The university café stood nearly empty that afternoon, as if everyone had left early. At a window table, Saval, Semiel, Mia and David shared plastic cups of soda and a cooling box of fries.
—Can't believe you fell off the horse in Elden Ring again, —Mia laughed—. You were literally standing still!
—Tripped on a rock! —Saval protested, raising his hands—. The terrain glitched.
—Sure, —David rolled his eyes while drinking.
Semiel stayed quiet. Just watched Saval with an unguarded smile. And Saval, though defending himself from teasing, wore a different expression—as if everything amused him simply because Semiel was there.
Stay like this. Don't change. Keep smiling for me, Semiel thought, fingertips brushing Saval's knee under the table.
Saval blinked, glanced sideways, and smiled with that awkwardness of his that only appeared when he was both happy and nervous. He scratched his neck and leaned forward.
—Plans tonight? —Mia asked, eyeing them both.
—Duo stream. Trying that new 1v1 mode, —Semiel answered.
—My money's on Saval, —David raised a brow—. He always clutches under pressure.
—Oh, that sounds like a challenge, —Semiel laughed, fake-punching the air—. Accepted.
But again—it wasn't what they said. It was how. The lingering looks. The way Semiel's hand now rested over Saval's on the table, natural as breathing. As if everyone should already know.
Mia studied them a beat. Then stood.
—We're heading out. David, coming?
—Huh? Yeah. —He grabbed his backpack—. See you later.
—Good luck streaming, —Mia winked.
Semiel and Saval nodded. Didn't unclasp their hands even while saying goodbye.
Once outside, Mia exhaled.
—Finally.
—Finally what?
—Those two figuring it out. Did you see them? Like newlyweds.
David pursed his lips, glancing back.
—Yeah. Obvious. And I'm happy for them... but still worried.
—Why?
—Xavier, —he said bluntly—. Don't like how he watches them when he thinks no one's looking.
Mia side-eyed him.
—Think he'd do something?
—Dunno. But he knows them both well. And sometimes knowing too much about someone... isn't good.
Mia stayed quiet for several steps.
—Then we'll watch out, —she said simply—. But for now, let them be happy.
...
Saval and Semiel walked hand-in-hand down a quiet street, speaking little. Sometimes words weren't needed.
Semiel watched the sky as if answers hid there. Then turned to Saval.
How does he make the world feel simpler just by being here?
Saval noticed his gaze and smiled.
—What?
—Nothing, —Semiel squeezed his hand—. Just looking at you.
—Do I wear 5 PM light well? —he joked.
—Perfectly.
They kept walking like that, soft laughter between them, until reaching Saval's place. Upstairs, Saval turned on the slow-spinning fan and dropped his backpack on the bed.
—Grabbing drinks. Water or juice?
—Water's fine, —Semiel said, settling at the desk.
While Saval went downstairs, Semiel studied the room—game posters on walls, warm window light, tangled headphone wires. Everything ordinary, yet somehow special now. As if this room had been waiting for him too.
Saval returned with two glasses.
—Thanks.
—We should decide if the stream's versus or co-op mode, —Saval said, opening his laptop.
—Versus. So I can beat you.
—Reminder: I main Spider-Man.
—And I'm Hulk. Gonna smash you.
They laughed again. As they prepped stream thumbnails, the silence grew more comfortable.
Then Semiel voiced a lingering question:
—Saval.
—Hmm?
—Should we tell people on stream... about us?
Saval stilled, cursor hovering over an unopened file. Didn't answer immediately.
About us? Pride and fear tangled in his chest. Do we want everyone to know? Are we ready? Does it matter?
He looked at Semiel—face caught between hope and nerves. As if this question weighed more than it seemed.
Saval took a deep breath.