In the week that followed, Anaya found herself drifting through each day with a quiet weight on her chest.
Ever since she had sent that message, a reply had come back almost instantly: "You can chat anytime." The words stayed the same, no matter how many times she tried again. Once. Twice. Thrice. The message never changed. "You can chat anytime."
She stared at it, her fingers hovering over the screen as if waiting for something else. A new line. A different tone. Anything that would hint that he had actually read what she wrote.
But nothing came.
And still, her heart hoped.
Each night, when the city around her fell asleep, Anaya lay in bed with the dim light of her phone flickering across her face. Her thoughts were louder in the silence.
That night, a strange unease settled in her chest. Something was bothering her, but she couldn't quite name it.
That post, she murmured to herself, "I think I've missed something important. Her eyes narrowing at the memory. That caption… the one he shared, yes.. it seems like, mmm.. for the one I missed.. hmm.. he missed. "
She continued, " does that mean he had a girlfriend."
She had only glanced at it before. Just enough to feel a sting. a sentence that had sent her heart into spirals. But now, it's total opposite.
Those words had burned themselves into her thoughts. Her heart had twisted painfully. Had he… fallen for someone?
Anaya sat up in bed, grabbed her phone again, and searched everything she could in the whole internet.
She opened every fan forum she knew, refreshed every news site that had ever posted about him. Her fingers moved with a restless urgency as she scrolled through photos, captions, and rumors.
Then hours slipped away unnoticed.
There were no signs. No pictures. No scandals. Nothing that confirmed he was in a relationship.
Still, her mind refused to settle. With trembling fingers, she opened his Weibo account again and clicked on the caption she had only half-read that day.
And there it was.
The second half.
"This song is for those who are missing me… or those who are missing someone they love this Valentine's Day. I hope you find happiness with your loved ones, from now and always."
Anaya stared at it for a long time.
Her cheeks flushed with sudden embarrassment. "Oh," she whispered. "It's for the fans…"
A laugh escaped her lips, dry and small. She felt ridiculous.
She slumped back into bed, her phone resting on her chest. "What's wrong with me," she murmured, eyes blinking sleepily for the first time that night. "You're acting like he replied just for you."
She remembered the company's rules, the ones she had once read on their official website in the quiet curiosity of late nights. No dating. No scandals. No relationships. Image was everything.
Of course, he couldn't possibly reply in person. Or mean it that way.
"He's an actor, Anaya," she whispered to herself, closing her eyes. "Don't dream too far."
But somewhere deep inside, she didn't feel entirely silly. Maybe it wasn't about the reply. Maybe it was the feeling, that someone out there could make her believe in gentle things again.
But finally found that its just a setting in weibo and also that repeating message can also appeared only one time a day.
With that, Anaya finally fell asleep.
Suddenly there are some sounds seems to be like a fighting is going on. While some people of them are hiding in a cave behind the waterfalls. Thise are all dressed in Hanfu. Water droplets are gently tapping on Anaya's face. As she watch around with those blurry eyes like, Anaya murmured herself, " where am I? I'm just sleeping on my bed.. but now where am I."
As she watching around, seems like her hand touching something like a piece of cloth. Seems like someone else's. As she watching over her hand and slowly eyes kept walking upwards and she got shocked.and said, " oh my God! Yu Chen... How could you be here? " And went shocked.
Suddenly, a strange sounds had appeared seems like arrow shooting. Anaya grabbed his shoulder, seems like she is frightened.
Then, those who are in the cave, stepped back and got lost in the cave.
Anaya doesn't leave his hand, still holding tightly. They have to fight back to survive. But all of them are weaklings. They even don't have any weapons, seems like all of them are depends on Yu Chen.
As they got out from that cave and entered into the forest, it was filled with thick fog.
They were all surrounded by enemies, seems like there is no way out. As that a girl came frontend and made her way to the enemy. They both are laughing loudly. Anaya doesn't understand what has happening here.
Suddenly Yu Chen shouted, " how could you do this to me? We have been in love for three years, why you want to betray me? The girl said, " Three years... Waste of my time. We have been planning for this long time to make down you. Now, the time is here. Anaya went shocked again. And whispered, " whattt? He is in a relationship for three years.."
Yu Chen is in emotional shock and there is no way for him to fight. The enemy grabbed his collar and grabbed him towards the end of the cliff. " Nooo..... " Anaya shouted. And running towards him, as the girl tripped him down and laughing and as Anaya got to that place its already late..
Anaya jumped and stretched her hand and shouted, " Yu Chennnnnnnn..."
Suddenly, Anaya woked up in her bed with difficulty breathing and murmured, "Nope...."
"Oh man! Turns out just a dream. How can i dream like this.. "Anaya whispered herself.
She slept for only three hours.
The sunlight had barely reached her window when her phone rang, buzzing loud against her pillow. She jolted awake, her heart racing.
It was a number from her grandmother's village.
"Hello?" she answered groggily, her voice dry.
"Anaya," a distant voice said. "Come home. There's some issue here."
She sat up immediately, her body going cold. "What happened?" she asked, panic crawling into her throat.
But the line had already gone silent.
No reply. No details.
Just static.
Her fingers shook as she lowered the phone.
Something was wrong.
Without wasting another moment, she changed her dress, tied her hair back quickly, and packed a small bag. so she left a short note on the fridge for her boss and made her way out.
The sky was overcast. The city outside looked dull and grey, as though even the weather sensed her unease.
She boarded the train and on her way to her grandmother's village, her mind running with questions, fears, and unknowns. The once familiar fields that rolled by the window felt distant. Her thoughts refused to quiet.
What was waiting for her back home?
As the wheels turned against the tinnels, she clutched her phone to her chest not for news, not for a message. but for the small comfort it had strangely begun to give her.
Even if it was one-sided, even if it was nothing more than imagination, a piece of her still held on to that reply. That can give her a shimmer of hope to move forward with out any fear.