It was late afternoon when they met.
Not planned.
Not exactly.
Alina had been walking past the bakery when she saw him through the glass.
Luc looked up almost at the same time.
A pause.
Then he stepped out.
"Hi."
"Hi."
There was something… different.
Not in the words.
In the way they stayed there for a second longer than usual.
"You were just going to walk past?" he asked.
"I was thinking about it."
"And?"
She tilted her head slightly.
"I didn't."
A small smile appeared on his face.
"Good."
They ended up sitting outside.
Same kind of table they always chose.
Not intentionally.
Just out of habit.
"Did you eat?" he asked.
"Not yet."
"Stay."
It wasn't a question.
She did.
They ordered something simple.
Something they didn't have to think about.
For a moment, neither of them spoke.
But it wasn't the same silence as before.
It wasn't easy.
It wasn't neutral.
It was… aware.
Alina rested her hand lightly on the table.
Luc's hand was already there.
Not touching.
But close.
Too close to ignore.
"So," he said, breaking it first, "how was your day?"
"Normal."
He raised an eyebrow.
"That doesn't sound convincing."
She let out a small breath.
"It was good."
"That's better."
A pause.
Then—
"You?" she asked.
"Busy."
"You always say that."
"I'm always right."
She smiled.
And he noticed it.
Not the smile itself.
The way it stayed.
"What?" she asked.
"Nothing."
"You're looking at me like something."
"Like what?"
She hesitated.
Then said—
"Like you're about to say something and then you don't."
He didn't answer immediately.
Because she wasn't wrong.
"I was thinking," he said finally.
"About?"
He looked at her properly now.
Not casually.
Not in passing.
And that—
changed something.
"That you look different."
A pause.
"How?" she asked.
He didn't look away.
"More… relaxed."
She let out a small breath.
"I've heard that before."
"From who?"
"My friends."
"They're right."
Another pause.
"And you notice that?" she asked.
He shrugged slightly.
"I notice you."
The words landed.
Soft.
But not light.
Alina didn't respond immediately.
Because something in her chest—
shifted.
"Since when?" she asked.
He leaned back slightly.
"Since you stopped trying to control everything."
A small silence.
"I didn't realize I was doing that," she said.
"You were."
Not judgment.
Just a fact.
"And now?"
He looked at her again.
Slower this time.
"Now you're just… here."
That word again.
Here.
She looked away for a second.
Then back.
"And you like that?" she asked.
Another pause.
"Yeah."
Not complicated.
Not dressed up.
Just honest.
Their food arrived.
Neither of them touched it immediately.
Because the conversation—
had shifted.
Luc picked up his fork first.
"So you're going to stare at me or eat?"
She blinked.
"I wasn't staring."
"You were."
She frowned slightly.
"I wasn't."
He leaned forward a little.
"You were."
A pause.
"…okay, maybe I was," she admitted.
"Why?"
The question was simple.
But the answer—
was not.
She hesitated.
Then said—
"I don't know."
He didn't push.
Didn't smile.
Just watched her.
And that—
made it worse.
Because now she was aware of it.
Aware of him.
Of the way his gaze didn't rush away.
Of the way his presence didn't demand anything—
but didn't disappear either.
"Luc," she said quietly.
"Yeah?"
She didn't finish the sentence.
Because she didn't know how.
He waited.
Not impatient.
Not expectant.
He was just there.
She exhaled softly.
Then—
"It's different with you."
Another pause.
"How?" he asked.
She shook her head slightly.
"I don't have to think about what I'm doing."
He nodded once.
"Good."
"Is that all you're going to say?" she asked.
He smiled slightly.
"What do you want me to say?"
She opened her mouth.
Then closed it again.
Because she didn't know.
And that—was new.
They ate after that.
Slowly.
Quietly.
But the silence didn't go back to normal.
It stayed—
charged.
At one point, she reached for her glass.
Their hands brushed again.
This time—
neither of them moved away immediately.
A second.
Two.
Then she pulled back.
But it wasn't the same.
Because now—
it meant something.
When they stood to leave, the air had cooled.
They walked side by side.
Not speaking much.
But the distance between them—
had changed.
Smaller.
At the corner where they usually separated, they stopped.
"Good night," he said.
She nodded.
"Good night."
Neither of them moved immediately.
A pause.
Then—
"Alina."
She looked at him.
He hesitated.
Just for a second.
Then—
"Be careful."
"With what?"
Another pause.
"With… whatever this is."
Her heart skipped.
"…you too," she said.
A small, quiet agreement.
Then he stepped back.
And this time—
he left first.
Alina stood there for a moment longer.
Not confused.
Not overwhelmed.
Just… aware.
Of the way her body felt different.
Of the way her thoughts didn't settle as easily.
Of the way silence now held something—
instead of nothing.
She turned.
Walked back slowly.
And this time—
she didn't pretend she didn't understand it.
Something had changed.
Not loudly.
Not dramatically.
But clearly.
And this time—
it wasn't just comfort.
It was something else.
Something that stayed—
even after he was gone.
Something that made her pause.
Look back.
Even when there was nothing to see.
And everything—
to feel.