The day began with the soft chirping of birds, their melody weaving through the early morning air. Albie stirred in his bed, reaching out instinctively for Lila, but his hand found only cool sheets. She was already at work. He sighed, the weight of another day settling on his shoulders.

A sudden knocking, followed by the insistent ringing of the doorbell, shattered the morning peace. Albie groaned, burying his face into the pillow for a moment before mumbling, "What is it now? People shouldn't be knocking on doors this early..."

Reluctantly, he hopped out of bed, slipped on his shirt, and shuffled towards the door, his mind still foggy from sleep. The persistent knocking was making it hard to wake up fully. As he cracked the door open, the sight of Ayu, his elderly neighbor, took him by surprise. She stood there, her kind eyes twinkling as she gently stroked an orange cat nestled in her arms.

"Good morning, Albie," Ayu greeted, her voice warm and cheerful. "I just wanted to know, is this your and Lila's cat? I saw it following you two last night from my window. And this morning, when I was about to water my garden on the roof, I found it sleeping there."

Albie blinked, his eyes widening as he recognized the cat. The feline seemed utterly content, purring softly under Ayu's pampering. His heart skipped a beat as he realized what was happening.

"AH! YES! SHE IS MY CAT!" Albie exclaimed, his voice a mix of relief and panic. "OH MY GOSH, THANK YOU so much, Ayu!" He hurriedly grabbed the cat, cradling it in his arms as if it were the most precious thing in the world. "You don't know how long I've been looking for her, Ayu! But, uh, I kind of need to start my work, so again, thank you so much for finding her. But I really gotta go now."

Ayu began to respond, "Ahh, not a problem, dea—" but Albie had already shut the door, leaning against it with a heavy sigh.

He placed the cat on the couch and ran a hand through his messy hair as he headed to the kitchen. He desperately needed coffee. Grabbing the cup that Lila had prepared for him, he muttered under his breath, "Alright, Rose, thanks to Ayu, I now know exactly what you've been up to."

He walked back to the living room, where Rose, now in her full human form, stood casually, inspecting the apartment. "Well, at least now I know where you and that girl live, Albert. And I must say, what an interesting place," she remarked, her eyes wandering over the sketches, rough paintings, and scattered art supplies that defined Albie's workspace.

The room was a creative chaos, with laptops displaying half-finished drawings, and the faint scent of paint lingering in the air. Rose picked up a sketchbook, flipping through its pages with a smirk. "Creative as usual. Just like I remembered."

Albie settled into his chair, sipping his coffee, trying to maintain his composure. "So, you're more calm now, I see. Where are you staying for now?" he asked, his tone measured.

"There's a motel right next to your girl's workplace," Rose replied nonchalantly, though her voice held a hint of something unspoken.

Albie sighed, leaning back in his chair. His gaze met hers, a mix of concern and resignation in his eyes. "What's your plan, Rose? Why are you really here? You know I'm not going back to our hometown."

Rose's expression hardened, a flash of irritation crossing her face. "Why not, Albert? What's the real reason behind this choice?" she asked, her voice suddenly serious, cutting through the tension in the room.

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The café hummed with the usual morning bustle—not too busy, but far from quiet. Lila moved behind the counter with practiced ease, her hands skillfully brewing coffee while her mind drifted, still replaying the events of the previous day. She forced herself to focus, pushing away the nagging thoughts that threatened to overwhelm her.

Across the room, Carol and Helen, two of her co-workers, stood chatting near the pastry display, their voices low but their concern evident. Carol glanced over at Lila, who was engrossed in her work, and then leaned closer to Helen.

"I feel so bad for Lila," Carol murmured, her brow furrowed with worry. "After everything that happened yesterday... I just hope it doesn't put a strain on her relationship with Albie. She looked so upset when Rose showed up."

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Helen nodded, her eyes following Lila's movements. "Yeah, I get what you mean. And don't forget, Rose mentioned something about money. Do you think they come from a rich family? It could explain why she was so insistent on Albie going back home."

Carol sighed, folding her arms as she thought back to the tense encounter. "Maybe... Rose seemed really concerned that his parents might be looking for him. What if Albie's just been running away this whole time? It makes me wonder what he's hiding."

As the two continued their hushed conversation, they didn't notice Lila approaching from behind until she suddenly spoke up, her voice cutting through their speculation.

"What are you girls talking about?" Lila asked, her tone teasing yet firm. "I haven't even told you how I met Albie in the first place."

Carol and Helen jumped, startled by Lila's sudden appearance. They exchanged guilty looks, realizing they'd been caught gossiping.

"Oh my gosh, I'm sorry, Lila! You're right!" Carol exclaimed, a blush creeping up her cheeks. "Please, tell us everything!"

