Ren froze, his mind suddenly overwhelmed by possibility. He had exactly three ideas and not a single coherent plan.
Firstly, a moonlit walk through the park sounded romantic, but he was not entirely confident he could keep his nerves from sabotaging him.
Secondly, ice cream felt safer, delightfully simple and a perfect excuse to keep talking just a little longer.
Lastly, and his favourite, bringing her home to ravish her all night because he missed her so much but that would frighten Noelle, for sure.
He glanced at Noelle, who was looking up at the stars with a small smile on her face and suddenly, option two seemed like the obvious choice.
"How do you feel about ice cream?" he asked, already feeling the answer in his gut.
Noelle's eyes lit up instantly. "I feel strongly about ice cream," she said, nodding like she was discussing a world-changing topic. "It's a fundamental part of my existence."
Ren laughed. "Good answer."
They hopped into Ren's car and made their way to a small late-night ice cream shop that was known for its quirky, one-of-a-kind flavors. When they arrived, Ren held the door open for Noelle, who walked in and immediately started scanning the board of flavors like she was looking for the perfect treasure.
"They have something called 'Moon Blossom Chrysanthemum,'" she said, her voice full of wonder. "That sounds magical."
Ren was sold instantly. "I'll have one scoop of that, please," he said, grinning at Noelle's enthusiasm.
She ordered "Midnight Cookie Cream," a mix of cookies, fudge, star shaped sprinkles and what appeared to be a handful of pure sugar powder, which came piled high in a bowl that looked like it might take on a life of its own.
They found a small table outside, the night air cool and crisp and Noelle immediately reached over to take a bite of Ren's ice cream without hesitation.
"I'm doing quality control," she said, looking entirely too serious about it. "Very important job."
Ren narrowed his eyes, pretending to plot his next move. "Oh, really?" he said. "Then I suppose I should do some quality control on yours."
He reached in with his spoon but Noelle was fast. She moved her bowl just an inch away each time he tried to get close. It was like a game of ice cream tug-of-war.
"No stealing," Noelle warned, holding her bowl possessively. "Respect the natural hierarchy of desserts."
Ren raised an eyebrow. "What hierarchy?"
Noelle tapped her spoon against the side of her bowl as if pondering some ancient mystery. "It's complicated. Very ancient. Passed down through generations of dessert scholars."
Ren stared at her, deadpan. "I feel like you made that up on the spot."
"I did," Noelle admitted, her eyes sparkling with pride.
They laughed and as the night grew quieter, they continued to eat, talk and occasionally flick tiny bits of ice cream at each other. It was all part of the unspoken food war neither of them had actually declared but both were happily participating in.
After a while, Noelle set her spoon down, resting her chin in her hands and just looked at Ren. Her smile softened, and she said, in a voice that was quieter than before, "This was really nice."
Ren smiled back, a little shy, his heart skipping. "Yeah. It really was."
The breeze picked up a little and without thinking, Noelle reached across the table and took his hand again. Ren's heart did the gymnastic routine for the second time that night, only this time it was different. It was calmer, sweeter, like everything had just fallen into place.
"So," Ren said, trying to sound casual despite his rapidly beating heart, "want to do this again sometime?"
Noelle's smile widened, and for a moment, Ren thought she might tease him but instead, she just leaned in a little closer and said, "I was hoping you'd ask."
And just like that, Ren realised that the night, already so perfect, had somehow become even sweeter than the ice cream.
The drive back was quieter but the silence was thick, charged with the sexual tension that both of them had held back for the past week. The city lights drifted past, casting soft, golden glows that flickered across the windshield like fleeting touches. Ren's hands were firm on the wheel, though he felt the restless pull of wanting to reach for her, to close the distance that remained between them. Noelle sat beside him, her profile illuminated by the dim glow of the dashboard, her presence so close it felt almost tangible, like he could reach out and trace the curve of her cheek, kissing her senseless. They were both holding back, caught in the tension of what lingered between them, each breath a quiet struggle to make sure they focus on the road ahead for safety, to resist the pull that threatened to swallow them whole. Every glance, every movement felt amplified, like the space between them hummed with unspoken longing, waiting for the moment when it would all break free.
When they reached her building, Ren parked and turned off the engine. The sudden silence felt loud. Noelle sat curled slightly toward him, one knee tucked under the other, absently tracing shapes on the condensation near the window.
"I had a really good time," Noelle said, unbuckling her seatbelt but not opening the door yet.
"Yeah," Ren replied, a little too quickly. Then he smiled. "Me too. I'm glad we did this."
They walked inside together, the hallway softly lit and nearly empty, their footsteps echoing faintly against the walls. Ren stopped outside her door, suddenly aware of how close they were standing. Close enough that he could feel her warmth, smell the faint sweetness of her perfume, see the way her smile softened when she looked at him.
Noelle looked up at him, searching his face and Ren felt that familiar flutter rise again, stronger this time. He lifted a hand without quite thinking, brushing his thumb along her cheek. She did not pull away. Instead, she stepped closer.
It started slow, almost tentative. A breath shared, a moment where Ren was not sure who closed the distance first. Then her lips were on his, soft and warm and the world narrowed to that single point.
Ren lost himself in the kiss, pulling her closer with a sudden, almost desperate urgency. The kiss deepened, rougher than he meant it to be, as if he couldn't hold back anymore. Her free hand gripped the collar of his jacket, tugging him even closer, her touch igniting something inside him. His other hand slid to her waist, anchoring her as if, in that moment, he might lose his grip on reality.
Somewhere in the back of his mind, Ren registered that they were standing in a hallway, outside her door but it felt unreal, distant. All that mattered was the way she fit against him, the way the kiss deepened, unhurried and sure.
When they finally pulled apart, they stayed close, foreheads resting together, breathing a little uneven.
Noelle smiled, eyes bright. "So," she murmured, "absence makes the heart grow fonder?"
Ren laughed softly, brushing his thumb along her jaw. "oh, definitely. My entire body miss you already."
Noelle's hands slid up to the back of his neck, holding him close, meeting his intensity with her own. Her voice was soft, but trembling. "Ren…"
He groaned against her lips, a mix of hunger and longing. "Say you want it too…" His hands moved to her waist, pulling her impossibly closer feeling his full arousal.
She finally laughed breathlessly, shaking her head in surrender and he kissed her again, harder, tasting her eagerness, her surrender until the world outside ceased to matter.
"Do you want to come in?" she whispered, fumbling with her keys. Ren didn't answer but pressed a last feverish kiss to her lips before she unlocked the door, letting him step over the threshold, neither able to speak, still tasting each other as if the night had only just begun.