Nino didn't know where they were going, but he couldn't care less. 

Here was Suze, the human, in person, not Skype Suze or phone call Suze. He could touch her should he dare, but he didn't, because as they walked a good distance apart, he felt it. 

Her certainty, the gravity of it, that she was walking next to a boy she had already let go.

He concentrated on the light show playing on the Singapore River, reflecting from Marina Bay Sands across from them, and on the humid air that was enveloping his skin. He had always denied nerves, refusing to feel anxiety even before shows, but now he felt it. 

Tremors moving under his skin, making his sweat drip cold.

"Do we start with pleasantries?"

"No need," Suze said with a grim smile. "As you noticed, I didn't shun your bandmates. So I still see your face on every social media feed I own."

"What about me? What about your face?" 

Nino knew he was wholly to blame why he got the shorter stick from the post-breakup draw. His friends got to keep Suze, while Suze's friends hated him with a passion.

"So are you dating her now? Jenny?"

They had stopped walking, Suze settling down on what looked like an outdoor theater outside Esplanade, the colors and the river their majestic view.

"Straight to the horrible stuff then."

Suze shot him a lifted eyebrow. "What did you expect? That I would run into your arms just because I missed you?"

Nino almost smiled. He caught one tiny fish, and his heart danced at the sentiment released albeit grudgingly. "No, I'm not dating Jenny. You know it's not like that."

"What I knew was that after nearly three years together we could handle a few months apart," she replied in a hard voice, holding his gaze. "Obviously I knew nothing."

"Why did you take a job here in Singapore then?"

"What?"

"It was supposed to be only a few months apart for that stupid project. But you left that job only to transfer countries." His temper rolled to a new boil. How easy it was to tap into his anger, to channel his guilt there. "Did you mean to make this long distance thing permanent?"

"Singapore is only a few hours away!"

"It's not the same and you know it!"

Suze shot up from her seat, climbing a few steps in efforts to level his livid gaze. 

"You're not the only one with dreams, Nino. Mine might seem less exciting. I might not have a fan base—"

"Don't say it like I don't support you," he spat back.

"And you kissed another girl, you arrogant bastard!" She stomped her feet, losing balance.

Nino's huge hands caught her waist, her arms before she toppled down the steps. 

"I'm sorry, I know I was a jerk. But it won't work like this, living in different countries. I need to be able to see you. To touch you. Kiss you."

He felt her shaking against him, and Nino was once again reminded that this was his Suze, the Suze he missed, the one whose trust he had broken. The face he'd been drawing in his mind's eye was in front of him, a few breaths away. Glaring at him like she wanted to kill him, yes. But still, so close.

"Do you think this could work?" His breath came in ragged whispers, hot against her cheek. "It's the time zone warp that killed us before after all. And you're right. Now you're just a few hours away and..."

Nino trailed off, distracted by the force with which Suze shook her head, driving his hopes away. 

She pushed against his wide chest with both hands, recreating space between them, before she looked up at him again.

"Ask me what happened to me last week."

He gritted his teeth. "I don't want to."

Suze's fingers lifted to graze Nino's jaw, one touch, before she gripped both fists against her chest. 

"Last week I was crying because I broke up with my boyfriend. David was there, and I let him kiss me."