🌧 For a while— things held. Not perfectly. Not effortlessly. But steadily. Kenzo kept showing up. Day after day. Not just when it was convenient— but even when it wasn't.
And Sofia— slowly— started to let her guard down again. Not completely. But enough to feel it. That quiet sense of maybe this will work.
Until— something unexpected happened. It started with a message. Not from Kenzo. From someone else. Sofia stared at her phone. Her heart didn't race— but it did pause.
It was from Lucas. "Hey… I know this might be random, but can we talk?"
She frowned slightly. Because this— felt different. Not casual. Not light. Something about it felt… serious. She hesitated. Not because she didn't know what to do— but because she knew this could complicate things. And things had just started to feel stable again.
Later that day— she told Kenzo. Not hiding it. Not waiting. "I got a message from Lucas," she said.
Kenzo paused. But this time— he didn't tense. "What did he say?" he asked calmly.
Sofia watched him carefully. "He wants to talk."
A small silence followed. Kenzo nodded slowly. "Are you going to?"
That question— was different from before. No accusation. No pressure. Just trust.
Sofia noticed. Of course she did. "I don't know yet," she answered honestly.
Kenzo looked at her. "Do you want to?"
She thought about it. Then shook her head slightly. "Not really."
Kenzo's shoulders relaxed— just a little. "Then you don't have to," he said.
Sofia tilted her head. "You're not bothered?"
Kenzo gave a small, honest smile. "I'd be lying if I said not at all." A pause. "But I trust you."
That— meant more than anything. Because this time— he wasn't reacting from fear. He was choosing trust— even when it wasn't easy.
Sofia felt it. That shift. "I'll tell him no," she said.
Kenzo shook his head gently. "Don't do it because of me."
She frowned slightly. "I'm not." A pause. "I just don't feel like reopening something that doesn't matter anymore."
Kenzo studied her for a moment. Then nodded. "Okay."
And just like that— the situation settled. Or at least— it should have.
Because that night— Sofia couldn't sleep. Not because of Kenzo. Not because of fear. But because of something unexpected. Closure. What if Lucas had something important to say? What if ignoring him left something unfinished? Her thoughts circled. Quiet. Persistent.
Meanwhile— Kenzo sat in his room. Thinking too. He trusted her. He really did. But trust— didn't mean the absence of fear. It just meant choosing not to let it control you. Still— a thought lingered.
What if this changes something?
The next day— Sofia made a decision. "I'm going to talk to him," she said.
Kenzo froze— just for a second. But then— he nodded. "Okay."
No questions. No arguments. Just trust. But inside— both of them felt it. This wasn't just about Lucas. This was a test. Not of love. But of trust. And sometimes— that's even harder to hold on to.
✨ End of Chapter 37