After that moment, Lily did not reach for the popcorn again.
The caramel sweetness that had melted softly on her tongue earlier now felt too heavy even to taste.
The drink rested untouched in the holder beside her seat. The condensation gathered slowly along the plastic cup, a thin drop sliding down and disappearing into the dark.
Her hands rested in her lap.
Motionless.
Tight with tension.
On the screen, the movie continued. The female lead was laughing now. The music swelled gently beneath the dialogue.
Lily did not hear it.
She understood something she had been avoiding.
This was not just a small crush that would fade by next week.
It was not a silly flutter she could laugh about later.
It had grown quietly.
Somewhere between teasing in the car and caramel popcorn in the dark.
Somewhere between almost touching fingers and him saying her name softly.
It had become something deeper.
And now—
She was afraid of it.
Because if Mira's gaze had meant what she thought it meant…
Then her feelings had nowhere to go.
Her chest felt tight, as if something delicate had splintered quietly, like a whispered melody.
She hadn't confessed anything.
Hadn't hoped openly.
Hadn't tried.
Yet it still felt like losing.
Her eyes remained fixed on the glowing screen, but she wasn't seeing the scenes anymore.
It doesn't matter, she told herself quietly.
Mira is the only true friend I've had in a long time.
The thought steadied her slightly.
She remembered the first day Mira had sat beside her in class without hesitation. The way Mira talked freely. The way she laughed without worrying who was listening.
It doesn't matter, she repeated.
I'm just a girl he met a few weeks ago.
Her fingers tightened gently over the fabric of her dress.
Just someone quiet. Someone who doesn't talk much. Someone invisible in the corner.
The word invisible hurt more than she expected.
She stopped herself before her thoughts could turn cruel.
She inhaled slowly.Then exhaled.
Like she always did when she had to fix herself alone.
It's fine, Lily, she whispered inside her own mind.
Mira is wonderful.
She is bright. Warm. Confident.
They match.
By personality.
By looks.
By presence.
And Aiden…
He is kind.
He helped a girl on a bus who almost tripped over nothing.
He bought sweet popcorn because he remembered a small detail.
He would be kind to anyone.
Her lips curved into a faint smile.
But her eyes did not follow.
They burned instead.
A thin layer of tears gathered quietly.
She blinked.
The darkness helped.
It's good the lights are off, she thought.
No one would see.
The movie reached its climax.
On screen, the male lead lay injured, confessing his love in a trembling voice. The theater filled with soft sobs from other viewers. Someone near the back sniffled loudly.
The music grew sadder.
But Lily felt nothing from the film.
The sadness inside her had nothing to do with fiction.
The tears finally slipped free.
Slowly…Silently.
They rolled down her cheeks without sound.
She did not move to wipe them immediately.
She let them fall.
Because for the first time in a long time, she felt like crying without explaining herself.
She reached blindly into her bag for a napkin.
Her fingers brushed against Her phone. A folded receipt…
….There was no napkin.
Her breath trembled slightly.
And then—
Then, a napkin appeared in front of her.
Offered in silence.
Without a single word.
She froze.
Her hand lifted slowly to take it.
Her fingers brushed against the edge of the tissue—
And then she looked up.
It wasn't Mira.
It was Aiden.
The soft blue light from the screen illuminated his face.
His brows were drawn together slightly.
There was no confusion in his eyes.No amusement either.
Just worry.
His eyes were on her.
He had noticed before anyone else.
She felt her throat tighten.
She accepted the napkin gently.
"Thank you," she whispered, barely audible.
For a second longer than necessary, his gaze remained on her face, as if checking whether she was truly okay.
Then Mira turned.
"Oh my Lily, you're crying," Mira said softly, leaning closer.
Her voice held immediate concern.
"It's okay," Mira continued gently. "It was just a movie."
Just a movie.
Lily nodded.
She pressed the napkin against her cheeks carefully, trying not to smear anything.
"Yeah," she managed quietly. "It's just… sad."
Her voice sounded steady enough.
But inside—
Reality felt heavier than fiction.
The movie ended.
The credits began to roll.
People around them wiped their eyes openly.
Lily kept her head slightly lowered.The napkin in her hand was damp now.
She felt Aiden's presence beside Mira.
And that worried look in his eyes…
It hurt more than if he had ignored her completely.
Because kindness made everything harder.
Because she didn't want his gentleness if it belonged somewhere else.
The theater lights brightened slowly, pulling everyone back into reality.
People stood, stretching, wiping their eyes, murmuring about the tragic ending. The sound of rustling jackets and soft footsteps filled the air as rows began to empty.
Mira leaned close to Lily again, her voice gentle. "It's okay. It was sad."
