Heartbeats

Francis and Marie attend a dinner party and deliberately act as if they are not interested in Nicolas. Nicolas makes a positive impression, but the pair decide to keep him at arm's length. The staged indifference masks a growing curiosity.

Over the next weeks, the three form a close friendship, meeting regularly and sharing time together. They even sleep in the same bed, blurring the boundaries of their relationship. The trio's connection deepens as they become inseparable.

Nicolas invites Marie to attend a theater outing, which makes Francis unhappy about the budding closeness between them. Marie feels flattered but senses the strain in the dynamic. The trio's balance begins to tilt toward romance rather than friendship.

After the performance, they go to a Vietnamese restaurant. Marie arrives to find Francis dining with several friends while Nicolas sits at the far end of the table, farther from her. The scene highlights the growing signs of intimacy between Nicolas and Francis and Marie's isolation.

Nicolas shows affection for both Marie and Francis, telling Marie he loves her and also saying he loves Francis. He also shares a tender moment by taking a cherry offered by Francis, signaling comfort and closeness. The trio's feelings become more tangled and public.

Their mutual feelings lead to competition for Nicolas' affections, evidenced by their rivalry over gifts for his birthday. They attempt to outdo each other with thoughtfulness and extravagance. The competition reveals how deeply they are affected by him.

The relationship culminates in a trip to Nicolas' aunt's vacation home, where the scenery fuels jealousy and ambiguous affection. Marie grows wary as the triangle's tension peaks during the stay. The trip becomes a crucible for their feelings.

During the stay, Nicolas feeds Francis a marshmallow and tells him to eat slowly, triggering Marie's jealousy. She retreats to bed early, feeling sidelined and increasingly reflective about her place in the trio. The moment crystallizes the rift between them.

In the morning, Marie wakes to see Nicolas and Francis frolicking together and decides to leave. Francis chases after her and they end up wrestling on the ground. Nicolas remains unimpressed and decides to leave the vacation space.

Returning from the trip, neither sees Nicolas. They each leave him voicemail messages, and Marie writes a love letter. The unspoken feelings linger without resolution as they drift apart for a time.

Francis meets Nicolas and confesses his love, expressing a desire to kiss him. Nicolas rebukes the idea, leaving Francis devastated. The rejection marks a turning point in their relationship with Nicolas.

Marie catches up with Nicolas on the street and explains that the letter she sent was meant for a female friend, not for him, and had been swapped with an academic essay. Nicolas questions whether the female friend is a lover or an ex, which Marie denies. He ponders how he would feel if the poem had really been for him, and she wonders about his response.

A year passes and Francis and Marie have rekindled their friendship. At a party, they coldly rebuff an attempt by Nicolas to greet them, signaling a new distance from him. They have moved toward new connections while preserving their bond.

In the final scene, they both catch the eye of another party guest and walk toward him together, echoing the moment they first met Nicolas. The moment closes the film with a note of renewed agency and the possibility of a new romance.