As the elevator doors slide shut in front of them, a heavy silence settles. The weight of the moment feels suffocating, thick with unspoken tension. Mia can't shake the feeling that she must have done something horribly wrong in a past life to deserve this. The space between them seems impossibly wide, and she can't quite bring herself to break the silence.
Her gaze drifts to Kevin, and she can't help but reflect on how much has changed since they last saw each other. It's been six years since that day at the beach. Six years, and the difference in him is undeniable. He looks more mature now—confident, composed, a man who knows exactly where he's going. Meanwhile, Mia is still just an assistant graphic designer, feeling like she hasn't moved forward at all.
A faint sadness tugs at her as she stares at the elevator floor, the seconds stretching painfully. She wonders how things could have been different if she'd made different choices back then, but before she can spiral too far, the elevator dings.
The sound snaps her out of her spiraling thoughts. She hadn't even realized they'd reached their floor.
"Sorry... I didn't realize we were already here," Mia mumbles, quickly stepping out and forcing herself into professional mode. She gestures stiffly around, trying to distract herself from the nerves gnawing at her. "So, over here we have the finance team…" she points as they pass. "This is the production team… HR… and here's the kitchen... the canteen..." She rattles off the names of the departments, doing her best to sound normal, though her voice feels tight with restraint.
They finally reach the break lounge.
"This is my favorite spot," she says, managing a small, real smile. "It's where people come to unwind if they're feeling overworked or just need a quick break."
She glances up at him—a mistake. For a second, their eyes lock, and something unspoken passes between them. Mia quickly looks away, feeling the tension coil tighter inside her.
Trying to shake it off, she moves to the coffee machine, fumbling slightly as she prepares two cups. Small tasks feel safer. Controlled. She hands him a cup. "And finally... the rooftop," she says, her voice steadier now, the simple task of serving coffee grounding her in some semblance of normalcy.
They head up to the rooftop. When the door swings open, a soft breeze brushes past them, and Kevin steps forward, taking in the view of the city skyline. Mia watches him for a moment, noting how at ease he looks here, how this place seems to suit him.
"This place is nice," Kevin says, nodding appreciatively.
Mia smiles, a real one this time. The rooftop has always been her escape—a quiet place where she could think, unwind, and breathe. For a moment, there's only the wind and the distant hum of traffic. The city below feels like a whole world of its own, and here, in this moment, she can almost forget the tangled past between her and Kevin.
Then Kevin breaks the silence.
"How have you been?"
"I'm... okay. I'm doing okay now, sir," Mia replies, forcing a polite tone to mask the emotions threatening to surface.
Kevin's eyes soften as he watches her, and Mia catches a flicker of something in them—guilt or regret, she's not sure. "I've always wondered if you were alright," he says quietly. "You just disappeared... like air, six years ago."
Mia offers him a tight, forced smile. "As you can see, I'm doing great, sir," she says, trying to sound more convincing than she feels.
Kevin's gaze lingers on her, unreadable. She wonders what he's thinking, but she keeps her face neutral.
"Why do you keep calling me 'sir'?" he asks, his voice low. "It feels like we're miles apart."
Mia meets his eyes, her voice barely above a whisper. "Because we are."
She lets the words hang heavy between them, the weight of their past still between them. "You're my boss now."
Mia exhales slowly, gathering her courage for what she needs to say next. "Can I ask you a favor?"
She pauses, her heart hammering in her ribs, unsure how he'll respond.
"Can we keep our past... a secret? I don't want people gossiping about us."
Kevin looks at her thoughtfully for a long moment, his expression unreadable. Mia feels the tension building, but she keeps her gaze steady, waiting.
Finally, he nods. "Sure," he says, his voice matching her quiet tone.
"Thank you, sir," Mia says, a small wave of relief washing over her. The air feels a little easier to breathe, though the weight of their history still lingers.
She turns her gaze toward the city stretched out beneath them. The view is both calming and unsettling, a reminder of how far they've both come—and how far they've drifted.
For a few seconds, neither of them says anything. Kevin continues to watch her quietly, but Mia pretends not to notice.
"Let's go back down, sir," Mia says, needing distance, needing to breathe again.
"Okay," Kevin replies simply, following her back inside.