Y/N POV
I'm back in my hometown.
The air here feels different—calmer, quieter. Like the world finally took a breath for me.
I didn't even think twice when I booked the ticket.
I packed only what I needed.
And I left the resignation letter on the desk in the agency's lounge… simple, unsigned. But final.
I didn't say goodbye to anyone.
The moment the bus passed the city border, I felt the weight lift.
No cameras.
No expectations.
No Rabin.
I miss him. God, I do.
But I needed peace more than I needed love right now.
My room here hasn't changed.
The old photos, the books, the quiet hum of the fan—I sink into it.
I stare at the ceiling like I used to in high school, when everything felt big and unreachable.
But now, I've reached it. And I realized… I lost myself on the way.
"I'll be okay," I whisper.
Even if I'm lying.
Even if I'm breaking.
Even if a piece of me still waits for a knock on the door, for a message that says,
"Come home."
But I know Rabin.
He's lost too.
Maybe this distance is what we both need… to either grow back together, or grow apart for good.
I deleted all my social media.
No Instagram stories to curate.
No notifications. No updates. No filters.
I turned off my phone completely.
Not a single contact, not a single number I wanted to see right now.
I just want to be myself… once again.
Not a version molded by the agency.
Not the woman constantly orbiting someone else's spotlight.
I want to remember who I was before I met Rabin.
Before I started chasing things that were never mine from the beginning—
His world, his fame, his unreachable warmth… that he gave everyone but me.
"I'm tired of proving myself."
"Tired of fighting for space in someone's heart ."
Maybe I was never the right one.
Maybe I was just the pause between his real love story.
And it hurts, God, it hurts…
But I know this pain is the beginning of something else—
Peace. Solitude.
Healing.
So I sit on the balcony of my childhood home, in my oversized hoodie, holding a cup of warm tea—watching the sky turn from grey to a soft blue.
I don't know what comes next.
But for the first time in a long time,
I'm letting go.
And maybe, just maybe—
that's what love sometimes means too.
Time skips to week
It's been a week since I came back home.
No cameras. No spotlight. No chaos.
Just me, my family, and the sound of birds chirping outside the kitchen window every morning.
I wake up to the smell of mom's cooking again—
her warm hands brushing my hair back as she calls me for breakfast.
Dad's quiet nods from the porch as he sips his morning tea beside me.
I didn't think I'd smile this soon…
but I do.
Not the kind of smile that hides heartbreak,
but the kind that says "I'm healing."
I know I can't forget him…
Rabin isn't someone you just erase.
But here, in this little house with fading paint and so much love,
I don't feel alone anymore.
Family means a lot to me—
more than I realized.
They're not just my past.
They're my comfort,
my heart relievers.
When I sit between them during dinner and hear their laughter,
I feel whole in a different way.
Not because I'm over him…
but because I'm remembering who I am without him.
And that…
that's something I never want to lose ..
Today i went to supermarket.. i told my mom that i will help her buy groceries..
"Mom?" I called, nudging the door with my foot, both arms full of grocery bags. "Can you help me with the bags?"
I heard her footsteps rush from inside.
But instead of taking any of the bags, she just stood at the doorway, wide-eyed, looking past me.
"Why didn't you tell me your boyfriend is coming?" she asked, a smirk playing on her lips.
Wait—what?
"What!?? Who boyfriend??" I asked, confused and already panicking.
Mom leaned closer and whispered, "He's here… talking with your dad."
"Haaa!!"
My soul practically left my body.
I dropped the grocery bags right there on the porch and rushed inside like my feet had a mind of their own.
And there he was.
Rabin.
Sitting casually on our old sofa, legs crossed, talking with my dad like he belonged here—like this was normal.
Like he didn't disappear from my life just a week ago.
He turned his head slowly.
Our eyes locked.
And then…
He smiled.
As if nothing ever broke.
My eyes widened in pure disbelief—like I'd just seen a ghost, a ghost I used to love more than anything.
