Unaware of what he was feeling, the surroundings which Finn had felt mute looking at Aria running towards him, suddenly felt too noisy to the extent he wanted to press his palms on them.

He felt like he was nobody that he had never sensed. The pain which he had never endured was rising in his chest.

​​

What is going on with me? When did I assume Aria Cooper as mine? Didn't I know she loves nobody but a man whose name she chants daily? Why am I being possessive of her? Or did I like her... more than as a friend? When?

Is it when she scolded me? Or when she helped me with my studies? While cooking together? Or when they exchanged remarks in a good-humored teasing way? Or when she unhesitatingly drove him to college and back home?

There were numerous moments they had together which were played normally but 'why are they feeling special? She is just my friend.' He stressed to himself but to no avail.

Finn only reacted when a hand tugged his arm and the same sweet voice sounded, "Let's eat."

Finn saw Alan waiting for her and she was tugging him to walk seeing him unmoving.

He was still lost in innumerable questions and unbearable efforts to know what was happening to him.

Getting no response, Aria pushed Finn to sit on the bench where Alan had sat and checked her work.

Finn jerked to a halt and turned around to her in a matter of a second causing her to lose her force and bump into him, "What's wrong?"

She stepped back asking in confusion while her eyes were delighted about the person behind him.

Finn desperately needed to clear his mind and he couldn't do that in front of Aria or Alan so he handed her the takeaway he bought, "Start eating. I will be back from WC."

He left without giving her a chance to speak other than her murmuring, "Fluffy..." Anyway. She sat next to Alan and continued to talk non-stop while Alan fed her causing her to muffle the words.

Finn splashed cold water on his face and took deep breaths trying to calm down with the weird foreign feelings. After composing, he laughed at himself, 'Am I an idiot to fall for a girl who is taken? When did I start thinking so much?'

"Now I can get a break." He mumbled to himself without realizing he was forcing it on himself.

He returned to hear Aria nonstop chattering while Alan just hummed feeding her carefully and even wiped the corner of her lips when cheese stayed back.

Finn quickly looked away from the pink lips that unknowingly looked too inviting despite seeing her clumsily behave in front of Alan, "I didn't know you needed to be petted and in search of a nanny." He teased and sat on the other end of the bench grabbing his part of lunch.

"And you need a tutor." She retorted and Alan fed her another bite filling her mouth.

Finn who glanced at them realized the distance between him and Aria. Close to him? He felt like laughing for assuming she was close to him. Maybe a little but she was close to nobody but Alan, the man who had the whole world's of time to listen to her every word so attentively and even flash her a tender smile.

Finn didn't dare to show his dilemmas, his pain on his face. He needed to clear it off before it could cause damage to him. He wholly focused on the food instead of Aria who was explaining about the presentation they were going to give in less than an hour.

--

After two hours,

Finn announced walking towards the parking, "What are your plans with your fiance? I am thinking of going north."

Aria's lips twitched hearing him, The Northern part of the country is still covered in snow, "Instead of enjoying summer, you want the cold back? Fluffy your furs are too thick." She poked him to see him roll his eyes.

She offered, "How about you join us? Alan and I planned to go west, beach, lake, and trek. Like it?"

If it was only Aria, Finn really would have said yes, it wasn't because he is responsible for her safety but he enjoys her company… unnecessarily too much, "Why? You want to shove dog food?"

Aria innocently blinked without turning down his speculation. She was meeting Alan after three months, it wasn't like she was going to maintain one arm distance with him. Even if she does, Alan would pull her to his arms without care of anybody.

Finn flicked on her head and announced, "Then I will go eat." He haughtily turned and went to his car, kicking her to Alan who had bought her car on the way.

It wasn't a minute, he saw her already clinging to Alan, wouldn't he die from excess dog food if he tags along? He shook his head and left the college.

And there he was already starting to miss her looking at the shotgun seat. It was his turn to cook and Aria would have helped him but she dropped a message inviting him over to her place saying Alan was cooking. He rejected the offer and cooked himself missing her terribly that made him leave the house towards an undestined journey.

It didn't take him to realize his whole world was filled with only one girl in just three months. Only he knew how he spent five days on the road aimlessly driving. He gave rest to his body just so that he could again drive, he ate to have the energy to drive.

He wasn't ready to name his feelings. He was adamant about assuming he was just attached to her for being with her for a long time. Once he stays away, he will be alright.

But the vast world felt like a prison without Aria. Eating or traveling or seeing any couple, he longed Aria next to him. The more he tried to run from his feelings, he was ensnared deeper into it.

---- Present ---

Rose didn't want him to feel the pain all over again hence she shushed stopping Finn from remembering more although he looked totally fine. "Why? Boring?"

Rose shook her head, "I like the happy ending as ours." She grinned cheekily trying her best to bring him out of the past.

"Ending?" Finn's brow raised, reminding her of the wolf. He continued, "We just started with an action, the ending is too far off…"

Rose tried to run off but didn't realize how she ended up in the bottom on the couch. Having no choice, Rose cooked up a plan to divert the man covering his mouth with her hand.