The one day he stayed

It had been a long day in the studio, and once again, Vanya found herself alone in the corridor, grabbing a much-needed break. The night air was crisp, and the moonlight cast long shadows on the floor. She wasn’t sure why, but she couldn’t shake the feeling of the moment before — when Yuvi had caught her in his arms, and everything had gone still. The tension was still there, thick and silent.

But tonight was different. He wasn’t lingering in the background, watching her as he usually did. This time, Yuvi actually walked over to her, his hands shoved deep into his pockets, his usual smirk replaced by a more relaxed expression.

“You free for a bit?” he asked, the faintest glint of amusement in his eyes.

She shot him a puzzled look. “I thought you never came to these things, Mr. Busy Biker.”

“I had a break from my usual routine,” he replied with a nonchalant shrug, as if it was no big deal. “Besides, I figured I could use a change of pace.”

They walked together in comfortable silence for a while before Vanya, as always, started to chatter, the words flowing out of her like an unstoppable current.

“I just realized something,” she began, her eyes sparkling with her usual energetic vibe. “I always end up listening to everyone else’s problems, their stories, their drama… And here I am, yapping about random things instead of the other way around. Who would’ve thought?”

Yuvi raised an eyebrow, a playful smile tugging at the corners of his lips. “Oh, so this is a one-time thing? You’re usually the quiet listener, huh?”

“Yeah,” she said, a hint of surprise in her voice as if she hadn’t really noticed it until now. “I guess it’s just… what I do. I listen to everyone around me. Friends, strangers, my boyfriend, even random people on the street. But, right now? I don’t know what’s going on, but I can’t stop talking.” She laughed at herself, shaking her head.

Yuvi couldn’t help but smile at the way she was so unapologetically herself. “Well, it’s nice. I don’t mind hearing you talk. Honestly, it’s kind of refreshing.”

She shot him a teasing glance, “I bet you say that to all the girls.”

“Nope,” he replied casually, the mischievous glint returning to his eyes. “Only the ones who can keep up with me.”

“Keep up with you?” she said with a snort. “Is that supposed to be a challenge?”

“Isn’t everything a challenge with you?” He gave her a sideways glance, still walking beside her. “You don’t think I notice how you’re always, like, two steps ahead of everyone? I’m just trying to catch up.”

She blinked, caught off guard by his comment. She hadn’t really thought about it that way. She was always rushing ahead, trying to be everything for everyone else, but she never really stopped to just be.

“Well,” she started, trying to cover up her thoughts with a light laugh, “I don’t mind talking about stupid stuff. Like, did you know that I overheard Anitta talking about how she can’t stop binge-watching those trashy dating shows on Netflix?”

Yuvi chuckled at her sudden topic shift. “Yeah? What’s the most ridiculous one?”

“Oh, you won’t believe it. It’s called ‘The Ultimate Love Triangle’ or something like that. The whole concept is a mess. Like, how can you be in a love triangle when none of you actually like each other?” She shook her head, clearly amused by the sheer absurdity of it. “But hey, people watch anything these days.”

Yuvi smiled at her, genuinely amused by her ability to find humor in anything. “That’s… honestly, the kind of gossip I didn’t expect to hear from you.”

“Well, you’ve only seen me focused on work or being all serious and tired,” she said with a shrug. “But the truth is, I get sick of it sometimes. Always listening to everyone, always trying to fix things. Sometimes I just want to yell about the weirdest, most ridiculous things. Like that show. Or the fact that I can’t even find a good cup of coffee in this place.”

Yuvi laughed outright. “See? That’s what I’m talking about. You’ve got this side to you that you hide from everyone. You think you're just a quiet listener, but you’ve got more going on.”

She shook her head, not quite understanding, but appreciating how he saw her. “I don’t know. I guess I’ve always been the one people vent to, you know? I don’t mind. But it does get a little overwhelming.”

“Well, I’m glad you’re letting me hear it,” Yuvi said casually, his tone softening. “It’s nice to see the other side of you. The side that’s not trying to carry everyone’s problems.”

She smiled at him, something unspoken passing between them. It felt easy. Comfortable. Like they could be friends, no strings attached. Like there was no pressure to be anything else.

“So, is this just you being a good friend, or is it the ‘I’m a cool biker’ routine again?” she teased, her voice light.

Yuvi rolled his eyes. “If I didn’t know better, I’d say you’re just trying to avoid me.”

“I’m not avoiding you!” she retorted, genuinely offended, but the smile on her face betrayed her. “You’re the one who’s always so mysterious, sneaking around and only showing up when it’s convenient.”

“I’m not mysterious,” he shot back, nudging her lightly with his elbow. “I’m just…” He hesitated for a second, as if figuring out the right words. “I just don’t do things the way everyone expects me to.”

She shrugged. “Fair enough. We all have our quirks. I guess I’m just lucky that I’m getting the chance to hear your actual voice for once instead of just the distant guy on the bike.”

He shot her a glance that almost looked like a challenge. “You’ll get used to it.”

She laughed. “I don’t know. The way you always act like you’re too cool for everyone… it’s a lot to handle.”

He just grinned at her, his eyes twinkling. “You’ll be fine. I have faith in you, Vanya.”

The sound of her name from his lips, simple and easy, made her heart skip a beat. She quickly looked away, trying to hide her flustered expression, but it didn’t escape him.

The air between them felt lighter now — like something had shifted into place. They weren’t just classmates anymore. They weren’t even just acquaintances.

They were friends.