Chapter 5 – Unspoken Things
The following weeks unfolded in ways Adrian had never expected. What began as chance meetings turned into planned ones, and soon the rhythm of his days shifted. Every few evenings, he found himself sitting across from Aruna — sometimes in the quiet corner of Lentera Senja, sometimes at small bookshops or late-night diners that she liked.
Adrian discovered that being with her carried a strange ease. Their conversations flowed effortlessly, from the mundane to the profound. She had a way of making the ordinary feel meaningful, like the way she could turn a half-empty cup of tea into a story about patience or resilience.
Yet, even in her laughter, Adrian noticed something.
There were moments when her eyes seemed distant, when her smile faltered for just a breath too long, when she grew quiet in the middle of a lively conversation. As though a shadow passed over her. He wanted to ask, but each time the words rose to his lips, he hesitated. It wasn’t fear of her answer — it was fear of breaking the fragile trust that was still growing between them.
One evening, they walked through the park after the rain. The paths glistened under the dim streetlights, and the air carried the fresh scent of wet earth. Aruna was humming softly, her steps light against the gravel.
“Do you always hum when you’re happy?” Adrian asked.
Aruna glanced at him, amused. “Do I?”
“Yes. I’ve heard you do it more than once.”
She laughed, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. “Maybe it’s just a habit.”
But her tone carried a hint of something else, something she didn’t want to name.
They stopped near a fountain, the water rippling under the glow of the lamps. Aruna sat on the edge of the stone, hugging her knees slightly. She gazed at the water, her expression thoughtful, almost wistful.
Adrian sat beside her, careful not to push. After a long pause, he asked quietly, “You look like you’re somewhere far away. What are you thinking about?”
Aruna turned her head, offering a faint smile. “Nothing important. Just… memories.”
Her eyes, however, betrayed her. They carried a weight, one Adrian recognized but didn’t yet understand.
He wanted to press further, but something in her expression stopped him. Instead, he said softly, “Sometimes memories are heavier than we expect.”
She looked at him then, really looked, and for a moment it seemed as though she might speak. But the moment passed. She simply nodded, returning her gaze to the fountain.
Silence stretched between them, not uncomfortable, but layered with things unsaid. Adrian felt it — the wall she had built, the space she wasn’t ready to share. And he decided, for now, to respect it.
As they walked back to the street, Aruna slipped her arm lightly through his. The gesture was small, almost casual, but it sent warmth rushing through him.
Adrian smiled faintly. Perhaps not everything needed to be spoken just yet. Some truths, he knew, revealed themselves in their own time.
But as he lay awake later that night, he couldn’t shake the image of her eyes — the sadness hidden behind them, the unspoken things that lingered between their laughter.
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