Bound By Fate

Chapter 10: Sparks flying

The days blurred together after my conversation with Kenji. It was hard to focus on school, on friends, or anything that wasn’t this sinking feeling in my chest. The thought of him leaving hung over me like a storm cloud, and no matter how much I tried to ignore it, the anxiety wouldn’t let me go.

Kai had noticed, of course. He was always so annoyingly observant. He hadn’t pried too much, but the concern in his eyes was enough to make me want to tell him everything. It was weird how easy he made it seem to open up, like talking to him didn’t come with any strings or consequences.

We were supposed to meet at the library to work on the project, but Kai texted me last minute to change plans.

Kai: My place? I live nearby, and it’s quieter there.

I hesitated for a moment, staring at my phone. His place? That felt… different. Too personal. Too close. But at the same time, the thought of being alone with him in a more private space stirred something in me I couldn’t quite ignore. My heart raced just thinking about it.

Me: Sure, I’ll meet you there.

When I arrived, I found his apartment to be just like him: simple, understated, but with this air of quiet confidence. It was a small place, but it was nice, and it felt like him.

“Welcome to Casa de Kai,” he said with a smirk, leaning casually against the doorframe as I stepped inside.

I rolled my eyes at his attempt at humor. “You’re ridiculous.”

“You love it.”

I didn’t respond to that. Mostly because I didn’t know if he was right or not. I did love the way he could make me laugh, make me forget everything else going on in my life, if only for a moment. But I wasn’t ready to admit that.

We settled down on the couch, laptops out, ready to work. At least, that was the plan. But as soon as we started, the closeness of the space, the quiet of the room, made it hard to focus on anything but him. His presence was overwhelming, filling up every corner of the room, making it impossible to concentrate on anything else.

“You’re distracted,” Kai said, his voice low and teasing.

I looked up, startled. “No, I’m not.”

He raised an eyebrow, clearly not convinced. “You haven’t typed a single word in the last five minutes.”

I sighed, closing my laptop. “Okay, fine. Maybe I am distracted.”

“Wanna talk about it?” His tone was soft, gentle, and for a moment, I almost gave in. I almost told him about Kenji, about how everything felt like it was spiraling out of control.

But then I shook my head. “Not really.”

He watched me for a moment, his eyes searching mine as if trying to figure out what I wasn’t saying. Then, to my surprise, he leaned closer, his hand brushing lightly against mine. The contact sent a jolt of electricity through me, my heart pounding in my chest.

“Lina…” His voice was softer now, barely above a whisper, and I could feel the tension between us thickening, pulling us closer.

I looked up at him, my breath catching in my throat. There was something in his eyes, something intense, that made it impossible to look away. It was like he was waiting for me to make the next move, but I didn’t know what that move was supposed to be.

Then, before I could think it through, he closed the distance between us. His lips were on mine, soft at first, testing the waters, but then the kiss deepened, and everything else faded away. The weight of the world, Kenji leaving, my worries—it all disappeared in that moment.