23.5 WHEN THE EARTH STOP SPINNING (Adult Version)

UNRESOLVED FEELINGS

At the chilly evening, Ongsa remained in the office, her gaze fixed on the window. The dim light of dusk filtered through, casting a somber hue over the room. Outside, the city lights flickered to life as darkness settled in, but inside, Ongsa felt a profound emptiness.

As the evening deepened, Ongsa remained at her post, wrestling with her feelings. She knew she had hurt Sun, perhaps irreparably, and the guilt bothered at her conscience. Yet, a part of her resented the vulnerability Sun had exposed, the wounds of the past reopened in their brief moments of closeness.

--

"Wow, Tinh! Charoen!" Sun exclaimed as she spotted them in the café where they had agreed to meet. Tinh and Charoen had both changed remarkably over time, exuding a newfound maturity and professional looks.

Tinh, now sporting a tailored suit that accentuated his confident stance, greeted Sun with a warm smile. His once boyish charm had given way to a more refined aura, reflecting his growth into adulthood.

Beside Tinh stood Charoen, dressed in an elegant blouse and stylish blazer, she is exuding confidence and sophistication. Her neatly styled hair framed her face, complementing her poised appearance without the glasses.

Sun couldn't help but feel a sense of pride and nostalgia seeing how far Tinh and Charoen had come.

"How are you, Sun? Long time no see," Charoen said with genuine warmth, noticing Sun's melancholy appearance.

Sun forced a smile, but her eyes betrayed a deep sadness as she replied, "I'm... managing. How about you two?"

Tinh and Charoen exchanged a concerned glance before Tinh spoke up, his voice gentle yet probing, "We're doing well, thank you."

Charoen, her expression softening with empathy, asked gently, "Since when you came back to Bangkok?"

Sun sighed softly, a flicker of pain crossing her features before she answered, "Since last month. I'll just be here for a few months though. My company assigned me here."

"A project?" Charoen probed further

Sun nodded, her voice barely above a whisper, "Yes, it's a project that involves Ongsa."

Tinh and Charoen exchanged another look, their concern deepening as they picked up on Sun's underlying sorrow. Tinh ventured cautiously, "What do you mean, Sun? Is everything alright?"

Sun looked down at her hands, struggling to contain her emotions. Her voice trembled slightly as she confessed, "The world tilted and we met again, but now... things between us are strained. She's busy with work, and hating me all the same time"

"Sun..." Charoen said softly, her eyes filled with sympathy and understanding.

Sun glanced up, her eyes welling with tears she had been holding back. In that moment, surrounded by old friends who knew her so well, she felt the weight of her heartache more acutely than ever.

"It's my fault, though. I was literally gone for almost eight years, without calling, texting, or anything. I'm not expecting her to accept me wholeheartedly," Sun admitted softly, her voice tinged with regret and self-blame.

"You had your reasons, Sun"

"Yeah, ambition," she continued, bitterness edging her voice. "Look at me now, so successful—I have everything, Tinh. Everything I could have ever asked for, except Ongsa."

Tinh and Charoen exchanged sympathetic glances, understanding the depth of Sun's pain.

As she walked the familiar path home, Sun felt nothing but an overwhelming ache, missing Ongsa so intensely it felt like a physical pain. Every step seemed heavier, burdened by the weight of her longing and the absence of the person she still loved deeply.