The following week at school was a whirlwind of subtle glances, shared smiles, and lingering moments. Kuze and Masha had agreed to take things slow, but that didn’t stop the growing tension between them — the kind that filled the air whenever they were close to each other, as if the space between them was charged with electricity.
Kuze couldn’t stop thinking about their conversation at the café. Every time he saw Masha, his heart did that annoying flip-flop thing that made him both excited and nervous. And now, with the upcoming school festival, they had more excuses to spend time together.
It was the day before the festival when Kuze spotted Masha sitting under the tree in the schoolyard. She had her notebook open, jotting down last-minute notes, but she wasn’t alone. Alya stood next to her, leaning down to say something that made Masha laugh.
Kuze felt a pang of jealousy he hadn’t expected. Alya had been around a lot lately — and though she was just as playful as always, there was something in the way she hovered around Masha that bothered him. It wasn’t like he could complain, though. He and Masha weren’t exactly official. 
“Hey,” Kuze called out, walking up to the two girls.
Masha looked up, her eyes brightening as soon as she saw him. “Kuze! You’re late.”
Kuze scratched the back of his head sheepishly. “Yeah, I had to finish something up. What’s going on here?”
Alya straightened up and gave him a smirk. “Oh, just chatting with your lovely... friend here.”
Kuze shot her a look, and Alya chuckled. She had a way of saying things that always had multiple meanings. Masha glanced between them, her expression softening into something unreadable.
“I was helping Alya with some last-minute prep for the festival,” Masha explained. “She’s in charge of the booth next to ours.”
“Yeah, and we need all the help we can get,” Alya added, her eyes flickering mischievously. “But I’ll leave you two alone now. Don’t want to intrude.” She winked at Kuze before walking off, her laughter trailing behind her.
Kuze sighed as he watched her go. “Does she ever stop teasing?”
Masha smiled, shaking her head. “Nope. I think it’s her hobby.”
They stood there for a moment, the playful atmosphere from earlier shifting into something quieter. Kuze sat down beside Masha, close enough that their shoulders brushed. She didn’t pull away, which made his heart race just a little faster.
“You ready for the festival?” Kuze asked, trying to fill the silence.
Masha shrugged, her fingers still playing with the edge of her notebook. “As ready as I’ll ever be. It’s going to be busy, but... it should be fun.”
Kuze nodded, but he could sense there was something else on her mind. He glanced at her, noticing the way her brows were slightly furrowed, as if she was deep in thought.
“What’s up?” he asked softly.
Masha hesitated, biting her lip before turning to face him. “I’ve just been... thinking. About us.”
Kuze’s chest tightened at her words. “Yeah?”
Masha nodded, her gaze flickering to the ground. “I know we said we’d take things slow, but... I don’t know. It feels weird, like we’re stuck in this limbo where we’re more than friends, but not really... anything else.”
Kuze’s throat felt dry. He’d been thinking the same thing, but hearing her say it made it all the more real. “I get what you mean. I’ve been thinking about it too.”
Masha looked up at him, her eyes searching his for something — reassurance, maybe, or an answer to the question neither of them had asked out loud yet. 
“Do you... want to stay like this?” Masha asked quietly, her voice barely above a whisper.
Kuze swallowed hard, feeling the weight of her question settle over him. He didn’t want to stay in this strange in-between space. He wanted more — he wanted to be with her, to call her his without any of this uncertainty hanging between them. But he didn’t want to push her into something she wasn’t ready for.
“I want to be with you, Masha,” Kuze admitted, his voice low but steady. “But only if you’re ready for that too. I don’t want to rush you.”
Masha’s eyes softened, and for a moment, she looked relieved. She reached out, her fingers brushing against his hand. “I... I think I’m ready. I’ve been thinking about it a lot, and... I don’t want to keep waiting. I want us to be something real.”
Kuze’s heart skipped a beat, and he felt a warmth spread through his chest. He smiled, his hand turning over to gently hold hers. “Me too.”
They sat there, their hands intertwined, the weight of their confession lifting from their shoulders. It felt like a step forward, like they were finally moving in the direction they both wanted to go.
“So,” Masha said after a moment, her voice returning to its usual playful tone. “Does this mean we’re official now?”
Kuze chuckled, squeezing her hand. “Yeah, I think it does.”
Masha grinned, leaning her head against his shoulder. “Good. I was starting to think we’d never figure it out.”
Kuze laughed softly, feeling a sense of peace settle over him. This was it — this was what he had wanted for so long. And now that they were finally on the same page, it felt like everything was falling into place.
As the sun began to set, casting a warm glow over the schoolyard, they sat together in comfortable silence, neither of them needing to say anything more. They had each other, and for now, that was enough. 
But as they walked back into the school building, hand in hand, Kuze couldn’t shake the feeling that things were about to change even more. The school festival was coming, and with it, new challenges, new moments, and perhaps, even more misunderstandings. But this time, Kuze knew they’d face it together. And that made all the difference.