As Luna and I stood by the tall,, elegantly decorated bar,, waiting for our drinks to arrive,, I glanced around the grand hall of the business party.... Golden chandeliers hung like cascading waterfalls from the ceiling, casting a warm glow across the sea of black tuxedos and glittering gowns. Yet,, despite the glamor around us,, boredom clung to me like a heavy coat. Adrian hadn't arrived yet. And the weight of waiting,, of not knowing when—or if—he would come,, only made my mind spiral deeper into questions I wasn't ready to face...♡♡
Luna looked equally uninterested,, tapping her fingers rhythmically on the marble countertop. We exchanged a silent glance,, and just as I was about to make a sarcastic comment to break the monotony,, a familiar voice cut through the background music...
"Well,, well,, look who decided to make an appearance."
I turned to find Oliver approaching us,, his signature smug smile tugging at the corners of his lips... He looked sharp in a navy suit that somehow made him seem more charming—and more irritating.
"I didn't expect to see you at one of these business parties,, Rimi,," he said,, clearly amused.
I raised an eyebrow,, my voice clipped with annoyance. "Why does everyone keep saying that to me tonight?? 'We didn't expect you to come...' Do I look like I live under a rock or something??"
Oliver chuckled. "It's not that. It's just... you never show up to these things... You're a mystery,, always skipping the formal gatherings."
I sighed and tilted my head slightly. "Well,, I guess it depends on my mood. Tonight,, my mood's surprisingly good,, so I accepted the invitation and came."
He nodded,, pretending to understand. "Ah,, I see. Lucky us..."
His gaze swept the crowd for a moment before it landed back on me... "And where's Adrian?? I thought you two were inseparable these days."
I shot him a glare. "How would I know where he is?? Stop asking me stupid questions."
He held up his hands in mock surrender, laughter in his voice. "Alright,, alright. Just thought you'd know. No need to bite."
I turned away, not offering a response. Oliver leaned in a little and said,, with a more sincere tone this time,, "By the way,, you look beautiful tonight."
His compliment caught me off guard. I smiled faintly. "Thank you,, Oliver...♡♡"
Before he could say anything else,, a voice called from behind me.
"Han Ri-mi... Oh wait,, sorry,, Rimi Miller."
The sound of my old name made me freeze for a second. I turned around slowly and found a familiar yet unexpected face... Mr. Yun's grandson. I narrowed my eyes...
"Why are you messing with me??" I said,, half-smiling and half-annoyed.
Oliver, clearly confused,, looked between us. "Wait—Han Ri-mi?? That was your full name??"
I nodded without taking my eyes off the man in front of me. "Yes... That was my name before."
Mr. Yun's grandson stepped closer and extended a hand. "It's Aiko..."
I hesitated but then shook his hand. "Nice to meet you,, Aiko,," I said,, trying to sound polite despite my irritation.
"Same here,, Miss Rimi,," he replied with a grin.
I rolled my eyes lightly. "Now Aiko,, don't start playing around with me tonight...♡"
He laughed. "Okay, okay,, I won't... Just wanted to say hello."
Luna and Oliver were silently watching the exchange with growing interest... I could feel their curiosity buzzing between them.
Then, from across the room,, I spotted a familiar face heading toward us. Clara... My eyes lit up.
"Clara!!" I called out,, moving forward to hug her tightly. She returned the hug with equal warmth. Luna stepped forward and hugged her too...
"How are you?? It's been so long since we last saw you," I said,, pulling back to take a better look at her. She was glowing,, her dress soft lavender and adorned with delicate silver details.
Clara smiled,, her eyes sparkling. "Yeah,, I've just been really busy... with my engagement preparations."
I nodded. "We heard!! Congratulations. It must be an exciting time for you."
She giggled. "It is... And you both have to come to the engagement party."
Luna smiled and said,, "Of course we will. We'll always be there for you..."
I nodded silently beside her,, watching Clara's excitement. Just then,, a new voice—one I hadn't heard in a while—broke through our happy little circle.
"Yeah,, yeah... of course she wants to get engaged to a cheater."
Startled,, Luna and I turned around. There stood Luka,, looking composed but clearly bitter.
Clara stiffened. "He's not a cheater,," she snapped. "He apologized for what happened in the past. He's changed..."
Luka crossed his arms,, jaw clenched. "Little sis, we're not blind... Just because he apologized doesn't mean he's right for you."
"Luka,, please." Luna's voice was soft but firm. "We're in public... This isn't the place for family drama."♡
The tension was palpable. Clara and Luka locked eyes,, but neither of them said another word. They both looked away,, the silence thick between them.♡
Trying to defuse the awkwardness,, I turned to Luka and asked,, "When did you come back to Korea??"
He finally looked at me,, his expression softening a bit. "Just a day ago..."
I smiled slightly,, nodding. "Good to see you again."
As we continued to stand there,, I noticed Luna subtly stealing glances at Luka,, though she pretended to be focused elsewhere. It was subtle,, but I could tell. The way her eyes lingered just a bit too long on him,, the way she shifted when he moved closer. I saw it all.
And maybe it wasn't my place,, but I felt like giving them a little space might help. Something was unspoken between them, something fragile and brewing...
I cleared my throat. "Alright,, guys. You continue. I'll be back in a few minutes... Just heading to the washroom."
Luna gave a silent nod,, while Clara gave me a small wave. Luka didn't say anything,, but I felt his eyes follow me as I walked away.
Inside the washroom,, I leaned against the marble counter and exhaled... The noise and tension from the hall seemed to fade behind the closed door...♡ I pulled out my phone and began scrolling through social media,, just to ground myself again. Photos of friends on vacations,, selfies with pets, inspirational quotes—normalcy.
But nothing on that screen could distract me from the storm of emotions swirling inside me. Adrian was still absent... Luna was clearly tangled in something unspoken with Luka,, Clara was diving headfirst into a relationship Luka clearly didn't approve of. And Oliver—his words still echoed in my mind. You look beautiful tonight...♡ Had he meant it sincerely??Or was he just playing the charming card again??
And then there was Aiko. A name I hadn't heard in years... A connection to a part of my past I wasn't sure I wanted to remember.
I stared at my reflection in the mirror,, the lights above casting shadows on my tired eyes... So much was happening...So much was changing.
And yet,, one question kept gnawing at the back of my mind.
Where was Adrian??
And why did it bother me so much that I didn't know??
To be continued...