Love Across Universe

Busy Life, But The Moments

Soojin

I woke up early and went downstairs for breakfast. Sooah was in charge of making breakfast, so I usually slept in a bit later. I saw her talking excitedly on the phone, even blushing. Interesting. She hung up when she saw me.

"Good morning, sissy. I hope you slept well. Come have your breakfast," she said, putting her phone on the table.

"Who was that guy?" I asked, side-eyeing her.

"How did you know it was a guy?"

"Lmao, you're bad at lying," I smiled.

"Well, it was Kabir. We're going on a date this weekend," she said, buttering her toast.

"That Indian guy from our school? You both used to like each other, I remember. What's he doing these days?"

"He's currently an HOD at Dior, and we never liked each other romantically in school. The truth is, you loved Alain, and he was interested in yo—" she started, but I cut her off.

"That's enough," I said, finishing my last piece of strawberry and heading to put on my shoes.

I didn't want to be reminded of Alain. He was gone. Probably reincarnated by now, living a happy, peaceful life. I didn't deserve him. Wiping my tears, I went to our car.

Sooah arrived, and I drove us to the office. The car ride was silent.

"Hey Soojin, want to grab a coffee?" Alex asked while I was busy typing on the keyboard, my eyes glued to the screen.

"Oh yeah, sure. I was so busy I forgot the time," I smiled and headed to the canteen.

"Your thoughts on our date?" he asked abruptly as I sipped my coffee.

I put the cup down, thinking. What should I say? If I gave a positive response, he might ask me out again. Part of me wanted that, part of me didn't.

"Well... it went well, better than I expected. It was my first date," I said, avoiding his gaze, feeling nervous.

"So technically, I'm your first date, and I hope to be the last one too," he winked and grabbed his coat.

He left, but I felt a warm flutter in my stomach. I understood why women swooned over him—it was his charm, his aura.

"Bunking work?" Sooah popped up out of nowhere.

"No, I was just..."

"I saw Alex leave. Were you together?"

"Yeah, but it wasn't like that," I said, avoiding her curious gaze. "What are you doing here anyway?"

"I came for coffee. I can't afford it regularly like you," she said, rolling her eyes.

I left as Sooah took her table. Though we worked at the same company, she got paid less. She could save, but she spent her savings during Lunar New Year every year.

At 7 o'clock, it was time to leave. I was packing my stuff when Alex approached.

"I want to talk," he said seriously.

"Yeah, sure, go ahead," I replied, putting my project papers in my bag.

"Do you have someone else in your heart?"

"What made you think that?" I asked, folding my arms.

"Usually, when I propose, they don't reject."

"I'm not that kind of girl. I hope you understand that before making any moves," I smirked and left him standing there dumbfounded.

Maybe "dumbfounded" was a strong word, but I had definitely seen a hint of disappointment on his face.

"I gave him a clear, straight answer, unnie. You know I hate puzzles, especially when people beat around the bush," I told Sooah. Our parents were no longer in this world. She was my only family.

They passed away on their way to my graduation. I knew it—I was a mistake. However, Sooah survived, and I'd be forever grateful to God. Since then, we had been each other's everything.

"Where are you going?" she asked, confused.

"To our old neighborhood," I said, turning the car.

We arrived in front of Alain's house. There was something the police hadn't found. They closed the case long ago, but my gut told me something was still there.

"Shall we go inside? Let's come back on Saturday morning, please?" Sooah pleaded, but I ignored her and stepped into the house.

Rumors said a ghost resided here, but who believes that in the 21st century? I looked back to see Sooah following me. She wouldn't leave me alone.

I turned on my phone's flashlight and entered Alain's bedroom, frozen in time. The room was dusty, with a musty smell of neglect. His things were scattered on the floor, his books still in the same position.

Every time I visited, a familiar scent surrounded me—the scent I remembered from Alain, though he rarely wore cologne. His guitar leaned against the wall, its strings silent and untouched. I remembered him playing it, filling the room with melodies.

A solitary bed lay beside his wooden desk, still marked with ink spots from our childhood mischief. The walls held photo frames of his childhood and teenage years, witnessing our friendship. I could never forget how our hearts bonded in this small, forgotten space.

We searched for 20 minutes until Sooah announced she wasn't feeling well. I accepted defeat and was about to leave when I saw a small piece of brown leather peeking from one of the books.

I grabbed the book and found a diary. Alain never told me he kept a diary. I put it in my bag and left.

Let's see if this diary holds the answers to my questions.

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Detective Soojin ki Jai Ho ❗❗

Do doubt that Soojin is FEARLESS 🎉🎉