Kia held out until evening.
He tried to focus on work.
Tried to drown his thoughts in contracts and meetings.
Tried not to hear Ryan's broken sob in his head.
But by 8:47 p.m., he was pacing.
By 9:03 p.m., he was already in his car.
And by 9:15 p.m., he was standing at Ryan's front door, heart thudding like a drum.
He almost turned back four times.
Cold Ryan was scary.
Closed-off Ryan was terrifying.
But a Ryan who didn't care anymore?
That scared him the most.
He raised his hand and knocked.
Once…
Twice…
Silence.
Just when regret started creeping into his chest, the door opened.
Ryan stood there.
Loose shirt.
Messy hair.
Soft eyes that shouldn't have looked that tired.
He wasn't cold.
He wasn't warm either.
He was… guarded.
Kia didn't breathe.
And then—
"UNCLE KIA!!!"
Two little rockets slammed into his legs.
Lila wrapped her tiny arms around him.
Leo grabbed his shirt like he hadn't seen him in weeks.
"We thought you forgot us!" Lila pouted.
"You didn't come all day," Leo added, eyes wide and dramatic.
Kia almost fell backwards.
"Whoa— hey— slowly, you two—"
Lila clung tighter.
Leo squeezed even harder.
"We waited!"
"Daddy said you're busy!"
"Daddy looked sad too—"
"LEO."
Ryan's voice cut clean and sharp.
Both kids froze instantly.
Kia's eyes flicked up to Ryan, surprised.
Ryan stepped forward, expression controlled, voice calm but firm.
"Don't assume things," he told them.
"Yes, Daddy…" both kids muttered before running upstairs, whispering loudly:
"Daddy was DEFINITELY sad."
"Shhh!!!"
Kia almost choked.
And now…
Silence again.
Ryan didn't close the door.
Didn't step back.
Didn't send him away.
He just watched him.
Carefully.
Kia swallowed.
"I… didn't want to bother you," he said quietly.
Ryan looked at him for a long moment, unreadable.
Then:
"You didn't bother me."
The words hit Kia straight in the chest.
But Ryan's voice…
too calm…
too steady…
too practiced.
Like someone trying hard not to feel.
"Ryan…" Kia stepped closer, barely.
Ryan didn't move away.
"Why did you come now?" he asked softly.
Kia almost said all the things he wasn't supposed to say.
Because I missed you.
Because I couldn't breathe all day.
Because your crying shattered me.
What came out was smaller, honest, scared:
"Because I was afraid… you wouldn't let me come at all."
Ryan blinked.
The calm mask cracked—just a little.
He didn't answer.
He simply stepped aside and said quietly:
"Come inside."
Kia exhaled shakily and entered.
And for the first time all day…
he felt like he wasn't drowning anymore.