Thea released my face before the watching students finally lowered their recording phones. Her paper flowers remained secure beneath one arm, while the residency sign framed a public choice nobody could describe honestly as accidental exposure.
I wanted to kiss her again because desire had never learned moderation through committee policy. Thea stepped back first, setting the exact limit before attention transformed affection into performance.
"One kiss was what I chose to show. We are leaving now," she said.
"I am following your visibility decision," I replied.
Nina moved beside Thea without asking whether the public kiss meant she had recovered from yesterday's jealousy. We walked toward the main road while phones remained behind us, giving strangers no second scene to arrange around their preferred story.
"That was extremely attractive and professionally inconvenient. May I celebrate without turning you into a symbol?" Nina said after we reached the next block.
