---
It was supposed to be a normal Sunday.
A café trip. Window shopping. Maybe a park walk if it didn't rain.
But sometimes, smiles hide storms.
---
☕ Quiet Café, Louder Thoughts
Lila stirred her hot chocolate absentmindedly, watching the whipped cream slowly melt.
Theo sat across from her, fidgeting with a spoon, stealing glances.
Kai hadn't said a word in the last five minutes.
Lila (nudging his hand):
"Earth to Kai. You good?"
Kai (quietly):
"Yeah... just tired."
Theo (raising an eyebrow):
"You barely touched your coffee."
Kai forced a smile — the kind that didn't reach his eyes.
---
🛍 Shopping and Shadows
They roamed a bookstore next. Lila wandered off to the romance section, humming quietly to herself.
Theo whispered beside Kai.
Theo:
"You haven't been yourself all week."
Kai didn't answer.
Instead, his eyes locked on a parenting book — then he looked away like he touched fire.
Theo (softer):
"What's going on at home?"
Kai's jaw tightened. But he didn't speak.
---
🌇 Sunset Confession
On the rooftop parking lot, where they often watched sunsets, Lila finally sat between them and sighed.
Lila:
"Okay. This feels weird. Can we talk about it now?"
Kai stayed quiet for a moment.
Then, barely above a whisper:
Kai:
"My dad moved out last night."
Silence.
Lila's eyes widened.
Theo leaned in slightly.
Kai (still looking away):
"He and mom were fighting for weeks. I didn't tell anyone because I didn't want pity."
Lila gently touched his arm.
Lila (softly):
"It's not pity. We care about you."
Theo:
"Yeah. Idiot. You could've told us."
Kai exhaled shakily. A kind of relief washed over him.
Kai (finally smiling a little):
"Thanks… I just didn't want to ruin our weekend."
---
🌌 Final Scene: Not Alone
That night, Lila sent a message in the group chat:
Lila:
"For the record, you can ruin our weekends. We're staying."
Theo added a sticker of a potato holding a sword.
Kai replied with a heart.
Behind every strong person… there's a friend who notices the cracks.
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End of Chapter 21