The karaoke bar buzzed with energy, a jumble of off-key singing and lively chatter, but Gaesha and Kent had carved out their own little haven in a quiet corner booth, far from the commotion.
The dim lights spilled soft shadows across their faces, wrapping their small space in a cozy, private glow that felt like it belonged only to them.
Across the room, Gaesha's friends—Mia, Lila, and Ben—were perched at a high table, stealing glances their way and giggling like kids.
They couldn't stop smirking every time they peeked over. Gaesha's yellow sweater was a bit rumpled, the sleeves stretched from her nervous habit of tugging at them.
Her eyes were still puffy and red from crying earlier, but a shy smile tugged at her lips after Kent's awful attempt at a karaoke song.
He'd completely mangled the high notes, and somehow, that had lightened her heart.
Kent sat close to her now, his coat draped carelessly over the edge of the booth, his face more serious than Gaesha had seen in a long time.
She fiddled with the hem of her sleeve, sneaking a glance at him.
"You're not really into loud places like this, huh?" she asked, her voice soft but full of curiosity.
Kent leaned in a little closer, his gaze steady and warm.
"The noise doesn't bother me, Gaesha," he said. "What gets me is the idea of losing you. That's the worst thing I can think of."
Gaesha's eyes dropped to the table, her fingers tracing a faint scratch in the wood.
"I'm such a mess, Kent," she murmured, her voice so quiet it barely carried. She'd said it over and over tonight, like a song stuck on repeat. "You don't need someone like me weighing you down."
Kent shook his head, his expression firm but kind. "That's not true at all, Gaesha. I want you. I love every part of your mess. Every single bit."
She blinked, her breath catching in her throat. "Love?" she said, the word feeling big and heavy on her tongue. "That's a huge word to just toss out like that."
"I know it is," Kent said, his voice calm but certain. "But it's the right word. It's how I feel. It's true."
Gaesha's heart did a little flip, but she wasn't sure how to handle it.
"Kent," she said, tilting her head to look at him, "are you for real? You mean that?"
"Completely," he said, his eyes locked on hers, unwavering. "I love you, Gaesha. Every single piece of you."
Her mouth opened, then closed again as she tried to wrap her head around his words.
"Me?" she said, pointing at herself, her voice tinged with disbelief. "The loud, clumsy, always-talking-too-much me?"
Kent's lips curved into a small smile. "Yes, Gaesha. The loud you, the clumsy you, the happy you. I love all of it."
Her brows knitted together, doubt creeping in.
"But what about Claire?" she asked, her voice softer now, the name sharp and painful as it slipped out.
Kent's face tightened for a moment, a flicker of frustration crossing his features.
"Claire's nothing to me," he said firmly. "She doesn't matter at all. You, Gaesha—you're everything."
Gaesha's eyes started to glisten, and she blinked quickly to hold back the tears.
"I'm not perfect, Kent," she said, her voice cracking. "Claire told me I'm not. She said I'm too much, too messy."
"She's wrong," Kent said, his tone sharp but gentle, like he was protecting her. "You're perfect to me, Gaesha. Exactly the way you are."
"How?" she asked, her voice small and shaky. "I trip over my own feet all the time. I cry over the silliest things."
Kent's expression softened, and he leaned in closer, his voice warm.
"I love all of that," he said. "The way you stumble, the way you feel everything so big. That's you, and I love it."
"Really?" Gaesha said, wiping at her eyes with her sleeve. "Why would you want all that?"
"Because you're real," Kent said simply. "You're not fake like some people out there. You're not cold or distant. You're warm, Gaesha. You're you, and that's what I want."
She sniffed, a tiny laugh bubbling up.
"You're way too nice to me, Kent," she said, shaking her head with a shy smile.
"I'm not just being nice," he said, his voice steady and earnest. "I'm being honest. I need you in my life, mess and all. You make everything better."
"My mess is kind of a lot," Gaesha said, raising an eyebrow playfully. "Like, a huge, chaotic pile of stuff."
"That's okay," Kent said, a small grin tugging at his lips. "A big mess means a big heart. That's one of my favorite things about you."
Gaesha's smile grew, though it was still a little wobbly.
"You're so weird, Kent," she said, giving his arm a gentle nudge.
"Yeah," he said, chuckling softly. "Weird for you, though."
From across the room, Mia's voice sliced through the bar's noise.
"Come on, Kent! Kiss her already!" she shouted, waving her drink in the air with a big grin.
Kent's face turned pink, and he shook his head.
"Not happening!" he called back, loud enough for Mia to hear. "Not yet, anyway!"
Gaesha burst out laughing, her first real laugh of the night.
"Why not?" she teased, leaning a little closer to him, her eyes sparkling. "You scared or something?"
Kent looked at her, his eyes soft and warm.
"Not scared," he said quietly. "I just want it to be special, you know? Private. Just for us."
"Aw," Gaesha said, her teasing tone melting into something softer. "You're shy, aren't you? That's kinda cute."
"A little," Kent admitted, rubbing the back of his neck with a sheepish grin. "But I still love you, shy or not."
Her heart fluttered again, and she couldn't help but smile.
"Say it one more time," she said, her voice playful but with a hopeful edge.
