Velithra barely slept.
Every time she closed her eyes, Kai's voice message replayed in her head — quiet, low, too honest.
"…I'm trying not to fall too fast.""But you're making that really hard."
She woke up earlier than usual, her stomach twisted in nervous excitement. Her mirror reflected someone who looked… different. Not happier, not magically changed — but softer somehow. Less hollow.
She brushed her hair twice.Changed her shirt three times.Pretended she wasn't doing any of that because of Kai.
When she finally left the house, the morning air felt crisp, the sky washed in pale blue. Her heartbeat was already quickening as she reached the street they usually walked.
She wasn't sure if he'd be there.She wasn't sure if he should be there.But she hoped anyway.
And then—there he was.
Kai stood with his hands in his pockets, leaning against the streetlamp like he'd been waiting longer than he wanted to admit. His black hair looked slightly messy, like he'd been running his hands through it, and his eyes lifted the second he heard her steps.
He straightened.
Not coolly.Not lazily.
But sharply — like seeing her hit him somewhere he didn't expect.
Velithra stopped a few feet in front of him, breath caught in her throat.
Kai looked at her for a moment — really looked — like he was checking her expression, her mood, her breathing. Like he needed to know she was okay.
"…Morning," he said, voice lower than usual.
"Morning," she whispered back.
Silence settled between them — not awkward but charged, warm, like last night hadn't faded from either of their minds.
Kai shifted, clearing his throat softly."You didn't sleep much," he said.
She blinked. "How do you know?"
He hesitated. "Your eyes."
Velithra touched her face self-consciously. "Is it… bad?"
Kai's gaze softened immediately. "No. Just… different."His voice dipped, almost too quiet."Pretty."
Velithra's heart slammed into her ribs.
Kai realized what he said half a second after saying it. His eyes widened slightly, and he looked away, running a hand through his hair in a rare flash of embarrassment.
"I—I meant like— You just look—" He sighed. "Forget it."
Velithra smiled, tiny and shy. "I won't."
Kai froze, staring at her again — stunned for a moment, then something warm flickered through his expression.
"Come here," he said softly.
She stepped closer automatically.
They fell into step beside each other, walking the path to school. The distance between them felt microscopic compared to yesterday. Their arms brushed once. Then twice. Velithra glanced up at him.
Kai exhaled slowly."You're doing that on purpose."
"I'm not," she whispered, flustered. "…I don't think I am."
"Mm." His lips twitched. "Sure."
She nudged him lightly — not meaning to, just reacting.
Kai's breath hitched. He looked at her, really looked at her, and for a second… he almost reached out.
His hand lifted halfway.
Velithra didn't move.
She didn't breathe.
Kai's fingers hovered inches from hers — the tiniest bit of space between them. His throat bobbed as he swallowed.
"…I said slow," he murmured.
"I know," she whispered back.
"And you're already… messing with that," he added, voice unsteady.
Velithra blinked. "How?"
Kai turned his head away, but she could see the red at the tips of his ears.
"By being you," he muttered.
Her heart nearly burst.
They walked the rest of the way like that — close enough to touch, close enough to feel each other's warmth, close enough that every step built the tension higher.
At the school gates, Kai stopped and looked down at her.
"Velithra," he said quietly."If I hold your hand… even for a second… I'm not going to pretend it didn't mean something."
Velithra swallowed hard. "Then don't pretend."
Kai blinked.
It hit him.Fully.Visibly.
And for one aching moment… he almost, almost took her hand.
But he didn't.
He stepped back just slightly, breathing out like he was reining himself in.
"After school," he murmured."I'll be braver after school."
Velithra nodded, cheeks hot. "Okay."
Kai gave her a single, soft look — one she felt in her chest — before turning toward his wing of the building.
She watched him walk away, heart racing.
And Kai, halfway down the hall, lifted a hand and raked it through his hair, muttering under his breath:
"…I'm falling way too fast."