The evening sky had softened into shades of amber and blue when Joya stepped onto the balcony outside her classroom. The day had been long, yet her heart refused to rest. Every small moment with Sudom replayed in her mind, his glances, his silences, the way his presence lingered even when he wasn't near.
She leaned against the railing, fingers curled tightly around the cold metal. Below, the schoolyard was nearly empty. The breeze brushed against her hair, but it did little to calm the storm inside her chest.
"Joya."
She turned, startled.
Sudom stood a few steps behind her, his school bag slung over one shoulder. His expression was calm, but his eyes carried something unfamiliar, a seriousness she hadn't seen before.
"I thought you had already left," she said softly.
"So did I," he replied. "But then I saw you here."
An awkward silence followed. The kind that held more words than either of them dared to say.
Joya looked back at the sky. "It's beautiful today."
"Yes," Sudom said, though his eyes were fixed on her, not the sunset.
She felt it then, the weight of his gaze. Her heartbeat grew louder, almost unbearable. She wanted to speak, to finally release the feelings she had buried for so long, but fear held her tongue.
Sudom took a step closer. "Joya… about the note."
Her breath caught. "You didn't have to explain it," she said quickly. "I understand."
"Do you?" His voice was gentle, but firm. "Because I'm not sure I even understand myself yet."
She turned to face him fully now. The distance between them felt impossibly small.
"I've noticed you for a long time," he continued. "Not suddenly. Not yesterday. I just… didn't know what to do with those feelings."
Her eyes widened, her heart pounding so hard she feared he could hear it.
"I was afraid," he admitted. "Afraid of misunderstanding you. Afraid of changing what we already had."
Joya's fingers trembled at her side. "And now?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Sudom hesitated. Then, slowly, he reached into his bag and pulled out a small notebook. It was worn, the corners bent from use.
"I write here when my thoughts get too loud," he said. "I never planned to show this to anyone."
He opened the notebook and handed it to her.
Joya's hands shook as she took it. Inside were words, simple, unpolished, but deeply honest. Her name appeared again and again between the pages.
She looked up, eyes glistening. "Sudom…"
"I'm not good at saying things out loud," he said. "So I'll say this slowly. I see you, Joya. I see your quiet kindness. Your patience. Your heart."
Tears slipped down her cheeks before she could stop them.
"I didn't need grand gestures," she said, her voice breaking. "I just wanted to be seen."
He smiled softly. "Then let me start there."
For a moment, neither of them moved. The world seemed to pause, holding its breath with them.
Joya took a small step forward. "I've liked you for a long time," she confessed at last. "So long that I forgot when it started."
Sudom's expression softened, relief washing over his features. "I'm glad you told me."
She laughed quietly through her tears. "So am I."
The bell rang in the distance, echoing across the empty school grounds. Reality returned, but something between them had already changed.
"Can we walk home together?" he asked.
She nodded. "I'd like that."
As they walked side by side through the fading light, their hands brushed accidentally, then lingered just a second longer than necessary. Neither pulled away.
It wasn't a loud confession. There were no promises, no dramatic declarations. Just two hearts finally meeting in the space between silence and courage.
And for Joya, that was more than enough.