No, they didn't.
Just before their lips could meet, Miv stepped back.
Parv slowly opened his eyes.
For a brief moment, neither of them spoke.
The rain gradually came to a stop.
A bus arrived a few minutes later.
Without saying a word, they got on.
The bus was nearly empty.
Miv quietly took the window seat, while Parv sat beside him.
Outside, the evening sky was still dark, and the rain-soaked streets shimmered under the streetlights.
It usually took thirty minutes for Miv to reach home.
Parv's stop came much earlier—only fifteen minutes away.
Breaking the silence, Miv took out his phone and his wired earphones.
He plugged them into his phone and placed one earphone in his own ear.
The other earphone remained hanging beside him.
Parv smiled, picked it up, and placed it in his own ear without saying a word.
Miv turned to look at him.
A faint crease appeared on his forehead.
"Why does he keep doing all this with me?" he wondered.
Neither of them spoke.
The only thing they shared was the music playing through the earphones.
Fifteen minutes later, the bus slowed to a stop.
Parv stood up, removed the earphone from his ear, and handed it back to Miv.
With his usual bright smile, he waved.
"Bye, Miv. See you tomorrow."
Miv looked at him for a brief moment.
He didn't say a word.
He simply gave a small nod.
Parv smiled one last time before stepping off the bus.
As the bus pulled away, Miv quietly watched him disappear into the evening, still wondering...
"Why is he so kind to me?"
The bus finally came to a stop.
Miv quietly got off and walked toward his flat.
He unlocked the front door and stepped inside.
The flat was silent.
He lived alone in the flat.
After placing his bag on the sofa, he stood by the window, staring at the dark sky outside.
His thoughts drifted back to the bus ride.
Why did he sit beside me?
Why did he share my earphones without even asking?
Why does he keep following me?
Miv let out a quiet sigh.
"...Why is Parv doing all this for me?"
For the first time in a long while...
Someone refused to give up on him.
And for reasons he couldn't understand...
He couldn't stop thinking about Parv.
The next morning, everything went back to its usual routine.
Parv reached school and, as always, looked for Miv.
"Good morning, Miv."
Miv didn't reply.
But Parv didn't mind.
The next day, he greeted him again.
And the day after that.
Every morning, Parv wished him good morning. During the day, he would find some excuse to talk to him, and at lunch, he always sat beside Miv.
Slowly, it became a habit.
Parv also began noticing little things about Miv.
One of them was his love for macarons.
Almost every day, after finishing his lunch, Miv would eat a couple of macarons.
Parv didn't ask him about it.
He simply remembered.
Days passed. Then weeks.
Two weeks became three.
And without either of them realizing it, Parv had become a small part of Miv's everyday routine.
One evening, Miv missed his bus again.
He adjusted his bag and started walking home, moving faster than usual.
"Miv!" Parv called from behind.
Miv didn't seem to hear him.
Parv was about to run after him when he noticed someone else behind Miv, calling his name too.
"Miv! Wait!"
But Miv kept walking, as if he hadn't heard anything.
Parv slowed down and turned toward the person.
"Excuse me, why were you calling Miv?"
The person looked at Parv but didn't answer.
After a moment, he lowered his gaze and walked away.
Parv stood there, confused and a little concerned.
He didn't think much of it and quickly turned back toward Miv.
Miv was already quite far ahead.
"Miv! Wait!"
Parv hurried after him.
As usual, they ended up at the small macaron shop.
Miv went to the counter and ordered two macarons.
He took them to their usual table and sat down.
A moment later, Parv followed him and sat beside him.
Parv's eyes naturally went toward the two macarons.
He remembered how he had asked Miv to share one with him before.
But this time, Parv didn't ask.
He simply sat there quietly.
Miv took one macaron and began eating it.
Then, after a moment, he picked up the second one and held it out toward Parv.
Parv looked at him in surprise.
Miv didn't say anything.
He simply kept his hand extended.
A huge smile appeared on Parv's face.
He happily took it.
After finishing their macarons, the two of them walked out of the shop.
A bus arrived a few minutes later.
They got on and took their usual seats.
This time, the silence didn't feel as awkward as before.
Parv smiled and glanced at Miv.
"Can I ask you something?"
Miv looked at him and gave a slight nod.
"Where do you live?"
"In a flat," Miv replied quietly.
"Who all stay with you?"
There was a brief pause.
"I live alone."
Parv blinked in surprise.
"Alone?"
Miv simply nodded.
Parv smiled brightly.
"Then... can I come to your home sometime?"
Miv turned to look at him, caught off guard by the question.
After waiting for a few seconds, Parv smiled awkwardly.
"I was just kidding," he said with a small laugh.
Miv remained silent.
A few minutes later, the bus slowed down.
"This is my stop," Parv said as he stood up.
He looked at Miv and smiled.
"Bye, Miv. See you tomorrow."
Just as Parv was about to step off the bus...
"Bye."
Parv froze for a second.
He slowly turned around.
Miv was looking out of the window, his expression as calm as ever.
A bright smile spread across Parv's face.
"See you tomorrow!" he said happily before getting off the bus.
As the bus pulled away, Miv quietly watched the road ahead.
After reaching home, Miv placed his bag on the sofa.
His thoughts drifted back to the conversation on the bus.
"Then... can I come to your home sometime?"
He lowered his gaze.
"...I was just kidding."
Miv let out a quiet sigh.
Even after reaching home, those words continued to echo in his mind.
Meanwhile, Parv had reached home.
After freshening up, he lay down on his bed.
But instead of thinking about the bus ride...
His mind wandered back to the boy who had called Miv earlier.
"Who was he?"
"Why was he calling Miv?"
"And why did Miv keep walking as if he hadn't heard him?"
The questions wouldn't leave Parv's mind.
"There must be a reason..." he murmured to himself.
He stared at the ceiling for a long moment.
"I'll find out someday."
The next morning, Parv reached school as usual.
As soon as he saw Miv, a bright smile appeared on his face.
"Good morning, Miv."
To Parv's surprise...
"Good morning," Miv replied softly.
Parv stood there for a second, completely caught off guard.
Then a wide smile spread across his face.
"You finally replied!"
Miv didn't say anything else and quietly walked into the classroom.
As always, Parv sat beside Miv during lunch break.
They finished the lunch provided by the school.
Afterward, Miv walked to the canteen and bought his usual macarons.
He returned to the bench and quietly began eating them.
Parv watched him with a smile.
"You really like macarons, don't you?"
Miv looked at him for a moment.
But he didn't answer.
He simply continued eating his macarons.
The rest of the day passed as usual.
School ended.
As always, Miv and Parv walked to the macaron shop together.
Miv ordered two macarons.
Without saying a word, he handed one to Parv.
Parv smiled happily.
"Thanks."
Miv quietly ate his own macaron.
After finishing, they walked to the bus stop.
A few minutes later, the bus arrived.
They got on and sat beside each other.
After a moment of silence, Parv looked at Miv.
"You live alone, right?"
Miv gave a slight nod.
Parv smiled.
"Then... can I come to your home tonight?"
Miv looked out of the window.
After a few seconds, he replied in a quiet voice,
"...Okay."
Parv's eyes widened.
"Really?"
Miv gave a small nod.
A bright smile spread across Parv's face.
He couldn't hide his excitement.
That evening, instead of getting off at his usual stop, Parv stayed on the bus.
He was going to Miv's flat for the first time.
What was waiting for him behind Miv's closed door?
— End of Chapter 4 —