"Wha—what are you doing here!?" I half-whispered, half-yelled.
My dad chuckled and patted him on the back.
"Oh, he's charming, this one. Said he missed my daughter. Thought he'd come and have a talk with her old man."
I didn't know whether to scream, cry, or drag him out by the collar.
Rabin stood up slowly, still smiling.
"Hi," he said, like this was a scene from a romantic drama.
My jaw dropped.
What does he think this is? A K-drama plot twist!?
Author POV
Y/N stormed outside, dragging Rabin by the wrist, her heart racing with confusion, shock, and frustration.
The porch was silent except for the rustling breeze and her pounding chest.
She turned to face him, jaw clenched.
Y/N: "What the hell are you doing here?"
Rabin didn't respond.
He looked at her for a moment—eyes heavy, rimmed with a tired longing. And then, without a word, he pulled her into his arms.
Tight.
Like he'd been dying to do this since the moment she left.
She gasped, trying to push him away with both hands against his chest.
Y/N: "Let me go, Rabin—"
Rabin: "I'm sorry, babe… I miss you. I can't—I can't live without you. Please."
His voice cracked.
He buried his face in her shoulder, holding her as if she'd disappear again if he loosened his grip even a little.
Y/N froze, lips trembling, heart torn in every direction. She wanted to scream, to cry, to melt—everything at once. But she stood there… still in his arms.
She hated that part of her still longed for this.
She hated that she still loved him this much.
Rabin pulled back just enough to look her in the eyes—those tired, tear-brimmed eyes he hadn't seen in what felt like lifetimes.
Rabin:
"Let me prove it to you again, babe…
That I'm the one for you."
His voice was low, desperate, sincere.
Y/N blinked, her breath caught in her throat. That same voice that used to calm her storms… was now stirring one inside her. Her heart screamed no, her mind whispered yes, and her soul—well, it just stood there, silenced by his closeness.
For a second, she let herself lean into that familiar warmth.
For a second… she forgot the pain.
She was once again blinded by him.
Just like all those times before.
The promises.
The touch.
The way he said her name like it meant home.
And in that small, fragile second—she let him hold her.
Not because she forgave him.
Not because the wounds had healed.
But because love doesn't always wait for sense.
Sometimes… love just wants to breathe.
Suddenly—
Mom:
"Lunch is ready… come inside!"
Y/N jumped slightly, startled by the voice that shattered the tension between them.
She stepped back nervously, untangling herself from Rabin's arms like a teenager caught red-handed.
Y/N:
"Ohh—coming!!"
Her voice cracked slightly.
Mom (from inside, loud and clear):
"And take your boyfriend inside too! Don't leave him hanging out like that!"
She winked from the doorway, proud as if she'd just won a matchmaking award.
Y/N looked at Rabin, flustered.
He smirked, clearly amused.
Rabin:
"Well… you heard your mom."
Y/N (muttering):
"I'm going to kill her…"
She turned away quickly, face flushed, storming ahead.
And Rabin?
He just chuckled softly to himself, heart slightly lighter than it had been in weeks—
because this, right here, was the first step back home.
LUNCH SCENE – Author POV
At the dining table…
Mom: (beaming)
"So, Rabin, right?"
Rabin: (polite smile, slightly nervous)
"Yes, aunty…"
Mom: (laughs warmly)
"Heiya… 'aunty' sounds so old! Call me 'mom' too, just like Y/N does."
Y/N: (nearly chokes on her water)
"MOMMM!!!"
Her cheeks flare red, glaring at her mother in disbelief.
Mom: (teasing)
"What? I like him already! So gentle and handsome."
Rabin: (glances at Y/N, grinning mischievously)
"Okay then… Mom."
Y/N throws him a warning glare under the table, mouthing:
"Don't. Push. It."
Rabin just winks back.
Dad: (chuckling while eating)
"You two seem… close. Were you always like this in the city?"
