Secret Admirer

18. Letters and notes.

Ciro sat cross-legged on the storeroom floor, surrounded by a scattered mess of cardboard boxes and forgotten odds and ends. It was an odd sight—Ciro, usually the picture of calm and meticulous order, looked frazzled, as if he had been hunting for something in desperation. 

Yen entered the room, pausing at the doorway when she saw him amidst the chaos. This kind of scene was more like something Buri would create, but not Ciro. It piqued her curiosity.

"What on earth are you doing in here?" Yen asked, stepping carefully around the mess.

Ciro looked up, his expression a mix of confusion and exasperation. He held up a crumpled piece of paper and a small booklet, offering them to Yen without saying a word.

Yen took them, frowning as she scanned the contents. The piece of paper had some hastily written words on it, but they didn't make much sense to her. The booklet seemed like notes, but she couldn't quite understand their significance either. Confused, she looked at him.

"What is this?" she asked, holding them up.

Ciro sighed, leaning back against one of the boxes. "Do you think both of those were written by the same person?"

Yen furrowed her brow and glanced down at the two items again. The handwriting did seem similar, but she still didn't get the connection. "Yeah, I think so. Why?"

Ciro rubbed his forehead, as if trying to make sense of the puzzle in his head. "The paper," he pointed at it, "is the cheer-up letter from my secret admirer... you know, the one who had been sending me letters and gifts for years."

Yen's eyes widened. "The secret admirer? The one who had been so mysterious all this time?"

"Yes," Ciro nodded grimly. "And the booklet? Those are on-call notes that Kayu made for me."

Yen blinked. "Wait, are you saying...?"

Ciro met her eyes, his voice quiet but full of disbelief. "Kayu. It's been Kayu all along."

For a moment, Yen just stared at him, the realization hitting her hard. She gasped audibly, hand flying to her mouth. "No way! You mean... Kayu, your secretary? He has been the secret admirer all this time?"

Ciro nodded, running a hand through his hair before covering his face in exasperation. "I can't believe I never realized it. My own mother had to point it out to me."

Yen slowly sat down beside him, empathy in her eyes. "I mean, maybe it's not so surprising. You have never really looked at Kayu that way. He has always just been... well, your secretary or at most a friend, right?"

Ciro let out a groan, pulling at his hair lightly in frustration. "Yeah, exactly. I have always just seen him as part of the team, someone reliable and organized. I never thought about him beyond that." 

His voice grew more strained. "But now that I know, everything makes sense. I don't understand why Kayu would say yes to June's proposal, though. If he had feelings for me this whole time, why would he agree to be with June?"

Yen gave him a sympathetic look. "Well, you were dating Aya until recently, remember? Kayu's been by your side all this time, seeing you with her. Maybe he thought you would never see him that way. Maybe saying yes to June was his way of moving on."

Ciro let out a deep sigh, sinking lower against the boxes. His hands covered his face as memories of his interactions with Kayu flooded his mind. "Oh god," he muttered. "I have been such an idiot. I asked Kayu to help me pick out gifts for Aya... I even showed him the engagement ring I bought for her. How could I have been so blind?"

Yen put a hand on his shoulder, her voice soft. "It must have been hard for Kayu to see you with Aya, especially when he was the one helping you with all of that. But you didn't know, Ciro. You weren't trying to hurt him."

"That doesn't make it any better," Ciro said bitterly. "He must have been suffering all this time, and I didn't even notice. I hurt him so badly, and I didn't even realize it."

Yen tilted her head, giving him a thoughtful look. "If you are feeling guilty, maybe you can start by making amends. Treat Kayu better. Pay more attention to him, not just as your secretary but as a person. Maybe show him that you do care."

Ciro's expression softened, though frustration still lingered in his eyes. "I don't know how to start, Yen. What do I say? How do I even bring it up? He is with June now."

Yen smiled gently. "Start small. Treat him with kindness. You have always been protective of him, especially since he said yes to June. I have noticed."

Ciro frowned, confused. "What do you mean?"

"Think about it," Yen said, raising an eyebrow. "You have always watched over Kayu, but ever since he got together with June, you have been extra careful. You are more protective than ever, like you are waiting for something bad to happen."

Ciro scoffed, though his face flushed a light shade of pink. "That is just because I don't think June is right for him."

Yen laughed softly, her eyes twinkling with amusement. "Oh? And why is that?"

Ciro leaned forward, his expression turning serious. "They are so different. You can tell just by looking at their social media accounts. June's account is all about showing off—there are more than four thousand posts, all of him traveling the world, posing in different cities. He loves the attention."

Yen nodded, listening intently.

"But Kayu?" Ciro continued, shaking his head slightly. "Kayu's account is private. He has less than a hundred posts, and most of them are just simple things—quiet sceneries, pictures of empty streets. He doesn't care about showing off. He keeps his life to himself. It's just... they are on totally different wavelengths."

Yen chuckled, her tone teasing. "So, what you are saying is, Kayu isn't suited for someone like June?"

"Exactly," Ciro said without hesitation. "June is loud, extroverted, and loves the spotlight. Kayu is the opposite. He is thoughtful, quiet... reserved."

Yen gave him a playful smirk. "And what about you, Ciro? Would you say Kayu is more suited for someone like you?"

Ciro opened his mouth to respond, but the words caught in his throat. He blinked, suddenly unsure of how to answer. His ears turned red, betraying his calm demeanor. "I-I didn't mean that..." he stammered, looking away as Yen's grin grew wider.

"Uh-huh," Yen said knowingly. "Whatever you say."

Silence hung in the air for a moment as Ciro's thoughts swirled. He replayed every interaction with Kayu in his mind—how Kayu had always been there, quietly supporting him, never asking for anything in return. How Kayu had said yes to June, even though, deep down, he had feelings for Ciro. And how Ciro, in his obliviousness, had never once noticed.

"I really don't know what to do," Ciro admitted softly, finally meeting Yen's eyes. "But I want to make it right."

Yen smiled, her gaze kind. "Then start by paying attention to Kayu, the way he deserves. And maybe... just maybe, you will realize you have cared about him more than you thought."

Ciro's face softened, a small flicker of hope blooming in his chest. "Yeah... maybe I have."