What a Libra Means by “I Like You, But…”
A Libra's feelings often get stuck behind a “but.” They care about you, and they're also running through every possible outcome in their head.
After the movie, the two of them walked slowly along the riverside in Dadaocheng. It was windy. Jia zipped her jacket up to her chin and finally asked, “So what are we right now?”
The Libra beside her stopped, looked at the lights across the river, and after a long pause said, “I like you, I really do. But I haven't figured it out yet.” Jia just stood there, not sure whether to listen to the first half of that sentence or the second.
Behind their “but” is a whole checklist
When a Libra says “I haven't figured it out,” they're usually not brushing you off. Their head is running a long checklist: If we date, what happens when we fight? Will our mutual friends feel awkward? Will your mom like me? If we break up, can we still go on walks like this?
Most of these things haven't happened yet, but they've already thought each one through, down to which table they'd sit at during a class reunion if things ended. They want to be sure every answer turns out okay before taking a step. So “I like you” is the truth, and so is the “but.”
Why those words keep getting stuck
Libra is ruled by Venus, so to them love is something to build carefully and get right. They have high hopes for a relationship and are afraid that saying the wrong thing will ruin what already feels comfortable.
They're also a cardinal air sign. Their minds move fast, constantly weighing the pros and cons of every option. The more carefully they compare, the harder it is to hit confirm. What looks like hesitation is them adding up a score for both of you, worried that a wrong answer will hurt you.
You've probably seen this hesitation already
Before you're official, they'll ask you to dinner, stay late while you work overtime, remember the bookstore you mentioned wanting to visit, and still never say what you are. When friends ask, they say, “We're good,” and change the subject.
After you're together, small choices still trip them up. Yilan or Taichung for your anniversary? They'll save guesthouses in both places, list the pros of each, and ask you three times, “Which do you like better?” It's not that they have no opinion. They just really want the trip to suit you.
Going public takes them a while too. You post a photo of the two of you, they like it, but their own account stays empty of you. When one day they finally post a story of you two eating taro balls in Jiufen, it usually means they've finished adding up the score and are ready to get serious.
If you want their answer, try this
Pushing a Libra usually makes them back away further, but waiting forever wears you out too. A better approach is to make the question smaller and more specific. Instead of “What are we?”, try, “What I want is for us to be able to say we're together in front of our friends. Do you think you can give me an answer sometime this month?”
Give them a time frame and tell them what matters most to you, so they don't have to calculate every possibility. If time's up and they still can't say it, you're allowed to pull your heart back a little. That isn't pressuring them. It's looking after yourself.
Byeol Bunny once stood at a carrot stand for twenty minutes. The orange one was sweeter, the purple one was rarer. Finally the vendor gave up, handed him one, and said, “This one's on me. Come back tomorrow for the other.” Byeol Bunny hugged that carrot all the way home, smiling. Sometimes a little nudge is all it takes.