Lunara sat across from Naomi, the clink of cutlery and soft chatter around them fading into the background. She wrapped her hands around the warm cup in front of her, listening as Naomi spoke with a bright smile on her face.
"I’ve missed you," Naomi said. "I know you and Eryx needed space, but still... a whole month? You’re lucky I’m not holding a grudge."
Lunara offered a soft smile. "Thanks for not giving up on ."
Naomi waved her off. "Please. I would’ve dragged you out myself if you didn’t agree to et today."
She leaned in, her voice lowering with excitent. "Also... big news. My mom finally gave her blessing. Ryan and I are really doing this. Wedding is happening soon... before I get too round to walk down the aisle."
Lunara blinked, surprised. "Naomi, that’s wonderful."
Naomi bead. "Ryan’s over the moon. Already picking out venues and talking color palettes. It’s... happening."
Lunara smiled, genuinely this ti, even if it didn’t quite reach her eyes. "You deserve all of it."
Naomi laughed softly, then took a sip of her drink. "Enough about . How are you really doing?"
Lunara hesitated for a beat, her fingers tightening around her cup. "I’m managing."
That was all she could offer. Anything more felt too heavy for the mont.
Naomi didn’t press. Instead, she glanced around the café, comnting on the new wall art, the sll of fresh pastries and small things to keep the mood light.
But Lunara’s eyes kept drifting to the door.
A quiet part of her, ridiculous as it was, kept hoping he might walk in. Just for coffee. Just by chance.
Even though she knew better.
Eryx rarely showed up in public spaces like this. And still, here she was, listening, waiting for footsteps that never ca.
Her eyes really couldn’t lie, not when they darted around like that, searching, scanning, betraying the thoughts she wouldn’t dare speak aloud.
Honestly, when Naomi asked to et, she’d casually suggested this café. Convenient, she told herself. Familiar, maybe. But deep down, she knew the reason.
It sat right beside Solterra’s building.
Right beside his world.
And though she told herself it didn’t an anything, that she wasn’t hoping for anything, her restless gaze said otherwise.
Naomi didn’t seem to notice. She was talking about flower arrangents now. Lunara nodded along, smiling when appropriate, but her mind lingered sowhere else.
Outside the window. On the sidewalk.
Still empty.
"Oh, anyway..." Naomi flicked her fingers, snapping herself out of a thought. "Rember the modeling job?" Her eyes widened slightly as she recalled what her mother, Regina, had ntioned over breakfast.
Lunara looked at her, puzzled. "The one from before?"
Naomi nodded. "Yeah. My mom said the brand’s winter campaign is finally moving forward. The launch got pulled back last ti... sothing about a packaging issue, or delays from the supplier. But now they’re picking it up again."
Lunara blinked. "Wait, seriously?"
"Yup. And guess what? They still want you. No new auditions, nothing. You might be getting a call from their team soon."
Lunara stared at her for a mont, unsure what to say. She hadn’t even finished the first round properly, but apparently the delay hadn’t been because of her at all.
Naomi grinned. "Told you you were good. So if a random call cos in, don’t ignore it, okay?"
Lunara let out a slow breath and nodded. "Okay."
Maybe things weren’t completely still after all.
"So, will Eryx be involved in that campaign too?" she asked, her voice casual but her eyes gave her away. Naomi blinked at the sudden question.
"How would I know?" Naomi asked with a half-laugh. "You should ask him. I an, it’s not like you two are living apart or anything."
"Ah..." Lunara gave a smile, small and uneven.
Naomi sipped her drink, then added, "But I don’t think he will. He’s been super busy lately, right? And last ti, he only stepped in because of you, rember?"
"So, he won’t this ti because I’m no longer important?" Lunara said it lightly, almost like a joke but Naomi’s brows knitted, clearly confused.
"Wait, what? What does that an?"
Lunara blinked, quickly waving it off. "Nothing. I was just ssing with you."
Naomi didn’t look convinced. "Ara..."
But Lunara had already turned her gaze out the window, avoiding Naomi’s eyes, afraid she’d catch on to what she was trying to hide. With a quiet sigh, she shifted the conversation.
"So... you’re really serious about marrying Ryan?" she asked, her tone light but her eyes a little more focused now. "I’m not trying to scare you or anything. It’s just... have you two really talked? Like, heart-to-heart?"
Naomi blinked, caught off guard by the question. "What do you an?"
Lunara gave a small shrug. "I just rember how things went before. The misunderstandings, the fights... all because you two kept things bottled up. I just hope it’s different now."
Naomi looked down at her drink, her thumb brushing the edge of the glass. "It is," she said softly. "I an, we’re not perfect, but this ti, we’re trying. We’re talking. Really talking."
Lunara smiled faintly, relieved. "Good. That’s good. I’m really happy for you." Her smile widened this ti. "I can’t wait for your baby to co out." She giggled and suddenly pulled out her phone. "Look at this..."
Naomi leaned closer. "What is it?"
"It’s a cute bunny romper. I don’t know why, but it popped up on my feed one day, and I thought it would look adorable on your baby, so I ordered it already!"
Lunara’s voice was bright, maybe a little too bright and Naomi’s smile slowly faded. "Babe..."
"Huh?" Lunara arched her brows.
"Are you okay?"
Lunara froze.
Just one question but it hit her like a storm she hadn’t prepared for.
Her smile vanished. The light in her eyes blinked out. She blinked down at the table, at her phone, at anything but Naomi. Her hands slowly lowered, the romper photo still glowing on the screen.
For a second, she didn’t speak.
Then her throat tightened, and she forced in a breath, holding it like a dam. Her brows drew together not in anger, but in desperation, in that fragile way soone does when they’re trying too hard not to fall apart in public.
Her voice ca out rough.
"No," she said. "I’m not okay."
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