Kai sat by the table, watching intently as Nahlia stepped inside with a gentle "Hello, Aunty." Her voice sounded as sweet as he remembered, but her appearance had changed—her face more mature, her hair longer, yet still retaining a hint of childlike charm. Kai felt his heart leap. She's even prettier than I recall.
He offered a small wave, catching her eye just as she glanced over with a polite smile. Before they could speak, Kai's mother swept Nahlia toward the table.
"Nahlia, we really need your help finalizing decorations and colors!" his mother exclaimed, motioning to various open books on wedding themes. Her excitement cascaded into an animated rush of words.
Maribel, noticing Kai's starstruck stare, cleared her throat. "Mom, maybe let them… actually talk?"
"Oh, right!" His mother blinked, then shot Kai a playful smirk. "Yes, yes. You two go catch up."
Kai rose from his seat and met Nahlia halfway, forcing a genial expression despite the sudden tension in his chest. "Wanna go for a walk?"
"Sure." Her voice was mild, her interest subdued. In seconds, the two slipped out of the bustling house into the quieter street.
They strolled side by side under the late-day sun, shadows stretching across the road. Kai gave her a sidelong glance, struggling to close the three-year gap. "So, how've you been?" he asked, trying to keep his tone bright.
"I've been good." Nahlia nodded, offering no further detail.
"That's good." Kai forced a pleasant smile, but an awkward silence stretched between them. He scratched at his sleeve, feeling uncertain about what to say next. "Uh, what have you been up to lately? I… didn't get many letters from you, so I'm out of the loop."
She shrugged, eyes flicking toward passing villagers rather than meeting his gaze. "Just the usual—busy with school and friends."
He nodded, encouraging her with a soft prompt. "How's school been?"
"It's alright. I had my exams recently, which were tough." She paused, then let out a girlish laugh. "Honestly, I cheated on a few to pass."
Kai lifted his eyebrows, latching onto this flicker of enthusiasm. "Cheating? How'd you manage that?" He tried injecting some playful curiosity into his voice, hoping to foster a genuine conversation. "When I was a student, that was almost impossible."
She giggled, eyes lighting momentarily. "It's easy for us. We all pass cheat sheets around when the teacher isn't there. He never stays in class, so it's pretty straightforward." She explained it in detail, smiling the entire time.
Kai tried to laugh along, relieved to see her more animated. "That's… interesting," he said, though the subject felt oddly trivial. "Anyone ever get caught?"
Her expression shifted from carefree to mild annoyance. "Only once, nearly. This guy in my class, Ihan—he's so annoying—he grabbed my paper right off my desk to copy. We almost got busted."
Kai blinked. "Oh? Did you get mad at him?"
"Kinda," she admitted, but then shrugged. "He's a good guy, though. He's like a brother to all of us at school—protects us, you know? If anyone messes with me, he threatens them."
Something inside Kai twisted in mild jealousy, but he forced a polite nod. "That's… nice. I should meet him sometime to thank him for looking out for you."
She simply offered a lukewarm smile, continuing her stories of daily life—how she and her friends frequented the chocolate shop, spent time at each other's homes, and goofed off in class. Kai listened in silence, trying to follow along, yet each mention of her lively social circle left him acutely aware of his own isolation.
After a pause, he ventured, "So… what else have you been up to?" Even as he asked, he sensed her lack of real interest in his side of things.
"Nothing else, really. School, friends—that's my routine." She shrugged dismissively.
"I guess it's good you have a calm life," Kai murmured, wondering if she'd ask him about his life in return. When she didn't, he pressed on. "I mean, with all your studies and chores, you must've been swamped. Is that why you only sent a few letters?"
She frowned, as though confused by his question. "I did send letters—like ten, right?"
Kai forced a light chuckle, though something in his chest sank. "Ten over three years, sure. But it's fine—forget it."He waved it off with a dismissive flick of the wrist. She didn't push the topic, and an uneasy hush took hold.
