Lucas didn't reply immediately.
He just stared at the message.
"It's urgent."
The words sat there longer than they should have.
Not because he didn't understand them—
But because he did.
Too well.
He stood up slowly from the bed, running a hand through his hair, his mind already racing ahead of him.
Work.
Responsibility.
Expectation.
All the things he had joked about before…
Now standing right in front of him.
Real.
Another message.
"We need your decision before the end of the day."
Lucas let out a slow breath.
"…Already?" he muttered.
He glanced at Michael's contact for a brief second.
The last call is still fresh in his mind.
The warmth of it.
The calm.
The reminder that he wasn't alone.
But this—
This felt like something else entirely.
He picked up his jacket.
Grabbed his keys.
And stepped out.
The office didn't feel like a place meant for someone like him.
Too quiet.
Too polished.
Too serious.
People moved with purpose—no hesitation, no confusion. Just decisions.
And now—
He was one of them.
"Mr. Lucas."
He turned.
A woman approached him, tablet in hand, expression composed.
"We've been waiting for you."
Lucas nodded slightly.
"Yeah… I got the message."
She gave a small, professional smile.
"Then you already know it's important."
He followed her down a long corridor.
Each step felt heavier than the last.
The meeting room was already filled.
Eyes turned toward him the moment he entered.
Not welcoming.
Not hostile.
Just…
Expectant.
Lucas sat down slowly.
Trying not to show how out of place he felt.
Voices began.
Terms.
Numbers.
Problems.
"…loss margin…"
"…delayed shipment…"
"…contract risk…"
Lucas listened.
But more than that—
He tried to understand.
This wasn't a theory.
This wasn't something he could study and come back to later.
This was now.
"Mr. Lucas," someone said.
He looked up.
"We need your decision."
Silence.
Lucas swallowed slightly.
His fingers tightened under the table.
He wasn't ready.
But there was no option to say that.
"…What do you recommend?" he asked carefully.
The room exchanged glances.
Advice came.
Suggestions.
Different directions.
But the final choice—
Still rested on him.
And for the first time—
Lucas felt it.
The weight of everything his mother had left behind.
Hours passed before Lucas stepped out again.
His head felt full.
Heavy.
He pulled out his phone.
Three missed messages.
All from Michael.
"How did your day go?"
"I just finished class."
"You there?"
Lucas stared at them.
A small guilt creeping in.
He typed quickly:
"Sorry. Busy day."
Then paused.
Deleted it.
Typed again.
"I'm here now."
Sent.
Michael saw the message almost immediately.
But something about it felt… off.
Short.
Plain.
Unlike Lucas.
He called.
Lucas answered on the second ring.
"Hey," Michael said.
"Hey," Lucas replied.
A pause.
Michael frowned slightly.
"You sound tired."
Lucas let out a small breath.
"Just… long day."
"What happened?" Michael asked.
Lucas hesitated.
Just for a second.
"Nothing serious," he said.
Michael didn't believe that.
But he didn't push immediately.
"You've been off," he said instead.
Lucas leaned back against his car.
"I'm fine."
Michael exhaled slowly.
That again.
"You said that last time too," he replied.
Silence.
Lucas rubbed his forehead.
"It's just work."
"Just work?" Michael repeated.
Lucas nodded to himself.
"Yeah."
Michael's tone shifted slightly.
Softer.
But firmer.
"Talk to me."
Lucas closed his eyes briefly.
He wanted to.
He really did.
But something held him back.
"I will," he said. "Just… not now."
That landed.
Michael leaned back in his chair, staring ahead.
"…Okay."
That night—
They both sat in different parts of the world.
Holding the same silence.
Michael is surrounded by books.
Notes scattered.
Trying to understand things that still felt too complex.
Lucas is surrounded by decisions.
Emails.
Expectations he didn't feel ready for.
Both of them—
Carrying something heavy.
But not saying it fully.
Later, Michael called again.
This time—
Lucas answered with a softer tone.
"Hey."
"Hey."
Michael hesitated.
Then spoke.
"I think I'm starting to understand my classes better."
Lucas smiled faintly.
"That's good."
"I mean… it's still hard," Michael admitted. "But not impossible."
Lucas nodded.
"You'll figure it out."
Michael glanced at his notes.
Then back at nothing.
"And you?" he asked.
Lucas paused.
"Same," he said quietly. "Still figuring things out."
Michael didn't push.
Not this time.
They stayed on the call a little longer.
Not talking much.
But not hanging up either.
Sometimes—
That was enough.
That night, after the call ended—
Michael sat alone in his room.
Books open.
He stared at the page in front of him.
But his thoughts weren't there.
Not fully.
Across the world—
Lucas sat at his desk.
Laptop open.
Messages waiting.
Decisions still unfinished.
He leaned back slowly.
Eyes closing.
For a moment—
Everything felt too much.
Too fast.
Too heavy.
Too real.
And for the first time since they started this journey—
Neither of them reached for their phone.
No messages.
No calls.
No "Are you okay?"
Just silence.
Not because they didn't care.
But because—
for the first time… love wasn't the hardest thing in their lives.