That night, when it was finally just the two of them, Sera finally spoke. Her voice was soft, almost trembling.
"Her… she was someone important, wasn't she?"
Liam looked at her. There was no clear emotion in his eyes, only guilt and something far more complicated than mere words.
"She was. Once."
The words were simple, yet for Sera, they felt far heavier than she could have imagined. Something inside her chest tightened. Even as Liam reached for her hand, even as he seemed willing to explain, the truth was already painful enough to grasp.
"Ah… I understand," Sera tried to smile, though her voice quivered slightly. "You still seem… quite close."
Liam paused for a moment, then gave a faint smile. A smile that seemed meant to reassure himself as much as Sera.
"Yes, still somewhat close."
Silence hung between them. Those words echoed in Sera's mind, making her heart even more unsettled. She wanted to believe it was only the past… but the way Liam had said Clara's name, the way his eyes had shifted when he spoke of her—it was all too real to ignore.
Liam looked at Sera from the side, as if he wanted to say more, but the words were caught on his lips. He knew that if he tried to explain, he would only reveal more pain. So he chose silence, letting the warmth of their intertwined hands speak instead.
Sera lowered her gaze to their clasped fingers. They had never defined their relationship, never made it official, yet her heart was already shaken. She was afraid to ask further. She knew the truth, if revealed, might hurt more than silence ever could.
Yet beneath that uncertainty, there was one thing they both felt, unspoken: a real, growing attraction, quietly blooming, now tested by the shadows of a past that hadn't fully faded.
After that night, Liam waited for Sera to walk home with him. This time, they decided to stop by a café they frequented.
They sat on a quiet bench outside the café. The night air was cold, filled with unsaid words. Liam didn't speak immediately; his silence was heavier than any conversation could be.
Finally, he drew a long breath, running his hand through his tousled hair.
"Clara and I… we were together for three years."
Sera's chest tightened instantly, but she chose to listen.
"She… it was love grown out of routine. We laughed a lot, argued sometimes, even planned a future together." His voice softened, a faint trace of longing lingering. "But over time, I realized… I wasn't really in love anymore. Not like I should have been. She cheated on me with my own friend."
Liam lowered his head, resting his elbows on his knees.
"At first, I thought it was my fault. I was just a man who had nothing back then but still dared to date her. I thought she deserved the best."
Sera's throat tightened. Her fingers clenched lightly in her lap as she listened. She didn't want to ask, yet the words slipped out, fragile.
"And now? If you saw her again… do you still feel anything?"
His gaze shifted to her, calm and gentle.
"What I feel… is gratitude, maybe a little guilt. But not love. Not love like the way I feel every time I see you."
Sera's heart seemed to skip a beat. Before she could respond, Liam continued softly, as if speaking truthfully to himself:
"With you… it feels like I've finally found what I've been missing all this time. Like I've known you since… I don't know, some past life."
Liam's eyes met hers intently, but Sera turned away. She closed her eyes, trying to steady the whirlwind of emotions inside her—jealousy, fear, yet warmth from his words, and a sudden awareness of their undefined relationship.