Stephan drove Kirana home carefully. Though tired, she was animated, launching into details about the party for her waiting parents almost as soon as she stepped inside. Stephan lingered, listening with a quiet smile, part of the warm, familial scene.☺
Yusuf, meanwhile, drove home like a man possessed. He used his spare key, entered the silent house, and went straight to his room. The reckless drive had taken time; it was now nearly 11 PM. His parents were already asleep, and he assumed Yugh was on a night shift at the hospital.
Alone in his room, the image from the hotel entrance replayed on a loop. Who was he? Why was he picking her up? Does she like him? The questions swarmed, stripping away his usual composure. The professional distance he had clung to felt like a lie. The vague worry that had simmered for weeks had boiled over into a cold, certain fear. 😫
He realized he could no longer hold this inside. The uncertainty was worse than any potential rejection. If he waited, if he said nothing, he might watch from a distance as she drifted toward someone else,the man with the easy smile and the waiting car.
Before turning in for a restless night, a resolution hardened within him. He had to tell her. He had to confess the tumult she caused in his ordered world, the jealousy he couldn't rationalize away, the attraction that had long since crossed the line from professional admiration. He would do it soon. The risk of losing her by speaking felt smaller than the agony of losing her to silence. ✊