Lost and Found • mikhaiah au

10. The Other Side of Victory

Maiko drove home with a smile on her face, the city lights blurring past her as she replayed the evening in her mind. Her thoughts kept circling back to the kiss. The softness of Agnes' lips, the brief but electric connection, it was a sensation she couldn't shake.

As she pulled into the parking lot of her condo building, Maiko felt a strange mix of exhilaration and calm. She parked her car and made her way to her unit, the quiet hum of the elevator offering a moment of stillness.

Once inside her condo, she dropped her bag on the floor and leaned against the door, closing her eyes.

The memory of Agnes' surprised yet warm expression before the kiss lingered in her mind. The way Agnes' eyes had widened, the slight flush on her cheeks, it had been an impulsive moment, but one that felt undeniably right.

There was something thrilling about seeing Agnes in a new light, beyond the competition and rivalry that had defined their relationship for so long.

She wandered into her living room, still lost in thought. Maiko couldn't believe she had actually kissed Agnes. She replayed the moment over and over in her mind, her fingertips grazing her lips as if to remind herself it really happened.

Maiko leaned on her couch, a swirl of emotions washing over her. This wasn't something she had ever expected to do, especially not with the Agnes Navarro.

Her thoughts drifted back to the first time she had seen Agnes. It was during their first swim competition, a day etched vividly in her memory. Agnes had stood out even then: strong, focused, and utterly captivating in the pool.

Maiko had admired her from afar, impressed by her skill and determination. After their first race, when Maiko had narrowly won, she'd tried to approach Agnes, hoping to congratulate her and maybe strike up a conversation. But the way Agnes had looked at her had stopped Maiko in her tracks. There was something intimidating about Agnes' intense focus and the quiet strength she exuded.

From that day on, Maiko can only watched Agnes with a mixture of respect and admiration. The competitive nature of their sport and the unspoken tension between them had kept her at a distance.

Every race and encounter was tinged with the awareness of their rivalry, making it hard for Maiko to close the gap between them. So, she settled on teasing, knowing it was the only way she could get Agnes Navarro's attention.

Maiko had always been the winner in their competitions, consistently edging out her rivals in the pool. Her victories were marked by applause, medals, and the satisfaction of knowing she was at the top of her game.

Each race had solidified her reputation as one of the best, a fact that she wore with pride. Yet, despite her triumphs, Maiko couldn't shake the feeling that she was the biggest loser when it came to Agnes.

While she had won countless races, she had never won over Agnes' heart. In the arena of their personal interactions, Maiko felt she was always a step behind.

Despite all her efforts, Maiko had never been able to break through those barriers, leaving her feeling like a loser in the one competition that truly mattered to her.

The events of the day, the shower, the bet, the kiss — had been bold, impulsive moves, a sudden break from the norm.

It was the first time Maiko had allowed herself to act on her feelings, to risk losing the dynamic they had maintained. In that moment, she felt like she might finally win something more meaningful than a race.

As Maiko sat on the couch, her mind replaying the day, she suddenly remembered the box Agnes had given her. She quickly got up, grabbed her bag, and carefully retrieved the small, neatly wrapped box from inside.

She took a deep breath, her fingers trembling slightly with anticipation, and gently untied the ribbon.

Inside, she found a stack of Polaroid pictures and a journal. As she lifted the first photo, her eyes widened in surprise.

"What the hell?"

The image showed a girl with bright red hair, a radiant smile lighting up her face. Maiko's heart skipped a beat. The girl in the picture looked strikingly familiar, like a version of herself she had never seen.

She stared at the photo, her mind racing. The resemblance was uncanny, but she knew it wasn't her. The vibrant red hair, the style of clothing, even the setting of the photo, it all felt foreign and yet hauntingly close to home.

Maiko's hands trembled slightly as she flipped through more of the pictures, each one showing the same girl in various moments, sometimes accompanied by another girl who was less clear in the photos.

Maiko felt a strange sense of déjà vu, mixed with confusion and a touch of unease. Who was this girl who looked so much like her? And why did Agnes have these pictures?

She picked up the well-worn journal, her fingers brushing over the intricate cover, feeling a pang of nostalgia for something she couldn't quite place.

She stared at the photos spread out before her. The realization began to dawn on her—these weren't just random photos. They were fragments of a story.

Her eyes lingered on a particular photo where the girl stood by the sea, her expression serene and content. She leaned back, still holding the photo, and whispered to herself, "Who are you?"

Maiko's eyes flitted between the pictures and the journal. As she processed the images, a thought surfaced, bringing with it a clarity she hadn't yet considered.

She recalled the moment Agnes handed her the box, her expression serious yet gentle. "I thought you might want to have it back." The words echoed in Maiko's mind, resonating.

A sudden realization hit her. "Is it because she thought I was the one in the pictures?" Maiko murmured, her voice barely above a whisper.

The resemblance must have led Agnes to believe the girl in the photos was Maiko herself. It made sense now, why Agnes would have been so thoughtful in returning the box, assuming it held personal memories.

"Is that why she made the bet and invited me to dinner, just to return this?"

As the weight of the realization settled in, Maiko felt a sharp pang of sadness. The excitement and warmth she had felt earlier, thinking the bet and dinner might have been a sign of Agnes' interest in her, began to dissipate.

Maiko slumped back onto the couch, the Polaroids and journal resting on her lap. She stared at the pictures, she had hoped the dinner invitation was a sign that Agnes might feel something more, that perhaps their rivalry had transformed into something deeper.

But now, the pieces were coming together in a way that made her heart ache. The bet, the dinner, and the return of the box—it all seemed like a well-intentioned gesture, a thoughtful act from Agnes who believed she was returning something meaningful to Maiko.

Maiko carefully closed the journal and set it aside, still processing everything she'd uncovered. As she sifted through the remaining Polaroids in the box, her fingers brushed against a photo that seemed different from the rest. Curious, she pulled it out and held it up to the light.

Her eyes widened in surprise. The photo showed the same red-haired girl, but this time, she wasn't alone. Standing beside her, with an arm casually draped over the red-haired girl's shoulders, was someone Maiko recognized immediately.

"Huh?"

Maiko's breath caught in her throat as she stared at the photo. She knew this person—there was no mistaking it.

The familiar features, the confident posture, and that unmistakable presence. It was someone she never expected to see in these pictures. A chill ran down her spine as she struggled to make sense of it all.