When Love Break Ties

Chapter 8: A Taste of Love

Nathan couldn't stop smiling as he walked through the bustling streets of Tokyo, the city's neon lights flickering like stars against the night sky. His heart raced, a strange combination of excitement and nervousness. He hadn't felt this way in a long time, not since his first teenage crush back in Manila. But this was different. This wasn't just infatuation. This was Abby.

Earlier that evening, after weeks of dancing around their feelings, they had finally admitted what had been growing between them. Sitting together in a quiet café near Shinjuku, surrounded by the soft hum of jazz music and the clinking of coffee cups, Abby had taken his hand and looked him in the eyes.

"So, what are we?" she had asked, her voice teasing but serious.

Nathan had laughed nervously, unsure of how to answer. But deep down, he knew. "I guess... we're more than just friends, aren't we?"

Abby had smiled, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "More than friends. That sounds about right."

And with that simple exchange, they had crossed the invisible line that had been hovering between them. They were officially a couple.

Now, as Nathan made his way back to his apartment, he replayed the evening's events in his mind. Abby had kissed him on the cheek before they parted ways, a brief but tender moment that left him feeling lightheaded and giddy. He had never met anyone like her-bold, adventurous, and unapologetically herself. Being with Abby felt like stepping into a different world, one where he didn't have to worry about expectations or the rigid structures that had defined his life for so long.

He unlocked the door to his apartment and stepped inside, the quietness of the room contrasting sharply with the chaos of his thoughts. He sat down on the edge of his bed, running a hand through his hair. Everything felt surreal. Just a few months ago, he had been in Manila, focused solely on his writing and his family. Now, here he was in Tokyo, in a relationship with a woman who challenged everything he thought he knew about love, life, and family.

Abby had a way of seeing the world that was completely different from his own. Where Nathan had been raised to value family above all else, Abby was skeptical of those bonds. She often spoke about her estranged relationship with her mother, the legal battles that had torn them apart, and the bitterness that lingered between them. To Abby, family wasn't a source of strength or comfort-it was a burden, a constant reminder of the pain she had endured.

Nathan had always believed in the importance of family. His parents had been his rock, supporting him through his studies, his writing, and even his decision to come to Tokyo. They had instilled in him the values of loyalty, respect, and duty. But now, as he spent more time with Abby, he found himself questioning those beliefs.

Did family really have to be the center of his life? Was it possible that the expectations his family placed on him were holding him back, keeping him from becoming his true self? Abby seemed so free, so unburdened by the ties that had always bound Nathan. And the more time he spent with her, the more he started to see the cracks in the foundation of his own values.

Lying back on his bed, Nathan stared at the ceiling, his mind racing. He thought about his parents back in Manila-his father, always steady and reliable, and his mother, who had been the emotional heart of the family. They had raised him to believe that family came first, that no matter what happened in life, they would always be there for him. But now, for the first time, he wasn't sure if that was true.

Abby's stories about her own family haunted him. She had been close to her mother once, just like he was with his own. But things had fallen apart-bitterness, misunderstandings, legal battles, and a complete breakdown of communication. Could the same thing happen to him? Could the bonds he had with his family be as fragile as Abby's?