The drive home was quiet, but Jet's mind wasn't. A few questions swirled around, waiting for Han's answers.
"Do I still need to act when I meet your parents again?" Jet asked suddenly, breaking the silence.
Han, eyes on the road, shrugged casually. "Just hope I never have to see them again. But I think you convinced my dad pretty well," he teased, a grin tugging at his lips. "I quote—'No gift is better than your son.'"
Jet immediately turned to the window, his cheeks burning as he hid his face. Han's chuckle filled the car, rich with amusement.
"Where'd that come from?" Han teased further. "If you're writing your second novel, you should add that in. I'm looking forward to it now."
Jet shook his head with a soft laugh. "I'll think about it."
"You really made that up on the spot?" Han pressed, his voice playful. "Ain't that thoughtful, dear?"
Jet rolled his eyes, the warmth in his chest hard to ignore. "Have fun with your delusions, Enigma."
"I will, darling."
—
"Ughhh…" Jet yawned, stretching his arms. "Han's leaving soon. Off overseas to shoot a movie."
He leaned against the balcony railing, the city's lights shimmering below. A beautiful sight—yet nothing compared to the stars he saw in his dreams.
A sudden tug in his chest made him pause, as if an invisible thread pulled from afar. He glanced at his hamsters, Melon and Peach, their tiny eyes watching him. Checking his phone, he saw it was 9:30 p.m.—Han's plane must have just taken off.
"It's going to be fine… right?" he asked softly. "Just a few weeks without him."
The hamsters seemed to nod, and Jet decided to believe them. Besides, with Han gone, no one would interrupt his writing. He could finally focus on his novel!
He lied to himself. It was boring. Painfully so.
Fingers clattering on the keyboard, he lost track of time, but the story refused to flow. And he'd only been awake for two hours.
"Four days…" Jet sighed, slumping back. "It's only been four days since I've heard from him."
Autumn's cool air whispered through the window. Maybe a walk would help.
After leaving some snacks for Melon and Peach, Jet grabbed his jacket and stepped out.
His heart suddenly nudged him again, pulling him elsewhere—the pavilion.
—
The early morning air in the village was crisp and cool. A few tourist buses were parked nearby, and lively chatter floated through the breeze.
Jet climbed up to his familiar pavilion, expecting the usual peace and quiet—only to be surprised.
A group of elders was exercising by the hillside, their slow movements steady and graceful. Children, bright and noisy, were scattered about on what looked like a field trip.
A few people glanced his way, curious—likely wondering why he had emerged from the bushes instead of taking the proper path. Jet gave an awkward smile and brushed himself off before settling into a seat under the pavilion's wooden beams.
The once-tranquil spot now buzzed with life. Jet sighed, scrolling through his phone aimlessly, the soft murmur of conversations blending with the sounds of nature.
Suddenly, small footsteps echoed on the stairs.
"Okay, kids, let's take a break here!" their teacher called out as the group of children marched up in pairs.
Jet shifted to the side, giving them space. In perfect unison, the students plopped down, pulling out their water bottles and chattering amongst themselves. Their teacher, visibly grateful for the rest, settled on a bench.
Jet soon noticed a little girl sitting near him. She kept sneaking glances his way, only to whip her head around whenever he looked back. Amused, he chose to leave her be, wary of seeming intrusive.
The cool breeze carried the gentle roar of the waterfall below, and Jet found himself lost in its serenity—until he felt a small tug on his jacket.
"Mister!" a tiny voice piped up. "Do you live here?"
Jet glanced down to find the same little girl staring at him with wide, curious eyes.
"No," he replied with a soft smile, "I don't."
"Then why are you here?" she asked, tilting her head.
Jet chuckled lightly. "Good question. What about you?"
"We're on a field trip!" she announced proudly, then demanded, "Now you answer!"
He paused, choosing his words with care. "This place is… special."
Suddenly, every child's head turned toward him, their voices overlapping in eager curiosity: "How? Tell us!"
Jet thought for a second before saying, "I can tell you a short story… but only if your teacher allows it."
The teacher, amused, gave a small nod. "Go ahead. I'm curious now too."
Jet smiled and leaned forward, his voice soft but clear enough for every child to hear.
