into the sun

solar storm

It had been three years, Lada had buried herself in her work as the newly minted heir to St. King Hospital. The chaotic flood of emotions she once allowed herself with Earn was something she had ruthlessly compartmentalized. A calm surface, calm thoughts. But today, she had no idea how unprepared she was for what would come next.

Lada stepped into the café, the familiar clink of porcelain against wood strangely comforting. It was the only coffee shop near the hospital she frequented, always drawn to its serene atmosphere, the minimalist decor, and the smell of freshly brewed espresso. The elegant white of the walls matched the clean lines of the tables, the world outside melting into a blur of calm in this curated space of order.

Today, Lada wasn't supposed to be here; Sundays were her day off. But an urgent case had brought her to the hospital, and she stopped by the café on impulse, seeking solace.

As Lada approached the counter, her brow furrowed. Something was off. The café felt strangely empty, and the usual barista, N'Ploy, wasn't there. Instead, a young man greeted her with a polite but slightly nervous smile. Lada barely registered him, distracted by patient updates on her phone.

She moved to her usual seat by the window, her fingers brushing over the table and straightening a stray napkin. It was a habit no one noticed but herself, an effort to create order in a life that had spun out of control since Earn. She exhaled softly, her gaze drifting around the café-until it landed on the farthest corner.

And there she was.

Earn.

Lada's heart clenched painfully in her chest. It had been years, yet there she was, sitting across the room, completely unaware of Lada's presence. Time had done little to dull her beauty. Her blonde hair framed her face in that effortless way that always seemed so uniquely her. She wore an expression that Lada couldn't quite read-focused, intent, as if this moment mattered more than any other.

But it was the man sitting across from her that twisted Lada's insides. Earn leaned toward him, her eyes softening, a small smile playing on her lips as she listened to him speak. The casual familiarity between them struck Lada like a physical blow.

Was this the man she left me for? The thought stung. How could Earn discard her so easily?

Lada sank lower in her chair, her heart racing, her thoughts a tangled mess. She hadn't expected to see Earn again-not like this. Her first instinct was to look away, to shield herself from the sight of the person who had shattered her heart. But her eyes betrayed her, refusing to turn away from Earn despite the pain. She needed to understand. How could Earn sit there, smiling at someone else, so at ease, as if everything they shared had never mattered? How could she move on so effortlessly while Lada was still haunted by memories? The hurt twisted into resentment, each moment she looked at Earn a wound that wouldn't stop bleeding.

Her eyes stayed glued to Earn, taking in every detail-the curve of her smile, the way her eyes softened as she spoke to the man in front of her.

And then, as if sensing her, Earn looked up, their eyes locking for a shattering second. Lada's stomach twisted painfully.

Disgust flickered across her face, her lips pressing into a tight line, her chest tightening with all the things she could never say. Earn had broken her, torn apart everything they had, and Lada hated her for it. She hated her for the sleepless nights, the constant wondering, for making her believe they had something real when it had all just been a lie.

Earn's eyes widened slightly, her face falling as she took in Lada's expression. Earn's pulse quickened, her carefully crafted composure cracking the moment her eyes met Lada's. This wasn't supposed to happen-not now, not here. She could feel Jirawat talking, but the words turned into background noise. Lada's look of disgust was a knife to her chest, and the worst part was, Earn knew she deserved it. She forced herself to breathe, to keep her gaze from lingering on Lada for too long, but her mind was already unraveling. The mission, the years apart, the sacrifices-was it all in vain?