Episode 3: The Invisible Spark

The bell above the café door jingled as Damian and Ethan walked in, the familiar smell of coffee wrapping around them. Damian tried to act casual, but he couldn’t help the way his stomach twisted when Ethan’s shoulder brushed his as they squeezed past other customers. Why does that feel… weird? he wondered, quickly shaking the thought off.

Ethan, on the other hand, was fully aware. Every subtle movement Damian made—the tilt of his head, the way his lips curved when he laughed at something small, the careless way he ran his fingers through his hair—made Ethan’s chest tighten. He was the first to notice this, and he wasn’t hiding it.

“Coffee’s my lifesaver today,” Damian said, sliding into the booth across from Ethan, trying not to fidget. He tried to ignore the way his gaze kept finding Ethan’s eyes, and the way his own pulse seemed louder when Ethan leaned in slightly.

“Yeah? Mine too,” Ethan replied lightly, letting his fingers brush Damian’s hand as he reached for his cup. Just an accidental touch, he claimed—but Damian felt the jolt anyway. He looked down quickly, pretending it didn’t happen. Why did that feel… different?

Marissa and Jenna arrived a few moments later, laughing and chatting, completely unaware of the tension between the two guys. Ethan’s attention never left Damian, and Damian noticed it—but didn’t want to admit he did. No, you’re imagining things, he told himself. He’s just… paying attention. He’s a good friend.

“So, did you finish that project you were whining about?” Damian asked, trying to distract himself.

“Finished? Nah. But I’ll probably get to it… eventually,” Ethan said, smirking. His gaze lingered on Damian’s face, memorizing every small expression. Damian caught the look and felt an odd warmth creep up his neck. Why does he keep looking at me like that? he thought, shaking his head. Stop reading too much into it.

Marissa stretched, bright as ever. “Movie at mine tonight?”

Ethan glanced at Damian, whose attention flicked nervously toward him for just a moment before looking away. “Yeah, sounds good,” Ethan said casually, letting his hand graze Damian’s as he picked up his coffee. Damian felt the contact, a flash of awareness shooting through him. He immediately scolded himself silently: Stop. He’s just being friendly.

“Cool. Let’s invite Jenna too,” Marissa added, completely oblivious.

“Uh… yeah, sure,” Damian muttered, trying not to think about how aware he suddenly felt of Ethan, the way he was noticing him in a way that made his chest feel… tight.

The conversation moved on, filled with gossip, laughter, and mundane topics. But Damian couldn’t shake the awareness—every laugh, every glance from Ethan seemed heavier than usual. He was noticing something, something he didn’t want to admit to himself.

At one point, Ethan reached for a sugar packet, letting his fingers brush lightly against Damian’s hand. Damian froze for a fraction of a second. Why did that feel… like more than an accident? He quickly looked away, pretending to scroll on his phone, even though his heart was thumping.

“Why are you smirking?” Damian asked, glancing at Ethan with just enough curiosity to betray himself.

“Nothing,” Ethan said smoothly, his grin full of mischief. “Just… noticing things.”

Damian swallowed hard, forcing a casual laugh. Noticing things… yeah, right. He tried to convince himself it was nothing. But deep down, he couldn’t deny that Ethan’s attention felt… different. And he didn’t want to believe it meant anything.

By the time they left the café, Marissa and Jenna were still completely unaware of anything unusual. Damian walked beside Ethan, his mind buzzing with conflicting thoughts. He had noticed the touches, the glances, the way Ethan leaned slightly closer than normal. And yet… he forced himself to ignore it.

Ethan linked his arm casually with Damian’s, a small, almost imperceptible gesture that made Damian’s chest tighten. Damian glanced up at him briefly, his mind screaming that something was happening—but his mouth said, No, it’s nothing. Just friends.

Ethan, fully aware, smiled inwardly. He had already noticed, already felt the pull. Damian might be in denial, but Ethan wasn’t going anywhere. Not now, not ever.

And as they walked out into the afternoon sun, the invisible spark between them burned quietly, unnoticed by everyone else—but fully alive for both of them, even if Damian refused to admit it.

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***