"Long, long ago," Jet began, his eyes twinkling with amusement as the children leaned in closer, "there was a young Omega and a handsome Alpha. The Omega came from a rich family, and the Alpha was from a simple village. One day—bam!—they bumped into each other by accident. And guess what? That's how their friendship began!"
The children giggled, their little faces filled with excitement.
"But something unexpected happened…" Jet's voice dropped to a whisper, making the children listen even harder. "The Omega fell in love with the Alpha. But… they were too shy to say it out loud. 'What if the Alpha doesn't feel the same?' the Omega wondered. So, they kept their feelings a secret."
The children gasped softly, their eyes wide.
"But then…" Jet's voice grew serious, "something terrible happened. People started to say the Alpha was a bad man! 'He shouldn't be here!' they shouted. And before anyone could stop it—BOOM!" He clapped his hands loudly, making some of the kids jump. "The Omega's brother… hurt the Alpha with a knife!"
Gasps filled the air, and a little voice piped up, "Nooo!"
"The Omega cried and cried," Jet said softly, his voice sad. "They held the Alpha close, begging, 'Please… come back…' But the Alpha's eyes never opened again."
The children's faces fell, disappointment written all over them.
"That's it?" one child asked, frowning. "The Alpha died, and they never got to be happy?"
Jet's lips curled into a small, knowing smile. "I haven't finished yet," he said, and the kids immediately sat up straighter.
"Years and years later… two people met—right here, under this same sky, with the wind you feel now." Jet paused, glancing at the waterfall. "They didn't know each other, but something felt… familiar. They laughed, they argued, and the Alpha teased the Omega all the time—"
"Like they were best friends!" a little girl shouted.
"Exactly!" Jet grinned. "It felt like they had known each other forever. But…" He paused dramatically, "no one knows if they remembered their past… or if they ever got their happily ever after."
The kids all shouted at once:
"What happened next?!"
"Did they get married?"
"Did they fall in love again?"
Jet chuckled, resting his chin on his hand. "Well… I'm still trying to figure out how their story ends," he said playfully. "But if you ever see a book with this story… maybe you'll be the first to know."
The children groaned at the cliffhanger, but their eyes sparkled with wonder.
Out of nowhere, a loud alarm rang from one of the teacher's phones—it was time to move on to their next stop.
The children groaned in disappointment, their little faces full of pouts. "Awwww! But what happens next?" they whined, but their teacher clapped her hands, signaling them to line up.
"Come on, kids," she said warmly, "We have more places to visit!"
As the children shuffled into a line, one of the teachers approached Jet, curiosity in her eyes.
"Excuse me, sir," she asked politely, "you mentioned there's a book about this story?"
Jet's lips curled into a playful smile. "Oh, yes! It's from an author named Jet Lev, called 'It Felt So Surreal.'" He paused for effect. "The book tells this same legend… but with a happy ending."
The teacher's eyes lit up with interest. "Really?"
Jet nodded, his voice light with amusement. "The author is even working on a sequel—continuing the story from exactly where I left off."
The teacher smiled warmly. "That sounds fascinating! I'll have to check it out. Thank you!"
Jet chuckled softly as she rejoined the group, and he watched the children waddle down the path, still buzzing with excitement.
A proud grin tugged at his lips. 'I have little fans!' he thought, his heart feeling unexpectedly full.
Jet's phone buzzed, and his heart skipped a beat. He immediately pulled it out, hoping to see a message from one specific person—Han.
But his excitement fizzled the moment he saw the screen. It was just a notification from a content creator's new video.
Jet sighed, slumping back against the pavilion post. "Seriously?" he muttered, locking his phone and tossing it onto the bench beside him.
'I'm daydreaming too much,' he thought, rubbing the back of his neck with a sheepish grin.
The autumn breeze rustled through the trees, carrying the soft laughter of the children as they disappeared down the trail.
Jet rested his chin on his palm, his eyes drifting over the familiar scenery. But his mind wasn't on the view.
'But… I really think I like that weird dude.'
The thought was sudden but felt so natural that it made his chest tighten—warm and confusing all at once. He smiled to himself, soft and helpless.
"Han, you're messing with my head," he mumbled, his fingers unconsciously hovering over Han's contact.