Nicole sank into her favorite chair at Michelle's apartment, rubbing her temples. The events of the past week replayed endlessly in her mind , the bookstore, the persistent golden retriever, and, of course, the tall, infuriating, yet strangely charming James Karen.
"I can't believe him!" Nicole exclaimed, tossing her scarf onto the couch. "He's so rude, arrogant, and ugh—I don't even know! Every time I see him, I just want to roll my eyes."
Michelle leaned back, smirking. "And yet… you're still talking about him. You're obsessed, admit it."
Nicole waved her hands. "Obsessed? No! I just… he's impossible, okay? And now he's my neighbor, and that dog keeps pawing at my door like it knows I have no self-respect."
Kai, sitting quietly on the armchair with his notebook in hand, raised an eyebrow. "You've complained about him every day since the incident," he said calmly. "But have you… maybe stopped thinking about Michael?"
Nicole froze, blinking. "Well… technically, yes. I mean, I haven't brought up Michael once since… since I met Karen. But that doesn't mean anything!"
Michelle laughed loudly. "See? Even Kai notices. Nicole, you're spending all this energy complaining about James, but you've actually stopped obsessing over Michael. That's… progress."
Nicole groaned, covering her face with her hands. "Ugh, don't make me sound like some cliché love-struck girl. I hate him!"
Kai smiled softly. "Or maybe it's not hate. Maybe it's curiosity. And maybe… just maybe… he's the kind of man who could actually be your future husband."
Nicole peeked at him through her fingers. "Kai! Don't you dare."
Michelle jumped in, waving her hands dramatically. "No, no, wait. Kai is right. At least you haven't mentioned Michael once. That's huge. Maybe this rude neighbor is supposed to teach you something… or maybe he's exactly what you need right now."
Nicole groaned again, but a tiny, reluctant smile tugged at her lips. "Fine, fine… maybe he's not the worst human being I've met. But I swear, if he calls me 'blond little girl' again, I'm throwing hot chocolate at him."
Kai and Michelle exchanged amused looks, silently agreeing that Nicole's heart was slowly waking up again.
For the first time in weeks, Nicole felt something she hadn't felt in a long time: the spark of possibility.