Kai leaned against the restroom sink, talking into the Bluetooth earbuds clipped to his ear. His tone was casual, as if the conversation were the only thing on his mind.
"Yeah, I'm heading home. Vacation's over," Kai said, rinsing his hands under the running water. The cool water did little to soothe the simmering unease that had settled in his gut since his arrival in Singapore. He'd been avoiding thinking about it, focusing on the mindless chatter of his friend Luke on the other end of the line, but the anticipation, a blend of dread and something else he couldn't quite name, gnawed at him.
As Kai reached for a tissue, something caught his attention—a small figure struggling in one of the open stalls. A boy, barely old enough to handle the problem on his own, fumbled with the waistband of his jeans. His face was scrunched in frustration, cheeks flushed from the effort. Kai's jaw tightened involuntarily. He knew that feeling of helplessness, of being trapped in a situation beyond his control.
He ended his call mid-sentence. "Luke, I'll call you back later," he said, disconnecting without waiting for a reply. The abruptness of the call mirrored the abrupt shift in his mood.
Kai approached the little boy cautiously, crouching slightly to meet his eye level. "Hey there, buddy. Need a hand?"
The toddler turned toward him, his small face scrunched in frustration, but his gray eyes shining with relief. He nodded eagerly, holding up his pants with tiny fists. "Pants stuck... won't go down!" he huffed, his voice high and earnest.
A ghost of a smile touched Kai's lips. He found himself strangely calmed by the child's simple distress. It was a stark contrast to the turbulent emotions churning within him. "Alright, let's fix this, champ," he said warmly, carefully reaching to help. As he worked, the boy kept glancing up at him with wide, curious eyes.
"Tank you, sir," the boy murmured shyly, his voice soft but sweet. Then, as if remembering something important, he added, "Mommy say I 'posed to say tank you all da time!"
A genuine grin spread across Kai's face. The boy's earnestness was disarming. "Well, your mommy taught you right. Good job, big guy. How old are you?"
The boy beamed, his cheeks dimpling as he held up two chubby fingers. "I dis many! Two! Big boy now!"
Kai chuckled, the sincerity and pride in the boy's voice tugging at something deep in his chest. A warmth spread through him, a feeling unrelated to the anxiety that had been consuming him moments before. "Two, huh? That's pretty impressive," he said, fastening the boy's pants securely. "All set. Where's your mom, buddy?"
The boy pointed toward the restroom door with a small hand. "Mommy outside. Waitin' for me!" he said, bouncing slightly on his toes.
Kai nodded, standing up. "Alright, you're good to go. Tell Mommy I said hi, okay?"
The boy's face lit up, his energy uncontainable as he grabbed the hem of his shirt. "Okay! I go now! Bye-bye, nice man!" he shouted, his words tumbling together as he darted out of the restroom, his tiny sneakers squeaking on the tiles.
Kai watched him go, a faint smile tugging at his lips. The boy's boundless energy and little quirks were undeniably adorable, but it was those gray eyes—stormy and familiar—that left him rooted in place. A cold dread snaked through him. It couldn't be. Could it?
He adjusted his sunglasses, preparing to leave, but the moment he stepped out of the restroom, he froze. His breath hitched. His heart hammered against his ribs.
The boy was standing beside a woman, holding her hand, and chattering away. But Kai's focus wasn't on the boy anymore. It was on her—the woman he had tried so hard to forget.
His gaze locked onto the familiar face. The tightness in his chest intensified, a physical manifestation of the turmoil within. Why had fate brought them together again? There was no logical reason, yet here she was, standing before him—the woman who had changed the course of his life.
A wave of emotion—a confusing mixture of anger, longing, and a desperate, foolish hope—crashed over him. He'd told himself he was over her, that he had moved on. But the sight of her, the way she smiled, the way she held that little boy… it shattered the carefully constructed walls he'd built around his heart. His jaw clenched. His knuckles whitened.
It was as if she didn't recognize him. Had she really forgotten him this completely? The thought was a sharp, physical blow.
He saw the slight flicker in her eyes when he removed his sunglasses. A glimmer of recognition? Or was he grasping at straws?
"Don't tell me you forgot about me?" he asked, the words a little too sharp, a little too desperate. He watched her swallow hard. He knew then. She recognized him.
"Oh… it's you. Hi! Long time no see…?" Luna replied awkwardly, forcing a smile as she quickly picked up the child.
So, the child was hers. Kai's gaze shifted to the boy, and he couldn't help but notice the resemblance to Luna. A strange pang, sharp and unexpected, tugged at his chest. The boy's gray eyes, so similar to his own, seemed to mirror the storm raging within him.
"Anyway, thank you again for helping my son," Luna said with a polite but hesitant smile.
The words "my son" hung in the air, heavy and charged with unspoken meaning. A wave of something akin to grief washed over him. He felt a sudden, sharp stab of regret.
"So… this cute young man is your son. You have an adorable boy… congrats," he said, forcing a smile, though every word felt like a blade cutting into him. Memories of their old dreams and promises about having a family together flashed in his mind, vivid and painful. He wanted to scream, to lash out, but all he could manage was a strained, almost inaudible, "Damn it, Kai! Stop thinking about those ridiculous promises. Get a grip!" he scolded himself silently.
"I think I better go… N-nice meeting you again," Luna said, her tone uneasy as she avoided meeting Kai's eyes.
"Why, Leil? Are you too guilty to look me in the eye? Why can't you face me?" he wanted to ask. Kai wanted to confront her, but he held back. What's the point? Luna was probably happy with her life now. What good would it do to dredge up the past?
Kai let her leave. He watched Luna go, the image of her retreating figure burning itself into his memory. He exhaled heavily, rubbing the bridge of his nose, trying to calm the storm within. But it was no use. The turmoil lingered, a heavy, aching presence that threatened to consume him. He was left standing there, alone, the weight of unspoken words and unfulfilled dreams pressing down on him. The faint scent of her perfume, a ghost of a memory, clung to the air.
After Luna left, Kai stood for a long moment, the image of her and her son imprinted on his mind. The turmoil inside him was a maelstrom. He pulled out his phone and dialed Luke again, his voice still tight with unshed emotion. "Hey, buds... Did you say Meagan's wedding is on Thursday?"
"Yeah, why? Changed your mind? Going after all?" Luke's voice was full of excitement. "I told you, the old gang has been asking about you. Time to socialize again, dude..."
"Yeah, I think I can make it," Kai replied, a faint smile playing on his lips. But the smile didn't reach his eyes. The encounter with Luna had stirred up a maelstrom of emotions, and he knew, with a chilling certainty, that this was far from over. He needed to see her again, to understand, to maybe, just maybe, find some measure of peace. But a deeper, darker fear coiled in his stomach. He wasn't sure he was ready for whatever lay ahead.