They walked a bit further before she broke the silence. "Also, I heard we might be getting married now."
Kai hesitated, her choice of words—might—stinging a bit. "That's the plan, unless you'd rather wait?"
She looked at him, faint pleading in her eyes. "I actually do want to wait a bit," she admitted, her voice tentative but firm. "I think we should learn more about each other first."
Swallowing a flash of disappointment, Kai nodded. "Sure… if you're not ready, we can hold off." He tried to keep his tone casual, even though he felt a bit of regret. We barely got to see each other these past years—maybe she's right, but still…
She responded with a small smile. "Thank you. It just feels like we've barely spent time together."
"That makes sense," Kai agreed, trying to find some footing for a deeper connection. "Also, I might leave soon because of my brother."
Nahlia nodded politely. "Right, your brother. It's still really bad?"
"Yeah, unfortunately," Kai sighed, bracing himself for more questions. But her expression remained neutral, lacking any empathy he'd hoped for.
"That sounds difficult," she said simply, offering no further thought. Kai forced a thin smile, his eagerness deflating.
Straining for a warmer topic, Kai lifted his palm, summoning a swirling dark-purple cloud. "Hey, check this out. My Nafs advanced these three years—it's a lot stronger now."
Nahlia's eyes flicked to the cloud. "That's your Nafs, right?" She sounded a little impressed but quickly shrugged. "I've been practicing too. Look."
She raised her own hand, forming a small, pale-blue bubble of energy. "I'm at Ammara," she announced with a proud smile.
"That's amazing!" Kai exclaimed, genuinely pleased. He clapped his hands lightly. "You're making real progress—I'm so proud."
She continued, animated by the subject of her school friends' training sessions. "We practice sometimes—Ihan helps us. He's rude, but he buys us snacks, so it's alright."
Kai listened, noticing how she focused on what she found fun—her classes, her group. In a bid to reciprocate, he tried sharing a glimpse of his old training days, but she barely seemed to register his words, her attention drifting.
Awkwardly, Kai steered back to her: "Are you planning to become a Rulin? You must be talented to reach Ammara so fast."
She shook her head, unconcerned. "No, I don't want that. I like a simple life."
"That would be difficult since I am becoming a Rulin." He spoke with a light smile.
"I can just stay here. You visit whenever you can, like you do your parents." Her tone seemed almost firm with this.
A flicker of confusion crossed his face. "You wouldn't join me on the journey? What if, you know, we have kids…?" He trailed off, recalling conversations they'd once shared in letters about future plans.
She merely shrugged. "Not happening anytime soon. Let's talk about that when we're older." Her tone sounded almost dismissive.
Kai felt a subtle sting, but he forced a nod. "Yeah, sure… makes sense." But we are much older now.
After a bit of time, he noticed her expression She hesitated, as if working up the nerve to say something. "Kai, can I ask… something?" Her voice turned small, and her eyes darted away.
"Anything," he said quickly, trying to project warmth.
"Promise you won't get mad?" she asked, fidgeting.
He smiled reassuringly. "I won't. Go ahead."
"Well… my friends and I had plans today. I… might be late if I stay too long now."
Though his chest tightened with disappointment, Kai managed a soft chuckle. So she wants to go? After barely chatting at all. "Should I walk you there? No problem—"
"No, I can go alone," she interrupted. "But my brother might wonder… where I am."
Kai swallowed a sigh. "I'll tell him I kept you busy. I'll just wander around town for a bit."
Her relief was obvious. "You… you don't mind?"
Despite feeling hurt in his heart, Kai shook his head. "No. If you're happy, that's all that matters."
She flashed him a quick, almost apologetic smile. "Thank you," she whispered, before hurrying off down the road.
Kai watched her retreating figure, a mixture of hurt and confusion gnawing at him. We had time, but she still chose to leave. He stood there, hands shoved in his pockets, wondering if the distance between them ran deeper than he'd feared.