Cid's phone call with his mother was mercifully brief, but the interruption had shattered the fragile atmosphere. When he returned to the bench, Kiyomi was staring out at the park, a thoughtful expression on her face.
"Sorry about that," he mumbled, shoving his phone back into his pocket.
"It's okay," she said, turning to face him with a small smile. "Family first."
He wanted to reach for her hand again, to pick up where they had left off, but the moment was gone. Hana's teasing and the phone call had created an invisible barrier between them.
"So…" he began, unsure how to proceed.
"So…" she echoed, her eyes twinkling with amusement.
They both laughed, the tension easing slightly.
"Look," Cid said, taking a deep breath. "I know this is… awkward. With all the rumours and everything."
Kiyomi nodded. "It is a bit," she agreed.
"But…" he continued, his voice gaining confidence, "I don't want things to be awkward between us."
"Me neither," she said softly.
He hesitated, then blurted out, "I had a really great time at the festival, Kiyomi. With you."
"Me too," she said, her cheeks flushing slightly.
He wanted to say more, to tell her how much he liked her, how much he enjoyed spending time with her, but the words seemed to catch in his throat.
"I… uh…" he stammered, feeling his usual clumsiness return.
Kiyomi giggled, her laughter like music to his ears. "You're so cute when you're flustered," she teased.
He blushed, but couldn't help but grin. "I'm not flustered," he protested weakly.
"Sure you're not," she said, her eyes twinkling.
They fell into a comfortable silence, watching the children play in the park. Cid felt a sense of peace settle over him. He was with Kiyomi, and that was all that mattered.
Suddenly, a figure emerged from behind the same tree Hana had been hiding behind earlier. Cid groaned inwardly. Not another interruption.
But this time, it wasn't Hana. It was Aiko, holding the hand of a small boy.
"Hey, guys," Aiko said, smiling. "Just picking up my little brother from his friend's house. What are you two up to?"
"Just enjoying the park," Kiyomi replied, a hint of amusement in her voice.
Aiko glanced between them, a knowing look in her eyes. "Right," she said, winking. "Well, I'll leave you two lovebirds alone." She gave a playful nudge to Kiyomi and then turned to her little brother. "Come on, Kaito, let's go get some ice cream."
As they walked away, Aiko called back, "Have fun!"
Cid and Kiyomi watched them go, a comfortable silence settling between them. They were alone again, finally.
"That was… close," Cid said, a relieved sigh escaping his lips.
Kiyomi laughed. "Yeah," she agreed. "It seems like everyone is trying to sabotage our heart-to-heart."
"Maybe we should just give up," Cid said jokingly.
"No way," Kiyomi replied, her eyes sparkling with determination. "We'll find a way. Just not… right now."
"Right now?" Cid asked, confused.
"Yeah," Kiyomi said, standing up. "It's getting late. I should probably head home."
Cid nodded, a wave of disappointment washing over him. He wanted to talk to her, to tell her everything, but he knew she was right. It wasn't the right time.
They walked together for a while, the comfortable silence between them filled with unspoken words. As they reached the corner where their paths diverged, Kiyomi stopped.
"Well," she said, a shy smile gracing her lips. "See you tomorrow, Cid."
"Yeah," he replied, his heart sinking. "See you."
He wanted to say more, to tell her how he felt, but the words wouldn't come. He was too afraid of ruining the moment, of breaking the fragile connection between them.
"I…" he began, then stopped, unsure how to proceed.
Kiyomi waited, her eyes searching his.
"I… I'll talk to you later," he finally said, his voice a low murmur.
Kiyomi smiled, a knowing smile that made his heart flutter. "Okay," she said softly. "I'll be waiting."
They parted ways, leaving Cid with a mix of anticipation and frustration. He knew he had to talk to her, to tell her how he felt. But he also knew he had to be patient. The right moment would come. He just had to wait.