Puncak, Indonesia—a range of mountains stretching for miles. While many countries were preparing to welcome the cold breeze of winter in November, this peculiar country was still battered by the sun's merciless rays.
At the peak of a particular hill, a single house sat comfortably alone. The slow hum of a pristine air-conditioning compressor attached to its side echoed down the newly bricked driveway. Despite the intentions behind the renovations, the house seemed even more rundown, like watching an Ama wear a bedazzled jean jacket.
Inside, on the veranda, Shaun gave a feigned pleading look at his girlfriend, almost failing to stop a smile from creeping up his cheek.
"Touch my sides again, and I will stab you," Lily threatened, her tone going much deeper than usual, her narrow eyes squinting playfully at him.
"You know I don't like my belly button poked, but you still do it," Shaun shot back defiantly, brushing his coffee-brown hair out of his face as he instinctively lowered a hand to cover the vulnerable spot.
"How dare you defend yourself! If not pokable, why poke-shaped?" she announced as they exchanged playful blows, using moves from the books of Nihon Nukite and the Buddhist palm.
The mountains around them stood silent, indifferent to their playful exchange. But within that silence, memories of their past whispered—memories they didn't even know they shared.
A wise person once said that finding your soulmate isn't about discovering someone who's similar to you. If you want someone like you, just be with yourself. Your own hand knows well enough how you like to finish—why drag another person into it?
No, you find someone who, despite being at the other end of the spectrum, completes you. Someone whose stupidity resonates with your own (wise person may or may not be the author). Even for Shaun and Lily, the strings of fate did not let up easily.
Their paths had run parallel for years, their lives weaving intricate patterns that brought them close but never quite together. They both lived in the same bustling city, only three blocks apart as children. Unknowingly, Shaun and Lily played in the same parks, visited the same ice cream shops, and possibly even passed each other on the street, yet they never met.
Shaun almost joined Lily's primary school, but just as his parents were about to enroll him, his uncle introduced them to a prestigious school across town. Their lives diverged before they ever had a chance to intersect.
As Shaun and Lily exchanged a few more playful jabs on the veranda, they remained blissfully unaware of how close they'd come to meeting all those years ago.
In middle school, fate took another swipe at bringing them together. Lily's family moved, and she ended up attending the same school Shaun was enrolled in. For three months, they shared the same hallways, ate in the same cafeteria, and might have even had mutual friends. But just as their paths were about to cross, Shaun's family moved to Australia. Their proximity turned into a fleeting memory, their presence barely registered by one another.
Years went by, and life continued to keep them on parallel yet separate courses. Shaun returned from Australia, and both went to different universities. They frequented the same coffee shops, attended the same concerts, and even shared mutual acquaintances, but the timing was never right. They were always a step apart, always just missing each other.
It seemed as if some invisible force was keeping them from meeting. Perhaps it was fate's way of building anticipation, of ensuring that when their paths finally crossed, it would be significant.
The laughter from the veranda faded slightly, Shaun and Lily now resting from their mock battle. Shaun let his gaze wander over the lush landscape, his wide eyes—always so expressive—taking in every detail. His thoughts drifted, recalling how they finally met.
One rainy evening, Shaun had been scrolling through social media when he noticed a post from an old friend, Emma, whom he hadn't talked to in years. She was organizing a small dinner gathering and had tagged several people, including some mutual friends he hadn't seen since high school. Feeling nostalgic, he decided to message Emma and see if there was a spot for him.
Emma was thrilled to hear from him and eagerly invited him to the dinner. Little did Shaun know, Emma had also invited Lily. Emma and Lily had become close friends in university, bonding over their shared interests in art and literature.
The night of the dinner, Shaun arrived early, hoping to catch up with Emma before the others arrived. As he walked into the cozy restaurant, the familiar scent of Italian food filled the air. He spotted Emma at a corner table and made his way over, hugging her warmly.
"Shaun! It's so good to see you!" Emma exclaimed. "It's been too long."
"It really has," Shaun agreed, taking a seat. "I'm glad you reached out."
They chatted for a while, reminiscing about old times, when the door chimed, signaling another guest's arrival. Shaun looked up and saw a woman walk in, shaking the rain off her umbrella. She had an air of familiarity about her that Shaun couldn't quite place. As she approached the table, Emma stood up to greet her.
"Lily! You made it!" Emma said, hugging her friend.
Lily smiled warmly, her sand-colored skin glowing softly under the restaurant's dim lighting as she exchanged greetings. Her dark, almond-shaped eyes flicked over to Shaun, meeting his gaze for the first time. "Heyyy."
Emma turned to Shaun. "Shaun, this is Lily. We went to university together. Lily, this is Shaun, an old friend from high school."
"Nice to meet you, Lily," Shaun said, extending his hand, his lightly tanned skin warm against hers.
"Nice to meet you too, Shaun," Lily replied, shaking his hand.
And with that handshake, the tangled threads of their past finally straightened into the path they now walked together.
As they settled into their seats, the conversation flowed naturally. They discovered they had grown up in the same neighborhood, attended the same schools, and had countless near encounters over the years. The realization was both amusing and poignant. They marveled at how close they had been without ever meeting.
Just as the conversation was getting comfortable, Emma excused herself, leaving Shaun and Lily alone for a moment. On the veranda in Puncak, Shaun's mind drifted back to that evening, when their lives finally aligned.
Shaun had felt a slight pang of nervousness as he glanced at Lily. "So, Emma didn't mention you were coming. She actually talked about introducing me to someone else."
Lily raised an eyebrow, a playful smile tugging at her lips. "Oh, really? And who might that be?"
"Someone named Carla," Shaun replied. "But honestly, I'm glad it's you who showed up."
Lily laughed softly, her raven-black hair shimmering slightly as it caught the light. "Well, I hope I'm not too much of a disappointment."
"Far from it," Shaun said, his grin spreading as he relaxed into the conversation.
The evening went on, filled with laughter and shared stories. Shaun and Lily found themselves gravitating towards each other, their conversation deepening as they exchanged experiences and dreams. It felt as if they had known each other for years, their connection instant and undeniable.
When the dinner ended, they exchanged phone numbers and promised to keep in touch. From that night on, their paths, once so elusive, finally intertwined. They began to see each other regularly, their bond growing stronger with each passing day.
Back on the veranda, the sun had begun to set, casting long shadows over the hill. Shaun glanced at Lily, feeling the weight of their shared history, the near-misses, and the eventual alignment of their lives.
It was as if all those missed encounters had built up to this moment, creating a connection so profound it would take the end of the world to force them apart.
And that's exactly what happened.