The plane ride back felt surreal. As I stared out of the window, watching the clouds drift lazily across the sky, I couldn't stop thinking about everything that had happened over the past few days. The business trip had been more eventful than I could have ever imagined—not because of the deal we closed or the clients we met, but because of Ven.
Ven. Just the thought of his name sent a small shiver down my spine. I still couldn't believe what had happened between us. After that night, everything seemed to change. There was an unspoken tension in the air, a strange mix of excitement and uncertainty that lingered every time our eyes met or our hands brushed by accident.
"You alright?" Ven asked, nudging my shoulder gently.
I turned to look at him, snapping out of my thoughts. He was sitting beside me, his expression relaxed yet curious. His dark eyes searched mine, waiting for an answer.
"Yeah, I'm fine," I said with a small smile. "Just... thinking."
"About what?" he asked, his tone casual but with a hint of something deeper, something that made my heart race.
"About this trip," I replied, carefully choosing my words. "About everything that's happened."
Ven nodded, leaning back in his seat. "Yeah, it's been a lot," he admitted. "But I've had a good time. Better than I expected, actually."
I chuckled softly. "Me too. I mean, I didn't expect to… you know…" I trailed off, feeling my cheeks heat up as I remembered the previous night.
Ven grinned, his smile teasing. "To end up in bed with your coworker?" he finished for me.
I nudged him playfully with my elbow. "Yeah, something like that," I said, laughing despite the blush on my face.
"Hey, no regrets, right?" Ven asked, his voice softer now, more serious.
I looked at him, my smile fading slightly. "No regrets," I said honestly. "But… what happens now?"
Ven was quiet for a moment, his gaze fixed on the seat in front of him. Then he turned to me, his eyes filled with a calm certainty that made me feel oddly reassured. "We go back to work," he said simply. "We do our jobs. And we see where things go from there."
I nodded, feeling a sense of relief. "Okay," I agreed. "That sounds… good."
"Good," he echoed, his smile returning. "Just remember, if you ever need to talk, I'm here."
I smiled back, grateful for his words. "Thanks, Ven. That means a lot."
As the plane began its descent, I took a deep breath, trying to prepare myself for what lay ahead. Going back to the office felt strange after everything that had happened. I wasn't sure how I was supposed to act around Ven now. Would things be awkward? Would people notice? Would we pretend like nothing had happened?
These questions swirled in my mind as we landed and made our way through the airport. Ven was right beside me the whole time, a steady presence that kept me grounded amidst the chaos of my thoughts. I was grateful for that, more than I could say.
We finally made it back to the office, stepping through the large glass doors and into the bustling lobby. The familiar sounds of phones ringing, keyboards clacking, and people chatting filled the air, a stark contrast to the quiet intimacy of the past few days. It was like stepping into another world, one where the rules were different and I had to play by them, no matter what had happened before.
"Back to reality," Ven muttered under his breath, echoing my own thoughts.
"Yeah," I said with a small nod. "Back to reality."
As we walked to the elevator, I caught a few of my coworkers glancing our way, their expressions curious. I couldn't help but wonder if they knew. Did they see the way I looked at Ven? Did they notice the subtle shift in our dynamic? I tried to keep my face neutral, my steps steady, but inside, I was a bundle of nerves.
The elevator ride up felt longer than usual. I stared at the floor numbers as they lit up, one by one, my mind racing. What would happen now? Would Ven and I go back to being just coworkers? Or was there something more between us, something that couldn't be undone by a simple plane ride back?
When the elevator doors opened, we stepped out into the hallway, and I felt a strange sense of déjà vu. Everything was exactly as we had left it, yet it felt different, charged with a new energy that I couldn't quite place.
As we walked to our desks, Ven gave me a quick, reassuring smile. "I'll see you later, Seren," he said softly.
"Yeah," I replied, my heart fluttering a little at the sound of my name on his lips. "See you later."
I watched him walk away, his confident stride and relaxed posture making it hard to believe he was the same guy I'd spent the night with. I sighed and turned back to my own desk, trying to focus on the pile of work that awaited me. But no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't stop thinking about him, about us, about what might happen next.
The day passed in a blur of meetings and emails, but through it all, I couldn't shake the feeling that something had shifted between us. And as I sat there, staring at my computer screen, I realized that maybe, just maybe, this was only the beginning.