Lila couldn't help but grin at their reactions, but before she could respond, the door to the café swung open, and a group of new customers walked in. "Hey, looks like we've got more customers! Better get back to work," she said, deftly avoiding their questions as she returned to her station.

Carol and Helen watched her go, their curiosity piqued even further. They whispered to each other, wondering what secrets Lila might be hiding about her relationship with Albie.

As Lila returned to her spot behind the counter, something—or rather, someone—caught her eye. A figure had entered the café, someone who seemed strangely familiar. Lila's brow furrowed as she tried to place the face. There was something about this person, something that tugged at the edges of her memory, but she couldn't quite grasp it.

The mysterious figure, a girl with straight black hair, wearing sunglasses, a gray hoodie, and jeans, walked up to the cashier and ordered a coffee. She moved with a deliberate slowness, as if she was taking in every detail of the café. After placing her order, she chose a seat by the window, her gaze fixed outside, watching the street with an intensity that unsettled Lila.

As she finished preparing the coffee, Lila suddenly remembered where she had seen this girl before. Her heart skipped a beat, her mind racing as she tried to keep her emotions in check.

Taking a deep breath, Lila asked the waiter to let her deliver the coffee herself. The waiter, sensing the seriousness in Lila's tone, handed over the cup without question.

Lila walked towards the mysterious girl, her heart pounding in her chest. "Here's your order, miss. Is there anything else I can help you with?" she asked, her voice steady despite the tension coiling in her stomach.

The girl slowly turned her head, revealing her face from beneath the sunglasses. She had a calm, almost indifferent expression as she said, "Thanks," before turning back to the window, her focus clearly elsewhere. She continued to scan the street, her behavior suggesting she was waiting—or searching—for someone.

Lila stood there, holding her breath, feeling the sting of being ignored. The girl's casual dismissal felt like a slap in the face, and Lila's frustration simmered just below the surface, ready to boil over.

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Albie took a deep breath, feeling the weight of Rose's question settle heavily in the room. He leaned back in his chair, staring at the ceiling as he began to recount the story that had changed everything for him.

"It all began more than a year ago, when Lila saved me," Albie started, his voice distant as he reflected on the past. "I had just completed my first freelance commission. I was only twenty-two at the time. Before that, I was an intern at a design agency, trying to find my way in the industry. That's when my ex kind of turned my world upside down. Actually, to go back further, I first saw her, my ex at the university gate. It was two years before I discovered her secret. I was twenty, in my fifth semester of college, and she was eighteen, a freshman."

He paused, a slight smile tugging at his lips as he remembered. "She didn't know me, not back then. I doubt she even noticed me. But for me, it was love at first sight. She was standing there, talking with her friends, laughing at something. I don't know if it was a funny story or just a silly joke, but all I could remember was that laugh. It was so beautiful."

Rose listened quietly, her expression softening as Albie continued. "After that day, I decided to contact her. Yeah, I knew how strange it might seem, but I couldn't help myself. And, surprisingly, she was interested. We started talking, and before I knew it, we were officially going out. It only took a week. Those early days... They were amazing. For the first time in my life, I felt alive. I could be myself around her, feel safe, understood, and most importantly, accepted."

Albie's voice grew quieter, tinged with a sadness that Rose couldn't ignore. "We were together for almost two years. Our second anniversary was coming up, and my birthday was just a week away. But I started noticing things... little things at first. The way her attention faded, how the spark in her eyes dimmed. I could feel the distance growing between us, but I ignored it. Maybe it was love, or maybe I was just too scared to face the truth."

He swallowed hard, the painful memories still fresh. "Then she told me... she admitted what she'd done. At that moment, I felt like I lost everything. I called you first, Rose, do you remember? You were the first person I reached out to after that."

Rose nodded, her expression serious. "Yeah, I remember. But then, I lost contact with you for almost two years. You just... disappeared."

Albie sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I almost did something... something I wouldn't have come back from. But then I met Lila. She saved me, Rose. She made me realize that maybe this was a chance for a new beginning, a new life."

Rose's eyes narrowed as she studied Albie. "What was her name? Your cheating ex, I mean."

Albie hesitated, the name lingering on his lips as he glanced at Rose. "El-"

Before he could say more, the scene shifted.

Back at the café, Lila stood facing the mysterious girl, her heart racing. She felt a jolt of recognition as she looked at the girl's face. "Uhm, Eleanor, isn't it? Are you looking for someone, perhaps?" she asked, her voice betraying a hint of tension.

The girl—Eleanor—slowly turned her head to face Lila, her eyes widening slightly in shock. "How do you know my name?" she demanded, her voice edged with surprise and suspicion.

Lila stood her ground, meeting Eleanor's gaze steadily. The unexpected recognition had created an awkward silence between them, charged with unanswered questions.