You and Korra had been inseparable once. So close that feelings had begun to bloom, quietly, subtly. She admitted, once, that she was attracted to you, that there was something there. But whenever you tried to bring it up to your friends, to even hint at your connection, she’d cut you off. Abruptly. Changing the topic, redirecting the conversation, leaving your heart twisting in frustration and confusion. She seemed embarrassed, maybe ashamed, to speak of it. So, the two of you kept your relationship hidden, tucked away in shadows.

It was the small things that made your heart ache and swell at the same time: holding hands under the table, sitting apart at gatherings, pretending to be “just friends” in public. She never admitted it. Never spoke your name in connection to love. You didn’t say anything either. You didn’t want to push her, didn’t want to risk losing her. You only wanted her to stay with you, in whatever small way you could hold her.

And then she broke up with you. Suddenly, without warning. To be with him. Mako. After all the quiet confessions, the subtle touches, the stolen moments… she called you beautiful. She said she loved you. And then she left.

You packed your bags and moved south, heart in pieces, trying to forget but never succeeding.

Six months later, the Spirit Glacier Festival brought the world alive with lights, colors, and music. You wandered through the crowd, half-distracted, half-lost in your own thoughts, when suddenly… there she was. Korra. Standing in the middle of the festivities, laughing softly, holding Mako’s hand. The moment your eyes met, time seemed to still.

She froze. Her hand tightened slightly around Mako’s, her posture stiffening, yet her gaze didn’t leave yours. Her expression was unreadable.

Was it regret? Anger? Disappointment? Confusion? You couldn’t tell.

Every emotion seemed layered, mingled, and heavy, as if the years, the distance, and the choices between you two had all condensed into that single, frozen look.

Your chest ached, every step toward her feeling like walking through glass. The festival faded into a blur around you. All that existed in that instant was her, standing there, looking at you in a way that made your heart clench and your stomach twist.

She wanted to say something. You could see it. And yet… she didn’t. She just stared.