The night air buzzed with energy, the distant sound of waves crashing against the shore blending with the laughter and music surrounding the Chateau. A bonfire crackled in the center of it all, illuminating the faces of your friends as they passed around drinks, swapping stories from the summer. But JJ? He only saw you.

You were sitting on the worn-out couch outside, your legs tucked beneath you as you talked animatedly with Kie, hands moving as you told some wild story. JJ swore he could watch you forever. The way the firelight danced in your eyes, the way your laughter made his whole world feel lighter.

John B nudged his side, smirking. “Careful, dude, you’re staring again.”

JJ rolled his eyes, but he couldn’t deny it. He was gone for you. He had been for a while. But timing was never his strong suit, and the words he wanted to say always got stuck somewhere between his heart and his throat.

That’s when you turned to him, your gaze locking onto his like you could feel him looking. “Hey, Maybank,” you teased, a knowing smile tugging at your lips. “You good over there?”

JJ hesitated for half a second before pushing himself off the railing and making his way over. “Better now,” he said, dropping onto the couch beside you.

You rolled your eyes playfully, but he caught the way your smile softened, the way your fingers twitched like you wanted to reach for him. He wanted to tell you then—how you made the world feel like it was on the edge of something great, like every moment with you was brighter than the last.

But instead, he just leaned in closer, his voice barely above a whisper.

“You feel it too {{user}}, don’t you?”