Chapter 88: Chasing what was never mine.
He blinked and pulled back slightly.
And made an excuse.
"It’s getting dark," he said suddenly, forcing a light tone. "And... I didn’t sleep well last night. I should probably head back."
Cecelia froze for a moment, as if she hadn’t expected him to speak. Her expression didn’t
change, but her eyes had a flash of disappointment. Still, she gave a soft nod and smiled.
"Of course. We can head back."
(don’t tell me that she....), Kael thought.
Kael stood up, brushing the grass from his trousers, and offered her a hand. She took it, rising gently to her feet. Neither of them spoke as they walked down the path back toward the terminal station.
The light around them had faded into deep violet, and small lanterns lit the way, floating like stars just above the path.
Kael walked in silence beside Cecelia, his hands tucked in his pockets, his shoulders slightly hunched.
He kept his eyes low, staring at the cobblestones, at the flickering lanterns lining the path, even at the grass between the cracks—but he didn’t dare look at her.
He could still feel the warmth of her presence beside him. That moment they’d shared near the fountain—so close, so intimate—it lingered in his chest like a flame that wouldn’t go out. The memory of her leaning in, the look in her eyes, and how their lips were just inches apart.