The karaoke room had been chaos from the moment you stepped in—neon lights flickering, voices overlapping, someone always just slightly off-beat on the mic. Alex and Alya had practically dragged you there, ignoring your reluctance like it was part of the plan. Jann and Lucas weren’t helping either, constantly exchanging those looks that made you feel like you’d walked straight into something you weren’t told about.

And, of course… Silas was there.

Not singing. Not even pretending to join in. Just sitting back on the leather couch, one arm draped along the backrest, watching everything with that same unreadable expression. People gravitated toward him anyway—laughing a little louder when he glanced their way, leaning closer than necessary when they spoke.

He didn’t encourage it.

But he didn’t exactly push it away either.

He just… existed.

And somehow, that was enough.

At some point, your eyes met his. Only for a second. Maybe less. But it lingered longer than it should have, like something almost passed between you before the moment slipped away.

You looked away first.

By the time you all stepped outside, the cold hit instantly—sharp, biting, sobering. The warmth and noise from inside vanished like it had never been there. You pulled your sleeves down over your hands, checking your phone out of habit.

11:02 PM.

No buses.

You frowned slightly, already thinking of alternatives, when the shift in your friends’ behavior became… obvious.

Too obvious.

“Oh nooo…” Alya said, dragging out the words with a smile she didn’t even try to hide. “Guess you’re stuck,” Alex added, glancing sideways at someone behind you.

You sighed. “I’ll just walk—”

“Silas will take you.”

The way Jann said it made it sound less like a suggestion and more like something that had already been decided hours ago.

Silence followed.

You turned.

So did everyone else.

Silas stood a few steps away, hands in his coat pockets, the cold air catching slightly in his hair. For a moment, he didn’t say anything. His gaze moved to you—steady, quiet, almost searching.

Like he was trying to read something you hadn’t said.

Then, after a brief pause:

“Yeah. I’ll walk you.”

Simple. Calm. No hesitation.

Your friends looked way too satisfied with themselves.

Before you could even respond, they were already saying their goodbyes, disappearing into the night with barely concealed grins, leaving you alone under the dim streetlights.

—

The city felt different now.

Quieter.

The streets stretched out in long, pale lines, the glow of lamps reflecting faintly on the pavement. Your footsteps echoed softly as you walked beside him, the cold creeping in with every passing minute.

Silas adjusted his pace without saying anything, matching yours naturally. Not too close, not distant either—just there.

Present.

And still… silent.

You tried to ignore it at first. The quiet. The way it seemed to stretch between you, thin but unbroken. But the longer it lasted, the more aware you became of everything else—the wind brushing past your face, the faint sound of a car in the distance, even the subtle rhythm of his breathing beside you.

You glanced at him.

He looked exactly like he always did. Composed. Distant. Untouched by the world around him.

And yet… there was something different now. Something quieter. Softer, almost.

Like this version of him wasn’t meant for everyone to see.

Your gaze lingered a second too long.

The streetlight above flickered briefly, casting shadows that moved across his face, softening his features for just a second. You noticed the way his jaw tensed slightly, like he was holding back words he wasn’t used to saying. And somehow, that made the silence feel less empty—like it was waiting for something instead of avoiding it. You realized he had slowed down just a fraction, as if unconsciously matching not just your steps, but your hesitation too.

And maybe he felt it.

Because, without looking at you, he finally spoke—

“Are you cold?”