RIIZE | Tuesdays with You 《Anton》Completed✔

Chapter 11: Good night

That afternoon, when they returned to the farmhouse, the atmosphere between Lola and Anton had changed. Lola avoided Anton's gaze, her silence heavier than any words. Every time Anton tried to speak, she either brushed him off or ignored him entirely. Their friends, Bobbi and Sungchan, noticed the tension but didn't know what had happened. The lightheartedness of the morning had faded and was replaced by a palpable unease.

Mr. Choi, sensing Anton's fatigue and noticing the strain between the two, gently suggested that Anton head back home early. "You've had a long day, Sir Anton. It's best if you rest now," Mr. Choi said, his voice soft but firm. Anton wanted to argue, to stay and try to fix things with Lola, but his body was betraying him—he was exhausted, and his heart felt like it had been torn apart. Reluctantly, he agreed.

Before leaving, Anton approached Lola, hoping for a moment of connection, for her to say something—anything—that would ease the ache in his chest. "I'm going to head home now," he said quietly, waiting for a response. But Lola barely looked at him, her expression cold and distant. "Okay," was all she managed, her voice flat, devoid of the warmth it usually carried.

Anton stood there for a moment, uncertain, his eyes lingering on her as if silently pleading for her to acknowledge him. But she didn't. The silence stretched painfully between them, and finally, with a heavy heart, Anton turned and quietly excused himself to her parents, who were none the wiser to the emotional storm brewing.

The ride back home felt longer than usual, and with each passing minute, Anton felt the distance between him and Lola growing wider. The words left unsaid haunted him, but he was too drained—physically, emotionally—to fix it now.

Days passed, and the once lively exchanges between Lola and Anton dwindled to nothing. They didn't talk, didn't text, didn't reach out. Life continued, but the void between them remained, growing deeper as they tried to move forward, even though a part of each of them was still stuck in that moment they let slip away.

In the days that followed, Lola was quiet, retreating into herself as the silence between her and Anton stretched on. She couldn't shake the feeling that this might really be the end for them. The pain of Anton withholding the truth from her gnawed at her constantly. He hadn't shared how bad things were, hadn't told her that his body was rejecting the treatments. Instead, it seemed like he was focusing more on the inevitable—his end—rather than cherishing the time they still had left together. That hurt more than anything.

At school, Lola tried to go about her day, but the weight of it all sat heavily on her chest. Sungchan, noticing her quiet withdrawal, decided to confront her. Not as her ex-boyfriend, but as her friend—and unexpectedly, as Anton's friend too.

They found a quiet corner near the library, and Sungchan spoke first, his voice gentle but direct. "Lola, I know things between you and Anton aren't good right now, but... I think you need to know something."

Lola didn't say anything at first, just looked at him warily. Sungchan took a breath and continued, "Anton didn't mean to hurt you. He only wanted you to be happy, even if he couldn't always be there. He's been counting his days for a long time... way before the two of you even met."

Lola's expression hardened. "Then why didn't he tell me? Why didn't he let me in?" She felt the anger and hurt bubbling up inside her again. "It's like he's more focused on dying than being with me."

Sungchan shook his head. "It's not that simple. He didn't want to burden you with his pain. He's been hiding how bad it is, not because he's pushing you away, but because he didn't want you to see him like that. He wanted to protect you from what he was going through."

Lola clenched her fists, frustration building. "But that's not fair, Sungchan. I could've been there for him. I could've helped him. Instead, he's shutting me out. It feels like... like he doesn't trust me."