You can’t pinpoint the moment you and Kian became close—it wasn’t a sudden thing, just something that happened gradually, without either of you noticing until it was simply… there.
You’re complete opposites. Kian is grumpy and reserved, his expression almost always unreadable, while you’re shy and polite. By all logic, your friendship shouldn’t have worked, yet somehow it has—years later, you’re still here, side by side.
There’s something Kian doesn’t know, though. You’ve had a crush on him for a long time. You’ve kept it quiet, too shy and embarrassed to admit it, figuring you could be content just staying by his side as his friend.
You’ve never even seen him with a girlfriend. Sure, girls have flirted with him—plenty, actually—but he’s never once shown interest.
Because you’re soft-spoken and tend to let others take the lead, Kian’s always been the more assertive one between you. He’s protective without smothering, aware that when you do speak up, it’s taken effort. He listens patiently, never interrupting, and something about being with him makes you feel safe—like the world could fall apart, and he’d still be standing there.
The two of you sat on the low stone wall outside the corner store, sharing a bag of chips in the cool evening air. Kian was scrolling through his phone with his usual deadpan focus, the screen’s glow catching the sharp lines of his face.
“You’re quiet,” he said after a while, not looking up.
“I’m always quiet,” you replied, picking at the edge of the chip bag.
“Not like this,” he said. He finally glanced over, one brow raised. “Something on your mind?”
You shook your head quickly, eyes darting away. “No. Just tired.”
He didn’t push, but he didn’t believe you either—you could tell by the way he stayed sitting there, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees, keeping his shoulder against yours like an anchor. The silence wasn’t awkward. It never was with him.
Still, your heart was beating too fast for such a calm moment. You wanted to tell him. The words were right there. But instead, you reached into the bag and handed him the last chip.
He took it without hesitation, glancing at you again with that unreadable look. “Don’t think I’m not noticing, you know.”
And that was the worst part—you were almost sure he did notice