"I love you," Kent said, his voice clear and steady. "I love your messiness, your laugh, your everything. All of it."
Gaesha's tears spilled over, but they were happy ones this time. She wiped at her cheeks, her smile wide.
"I love you too, Kent," she said, her voice wobbly but sure. "Grumpy, quiet Kent who's not so grumpy right now."
He grinned, his usual serious face lighting up like a sunrise.
"I'm not grumpy at all right now," he said. "I'm happy. Really, really happy."
"Good," Gaesha said, scooting closer to him on the booth's seat. "Can I get a hug, then? I could use one."
"Always," Kent said.
He stood up, gently pulling her to her feet with him. They wrapped their arms around each other, holding on tight right there in the middle of the noisy bar.
The crowd around them erupted into cheers, Mia's voice ringing out the loudest.
"Finally!" Mia yelled, clapping her hands like she'd just won a prize. "You two are so cute it's ridiculous!"
"Shut up, Mia!" Gaesha called back, her face buried in Kent's shoulder as she laughed, her voice muffled but happy.
"No way!" Ben chimed in, his grin stretching ear to ear. "You guys are totally adorable, and I'm here for it!"
"Stop it," Kent said, his voice muffled as he held Gaesha close, but there was a smile in his tone that gave him away.
"Never!" Lila added, raising her glass with a dramatic flourish. "Love wins tonight, and we're all celebrating!"
Gaesha pulled back just enough to look at Kent, her hands resting on his arms.
"You really mean all this?" she asked, her voice soft and searching. "You really want me?"
"Always," Kent said, his eyes locked on hers, steady and sure. "I've never been more certain of anything."
"I'm so loud," Gaesha said, half-laughing as she shook her head. "And you're so quiet. We're so different."
"That's why we work," Kent said, his voice warm. "We balance each other out. We fit, Gaesha. Like pieces of a puzzle."
"Yeah," she said, her smile growing brighter. "I think you're right. We do fit."
They sat back down, their hands finding each other under the table, fingers lacing together naturally.
"No more running away?" Kent asked, his voice gentle but with a serious edge.
"No way," Gaesha said, squeezing his hand tightly. "I'm staying right here with you."
"Good," Kent said, his thumb brushing softly over her knuckles. "I missed you so much, you know."
"I missed you too," Gaesha said, her voice catching in her throat. "More than I even realized until tonight."
Kent's expression softened, his eyes warm.
"Claire's gone," he said. "For good. I promise you that."
"Really?" Gaesha asked, her eyes searching his face for any hint of doubt.
"Really," Kent said, his voice firm. "I told her no. I don't want her, Gaesha. I want you, and only you."
Gaesha let out a shaky breath, relief washing over her.
"Thank you," she said. "She really hurt me, you know? Made me feel so small and worthless."
"I know," Kent said, his voice low and full of regret. "I'm so sorry again she did that to you. It breaks my heart."
"It's not your fault," Gaesha said, shaking her head. "It's mine. I let her words get to me. I ran away instead of facing things."
"No more running," Kent said, his grip on her hand tightening just a little. "Stay with me, okay?"
"I will," Gaesha said, her voice steady now, full of resolve. "I want to be with you, Kent. I really do."
The bar kept humming around them—new singers stumbling through songs, glasses clinking, laughter bouncing off the walls—but Gaesha and Kent stayed wrapped in their own little bubble.
She looked at him, her heart feeling fuller than it had in ages.
"You're mine, right?" she asked, her tone teasing but her eyes serious.
"Absolutely," Kent said, his voice warm and sure. "And you're mine, Gaesha."
"Mess and all?" she asked, raising an eyebrow with a playful smirk.
"Mess and all," Kent said, pulling her hand closer, his smile soft. "That's my favorite part of you."
She laughed, leaning in to hug him again, her arms wrapping around him tightly. The crowd around them clapped and cheered, their friends leading the charge with whoops and hollers.
"This is the best night," Gaesha said, her voice muffled against his chest, but her happiness clear.
"Yeah," Kent said, holding her close, his voice soft. "The best night by far."
They stayed like that for a moment, wrapped up in each other, the bar's noise fading into a distant hum.
Gaesha felt lighter than she had in weeks, like the heavy weight of her doubts had finally lifted. Kent's arms around her felt safe, like home.
"Kent?" she said, pulling back just enough to look at him, her eyes bright.
"Yeah?" he asked, his gaze soft and warm.
"I'm really happy right now," she said, her smile wide and genuine. "Like, really, really happy."
"Me too," he said, brushing a stray strand of hair from her face with a gentle touch. "I'm happier than I've been in a long time."
They sat back down, hands still linked, and Gaesha leaned her head on his shoulder, letting out a contented sigh.
"We're gonna be okay, right?" she asked, her voice quiet but hopeful.
"Better than okay," Kent said, resting his cheek against her hair, his voice full of certainty. "We're gonna be great, Gaesha."
"Yeah," she said, closing her eyes for a moment, soaking in the warmth of the moment. "We are."
The karaoke bar kept its wild, loud energy, but in their little corner booth, Gaesha and Kent were perfectly at peace.
Their hands stayed intertwined, their hearts full, and for the first time in a long time, everything felt exactly right.