La- La Point of View

"Why are you even here?" Axel rudely asked Zayne, his tone sharp and accusatory.

"Stop. We're eating, and you're starting a fight," I interjected, my voice tinged with frustration. I sighed, turning my gaze to Zayne. "Are you sure that someone won't be angry with you being here?" I asked, concerned about the implications of his presence.

"I'm sure she won't be angry," he replied confidently. She?

"By the way, did you finish the five jobs you have?" I asked Axel, trying to divert the conversation and ease the tension. People around us in the restaurant were starting to glance our way, their curiosity is so obvious as if we were part of an exhibit.

"Yeah," Axel responded curtly.

"Then why did you even bother tagging along?" I pressed, annoyed.

"It's not my fault that you fell asleep," Axel shot back. I stared at him in disbelief.

He is unbelievable.

"Rather than apologizing, you're blaming Ms. Lanaya," Zayne said in, his voice calm but firm. There was a moment of silence between us, thick with unspoken words.

For sure, it triggered Axel.

"Why do you keep butting in on our business?" Axel snapped, his eyes narrowing.

"I'm not butting in. I'm just concerned for Ms. Lanaya," Zayne said, his tone filled with obvious concern.

"Concerned? Who are you to be concerned about her?" Axel demanded, his anger rising.

"I'm her boss and a friend," Zayne answered simply.

Friend? I never labeled it that way.

"Enough of that. It will just escalate," I said, trying to stop the brewing conflict. They glared at each other for a moment before reluctantly backing down.

What are they, children?

"By the way, Ms. Lanaya, are you going to Main City after this? It’s already late at night," Zayne inquired, his concern evident.

"No, we might stay at a hotel," I replied, trying to sound casual.

"I have a suggestion," he said, his eyes lighting up.

"What is it?" I asked, curious.

"I have a house here in Starfall with at least five rooms. If you two want, I can offer a room," he offered generously.

La-La Point of View

"No thanks," Axel immediately declined, cutting in before I could respond. This guy didn’t even let me decide.

"Ms. Lanaya's opinion is important in this," Zayne said, turning his attention to me.

"It might be a bother," I said hesitantly.

"No, it won't. I think I just need some company since I'll be going there alone. It might be better if it's the three of us," he insisted.

I looked at Axel, searching for his thoughts.

"You decide," he communicated through telepathy.

Considering it's Zayne's birthday, I thought it might be nice to accompany him tonight.

"Are you sure it will not be a hassle for you?" I asked Zayne, still unsure.

"No, not at all. Instead, I will be glad," he said, smiling warmly. His radiance was infectious.

Squeak*

Wait, what was that sound? I looked around to see everyone in the restaurant staring at our table. Jeez, this is uncomfortable.

"I guess it's a good offer," I said, finally agreeing.

A Few Moments Later

Zayne's house is really big—he is actually rich, but we're not that shocked since he is a blessed one. Now, I am in the room that Zayne offered me. Due to exhaustion, as soon as I lay my body on the bed, I fall asleep almost instantly.

Today is a tiring day.

Third Person Point of View

A man with a white long-sleeve shirt rolled up to his elbows was intently looking at a paper while sipping his fifth cup of strong tea. Lanaya, carrying their baby in the dim light of the night, looked at him with a mix of affection and concern.

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"Hey, stop looking at that paper and drinking so much tea. It's already your fifth cup, and it's a strong one. It might not be good for you," Lanaya said to her husband, but he just smiled at her.

"Just wait a minute. I'll be done soon, and strong tea isn't bad; it's good for health and it's not excessive," he replied.

Lanaya sighed. "You keep helping people, but it's going to tire you out," she said, her concern evident. The man put down the paper and walked over to his wife and son.

He kissed Lanaya on the forehead. "You worry too much," he said softly.

"How could I not? You're neglecting your health," Lanaya responded, her worry clear in her voice. The man then asked Lanaya to hand him the child. She gently placed the baby in his arms.

"Your mommy is a worrywart, isn't she, Liam?" he said, clearly speaking loud enough for Lanaya to hear.

"Stop saying nonsense to your son. It's good that he got your looks, but if he gets your personality, I don't think that's better," Lanaya teased.

"How could you say that to your husband—the husband you fell in love with?" he replied playfully, moving closer to Lanaya until their faces were inches apart. They both smiled.

"You're making it cheesy," Lanaya said, laughing softly.

Then the man kissed Lanaya on the lips. The baby yawned, waking up.

"I guess we were too loud," the man said.

"He really got your blue eyes, " Lanaya noted, looking at their baby.

"He got my blue eyes, but he has your gorgeous face," the man said, gazing lovingly at Lanaya.

"It's literally your face," Lanaya replied, smiling.

To the Future

"Lanaya," Zayne said softly, trying to wake her up. Lanaya stirred, tears flowing down her cheeks as she awoke. Zayne's concern was evident on his face.

"Are you okay?" Zayne asked, his voice filled with worry.

Lanaya's Point of View

What was that dream? Another dream? Did it happen because I met Aaron? But no, that dream was so vivid, yet I couldn't see the man's face. There was also a baby. What does it mean?

"Lanaya?" Zayne called me again, sitting beside my bed. "Oh, sorry," I said, still trying to shake off the remnants of the dream. Zayne suddenly held my face, gently wiping away the tears.

"Tears? Did you have a bad dream?" he asked, his concern deepening.

Bad dream? I don't think it was a bad dream.

