk as he scanned the pages of her notes.
"You messed up here," he said, pointing with his pencil. "X doesn't cancel like that."
Lysia pouted.
"It worked in my head."
"Your head ignores math rules."
She looked up at him, chin resting on her palm.
"So teach me."
"I'm trying."
"Then try harder," she murmured, eyes teasing.
He blinked. "Don't flirt during math."
"I'm not flirting."
"You are."
She smiled without denying it.
A Moment Between Steps
He wrote the correction slowly, clearly, his handwriting as perfect as everything else he did.
Lysia watched his hands again.The way his fingers moved.The way his wrist angled slightly to the right — the same as always.
Still precise. Still calm. Still hiding everything… except from me.
She spoke suddenly.
"Do you ever feel bored?"
He didn't look up. "With what?"
"This world."
A pause.
He continued writing.
"Sometimes."
"Even with me?"
He finally looked up.
"…Never."
Tension, Unspoken
The silence stretched between them like string — delicate, quiet, but unmistakably there.
Then Caelum sat beside her instead of standing.
Their shoulders nearly brushed.
He didn't speak. Just turned to the next page of her notebook.
She stayed quiet too.
But slowly, slowly leaned sideways until her head touched his shoulder.
He didn't move.
A Whisper at His Side
Her voice was soft.
"I missed you, you know. Even though you were always here."
"I know," he replied.
And for just a second, the façade cracked — a faint warmth in his tone.
She curled up closer.
"I still don't plan to tell you everything."
"I know that too."
"But I'm staying," she whispered.
He closed her notebook quietly.
"Then I don't need to know."
System Log – Passive Resonance Detected
[GENESIS CORE SYSTEM – OWNER: CAELUM]— Subject LYSIA: Emotional Frequency Match— Memory Guard: Active— Affection: High— Comfort Level: Peak— Note: "She's choosing to stay. And he's choosing not to ask. Because some answers… don't need to be spoken."
That Night
As the sky turned deep indigo, Lysia finally sat up and stretched.
"You're warm," she said casually.
"You used me as a pillow."
"You didn't stop me."
"I never do."
She smiled and stood, brushing off imaginary dust from her skirt.
"Same time tomorrow?"
He nodded once.
"Bring better notes."
She paused at the door.
Then said softly, "Bring better hugs."
He didn't reply.
But she saw the faint twitch of a smile on his lips before she closed the door behind her.