After being with Kyle for so long, Noah knew well how vulnerable she was when it comes to emotions and relationships.

"Kyle, don't take it to heart, we will talk with Mila and resolve it. Alright?... Kyle..."

​​

Noah shook her to get any response and saw her tear rolling down on her cheeks.

From the time they had reconciled back to friends, it was the first time he saw cry. He felt suffocated to see her in that state.

"I... I..." Kyle stopped saying and lowered her head.

Noah knew she wanted to justify Mila's words so he made her face him, "What is it?... I will trust whatever you say."

Kyle sniffed hard and responded, "I knew Mila liked someone but she never told me it was you and... and I never badmouthed her."

Noah sighed, "I know. It's alright. It wasn't your fault. Let's go and look for them."

Kyle agreed and both called Mila and Chris as they searched in the vast campus but didn't find them. Both returned to their apartment and saw Mila had packed her things and Chris was helping her.

"Guys, let's talk patiently." Noah said but got a dirty stare at them.

Kyle tried to talk to Mila, "Mila, I never seduced Noah. We are just friends like we..."

Mila raised her hand and flung at Kyle. Noah was quick and pulled Kyle back.

"Are you out of your mind? Can't you talk?"

Mila sneered looking at Kyle who was leaning on Noah. "Is this how you seduced? Looking meek to evoke protective and concern instincts towards you?"

Noah knew it was his pull force that Kyle had leaned on him. He wanted to talk but Chris spoke, "Noah, are you still going to deny your feeling for Kyle holding her in your arms? At least respect our friendship and stop clinging on to us to make us feel bad."

'Us' Noah didn't catch the word at that time. He was already pissed off so he pulled Kyle aside to make way for the two to leave.

Once they left, Noah sent Kyle inside. He was pressing the passcode to enter his place, he thought Mila might return and hurt Kyle again.

He knocked on the door for some time until Kyle opened it. Her eyes were all red so Noah could say she started crying right after entering inside.

Words stuck in his throat and both stared at each other until they heard Chirs laughing at them.

He didn't mock, he sounded happy saying, "You should have told us, at least I would have proposed to Mila instead of trying to soothe my heart."

Chirs went inside and bought Mila's mobile out and strode off saying, "Don't contact Mila again and give her hope. I will take care of her even if she doesn't love me back."

Noah realized each one hid one or the other thing from him.

'Were we really friends all these years?'

He thought to himself and looked at Kyle, he didn't care about what and all she hid.

Mila hid she was in love with Noah and befriended Kyle for Noah, Chris hid he was in love with Mila and befriended Noah for Mila.

'Have I hidden something?... Not really.' He respected himself to be true to them.

He had many questions to ask Kyle but he gave up. "Finals are near so study well. Don't take all these to heart." Both went to their rooms.

After that day nothing was normal for them. They had become new to themselves.

After a few days, they heard from other students saying, Mila and Chris were dating.

There were also rumors that Mila and Chris were drunk and ended up sharing a bed. Mila wanted to move on as a one night stand but Chris took the chance and confessed to her.

After sorting out things between them, they started dating. But they built invisible strong walls between them, Kyle and Noah. A group of friends became a couple and two different persons.

Kyle didn't want to end up like a stranger with Noah too so she had decided to at least be normal with Noah.

Last two weeks and exam time, both almost spent time together while studying, cooking, and going to college.

After exams, both bid each other on the good note without any regrets was what Noah had thought. Since Kyle was always mysterious, he never cared to ask what she really felt for him.

Returning back to their countries, both were still in contact with each other. There was hardly a single day they didn't message each other and on alternate days they would even voice or video call.

Everything seemed perfect for him. Eva and Rian returned and they had fun like always missing Aria in the picture.

When he had gone to country P on some work, he had asked Kyle if she could meet and got to know she couldn't and she was in a different country.

So other than voice or video call and the message, there was no way for them to meet or see each other. He soon realized he actually didn't know anything about her personal life but he controlled from asking thinking she might feel bad.

When he thought everything was fine, Kyle asked him once, "Would you have rejected me if I had proposed to you in country E?"

That had left him off guard. He was surprised by his own thoughts too. He couldn't imagine Mila in the place of his girlfriend or wife but he had no problem thinking of Kyle in that place.

Anyway, since the call line was silent, Kyle had laughed and told him to relax saying she was just making fun of him.

But he was really surprised by himself. He knew everything about Mila but she just stayed as a friend. He didn't know much about Kyle's personal life but he was okay to spend his life with her.

That started to doubt him whether he was seeing her just a friend or something more. He knew just by talking and spending time with her on hectic days of studies, he used to still be happy, calm, and peaceful.

He assumed he was overthinking just by hearing that question and tried to move on but right after hearing her voice, he started to doubt himself and started to avoid her to keep his mind clear.

It was until one day, he got a call to his number and heard Kyle's somber voice, "Noah, my parents are forcing me into marriage."