This is insane

After the day's excitement, Tian lay in his bed, staring at the ceiling. The events at the arcade replayed in his mind like a movie he couldn't turn off, and he found himself smiling in the dark. He'd always enjoyed spending time with Cynthia, but today had been different—intense, special, and unforgettable.

His thoughts wandered back to the moment when Ryan had taken that sharp turn. The memory of Cynthia falling into his arms was still vivid, and he could almost feel the warmth of her body pressed against his. Her surprised gasp, the softness of her hair brushing against his cheek, and the way her eyes had widened in shock—they were all imprinted in his mind. When their faces were just inches apart, he'd felt an electric charge between them, something he hadn't expected but couldn't deny.

Tian chuckled softly, remembering Nia's teasing tone when she'd asked if they were okay. Cynthia had quickly straightened up, her cheeks flushed a delicate pink, but in that brief moment, he'd seen something in her eyes—a flicker of the same connection he felt.

When they arrived at the arcade, Tian had suggested the basketball game as a way to lighten the mood. He'd been worried about Cynthia; the sadness in her eyes earlier had been hard to miss. But once they started playing, he saw her come alive again, her competitive spirit shining through. Her laughter was contagious, and he found himself getting caught up in the game, forgetting everything else.

They'd tied the first game, which had been a pleasant surprise. He admired her determination and how quickly she adapted, and he couldn't help but feel a rush of pride when she made those perfect shots. Their playful banter had been easy and natural, and he realized how much he loved making her smile.

Then came the team game with Nia and Ryan. Winning had been a team effort, and the thrill of victory had been sweetened by Cynthia's reaction. Her spontaneous hug had caught him off guard, but the moment her arms wrapped around his neck, he felt a surge of emotions he couldn't quite name. It was as if time had stopped, and it was just the two of them, sharing a moment filled with happiness that went beyond words.

He could still feel the lingering warmth of her embrace, the way she'd held onto him. For a split second, he'd frozen, his mind racing, jumping between the thoughts of it being a part of reality and dream but then he'd hugged her back, savoring the closeness. It was a brief but powerful moment, and he wondered if she'd felt the same spark he did.

As he lay there, Tian couldn't help but replay the entire day in his head—the drive, the arcade, the laughter, and most of all, the hug. Cynthia had always been special to him, but today had solidified those feelings. He realized he cared about her more than he'd ever admitted to himself.

He thought about the way she'd smiled at him when they shared the ice cream sundae, her eyes twinkling with joy. Every joke, every laugh, every glance they'd exchanged felt like a step closer to something more. He hoped she felt it too, that maybe, just maybe, she saw him as more than a friend.

Tian sighed, rolling onto his side. He wanted to tell her how he felt, but the fear of ruining their friendship held him back. What if she didn't feel the same way? What if he misread the signals? The thought of losing her was unbearable.

But then he remembered the hug again, the way she'd clung to him with such genuine warmth. Maybe there was hope. Maybe he just needed to be brave enough to take a chance or perhaps it really was a hug filled with the momentary joy of winning.

His mind buzzed with thoughts and his heart wouldn't stop racing. It was impossible to sleep with all these emotions coursing through him. Finally, he threw off the covers and sat up. He needed to do something to burn off this restless energy.

"Exercise," he muttered to himself. "Yeah, that might help."

He changed into his workout clothes and headed to the small home gym in the basement. The moment he started his warm-up routine, he felt a little better, but his mind still buzzed with thoughts of Cynthia. He moved to the treadmill, setting a brisk pace. As he ran, his thoughts kept circling back to the hug.

He ran faster, trying to clear his head. The rhythmic pounding of his feet on the treadmill was almost meditative, but nothing could erase the memory of her arms around him. He pushed himself harder, sweat dripping down his face. Even though his body was exerting itself, his mind refused to quiet down.

After a while, he switched to weights, hoping the physical exertion would calm him. He focused on each lift, feeling the burn in his muscles, but it was no use. Every time he closed his eyes to push through the strain, he saw Cynthia's smile, her eyes sparkling with joy, and felt the echo of her warmth.

Frustrated, he dropped the weights and sat down, breathing heavily. He wiped the sweat from his brow and leaned back against the cool wall, his heart still pounding. Despite the workout, he felt more energized than ever.

"This is insane," he whispered to himself. "How can one hug mess me up this much?"

But deep down, he knew it wasn't just the hug. It was everything that had led up to it—the way they understood each other without words, the effortless way they had fun together, and the growing feelings he couldn't ignore.

He stayed in the gym for a while longer, hoping the physical exhaustion would eventually lead to sleep. But as he finally trudged back to his room, he realized that nothing could truly settle his racing heart tonight.

Lying back down, he closed his eyes, allowing the memories of the day to wash over him once more as he held a pillow in his arms, revisiting that hug in his mind. How nice it would've been if the hug would've lasted longer, no? He smiled, accepting that Cynthia had become an irreplaceable part of his life. No amount of physical exhaustion or any other distraction could change that.

As he finally drifted off to sleep, his last thought was hopeful: he hoped to find a way to let Cynthia know how much she meant to him and he had to do it soon. It was officially the time to start pursuing her.