Chapter 7: "The Silence Between Seconds" ☍
ลิกซ์—
"A month later."
It's finally October. Fall's slipping back in, touching the edges of the trees. The others are celebrating—laughing, eating with their families—while I'm stuck in this corner, doing my job in silence. No one to celebrate with. But maybe that's not weird. Not for someone like me.
It's been a month since that mess with Yuan. I thought it was over. But I still can't shake it. Can't forget it.
Is it because I haven't found him yet?
Or maybe everything was just… an illusion.
Did that issue even happen?
Why are they all acting like nothing did?
Flashback
I was walking through the office when I heard Noé and Milk's voices echoing through the hallway. I paused. Something in their tone made my heart stop.
I turned and saw them. Noé held the diary.
My diary.
The one I thought was Yuan's.
But it wasn't.
It was Milk's.
"I loved him first. But he loved me when I was already gone."
—Milk
Noé stared at him blankly, then threw the diary on the floor.
"You shouldn't have told me you liked him when we were young!" he shouted.
"But Calyx deserves you more than me," Milk whispered.
"Then why didn't you fight for him instead of giving him to someone else?" Noé asked, voice cracking.
Milk's voice broke:
"Because you love him too."
"I do. But that doesn't mean—"
"No," Milk cut in.
"You should stop pretending you only see him as a friend," Noé said quietly. "You should've told him you were the one who saved him from that accident."
"Calyx might not remember it, but if I were you…" Noé looked away. "I would've moved."
Milk's tears fell.
"But what about you?"
"I can move on. I feel like… our love was never really affection. Not in the way it was for you."
It was like Noé was confronting Milk—not just as a brother, but as someone who lived with the weight of his silence. He never expected that Milk loved me too.
He thought Milk gave him his blessing.
Not his heartbreak.
End of flashback
"I'll never forget that day…" I whispered, staring up at the ceiling.
"Forget what, hm?" Kant said, side-eyeing me with a grin.
"Right, what's there to forget, bro?" Shion laughed.
We were messing around until Asclepius walked in, looking like he lost a fight.
"Guys…"
"What?" we all turned.
"I'M BROKE!" he cried, flopping to the floor.
"See? I told you to stop spending it on nonsense," Kant laughed.
"SHUT UP," Asclepius whined, slapping Kant.
Everyone cracked up until Paxley suddenly blinked.
"Wait—Milk's absent?"
"I'd say yes," Kant shrugged.
"DAMMIT! WE FORGOT TO SUBMIT HIS PROJECT!" Paxley panicked.
Just then—
SLAP
A box of milk hit my head.
"Hey," Milk said, casually. "Drink this."
And just like that, the room went silent.
He handed the project in.
"Are you guys dating?" Kant smirked.
"WHO SAID THAT?!" Milk shouted, flushed.
"What about that diary?" Asclepius teased.
"Come on," Milk laughed, "I just gave him milk 'cause he looked so sad. Like a puppy."
"I DON'T LOOK LIKE THAT!" I growled, slapping him with my book.
"And now he's a mad dog," Kant laughed harder.
It felt like…
nothing happened.
Later that day, Milk invited me to dinner. I wasn't sure at first… but I agreed.
While we were eating, he paused.
"I'm sorry," he said. "For lying to you."
"It's fine. I get it," I replied.
"You're not mad?"
"I'm not mad," I said. "Just upset."
He looked down. "I'm sorry for ghosting you."
"It's okay," I lied.
But deep down, I was hurt. Really hurt.
"Hey," he said suddenly, pointing upward. "The moon looks pretty, huh?"
"Yeah," I nodded. "It is."
As we walked, he told me something that made my heart skip.
He confessed that the pen name Wakasa Qin Yuan…
was shared.
By him and Noé.
I froze.
"You okay?" he asked.
"Y-Yeah. I'm fine," I mumbled.
We walked on in silence.
Then, he gently took my hand.
(Earlier in the flashback)
As Noé spoke, I noticed Milk clutching the old necklace I once gave him. The charm was two mirrored half-moons—☍—the same symbol from his diary.
I thought it was just a doodle.
But now I realize… it meant opposites. Two souls orbiting the same heart, but never crossing.
Maybe we were always meant to love the same star.
Just… never at the same time.