The next morning came with the weight of last night pressing on my chest like a phantom I couldn't shake. I had barely slept—tossing,, turning,, trying to make sense of the tangle of emotions wrapping around my thoughts like ivy. I had gone to that business party seeking answers,, clarity… maybe even closure. But I came home with more confusion than ever...
The name "Kai" still echoed in my mind—Aiko's careless slip,, the look in i eyes when I said it. I should've confronted him then... But I didn't. Instead, I smiled through the pain,, laughed at jokes I didn't find funny, and tried to keep my heart from cracking wide open in front of everyone...
Now,, seated in my office,, I buried myself in work. Spreadsheets,, presentations,, marketing briefs—anything to drown the noise in my head. The meeting room buzzed with quiet urgency as my team discussed the upcoming quarterly launch. I nodded, contributed where needed,, but my thoughts kept drifting.
Why didn't Adrian tell me the truth,, if there was one to tell??
Why did he always look at me like I was the only person in the room—and yet still felt like a stranger when I looked back??
My phone vibrated beside me,, the screen lighting up with Lily's name... She'd called twice already. I silenced it quickly. I couldn't take her call now—this meeting was too important. Luna caught the flash of the screen too but didn't say anything... A moment later, her phone began to buzz as well. Lily was calling her now.
Luna gave me a look that said again?? but declined the call politely. We returned our attention to the meeting,, but I could already imagine Lily's dramatic sighs echoing across time zones...
When the meeting finally ended,, Luna turned to me with a grin tugging at her lips. "So… our darling Lily is back to her persistent self."
"She's on her honeymoon,," I muttered,, grabbing my coffee. "She's supposed to be sipping wine on a beach,, not calling us nonstop."
Luna's smile widened. "Apparently,, we've been summoned.
I raised an eyebrow. "Summoned??"
She leaned against the edge of my desk. "Our 12th school reunion.... This weekend. She said we absolutely have to go."
I blinked. The word "reunion" pulled me out of my haze. I hadn't thought about our school days in years—those carefree afternoons under the jacaranda trees, late-night study sessions,, and inside jokes only the three of us understood. Lily,, Luna,, and I—we were inseparable once...
"Did she say why it's so urgent??" I asked,, sipping my now-cold coffee.
"She didn't explain much... Just said it's happening at the old auditorium. And that we're not allowed to say no."
I sighed. "I have meetings. Lots of meetings this weekend."
Luna looked at me pointedly. "You do not."
"I could have—"
"No,, Rimi. She said it's an order. You know how she gets when she pulls out the 'bossy best friend' card. Besides,, it might be good for you. For us."
I gave her a flat look. "You just want to dig through your yearbook and laugh at my awkward teenage hair..."
Luna grinned, not denying it.
I finally called Lily. She picked up on the second ring, and I could practically feel her irritation before she spoke...
"Took you long enough!!" Her voice came sharp and exaggerated,,typical Lily. "You ignored my calls. Both of you!!"
"I was in a meeting," I said calmly. "So was Luna. We weren't avoiding you..."
There was silence on the other end. Then,, a dramatic sigh. "Fine. I might forgive you.."
I smiled faintly, hearing the sound of waves in the background...
"Where are you right now??"
"Bali," she replied,, her voice instantly softening. "Mike planned this surprise ocean-view dinner for me last night... It was perfect."
I could almost see the glow in her eyes. It made something in my chest ache—not out of envy, but a longing. A longing for something that felt that safe,, that simple.
"That sounds beautiful,, Lily."
"It was." She paused, then added,, "But I kept thinking about you both. Which is why I'm calling... . The reunion's happening this weekend and you have to come....Both of you."
I hesitated. "I don't know if—"
"No excuses," she cut in sharply. "Don't give me that corporate voice,, Rimi. I know you.. . You've been avoiding people,, avoiding real conversations,, an d don't think I haven't noticed."
I swallowed hard. "Lily—"
"You need to breathe,," she said gently now. "Come see people who knew you before the chaos started. Before the heartbreak,, the drama,, the… whatever it is you're caught in."
Her words hit a little too close. "It's not that simple."
"Nothing ever is," she said,, her tone firm now. "But that's exactly why you need this. A night to just be Rimi again. Not the CEO,, not the woman unraveling old mysteries,, just… you."
Luna snatched the phone from my hand with a teasing grin. "Don't worry,, Lily. I'll drag her there even if I have to handcuff her to me."
Lily laughed, the sound warm and bright. "That's the spirit."
Luna handed the phone back to me,, still smirking.
"I suppose we're going,," I murmured, resigned.
"You suppose correctly," Lily declared.
After we hung up, the room fell into a quiet lull. Luna returned to her desk,, but her words lingered. Just be Rimi again...
But who was I, really?? The girl I used to be at seventeen—the one who loved to paint by the lake,, who wrote poetry about stars and believed in first love lasting forever… she felt like a dream now...
And yet… she was the one who met Kai...
The rest of the day blurred. I threw myself into work—client calls,, investor emails,, proposal drafts. Still, Adrian's face haunted me. That subtle clench in his jaw when I asked him about Kai... The way he watched me with eyes full of storm clouds and secrets. Every time I closed my eyes,, I saw him standing there with that mix of guilt and longing.
Was I overthinking??
Or had I finally begun to see what I wasn't supposed to?
After work, Luna followed me out to the elevator...."You've been quiet today."
"I'm just tired."
She gave me a knowing look. "Rimi,, I know you. You only go this quiet when something is eating at you from the inside."
I pressed the elevator button. "I'll be fine..."
Luna didn't push, but her silence spoke volumes.
As we stepped into the elevator,, I caught my reflection in the polished walls. The woman staring back at me looked composed,, successful, but her eyes were tired. Not just from lack of sleep—but from trying to hold together a puzzle that refused to fit...
Outside,, the city was alive—horns blaring, lights flickering, the air pulsing with a strange kind of restlessness... I stood there for a long time after saying goodbye to Luna,, just staring at the skyline. I thought of the reunion. Of Lily's words... Of Adrian's silence. Of Kai's memories.
I missed the simplicity of loving someone without wondering if they were hiding pieces of themselves from me...I missed the feeling of knowing someone's heart without second-guessing it.
And somehow, I missed Kai...
Or maybe I missed who I used to be when I was with him.
Back in my penthouse... the silence was deafening. I poured myself a glass of wine and stared out the window. The glass felt cold in my hand, grounding me,, pulling me back into reality...
I glanced at my phone. Still no message from Adrian.
Not even a "good morning" today... That wasn't like him.
I opened our chat...
Last message:
Adrian: "Did you make it home safe last night??"
I hadn't replied. My thumb hovered over the screen. I wanted to type something. Anything. But what would I say??
Yes. But are you Kai??
No. I couldn't. Not like this...
Instead,, I typed a simple:..
Me: "Yeah. Thanks."
I stared at the screen,, waiting...
But nothing came back...
As the moon climbed higher,, I found myself standing by the old keepsake box I hadn't opened in years. It was filled with bits of my past—photographs,, scribbled notes,, trinkets from my teenage years. My fingers brushed against a faded photo of Lily,, Luna,, and me, all wearing ridiculous flower crowns during our final school fest.
We looked so alive. So untouched by heartbreak...
I pulled out another photo—me and Kai,, standing beside a lake,, the wind playing with my hair. His hand was around my shoulder,, and he was smiling—completely unaware that years later,, his ghost would come back to haunt me.
Tears welled in my eyes,, unexpected and unwelcome.
Who are you, Adrian??
And more importantly… Why do I want you to be him so badly??
To be continued…