By now—
It wasn't subtle anymore.
At least, not to everyone else.
Cy slammed her hands on the desk.
"I KNEW IT."
CJ flinched. "What now?"
She pointed dramatically between him and Sebastian.
"You two."
"…What about us?" CJ said, already sounding tired.
"You're acting weird."
"We've established that."
"No," Cy said, shaking her head. "This is different weird."
Sebastian leaned back in his chair. "Define different."
"You're quieter," she said, pointing at him.
"And you," she turned to CJ, "are you thinking too much."
"I always think."
"You don't."
"I do."
"You don't."
"I do—"
"STOP."
Both of them paused.
Cy narrowed her eyes.
"…And you keep looking at each other."
Silence.
CJ blinked.
Sebastian blinked.
"…We're not," CJ said.
"You are," Cy replied immediately.
"We're not."
"You are."
"We're not."
"You are."
Ezekiel, from the side, spoke calmly.
"…You are."
CJ turned to him. "You're not helping."
"I'm not trying to."
Cy gasped. "See?! Even Ezekiel sees it!"
Dean, who had been quietly writing by the window, looked up slightly.
"…It's obvious," she said.
CJ stared at her.
"…You too?"
Dean shrugged lightly. "You're not subtle."
Sebastian let out a quiet breath, rubbing the back of his neck.
"…It's not like that."
Cy leaned forward instantly. "Then what is it like?"
"…Nothing," Sebastian said.
"…Nothing," CJ echoed.
Cy slowly smiled.
That kind of smile.
The dangerous one.
"…Lies."
---
Before CJ could argue—
A small shift caught his attention.
Near the window.
Ezekiel had moved closer to Dean.
Quietly.
Like he always did.
Dean didn't react at first.
But then—
She glanced up.
Their eyes met.
And for a second—
Everything else faded.
CJ noticed it.
Of course he did.
"…Oh," he muttered.
Cy followed his gaze.
And the moment she understood—
She froze.
"…No way."
Ezekiel said something.
Soft.
Too quiet for anyone else to hear.
Dean blinked slightly.
Then—
She smiled.
Small.
But real.
Cy grabbed CJ's arm so hard he almost yelped.
"DO YOU SEE THAT?!"
"Yes—ow—LET GO—"
"MY SHIP—"
"That ship sank yesterday!"
"IT'S FLOATING AGAIN!"
"That's not how ships work!"
"IT IS FOR ME!"
Sebastian glanced over, mildly confused. "What's happening?"
Cy pointed dramatically. "Look!"
Sebastian followed her direction.
Ezekiel leaned slightly closer to Dean.
Dean said something back this time.
And for a brief moment—
They laughed.
Together.
Quiet.
Soft.
But there.
"…Oh," Sebastian said.
"…Oh," CJ repeated.
Cy looked like she was about to cry.
"I TAKE BACK EVERYTHING—IT'S NOT SUNK—IT'S JUST… TEMPORARILY SUBMERGED—"
"That's still sunk," CJ said.
"NO IT'S NOT."
"IT IS."
"IT'S STRATEGIC."
"Ships don't strategize."
"THIS ONE DOES."
CJ sighed, rubbing his temple. "You're unbelievable."
Cy ignored him completely, clutching her chest dramatically.
"This is development… this is growth… this is cinema…"
Sebastian laughed under his breath.
And CJ—
CJ glanced at him again.
Just briefly.
But this time—
Sebastian was already looking.
Their eyes met.
Paused.
Held.
Then—
Cy gasped again.
"THERE IT IS."
Both of them looked at her.
"…What?" CJ said.
"That," she pointed again between them. "That look."
"There was no look."
"There was a look."
"There wasn't."
"There was."
"There wasn't."
"There WAS."
Sebastian exhaled. "…You're reading too much into it."
"I'm reading exactly enough," Cy shot back.
CJ leaned back in his chair. "You're imagining things again."
"Am I?" she challenged.
"Yes."
"Then look at him again."
CJ frowned. "Why would I do that?"
"Just do it."
"No."
"Do it."
"No."
"Do it."
"No—"
"Fine, I will," Cy said, grabbing his chin and turning his head toward Sebastian.
"HEY—"
Too late.
CJ's eyes met Sebastian's again.
And just like before—
Something paused.
That same strange pause.
Like everything else dimmed for a second.
Like something was trying to surface—
But couldn't.
Cy slowly smiled.
"…See?"
CJ pulled away immediately. "That doesn't mean anything."
"It means everything."
"It means nothing."
"It means something."
"It doesn't."
"It does."
"It doesn't."
"It does."
Sebastian shook his head slightly, amused. "You two are exhausting."
"We're not," CJ said.
"You are," Sebastian replied.
Cy crossed her arms. "At least we're entertaining."
"That's debatable."
"It's not."
"It is."
"It's not—"
"Are we seriously doing this again?" Ezekiel asked from behind them.
All four turned.
Ezekiel was standing there now.
Dean beside him.
Closer than usual.
Not touching—
But close enough.
Cy's eyes sparkled.
"…Progress," she whispered.
CJ smirked slightly. "Took you long enough."
Ezekiel ignored him. "We're going to the library."
Cy gasped. "TOGETHER?!"
"Yes."
"ALONE?!"
"Yes."
Cy clutched her heart again. "I've waited for this moment…"
Dean sighed softly. "We're just studying."
"That's how it starts," Cy said dramatically.
"It's not," Ezekiel replied.
"It is."
"It's not."
"It is."
"It's not."
"It—"
"Go," CJ cut in. "Before she gets worse."
Ezekiel didn't argue.
He just nodded slightly and walked off.
Dean followed.
And this time—
They didn't walk apart.
They walked side by side.
Close.
Comfortable.
Cy watched them leave like it was the greatest scene of her life.
"…Beautiful."
"They're just walking," CJ said.
"It's not just walking."
"It is."
"It's emotional."
"It's not."
"It is."
Sebastian chuckled. "You really get invested in this stuff."
"It's called passion," Cy corrected.
"It's called obsession," CJ added.
"It's called vision."
"It's called delusion."
Cy glared at him. "You're ruining my moment."
"You ruin mine daily."
"That's different."
"It's not."
"It is."
"It's—"
Sebastian cut in again.
"…You two."
"What?" they both said.
He tilted his head slightly.
"…You're doing it again."
"Doing what?" CJ asked.
"That thing."
"What thing?"
"The married couple thing."
Cy blinked.
CJ blinked.
"…We are not a married couple," they both said at the same time.
Sebastian smirked slightly.
"…You just proved my point."
Silence.
Then—
"Shut up," CJ muttered.
"Make me," Sebastian replied lightly.
And just like that—
The tension shifted again.
Not heavy.
Not awkward.
But there.
Subtle.
Growing.
And Cy?
She noticed everything.
Her eyes moved between them slowly.
Then—
She smiled.
"…Interesting."
CJ frowned. "Don't start."
"Oh, I already started."
"Stop."
"No."
"Stop."
"No."
"Stop—"
"You're blushing."
"I AM NOT."
Sebastian laughed.
And this time—
CJ didn't argue immediately.
Because for some reason—
His chest felt tight again.
That same feeling.
From the dreams.
From the moments.
From everything he didn't understand yet.
And when he looked at Sebastian again—
Just for a second—
He didn't look away as fast.
Neither did Sebastian.
And somewhere in between all the teasing, the laughter, and the chaos—
Something was becoming obvious.
Not to them.
Not yet.
But to everyone else?
It was already clear.
Because sometimes—
The things people refuse to see
are the ones everyone else notices first.