Y/N: (muttering with a fake smile)
"Yep. Super close. Like wanting-to-strangle-each-other close."
Mom:
"Oh hush now. You should have told us earlier, Y/N. I could've prepared better dishes. He came all the way to see you!"
Rabin stays quiet for a second, then looks at her parents sincerely.
Rabin:
"Actually, I came to bring her home. I know I made mistakes… but I'll earn her again, I promise."
The room quiets.
Y/N lowers her eyes, heart pounding.
Mom (softly):
"Good. Because she's our only daughter. If you break her again, I won't forgive you."
Rabin (nodding):
"I won't. Ever again."
Y/N's dad silently nods with approval, continuing to eat.
Y/N (gritting her teeth playfully):
"Okay okay—enough drama. Eat your rice, Rabin."
Rabin just chuckles.
Under the table, their feet accidentally touch. She pulls back quickly—then doesn't.
The warm smell of home-cooked curry lingers in the air. The clinking of spoons and occasional slurps fill the gaps between an awkward but strangely comforting meal.
Dad: (wiping his mouth)
"So Rabin, where are you staying tonight?"
Rabin: (sits up straighter)
"Ah, at a hotel nearby, uncle."
Mom: (instantly frowns)
"Why hotel? We have a guest room too."
Y/N: (nearly chokes on water)
"Mom!! He's Rabin Angeles, remember? He's rich. Our guest room doesn't suit him."
Rabin: (confused and blinking)
"Heh??"
Mom: (raising a brow)
"Is that so?"
Rabin: (quickly shaking his head)
"No, no, aunty—ah, mom. I think your home is very beautiful and calming. It's been so long since I've felt this peaceful… I find myself at home again."
Y/N: (glaring at him)
"Smooth…"
Dad: (chuckling)
"Well then, it's settled. You're staying here."
Mom: (already getting up)
"I'll prepare the guest room. Y/N, help me."
Y/N: (grumbling while standing)
"Great. Now he's officially invading."
Rabin: (murmuring with a smile)
"Invading your life again, you mean."
Y/N: (turns and whispers as she passes by him)
"Careful. Guest room is next to mine. Don't try anything funny."
Rabin: (grinning like a kid caught stealing candy)
"No promises."
The stars quietly blink over the small town. A calm wind brushes through the porch where Y/N sits, knees tucked to her chest, a mug of warm tea in hand. She stares blankly ahead, lost in thought.
The door creaks behind her.
Rabin:
"You always liked quiet nights."
Y/N: (softly)
"Because quiet nights don't ask questions."
He walks slowly and sits beside her, leaving a little space in between. Neither of them speaks for a moment.
Rabin:
"Your dad gave me that look." (chuckles quietly)
"The 'you hurt her, I end you' kind."
Y/N: (half-smiles)
"Because he knows I don't show when I'm hurt… until it's too late."
Another silence.
Rabin:
"Why didn't you tell me you came that day?"
Y/N: (without looking at him)
"It was late…"
Rabin: (steps closer)
"You're thinking too much, babe."
Y/N: (eyes downcast)
"I'm not. Raya fits you better than me."
Rabin: (his tone sharpens slightly)
"Not again, Y/N… I don't like her."
Y/N: (voice cracks slightly)
"But it's true. She matches your world. She walks red carpets beside you, knows how to smile in front of cameras. I'm just… me."
Rabin: (grabs her wrist gently)
"Exactly. That's why I want you. Because you're just you. The one who makes my world quiet. The one who sees me when everyone else only sees the name, the fame."
Y/N: (silent, staring at him with glossy eyes)
"But it hurts…"
Rabin: (steps even closer, lowering his voice)
"Then let me stay and prove it doesn't have to anymore. Let me carry the pain with you this time, not cause it."
A moment of silence passes between them. The only sound is the distant hum of the refrigerator.
Rabin: (softly)
"I didn't come all this way just to lose you again."