I pulled away slightly and said, "No, I'm good." I looked around the room, trying to ground myself. "What made you come here?" I asked, wiping my face.

"Your door was open. I was concerned, but then I saw you reaching out to something and crying, so..." he explained, trailing off.

"Is that so," I said, nodding. I smiled at him. "Thank you."

"Are you sure you're okay, Lanaya?" he asked again, not entirely convinced.

"Yeah, I'm okay. Sorry for worrying you," I said, trying to reassure him.

The Next Day

"I said, wake up!" I exclaimed, shaking Axel hard. He was in a deep sleep, and it had been five minutes since I first tried to wake him up. He slowly opened his eyes, looking at me groggily.

"Five more minutes," he mumbled.

Huh? What am I, your mom?

"Wake up, or we're going to leave you here," I said sternly. He opened his eyes, placing his arm over his forehead.

"You're really gonna leave me?" he asked, trying to act cute.

What the?

"Yes, I will since you did the same to me. Now get up," I demanded. He finally got up, brushing his hair.

"Yes, here I am, ma'am," he said. Then he looked at me, his robe slipping off his shoulder. I reached out to pull it back up, but he held my neck, making me push his hand away immediately.

"What is with you? Are you half awake?" I asked, frustrated.

"No, I—why aren't you wearing your scarf?" he asked, puzzled.

What does he mean? I touched my neck. Is the scar still visible? I thought it had faded.

He stood up, making me step back as he went to his suitcase and pulled out something. He offered it to me—a scarf.

"I don't need it," I said.

"Just take it," he insisted, grabbing my hand and placing the scarf in it. It was black.

"If you wear it, wear it. I thought you still needed a scarf since you kept using the one that guy gave you," he said.

"Well, I still have the scar, so I wore it. But since I don't have that scarf anymore, I won't wear one," I explained.

"Well, it's still obvious," he said. What does he mean?

"Wear it," he said again, his tone gentle but firm.

A Few Moments Later

"I said no," I repeated to Axel, pushing away the scarf he gave me. He still insisted, trying to drape it around my neck.

"Just wear it. It's cold," he said, his persistence irritating me. What’s with him?

Suddenly, someone grabbed my hand and pulled me away. It was Zayne.

"Just what do you think you're doing, Mr. Axel?" Zayne asked, his voice stern.

"It's none of your business," Axel shot back, his eyes narrowing.

"It is my business when you're forcing her to do something against her will," Zayne replied, his tone seem firm. He stepped between Axel and me, creating a barrier.

Axel's face twisted in annoyance. "I'm not forcing her. I'm just trying to help," he said defensively.

"Help? By not respecting her wishes?" Zayne countered. He turned to me, his expression softening. "Are you okay, Lanaya?"

I nodded,

“What’s with you?” Axel asked Zayne, his frustration evident.

“No, I should be asking that to you,” Zayne retorted, his voice edged with irritation.

Now they were in the middle of an argument.

“Okay, okay, stop now,” I intervened, positioning myself between them to calm the situation. I took the scarf from Axel’s hand. “It’s not cold outside. Wearing this will just make me sweat,” I said, putting the scarf into my pocket.

“You’re really going to push this on me, aren’t you?” I asked Axel, trying to manage my own irritation.

“I’m just concerned,” Axel said, his tone softening but still tinged with defensiveness.

“I get that, but I don’t need to be wrapped up like a mummy,” I said, trying to lighten the mood. “I can handle myself.”

Finally! I got home, feeling utterly drained. Those two, Axel and Zayne, wore me out with their constant bickering. Every time we had a conversation, it felt like they were arguing like children.

But that dream—what was that all about? The words the man said were so familiar. What does it mean? And the kiss...

I pressed my fingers against my lips, remembering the sensation. It felt so real, like I could still feel the warmth of his lips on mine. The sincerity in his tone was hauntingly familiar, even though I couldn't quite grasp why.

Was this Aaron’s fault? He met me yesterday, so maybe that's why I'm having these dreams. It's all so exhausting.

Then someone knocked on my door. I had just gotten home and was hoping to rest. I dragged myself to the door and opened it, but to my surprise, no one was there.

What’s this—some kind of prank? I looked around, but the hallway was empty. Just as I was about to close the door, my phone rang. I hurried inside and shut the door behind me before answering.

“Ms. La-La, your ring will revert to the six-month delivery timeline,” the voice on the other end said.

I thought the timeline was adjusted to three months, so I was excited that I only had two months left. “What happened?” I asked, confused.

“Unfortunately, due to a mishap during delivery, the ring was lost. It’s our company’s fault,” he explained.

Lost? What?

“By 'lost,' do you mean it disappeared?” I asked, trying to make sense of it.

“Yes, due to unforeseen circumstances, it will restart from six months once again,” he said, his tone lacking any empathy.

Restart? Are they kidding me?

“Restart? Is there anything you can do? One month is already a long time, and I haven’t been working for months now,” I said, my frustration mounting.

“Well, there’s nothing we can do,” he replied, his tone sounding rude and dismissive. I really hated the way he spoke.

Wait—his tone...

“Wait, so I have to wait a literal six months for my work to be processed?” I asked, my voice rising in disbelief.

“Yes, and I just wanted to inform you,” he said flatly before ending the call.

He is really f***ing rude!!!!!

They’re delaying my farewell to this world—first that damn mission, then losing my ring, and now losing it again in their hands. They must be joking! I can’t even demand anything since I’ll just get punished.