The morning sun poured through the window of Liam's apartment, casting long, golden beams across the floor. He sat on the edge of his bed, staring at the half-packed suitcase beside him. His heart felt heavy, burdened by the choices looming before him. Graduation had freed him from the routine of university life, but with that freedom came a sense of being unmoored, drifting between past and future with no clear direction.
Eva's words from the previous night echoed in his mind. She had been understanding, as always, offering him space to figure things out, but Liam knew it wasn't fair to keep her waiting while he wrestled with his indecision.
A knock on his door pulled him from his thoughts. He stood and crossed the room, opening it to find Max leaning against the doorframe, a mischievous grin on his face.
"Are you still not ready?" Max asked, his eyebrows raised. "We're supposed to be meeting Mei and Eva for brunch in, like, ten minutes."
Liam sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Yeah, yeah, I know. I'm just... thinking."
Max rolled his eyes playfully and stepped into the room. "You're always thinking. Let me guess, still stuck on Eva and Mei?"
Liam didn't respond immediately. He slumped back onto the bed, and Max sat down next to him, his expression softening.
"Listen, I'm not the guy who usually gives deep relationship advice, but I think you're at a point where you need to stop thinking and just... act. You know how you feel, Liam. I've seen you with Eva. You two are good together."
Liam stared at the floor, his thoughts a tangled mess. "What if I'm just holding onto her because it's safe? Because I'm scared of what happens if I let go?"
Max shrugged. "That's a risk we all take in relationships, man. There are no guarantees. But holding back because you're afraid doesn't help anyone. You can't spend your life waiting for the perfect moment or the perfect answer. Sometimes, you've just got to jump in."
Liam nodded, his chest tightening. Max was right, but the fear of making the wrong decision, of losing something important, still clung to him like a shadow.
Max stood up, clapping him on the shoulder. "Come on, bro. Let's get going. You can think about this all day, but it won't change anything unless you act."
Liam gave a faint smile and followed Max out of the apartment. The walk to the café where they were meeting Mei and Eva felt longer than usual, his mind still trapped in an endless loop of questions. The sun was high in the sky now, the streets bustling with people enjoying their weekend. He could hear Max talking beside him, but the words were drowned out by the noise inside his own head.
When they arrived at the café, Mei and Eva were already seated at a small table near the window, laughing about something that must have happened earlier. Mei waved them over, her face lighting up when she saw Max.
"Hey! Took you guys long enough," she teased, her smile infectious.
Max leaned down to kiss her, his playful energy always bringing a lightness to the group. Liam's gaze drifted to Eva, who was watching him with a patient smile. Her eyes held the same warmth and understanding she had shown him last night, but Liam could sense the underlying uncertainty beneath it all. She was waiting for him to decide, to give her a reason to stay—or let go.
As they sat down, the conversation flowed easily between Max and Mei, who were now deep into wedding planning. Eva chimed in here and there, but Liam remained quiet, his thoughts far away. Every time his eyes met Eva's, he felt the weight of what he needed to say pressing down on him.
After brunch, as they walked outside, Mei pulled Max toward a nearby boutique, insisting they look at wedding decorations. Eva smiled at them, but she hung back, her attention shifting to Liam.
"Do you want to take a walk?" she asked softly.
Liam nodded, knowing that this moment was inevitable. They strolled in silence for a while, the city's hum fading as they moved further into the quieter side streets. The leaves crunched beneath their feet, and a cool breeze whispered through the air, carrying with it the faint scent of coffee and pastries from the nearby cafés.
Finally, Eva stopped by a small park, the benches nearly empty at this time of day. She turned to face him, her expression calm but searching.
"You've been quiet," she said gently. "I've been thinking about what we talked about last night. About... us."
Liam swallowed hard, his heart pounding. He had rehearsed this moment in his mind, but now that it was here, the words felt heavy, tangled.
"Eva," he began, his voice low, "I care about you so much. You've been there for me in ways I can't even explain. But I can't keep pretending that I'm fully in this when I'm still trying to figure out... what I want."
Eva's eyes softened, but there was no surprise in her expression. She had expected this, perhaps even prepared herself for it.
"I know," she whispered, stepping closer to him. "I've always known that part of you was still holding onto something—or someone else. And I don't want you to feel guilty about that, Liam. It's just part of who you are."
Liam felt his chest tighten. "I don't want to hurt you."
Eva shook her head, offering him a sad but genuine smile. "You're not hurting me. If anything, I think we've both known this was coming for a while. We just didn't want to admit it. And I think it's time we both start being honest."
Liam's throat tightened as the words he had been dreading finally came out. "I don't think I can give you what you deserve, Eva. You're incredible, and you deserve someone who's all in, not someone who's still searching."
Eva's gaze lingered on him for a long moment before she nodded, the hurt in her eyes tempered by acceptance. "Maybe we're just at different places in our lives. And that's okay."
The silence between them felt heavy, but not uncomfortable. It was the silence of two people acknowledging a truth they had both tried to avoid.
"I'll always care about you," Liam said quietly, his heart aching with the finality of it all.
"I'll always care about you too," Eva replied, her voice soft but steady. "But I think it's time we both let go."
They stood there for a moment longer, the cool breeze wrapping around them as they faced the inevitable. Then, with a quiet understanding, they turned and began walking back toward the café. No more words were needed between them.
As they reached the café, they saw Max and Mei laughing together inside, their faces alight with joy as they excitedly talked about the future.
Liam paused, taking a deep breath. His crossroads had come, and though the path ahead felt uncertain, he knew that, for the first time in a long while, he had made the right choice.
And with that, he stepped forward into the unknown, ready to face whatever came next.