The park slowly grew quieter as the evening approached.
Most of the families and joggers had already started heading home, leaving the paths calm and peaceful. The sky above the city was turning shades of deep orange and purple as the sun lowered toward the horizon.
William and Est eventually reached the river.
A narrow wooden path led to a small viewing area with a few benches overlooking the water. The city skyline reflected softly across the surface, lights beginning to flicker on one by one.
Est stopped walking.
"Wow."
William followed his gaze.
The view was beautiful.
The water shimmered with gold from the setting sun, and a cool breeze carried the faint sound of the city in the distance.
"You picked another good spot," William said.
Est smiled proudly.
"Told you I did research."
William laughed quietly.
They walked to one of the benches and sat down side by side.
For a moment, neither of them spoke.
The peaceful silence felt different from the noise of fan meetings and interviews. No cameras. No bright lights. No questions about their relationship.
Just the two of them.
William rested his arm along the back of the bench, close enough that it brushed against Est's shoulder.
Est leaned back slightly, allowing the contact.
"You know," Est said softly, watching the water, "I never thought we'd get here."
William glanced at him.
"Here?"
Est nodded.
"Here."
He gestured vaguely between them.
"Dating. Real feelings. The internet losing its mind about us…"
He chuckled lightly.
"…and somehow we're still just sitting on a bench like normal people."
William watched the reflections on the river for a moment.
Then he said quietly,
"I like it."
Est turned his head slightly.
"You do?"
William nodded.
"Yeah."
He looked at Est now, his expression soft in the fading sunlight.
"I like us."
Est felt something warm settle in his chest.
"Me too."
The breeze picked up slightly, rustling the leaves above them.
After a moment, Est spoke again.
"Do you ever think about what happens if things get… complicated?"
William tilted his head.
"Complicated how?"
Est hesitated.
"The fans. The media. Our careers."
William considered the question carefully.
Then he said,
"That stuff already exists."
Est laughed quietly.
"Fair."
William continued,
"But what we're doing right now?"
He gestured to the quiet park around them.
"This is ours."
Est looked at him.
William's voice was calm but steady.
"No scripts. No interviews. Just us choosing to be here."
Est smiled slowly.
"You're surprisingly wise today."
William shrugged.
"Don't get used to it."
Est laughed.
For a while they just sat there watching the river, shoulders lightly touching.
Then Est leaned his head gently against William's shoulder.
William went still for half a second before relaxing into it.
Neither of them said anything.
They didn't need to.
The city lights grew brighter as the sun disappeared completely.
After a few quiet minutes, William spoke softly.
"You were right earlier."
Est lifted his head slightly.
"About what?"
William glanced down at him.
"This feels nice."
Est smiled.
"Yeah."
William's hand moved slowly across the bench until it found Est's again.
Their fingers intertwined naturally.
Est squeezed his hand lightly.
"You know something?"
"What?"
Est looked up at the sky.
"If the internet could see us right now… they'd explode again."
William chuckled quietly.
"Probably."
Est rested his head back on his shoulder.
"But they can't."
William nodded.
"And that's the best part."
The two of them sat there quietly as the river shimmered beneath the city lights.
For once, nothing else mattered.
Just William.
And Est.
Together.
...
The city had fully shifted into night.
Streetlights flickered on along the river path, casting warm golden circles across the pavement. The water reflected the lights of the skyline like scattered stars.
William and Est were still sitting on the bench.
Est's head rested comfortably against William's shoulder while their fingers remained loosely intertwined.
Neither of them had moved for several minutes.
It was the kind of silence that didn't feel awkward.
Just peaceful.
William glanced down slightly.
"You're quiet."
Est hummed softly.
"Just thinking."
"About what?"
Est traced a small pattern with his thumb across the back of William's hand.
"…how weird everything is."
William smiled faintly.
"Define weird."
Est lifted his head slightly so he could look at him.
"A month ago we were just co-stars."
William nodded.
"And now?"
Est looked down at their hands again.
"Now we're secretly dating."
William leaned back against the bench, amused.
"You say that like it's a crime."
Est smirked.
"With the way the internet reacts to us, it might as well be."
William chuckled softly.
They sat quietly again for a moment.
Then William spoke, more gently this time.
"Are you happy?"
Est blinked at the sudden question.
"…yeah."
He looked at him honestly.
"I am."
William studied his face in the soft glow of the streetlight.
"Good."
Est raised an eyebrow.
"That's it?"
William shrugged.
"That's the important part."
Est smiled.
"You're being surprisingly sweet tonight."
William tilted his head.
"Should I stop?"
"No."
Est leaned back again against his shoulder.
"Definitely not."
The breeze from the river carried a cool chill through the air.
Est shivered slightly.
William noticed immediately.
"You're cold."
"I'm fine."
William rolled his eyes and slipped his jacket off his shoulders, draping it around Est.
Est laughed softly.
"You're ridiculous."
William smirked.
"And yet you're wearing my jacket."
Est pulled it a little tighter around himself.
"…it's comfortable."
William looked at him for a moment.
Something in his expression softened.
"Est."
"Hmm?" Est looked up.
They were closer than he realized.
The space between them felt suddenly smaller.
William's voice dropped slightly.
"Earlier today…"
Est blinked.
"Yes?"
"When Kai showed up."
Est immediately sighed.
"You're still thinking about that?"
William shrugged.
"Maybe."
Est laughed softly.
"You're seriously jealous."
William didn't deny it.
"…a little."
Est shook his head, amused.
"You know I was just being polite."
"I know."
"But you still didn't like it."
William looked at him directly.
"I don't like the idea of someone else flirting with you."
Est's smile softened.
"That's possessive."
William shrugged.
"Maybe."
Est leaned a little closer, their shoulders touching again.
"Well," he said quietly, "good thing I'm here with you."
William's gaze dropped briefly to Est's lips.
Est noticed.
His heartbeat picked up slightly.
"William…"
William leaned just a little closer.
"Yeah?"
Est hesitated for a second.
Then he whispered,
"We're in public."
William glanced around the quiet park.
The path was nearly empty.
The river shimmered quietly beside them.
"Not really."
Est laughed nervously.
"You're trouble."
William smiled slightly.
"You knew that already."
For a moment they just looked at each other.
The city noise faded into the background.
Est's voice softened.
"…you're staring."
William shrugged.
"You're staring back."
Est rolled his eyes.
"Only because you started it."
William leaned closer.
"Then maybe I should finish it."
Est's breath caught slightly.
"You're very confident tonight."
William paused only inches away now.
"Only with you."
Est felt his heart racing.
Then quietly—
"…okay."
That was all the permission William needed.
He leaned forward slowly, giving Est time to pull away.
But Est didn't move.
Their lips met softly.
Not rushed.
Not dramatic like the kiss on stage.
Just warm.
Real.
Est's hand tightened slightly in William's jacket as the kiss deepened for a moment.
William's hand moved gently to the back of his neck, steady and careful.
When they finally pulled apart, their foreheads rested together.
Both of them were smiling a little.
Est laughed softly under his breath.
"Well…"
William raised an eyebrow.
"Well?"
Est leaned back slightly.
"If the fans saw that one…"
William smirked.
"They'd lose their minds again."
Est squeezed his hand gently.
"…worth it."
William smiled.
"Definitely worth it."
And under the quiet glow of the city lights, beside the calm river, they stayed on the bench a little longer.
No cameras.
No crowds.
Just them.
Exactly where they wanted to be.