"So… how long, exactly, by 'long before I met you two'?" Karen leans forward, eyes sparkling with curiosity, as if she could uncover Julian's entire history with a single question.
Julian lifts the ice glass to his lips, letting the water chill his tongue before he swallows. His lips curl into a faint, wistful smile.
"So long ago…" he murmurs, his gaze lingering on Karen and Eugene for a heartbeat longer than necessary. Then, as if shifting gears, he adds with gentle ease, "Enough about me for now. Let's talk about you two. How's the new house? I heard, Karen, that your work is farther now after the move."
Karen's smile widens, a mixture of pride and adaptation in her expression.
"Yeah, it's a little farther—nothing unbearable, just fifteen minutes earlier to wake up than before. But I'm adjusting fine."
Eugene chuckles softly, adding in his easy tone, and soon the conversation flows like a warm current around the dinner table.
The three talk about the new house, the neighborhood, little funny mishaps, and the lingering aroma of the pasta and rice cakes keeps their laughter rolling.
Time stretches gently, and the night grows darker, soft shadows pooling around the room. As the clock edges past ten, Julian stands, brushing off invisible crumbs of the evening's conversation.
"All right," he says with a warm, polite smile. "It's been wonderful. I shouldn't keep you two up any longer on my account. I'll be going now."
Karen rises with a small frown of playful protest.
"Oh, you're leaving already? You can stay longer, you know."
Eugene leans back slightly in his chair, a teasing smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.
"Yeah, stay a bit more. You don't have classes tomorrow, right? You could even sleep over if you like."
Julian laughs softly and shakes his head, the warmth of the evening still lingering in his chest.
"No, it's all fine. It was a wonderful dinner," he says, his voice calm, carrying a subtle contentment.
Eugene and Karen walk with him toward the entrance, their footsteps soft against the floor. Julian gives them a casual wave.
"All right, bye. Have a good night," he says, his tone carrying a quiet sincerity.
"You too. Have a safe drive back home," Karen replies, her smile gentle.
"Drive safely," Eugene adds, eyes crinkling with good-natured concern.
Julian nods, giving one last wave as the elevator dings open. He steps inside, the doors sliding shut smoothly behind him. Eugene and Karen watch the elevator ascend with soft smiles, waving back to him until he disappears from view.
Inside the elevator, Julian's lips curl into a faint smile, a mixture of contentment and quiet reflection. The soft hum of the elevator wraps around him as he thinks of his friends. They look so happy, so at ease with each other—joyful, comfortable, and perfectly attuned to one another. A pang of warmth settles deep in his chest.
The elevator dings at the basement, and Julian steps out into the quiet expanse of the parking lot. The air smells faintly of asphalt and night. He clicks the remote, and his car chirps with a red light, its familiar presence grounding him in the stillness.
"I didn't know all this time that Julian had someone he likes," Karen murmurs, her voice a mix of surprise and amusement as she and Eugene step back into the living room.
Eugene chuckles softly, a knowing smile playing on his lips.
Karen glances at him, eyebrows raised in playful accusation.
"Why didn't you tell me all this time? I really thought he was completely single."
Eugene shrugs with a faint laugh, settling onto the sofa.
"Julian was really single… It's just that," he pauses, letting the words hang in the air for a moment, "he's had a woman in his heart for a long, long time."
Karen squints at him, a mischievous grin spreading across her face as she sits down beside him. Eugene wraps an arm around her, and she rests her head gently against his shoulder.
"So… did that woman reject him or something?" Karen teases lightly, curiosity bright in her eyes. "Why would he like her for so long without ever dating her?"
Eugene leans back, gazing at the ceiling, a soft smile tugging at his lips as he recalls his friend.
"It's not like she rejected him," he murmurs.
Karen leans forward slightly, eyes sparkling with intrigue.
"Then what is it? Julian was just too shy to show his feelings?"
