Close to You

The group was gathered again, this time at the café near campus, catching up on the usual gossip. William and Est sat beside each other, their fingers brushing every so often as they sipped their drinks. The others were still talking about the latest drama in their lives, but William's attention kept drifting back to Est.

Lego was the first to notice, his mischievous grin appearing as he leaned over to William. "So, how's the slow burn going?" he teased, his voice light but pointed.

William rolled his eyes but couldn't help the small smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "You're insufferable."

Lego wiggled his eyebrows. "Just trying to keep track of the progress." His eyes flicked to Est, then back to William. "Are we going to see you two getting all mushy anytime soon, or are you still in the 'we're just friends' phase?"

Est, who had been contentedly listening to the conversation, glanced at William, and then Lego. "I don't think it's that kind of thing," he said softly, a hint of uncertainty in his voice.

William could see where this was going, and before Lego could pry any further, he cut in. "It's complicated, Lego. Let's not get ahead of ourselves."

Lego, sensing the shift in the mood, put his hands up in mock surrender. "Alright, alright. Just curious. It's hard not to notice how you two look at each other, though."

Hong, who had been unusually quiet, spoke up then, his voice unexpectedly soft. "I think it's nice," he said, looking at William and Est. "It's... good, seeing you two like this."

William didn't expect Hong to be so open about it, but he nodded, giving Hong a genuine smile. "Thanks, Hong."

Est's eyes flickered over to Hong, and he smiled too, albeit more reserved. "It's... a little strange," he admitted. "But I like it."

Nut, who had been teasing William all afternoon, looked at them both with an exaggerated sigh. "You two are way too soft."

"Shut up, Nut," Hong said, a smirk playing at his lips. "You're just jealous."

William chuckled at the familiar exchange. It was moments like this—moments of laughter, of shared glances and small jokes—that made him realize how much he was beginning to enjoy being with Est. Not because of grand gestures or promises, but because of these small, quiet moments. Moments when it felt like everything was falling into place.

As they walked back to campus, side by side, William felt a warm sense of peace settle in him. Est was no longer just the quiet, elusive neighbor. He was someone he cared about, someone who had slowly, without him even realizing it, become integral to his life.

And William wasn't going to let that go. Not now, not ever.

As the days continued to pass, William and Est's bond grew deeper, subtly woven into their everyday lives. Their time together became a routine—slow, like a river carving through time, each day an additional layer of connection. They had moments of silence where words weren't needed, and then moments where the conversations flowed so naturally it felt like they had always known each other.

It was late in the afternoon when William found himself walking alongside Est again. The sun was dipping low, painting the sky in shades of orange and pink. The world felt quieter at this hour, the bustling energy of the city easing into the calm of twilight.

"So," William started, his voice slightly hesitant as he nudged Est's arm with his elbow, "I was thinking of maybe... doing something fun this weekend?"

Est raised an eyebrow, glancing at him. "What do you have in mind?"

"I don't know," William said, a soft laugh escaping his lips. "Maybe just a quiet date? We could go grab something to eat, maybe watch a movie... nothing big, just... us."