The night lingered, the party's energy shifting as more people began to mingle, their voices rising in a soft hum. Sarah stood on the balcony, her heart still beating erratically from the brief exchange with Ryu. His words, so simple yet so loaded, played over in her mind. Maybe.
She couldn't tell if it was the uncertainty in his tone that made the moment feel so significant, or if it was the way he seemed to retreat, as if he had been momentarily exposed and now sought the comfort of distance. But something about him lingered in the air, like the faintest scent of something familiar that you couldn't quite place.
She turned back into the party, her thoughts still swirling, but when she caught sight of Emily, her friend's playful smile was gone. Instead, Emily gave her a once-over, her eyes narrowing with suspicion.
"Everything alright out there?" Emily asked, her voice low as she approached. She was holding a drink in one hand, the glass swirling with some kind of fruity concoction that had likely been spiked.
"Yeah," Sarah replied quickly, too quickly. "Just needed some air."
Emily didn't buy it. She leaned closer, her expression shifting to one of concern mixed with curiosity. "You've been acting weird ever since Ryu got here. What's going on, Sarah?"
Sarah let out a breath, turning to face her friend fully. She had always been honest with Emily—well, mostly. But this? This was different. It wasn't just about Ryu; it was about everything that had been building since that first meeting at Bookworms Café.
"I don't know," Sarah confessed, running a hand through her hair. "It's... complicated."
Emily raised an eyebrow, clearly not satisfied with that answer. "Complicated? Complicated how?"
"Just..." Sarah hesitated. "There's something about him. I don't know. It's like he's... I don't know how to explain it." She shook her head, her eyes searching for a way to make sense of her own feelings.
"Well, you know what they say," Emily said, taking a sip from her drink, her lips curling into a smirk. "If you can't figure it out, maybe you should ask him. You know, talk to him. You've been dancing around him for weeks now."
Sarah's stomach fluttered at the idea. Ask him? She wasn't sure if she was ready for that, or if she even could. There was something about Ryu that made her feel like she was always a step behind, like she was trying to catch up to someone who had already mastered the art of silence, of distance.
Before Sarah could respond, Emily's eyes brightened as she spotted someone at the edge of the room. "Ah, speaking of which... there he is," she said with a mischievous glint in her eye.
Sarah's gaze followed her friend's line of sight, and sure enough, Ryu had reappeared, standing near the door to the kitchen. He seemed to be watching the crowd, his body language a mix of detached amusement and quiet observation.
For a moment, Sarah's heart skipped a beat, and she had to remind herself to breathe. It was silly, she thought—he wasn't doing anything to make her nervous. He wasn't even looking at her. And yet, every time he was near, her thoughts scattered, and she felt as if she were drowning in the weight of unspoken things.
Emily, ever the instigator, placed a hand on Sarah's shoulder. "Come on," she urged. "Let's go talk to him. I swear, if you don't, I will."
Before Sarah could protest, Emily was already leading the way, pushing through the crowd toward Ryu. Sarah followed reluctantly, feeling her pulse quicken the closer they got to him.
"Hey, Ryu!" Emily called, her voice warm and teasing. "You surviving out here, or are you planning on escaping soon?"
Ryu turned, his eyes catching Sarah's for a brief second before he focused entirely on Emily. "I'm surviving," he replied, a small smile tugging at his lips. "Just taking it all in."
Sarah stood slightly behind Emily, her hands pressed to the cool railing at the edge of the room. She tried to keep her composure, but her gaze inevitably drifted to Ryu. His presence had that effect on her—it commanded attention without even trying. And the fact that he seemed so comfortable with Emily, so relaxed, made Sarah wonder just how much she actually knew about him.
"Good to hear," Emily said, grinning. "So, when are you going to come hang out with us more? You know, stop being so mysterious all the time."
Ryu's smile widened a little, though his eyes remained unreadable. "I'm not mysterious," he said with a slight chuckle. "Just... quiet. There's a difference."
"Yeah, but we like the mysterious type," Emily teased. "Keeps things interesting."
Sarah couldn't help but glance at him, her gaze lingering a second longer than she meant. When he caught her eye again, there was a flicker of something—something that almost felt like recognition. Or was it curiosity?
"Maybe you do," Ryu said softly, almost to himself, before meeting Emily's eyes again. "But I'm not here for the drama. I like things simple."
"Simple, huh?" Emily's voice was light, but Sarah could tell she wasn't about to let him off the hook so easily. "Then why did you come to this party? You could have stayed at home and kept it simple."
Ryu tilted his head slightly, considering the question. "I thought I'd give it a shot," he said finally. "It's not often I get invited."
Emily grinned, clearly satisfied with his response. "Well, we're glad you made the effort."
But Sarah was no longer paying attention to the conversation. Her mind had drifted back to the way he had looked at her just moments ago, the way his gaze lingered for a heartbeat longer than necessary. She could feel the tension tightening in her chest, and she knew Emily could sense it too.
"Maybe you should invite him to hang out again," Emily said, glancing sideways at Sarah, a knowing smile playing on her lips. "If you don't, I will."
Sarah flushed, her heart pounding in her chest. She opened her mouth to respond, but before she could, Ryu's voice interrupted.
"I'll think about it," he said, his eyes locking with Sarah's again. This time, the look was even more direct, as if he was silently acknowledging something unspoken between them.
And for the first time that night, Sarah wondered if she'd ever get the chance to figure out what that something was.