In Dublin, Aurora Sullivan, a 32-year-old Australian law student, crosses paths with Cillian Murphy, a renowned actor. Their blooming romance faces a stern test as their troubled pasts resurface, and secrets unfold. Will their love conquer the shado...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Aurora wandered the streets of Dublin, breathing in the cool, crisp air as she went. The lights of all the signs and buildings made it easier for her to navigate, looking for a nice place to grab a bite at 11 at night.
She opened maps on her phone, plugging in the words "24-hour restaurant", and seeing which was closest to her. She picked the place that looked the best and went on her way.
The bright green sign of the place indicated she hadn't gotten lost, which was a first for her. Aurora had taken to walking around the city at night, an oddly peaceful ritual, however always managed to get lost in the many alleys and nooks.
She walked inside the diner, and the warm atmosphere contrasted deeply with the harsh bitterness of outside. Aurora rubbed her hands together in an attempt to defrost her hands and decide on what to eat. There was only one staff member in the store and only one other customer.
She stood there for 5 minutes, squinting at the screen trying to figure out what she wanted. She forgot her glasses stupidly and was now suffering the consequences.
"The pancakes and ice cream here are good." A deep Irish accent spoke out to her. She whipped her head around to face the person and she cleared her throat. "What?" "The pancakes. They're delicious, especially for a late-night snack." He repeated, standing up slowly. She looked into his blue eyes and smiled.
"OK then. That's what I'll get," She agreed before turning to the waitress at the counter. "One stack of pancakes and ice cream please." she smiled kindly and passed the waitress her change.
"Have I seen you before?" She asked, studying his face closely. He chuckled and shrugged. "I don't know, we both live here. You've probably just seen me around." He laughed with a mischievous glint in his eye.
She shrugged and shook her head. "That's probably it."
She sat down at the bar, looking around at the American-style diner. Posters of movie stars from the 60s hung around above the booth, and LED lights hung around the tables.
The man came and sat next to her at the bar, just as the waitress bought out her stack of pancakes.
"Hello?" She said in confusion. She looked at him with a funny smile. "Hello. Where are you from?" He asked, noticing the significant difference in the way they spoke and she laughed.
"Australia. I moved a couple months ago." She replied and he gave an amused look.
"Why here?" "Hm?" "Why Dublin, of all the places in the world?" He questioned, and she shrugged. "I was offered a law scholarship at Trinity, so I thought, why not? Get out of Australia for a bit." She explained, he let out a soft chuckle, small wrinkles forming in his eyes as he smiled.
She took a bite of her pancakes, letting out an exhale with a satisfied groan. "My god.. these are incredible!" Aurora exclaimed, and he nodded his head with a grin. "They are the best pancakes in Dublin, not a very well-known place though. I don't have run-ins with people here, which is a relief."
She raised her eyebrow in confusion at what he said, looking at his face closely, the look of almost recognition flashing through her eyes. It took her a few moments, but as she continued to silently search his facial features and eyes for any sort of clues, she smiled and stood up.
"Jesus Christ! I know who you are.." She laughed, staring at him with shock. His eyes still held the playful tone, watching with an entertained look. "Really? I mustn't be as incognito as I thought. I have to work on my disguise."
"Cillian, right?" She pressed, and he chuckled with a nod. "Indeed, and you?" "Aurora, Aurora." She smiled warmly, holding her hand out for him to shake.
He complied easily, his rough hand slipping into her gentle fingers. They were silent for a moment, maintaining deep eye contact.
She cleared her throat after a minute, and he dropped her hand in an instant. Aurora turned away, a blush creeping up onto her cheeks. "Sorry." He mumbled lowly and she shook her head.
"I should be going.. it's late and I have class tomorrow morning." "Right.. I should go too." He agreed, standing up with a smile.
"It was nice meeting you, Aurora." He shook her hand once more, and she laughed.
"You too." She said as she let go of his hand, balling her fist as he walked out the door.
Aurora payed for her food, and ventured out of the shop into the crisp air of Dublin, letting out a heavy exhale. She opened her palm, revealing a small piece of paper. She rolled her eyes with a smile, unfolding the paper, reading a number with a small drawing of a phone.
She quickly stuffed the paper into her pockets, smiling widely as she put in her AirPods, beginning the scenic route home.
