Ava's eyes widened immediately.
"Oh my God…"
Then loudly—
"RYAN!"
Both of them jumped apart instantly.
Ryan looked offended immediately.
"…you ruined cinema."
Ava laughed loudly from the balcony.
"You two have been standing there for five business days!"
Lia covered her face in embarrassment.
"Ava please go inside!"
Ryan looked up seriously.
"For the record, I was being respectful."
Ava nodded dramatically.
"Mhm. Sure."
Lia groaned and quickly turned around.
"I'm going upstairs."
Ryan immediately followed behind her.
"Wow. Abandoning me after I walked you home safely."
"You're literally coming upstairs with me right now."
Ryan blinked proudly.
"Oh."
A pause.
"…this relationship is progressing beautifully."
"RYAN."
Ava burst into laughter upstairs.
By the time Lia unlocked the apartment door, Ryan was still smiling to himself like an idiot.
The apartment was warm and smelled faintly like popcorn.
Ava was already sitting on the couch waiting for them with the most suspicious smile ever.
Ryan looked at her carefully.
"…why do you look like a gossip blogger?"
Ava gasped dramatically.
"I care about my friend!"
"You look entertained."
"I am entertained."
Lia dropped onto the couch tiredly.
"I hate both of you."
Ryan sat beside her immediately.
"That's not true. Deep down, I'm your favorite."
Lia stared at him.
"Deep down, you're annoying."
Ryan placed a hand on his chest.
"And yet you keep spending time with me."
Lia opened her mouth—
Then closed it again.
Because annoyingly…
He wasn't wrong.
Ava noticed the tiny pause instantly.
And so did Ryan.
His smile became slightly softer.
Smaller.
Real.
Ava suddenly stood up.
"You know what? I'm hungry."
Lia blinked.
"You ate already."
"I'm emotionally hungry."
Ryan froze.
Then pointed at Ava dramatically.
"She stole my line."
Ava shrugged proudly.
"Good lines deserve recycling."
Ryan looked genuinely betrayed.
"This house doesn't respect originality."
Lia laughed suddenly.
A real laugh again.
And Ryan immediately looked at her.
Like the sound automatically pulled his attention every single time.
Ava noticed that too.
And slowly—
Her teasing expression faded a little.
Because she realized something important.
Ryan wasn't pretending anymore.
He genuinely liked Lia.
A lot.
Meanwhile, Lia stood up and walked toward the kitchen.
Ryan followed her instantly.
Ava watched both of them disappear into the kitchen and whispered quietly to herself:
"Oh, they're doomed."
In the Kitchen
Lia opened the fridge while Ryan leaned casually against the counter beside her.
"You know," he started dramatically, "your friend is terrifying."
Lia snorted softly.
"You're dramatic."
"She looked at me like she was planning our wedding already."
Lia almost choked laughing.
"WHAT?"
Ryan nodded seriously.
"I saw my future in her eyes."
"You need help."
"Probably."
Lia shook her head smiling while grabbing bottled water from the fridge.
Then suddenly—
Ryan spoke again.
Softer this time.
"…thank you for today."
Lia looked up slightly.
"For what?"
"For trusting me enough to laugh again."
And there it was again.
That dangerous softness in his voice.
The kind that made her heart react before her brain could.
Lia looked down quickly at the water bottle in her hand.
"…you make it easy."
Ryan stared at her quietly after she said that.
And for once—
He had absolutely nothing funny to say.