Eugene nods slowly, a faint questioning tilt in his expression.
"Well… as a friend who's known him for over ten years, I think he's different now."
Karen tilts her head, leaning closer.
"Different how?"
Her eyes glisten, full of anticipation.
Eugene's gaze softens, and he exhales quietly, the corners of his lips curving.
Coming out of the bathroom, Julian shakes his wet hair with a towel wrapped around his shoulders and steps into the soft glow of his studio apartment living room. The faint scent of steam lingers as he walks over to the sofa and settles down, letting the comfort of the cushions envelop him.
He reaches for his phone and opens Grace Silver's social media account. Still, nothing new. No pictures uploaded beyond her first post from earlier.
Only a few hours, he reminds himself, though the anticipation in his chest feels heavier than time allows.
Julian studies her face in the post, letting his eyes linger over her features—the soft curve of her lips, the brightness in her eyes, the faint play of light on her hair.
"She's in Mellany…" he whispers, almost to himself, a mixture of awe and longing in his voice.
He sets the phone down and leans back, closing his eyes. The gentle strains of classic piano music float through the room, intertwining with the cool spring breeze drifting in through the wide window.
"Should I go to Mellany and find her this time?" he asks softly, his voice carrying into the quiet night. "Is it my turn to move now, my Lord?"
Grace stretches lightly as she wakes in her hotel room, the morning sunlight spilling softly across the floor. She lifts her phone and sees her mom's face appear on the screen.
"How's the hotel? And the city?" Monica asks, her smile warm and gentle.
Grace, still a little sleepy but cheerful, adjusts her position on the bed and smiles.
"I didn't really explore much yet, but I will today. The hotel is clean, everything's perfect for the stay." Her voice is muffled from just waking, yet her joy shines through.
Monica beams at her daughter.
"And how long will you be there? You didn't buy a return ticket."
Grace smirks, a playful glint in her eyes.
"Probably a few weeks. I just… didn't want to tie myself down to a set time. But I already kind of miss home."
Monica's expression softens.
"Just stay safe, Grace. Don't wander around at night, and take good care of yourself. Come back when you've had enough rest."
"Yes, Mom. Thank you, and I love you," Grace replies warmly.
"Me too, honey. Have a good day. It's night here for me already," Monica says.
"Good night, Mom," Grace murmurs with a small smile.
The video call ends, leaving Grace with a quiet moment to herself, the city of Mellany waiting outside her window, full of light, promise, and uncharted memories.
Grace stretches her arms above her head, the soft morning light spilling through the large window beside her. She turns slightly on the bed to take in the view. Mellany stretches out below her, a tapestry of historical, antique buildings that seem frozen in time. The streets glint faintly in the sunlight, their cobblestones worn smooth by centuries of footsteps.
Lying back, Grace lets her gaze drift over the city, feeling the delicate flutter in her chest. It's a sensation both familiar and mysterious, a longing that she can't quite name, yet one that feels as if it's been waiting inside her for a long, long time.
She breathes slowly, letting the quiet of the morning wrap around her. Every detail—the moss on the rooftops, the curve of the old iron lamp posts, the distant church bells—stirs something deep within her. It's a memory she can't fully grasp, yet it leaves her heart both aching and light, as if this city itself has been waiting for her.
Grace closes her eyes for a moment, a small smile tugging at her lips.
"What is this feeling…?" she whispers to herself, the flutter in her chest echoing in the quiet room.
A few days later, Julian sits quietly on the bench near the gate, the soft hum of the airport around him. He glances out the large window at the airplane parked on the tarmac, sunlight glinting off its fuselage. The engines idle, waiting to carry passengers to distant skies.
Julian's fingers trace the edge of his laptop bag, and his gaze lingers on the plane.
"Here I'm going to Mellany," he whispers to himself, the words almost lost in the hum of the airport.
His heart beats a little faster, a mixture of anticipation, nervousness, and a quiet hope he can't fully name.