Lily nodded, pressing the napkin once more beneath her eyes. She had stopped crying, but the heaviness inside her chest hadn't faded. It sat there quietly, like something learning how to stay.
Aiden didn't say anything.He didn't ask questions.
He simply stood beside her as they stepped out of the row, walking at the same pace. Close enough that she could feel his presence.
That almost made it worse.
Outside the theater room, the brighter lights forced her to blink. She lowered her gaze quickly, hoping no one would look too closely at her face.
Jake noticed anyway.
He stepped closer, dramatic as always. "Oh ho, little Lily," he said, placing his hand gently on top of her head. "I knew that ending would destroy you. Next time we pick a horror movie. It's better when ghosts die instead of heroes."
Despite herself, Lily let out a small laugh.
The sound surprised her.
"That's better," Mira said immediately, relief clear in her voice. "That smile suits you more than tears."
Lily gave a soft, obedient smile again.
Rose appeared beside Jake, slipping her hand through his arm. "Let's go somewhere else," she said lightly. "It's still early."
Jake shrugged dramatically. "Guess I'm kidnapped."
They left together, Rose leaning close, Jake pretending to complain but not pulling away.
Mira watched them go, a faint expression crossing her face that Lily couldn't fully read.
Then Mira turned back to her.
"Let's go have dinner at my place," she said, squeezing Lily's hand warmly. "You're coming, right? Aiden, if you're free, you can come too."
Aiden slipped his car key around one finger, the metal glinting under the streetlights.
"You already know I'm coming," he said casually.
But when he spoke again, his gaze shifted slightly.
"Let's go, Winslow."
Her heart gave a small, disobedient beat at the way he said it.
They walked toward the parking lot together.
The night air was cool now, carrying a faint scent of asphalt and distant street food. The sky above them was clear, deeper than before.
Aiden unlocked the car and stepped ahead to open the back door.
Lily hesitated.
Maybe the back seat is better. It feels easier… for now.
she decided silently.
She started walking toward it, and Mira followed without question, as if she hadn't even considered the front seat either.
Aiden didn't comment.
He didn't ask why neither of them chose the passenger seat.
He simply held the door open.
Lily stepped in first, smoothing her dress carefully as she sat. Mira slid in beside her.
The door closed with a soft thud.Aiden walked around the car and got into the driver's seat.
The engine started.
For a moment, none of them spoke.
Lily's gaze drifted upward to the small mirror in the center.
She could see part of his face through it.
She watched the curve of his jaw.His eyes stayed on the road.
He looked calm.Unaware.Or maybe pretending to be.
She couldn't tell anymore.
I don't think I can eat with them tonight.
Her chest felt fragile, like even small conversations might crack it again.
She lowered her eyes to her hands resting in her lap.
Her fingers were still slightly cold.She took a slow breath.
"…Mira."
Her voice came out softer than she expected.
"I don't think I can come with you today. Let's go another time. I'm… a bit tired."
She kept looking at her hands.
She couldn't look at Mira's face while saying it.
There was a small pause.
Then Mira's voice, slightly disappointed but understanding. "Ah… that's too bad. It's okay. Another time then."
Lily nodded gently.
The conversation moved on lightly between Mira and Aiden, small comments about the movie, about Jake being dramatic, about Rose.
Lily leaned her head slightly toward the window.Outside, the sky stretched wide and open.
The moon hung full and bright above the city.
"Today is a full moon," she murmured softly, mostly to herself.
The silver light poured through the window and rested gently on her face. It felt calming, as if the world had slowed for a moment. Everything around her grew still, soft, and beautiful.
Her reflection overlapped faintly with the moon's glow in the glass.
She glanced again toward the mirror.
And her gaze found him again.
One of my dreams came true, she thought quietly.
There had been a time, before she admitted her feelings to herself, when she imagined something simple.
Watching the moon with him.
Just standing beside each other under the same sky.
And now—
They weren't close.They weren't touching.
But they were together in the same car, under the same moonlight.
It hurt.But it was also enough.
Her eyes shifted to Mira, who was talking animatedly about something Jake had said earlier.
Mira's smile was bright again.
Mira… I hope you find happiness with him, Lily thought honestly. He is a good person.
Her chest tightened again, but this time she didn't fight it.
She let the feeling settle.Let it exist.
This little moment is enough for me, she told herself quietly. To keep going. To keep loving him… even if it stays only here.
Her hand rested lightly over her heart.
It still hurt.
But the fear from earlier had changed into something steadier.
Something she could carry.
She had stopped running from it.
She wasn't pushing the feeling away anymore.
She had accepted it.
In the quiet hum of the car, under the full moon's gentle light, Lily finally admitted to herself what she had been avoiding.
She loved him.
And even if it remained silent…
Even if it never reached him…
For now, being under the same sky was enough.
End of chapter 27