The hallway was loud, but between Velithra and Kai, everything felt strangely quiet.
They were walking side by side, not touching, not speaking — just… existing next to each other. And somehow, that alone felt too intimate. Velithra could feel the heat of his arm every time he swayed even slightly closer. She tried not to think about it. She failed.
Kai kept glancing at her. Not the intense, unreadable stares he used to give when they first met — this was softer. Curious. Like he was trying to memorize her mood in real time.
"Velithra," he said suddenly.
Her heart tripped over itself. "…Yeah?"
He exhaled, running a hand through his hair in that frustrated, gorgeous way he always did when he didn't know how to say something.
"I don't like how you look when you're pretending," he muttered.
She blinked. "Pretending… what?"
He stopped walking, gently catching her sleeve — not her hand, not grabbing, just enough to make her pause with him.
"That you're fine," he said. His voice was low, rougher than usual. "I can tell when you're not."
Velithra's breath caught. Her throat closed on a dozen words she couldn't say.
"Why?" she asked quietly. "Why do you pay that much attention?"
Kai held her gaze for a long few seconds. Too long. Long enough that she felt her heartbeat climbing into dangerous territory.
"I don't know," he admitted. "You make me pay attention."
Those words hit her like a shiver straight through her spine.
Velithra looked away, feeling her cheeks warm. This wasn't normal for her. She didn't get flustered. She never let people close enough for that.
"You… shouldn't," she whispered. "People like me aren't worth it."
Kai leaned a little closer, not touching her — just enough that she could feel the air shift.
"Don't say stuff like that," he said. His voice dropped even lower. "Not to me."
Her stomach flipped.
"Kai—"
"No," he cut in gently. "I'm serious."
His eyes softened in that way she hated because it made her feel too seen.
Too wanted.
The hallway noise faded around them. Students kept passing, but it felt like the world had narrowed to just the two of them.
Then Kai straightened slightly, clearing his throat — the smallest, most subtle sign that he'd almost said too much.
"Walk me to class?" he asked, voice more casual now, but his eyes gave him away.
Velithra swallowed.
"…Okay."
He didn't smile — Kai never really smiled — but something in his expression eased.
Like having her next to him was enough.
They walked again, the space between them somehow smaller than before.
And neither of them mentioned it.