(Michelle Lui's POV)
When the last firework faded, the crowd slowly broke apart—families packing snacks, couples taking selfies, teenagers arguing about which color burst the biggest.
The air buzzed with leftover excitement.
But inside me?
Everything was quiet.
Too quiet.
The kind of quiet that comes after your heart misfires and you don't know what to do with the leftover adrenaline.
Andy returned first.
He walked toward me with both hands in his jacket pockets, expression unreadable.
He didn't say anything—just stood beside me, shoulder-to-shoulder, as if offering a wordless shield.
Across the deck…
Lara clung to Steven's arm again.
Jasmine adjusted her scarf next to Anthony, linking arms deliberately.
Kate and Jeff were comparing photos they took.
Vince was bragging loudly about how the fireworks "were nothing compared to the ones in Country D I saw last year"—which was definitely a lie.
The group started heading back.
