Liyana and Riley's little "date" carried on without interruption as they moved deeper through the academy.
The commercial district alone was big enough to feel like its own city, and no matter where they turned, there was always something new—another stall, another street, another small detail Riley could point out.
He didn't run out of things to show her.
And she didn't get bored.
If anything, Liyana stayed closer with each step, her attention shifting between the surroundings… and him.
From the outside, it looked simple.
Just two loving couple walking together.
Talking.
Laughing, occasionally.
But for her—
It felt different.
Strangely so.
Because in the past, they were never apart.
At least, not on her end.
She had always stayed by his side, followed him, watched him, claimed his time as if it naturally belonged to her. There was nothing unusual about it back then.
It was normal.
So, this should've felt the same.
And yet—
It didn't.
