It was the kind that lingered-not just on her skin but in her chest, in her mind, like a soft hum

meeting Seng in person, things felt even more real, more complicated. Her heart, once cloude

topped thinking about him every night. Not about how someone else had ste

d with Seng wasn't even a "thing." Just two people who vibed. Who stayed up too late. Who

was-he was m

ting harder to

day, she

urreal. Still fe

lied q

y week. Wish we

t meant. Not yet. But the silence bet

st about games anymore. They'd talk about the color of the sky outside their windows, the way certain songs made them feel, the

ter between them, something

ns-like where he'd been all day or who he'd been with before their call. It wasn't that he wa

ter a long match when she asked

s voice, gentle:

ing feels off sometimes. Like

aid, "I guess I'm not used to this kin

staring at his face on h

at it was like to carry things you weren'

ay, her ex

appeared

ed at th

u o

y. She didn't want to. But

m fine. J

that

art sk

uy?" sh

ght away. And when he f

n't m

ected. And now, the guilt she'd

till talked-occasionally, yes, but still? Why did she still feel

r mood was off. Seng

quiet

just

talk ab

hesi

st time in days, she

ust nodded slowly an

their call that night

he saw a post Seng had liked-one she hadn't expected. A girl. P

ed a reel a week ago-laughing, holding a controll

mented with

week before the

s chest

who snoops, who assumes. But something

him later

sk you s

way

's R

e

rep

es pa

h

fri

wa

play with. Before w

ed

sometimes. But

omach

weren't dating. They hadn't made

alized-they were bot

o whatever this was, both sti

ight, she

g honest wit

rep

k we're

't the same

le

h

talk to you

hit like c

not like before. I think

" he r

cause I don't want

t s

e was

a placeholder either. No

t, they d

ow echoed with questions. Who were they to each other? What did th

-

nothing official to break-but a quiet stepping back. She deleted her ex's num

atches. And sometimes, it's quiet. Like choosing not t

er own heart again. To believe that she

op hiding. To show up fully, ev

that week, h

playlist. It doesn't h

sm

s fix

that, the ca

there wer

a love

the beginn