Soulful (TayNew)

part-18

Author Pov

The airplane’s descent felt endless, each jolt and tilt a reminder of how everything had changed in the span of a few hours. The unknown man sat still, his gaze fixed on the seat in front of him, but his mind was far from the present. He had never been one to believe in fate or chance, but meeting New—meeting him felt different. It was electric, a connection that sizzled in the space between them, even though they hadn’t exchanged more than a few polite words.

New had been sitting just two rows ahead, his head resting against the window, eyes closed. His wedding ring had caught the dim cabin light, a small but glaring reminder that he belonged to someone else. The unknown man’s heart twisted at the thought, but it wasn’t enough to quell the pull he felt. New’s presence was magnetic, drawing him closer with every subtle movement—the soft rise and fall of his breath, the way his eyes fluttered when he was lost in thought.

The plane finally landed with a jarring thud, but the unknown man’s focus never wavered. He waited, carefully watching New stand, gather his belongings, and disembark. Every step New took felt like a thread pulling him along, deeper into an obsession he couldn’t quite explain.

The unknown man followed, blending into the sea of travelers. He was just another face in the crowd, but his eyes were fixed solely on New. He snapped a quick photo when New wasn’t looking—a fleeting moment of unguarded vulnerability as New stared at his husband.   The pang of jealousy hit the unknown man harder than he expected. It was irrational, he knew, but emotions often defied reason.

He stepped into a quiet corner of the terminal, away from the busy flow of people. His hands trembled slightly as he pulled out his phone, dialing the number of a contact he trusted to handle delicate matters like this—someone who could dig deep without asking too many questions. The call connected almost immediately.

“Who do you need this time?” the voice asked, cool and detached, accustomed to dealing with the unknown man’s peculiar requests.

He didn’t hesitate. “I’m sending you a photo. His name is New. I need everything on him—his entire life, down to the smallest detail.”

He attached the picture, pausing briefly to stare at New’s face one last time before hitting send. The man in the photo looked so ordinary and yet so captivating. New was smiling softly at something off-camera, his expression a mix of longing and contentment. The unknown man wondered what could make New smile like that—was it a memory? A thought of his husband? The thought made his chest tighten.

“New, huh?” the voice on the other end said as the image came through. “What’s the story?”

The unknown man hesitated, caught between what he should say and what he felt. “He’s married,” he finally admitted, bitterness creeping into his voice. “But I want him.”

A short silence followed, filled only by the faint murmur of the airport. The contact’s response was simple, pragmatic: “And what if he doesn’t want you back?”

The unknown man clenched his jaw, feeling the heat of desire mingling with frustration. “He will,” he said, though he wasn’t sure if he was trying to convince himself or the person on the other end of the line. “He just doesn’t know it yet.”

The call ended, and the unknown man pocketed his phone, his mind already racing with possibilities. New was an enigma wrapped in layers of life experiences that the unknown man was desperate to peel back. He wanted to know what made New laugh, what kept him awake at night, what memories haunted him, and what dreams he still dared to dream. But most of all, he wanted to know how he could become the center of New’s world.