Zephyr | Lee Felix

Chapter 30

SUNDAY WEEK 6

Felix remains quiet for a moment, watching her take another sip of her tea.

She takes a deep breath before finally speaking up, looking down at her cup to avoid his gaze. 

"You know..." She begins with a soft and cautious voice, "Ever since that evening... I keep wondering about a lot of things."

"The evening where... the rain had fallen at the tram stop?" He asks, wondering if they're thinking about the same thing.

Eugene nods silently, still avoiding his gaze. "Yeah..." She whispers.

There's something in her voice that betrays the complexity of her emotions. It's clear that she's been thinking about that night a lot, and whatever it is that she's thinking about, it's been weighing heavily on her mind.

"I think..." She pauses, pressing her lips momentarily to gather the right words to describe her thoughts, "It's my first time in a while to open up to someone like that. Just... talking about the reason why I majored in education, or to have someone to comfort me when I met my former bullies."

Felix can see the struggle on her face—he can tell that this isn't easy for her, opening up and being vulnerable and all. And it makes his heart ache.

"It's weird, because usually I'd only let people whom I truly trust and have known long enough to see me." Eugene turns her head to face him, her lips slowly curving up into a bittersweet smile, "I haven't known you long enough, Felix. Yet you somehow made me feel... safe. You made me feel seen."

Felix's heart skips a beat as she looks at him with that bittersweet smile, her words hitting him square in the chest. He's not used to this side of her—open, vulnerable, raw. But it only makes his feelings for her grow even deeper.

He takes a moment to soak in her words.  

"Do you... regret telling me these things?" He asks quietly, his voice filled with a slightly visible worry.

The girl blinks, instantly shaking her head at the question posed. Regret? Regret?

"No, of course not. Not at all." She speaks firmly, "What makes you think that...? If anything, I—" Her words pause again, temporarily kept in her mouth.

"You...?"

Eugene hesitates for a moment, the words lingering on her lips. She's so close to saying it—so close to voicing the feelings she's been wrestling with for a while now.

But something pulls her back, that deep-rooted fear of vulnerability and the unknown consequences. Instead, she clears her throat and speaks in a calm, even tone.

"I... I just want to thank you. For being there for me. You've... helped me more than you realise."

Felix sees the conflicting emotions flicker across her face, and it pains him to see her struggle. He can see that she's holding back something—something big. But he doesn't press her. He knows her well enough to understand that she'll speak when she's ready.

Instead, he gives her a soft smile and reaches out to gently place his hand over hers, giving it a reassuring squeeze.

"You're welcome." He says quietly, his voice filled with unspoken understanding. "I'm happy I could help."

Eugene's heart stutters at the gentle touch of his hand, the warmth and comfort from his gesture making her feel both relieved and anxious. It reminds her of that one evening, again.

She glances down at their hands, his skin against hers, and feels a wave of emotions wash over her. There's a part of her that wants to pull away, to protect herself from the vulnerability of the moment.