Sailub's day had been a blur of endless meetings and pressing client calls, each task bleeding into the next, demanding more of his attention and energy.
The hours felt like they were stretching on indefinitely, as if the weight of his responsibilities could suffocate him at any moment.
The hum of the fluorescent lights above his desk was the only sound that accompanied him as he shuffled through another stack of paperwork, making calls and signing off on reports. It was the kind of routine that had become all too familiar, a monotony that seemed to encase him in a world of deadlines and expectations.
The last client of the day had finally left his office, and Sailub took a moment to exhale, feeling the tension in his shoulders release slightly.
He straightened his tie and glanced at the clock nearly eight in the evening. Most of the office had emptied out hours ago, and the silence now felt almost oppressive.
The sharp click of his shoes on the polished floor echoed in the otherwise empty hallway as he walked back to his office.
Sailub closed the door behind him with a soft click, the scent of old leather and polished wood filling the room.
The view from his office window stretched over the city skyline, the lights twinkling like distant stars in the darkening evening sky. He walked over to his desk, pulled out a drawer, and retrieved a bottle of whiskey to help him unwind after the stress of the day.
He poured himself a glass and leaned back in his chair, taking a long sip. It was the only solace he ever allowed himself anymore.
Pon. The name lingered in the back of his mind, uninvited yet constant. Sailub had spent years trying to push the omega out of his thoughts.
After all, their marriage was nothing more than a piece of paper, a legal contract forced upon them by their families. It had never been real. Sailub had never been in love with Pon.
It wasn't even that he hated the man yet Pon was... kind, selfless, too good for someone like Sailub. But love? That was something Sailub didn't have for anyone, certainly not for the omega he had been forced to marry.
He had left his beloved ex for this life, and the bitterness of that decision had shaped his coldness towards Pon.
But no matter how hard he tried to avoid it, Pon's face kept appearing in his thoughts. His soft, brown eyes, the gentle smile that could melt even the hardest of hearts, the way Pon always seemed to forgive him, no matter how cruel or dismissive he had been.
Pon's patience was endless, a constant reminder of everything Sailub had refused to accept.
Tonight, however, there would be no more thinking about Pon. Sailub had made it a rule that whenever work was over, he could push those thoughts aside and focus on the business of living.
He closed his eyes for a moment, allowing himself to relax. Just a few minutes of quiet before heading home to an empty apartment.
The peace was short-lived when..
His phone buzzed on the desk, the sound jarring in the stillness of the room. Sailub frowned, reaching for it. The caller ID showed a familiar name, it was Garfield, Pon's best friend.
A brief pang of unease passed through him as he answered. "Hello?" Sailub spoke up trying to grab the attention in the other line.
"Sailub, it's Garfield. I need to talk to you about Pon," the voice on the other end said. Garfield sounded... off. Not his usual easygoing tone, but something much more serious.
Sailub's pulse quickened, his tiredness suddenly forgotten. "What about him?" he asked, trying to mask the sudden tension in his voice, there was a hint of annoyance in his tone.
"It's... it's not good," Garfield replied, a note of urgency creeping into his words. "Pon went out today with some guy.. they went to a 'friendly' date, or so he said. But now... he's not answering any of his messages or calls. It's been hours.. I've tried calling him multiple times, but nothing. No response. I'm starting to get really worried. You need to know."
Sailub's stomach twisted at the words. His mind raced, already jumping to worst-case scenarios.
Pon was out with some stranger? Alone? And now he was missing? Panic gripped him in an instant, sharp and overwhelming. The cold indifference he had carefully cultivated around his marriage with Pon seemed to vanish in an instant, replaced by a surge of something deeper-fear, perhaps even dread.
"What do you mean, 'not responding'? What the hell happened? Where is he?" Sailub's voice had lost its usual control, the sharp edge of concern creeping in.
"I don't know. I've tried everything to reach him," Garfield said. "We don't have any clue where he is. I thought maybe you'd heard from him..? He's been so... distant recently, but this? I don't know, man. I'm really worried."
Sailub felt the ground beneath him shift, as though the world was suddenly tilting. Pon, missing? The omega who had been nothing but kind.
Who had always tried to make things work between them even when Sailub had been cruel, distant, and indifferent.
The thought of Pon alone, in danger, with no one to protect him, sent a cold shiver down Sailub's spine, he felt guilty and scared for the first time.
"Where... where did he go?" Sailub's voice was barely above a whisper, a knot tightening in his chest.
His mind was no longer focused on the exhaustion of the day. His only thought was Pon. He couldn't be alone. Not now, Not ever after this.
"I don't know. He said it was just a date, just a casual thing," Garfield replied, frustration now evident in his voice.
"But, Sailub... Pon's not the type to just vanish without saying anything. He's always been the one to check in, even when he's out with friends. Something's wrong. You need to find him."
Sailub felt his heartbeat quicken, the urgency of the situation settling over him like a heavy cloak.
He didn't even hesitate. He had to find Pon. He had no idea where to start, but one thing was clear: he couldn't sit here doing nothing.
"I'll find him. Don't worry, I need to find him." Sailub said, his voice steady despite the turmoil inside him.
He hung up the phone, his hand trembling slightly as he placed it back on the desk. His mind was racing, his thoughts chaotic and tangled.
He stood up, grabbing his coat from the back of his chair, the familiar weight of it feeling strangely heavy.
Without another moment's hesitation, Sailub stormed out of his office. His eyes swept over the empty floor, the quiet hallways, and the empty elevators.
His heart hammered in his chest as he rushed toward the exit. It didn't matter how late it was or how tired he was. Nothing mattered but finding Pon.
The city stretched out before him, indifferent and cold as the streets began to empty people.
He didn't know where Pon was, but he couldn't let him be alone. Not now, not when he had the chance to make things right.
For the first time in years, Sailub felt a pang of something deep inside a desperate need to protect someone, to find someone he had never truly allowed himself to love until now.
Sailub's footsteps echoed in the night air as he made his way into the streets, his mind fixed on a single thought
" Pon. I'm coming for you. "
YOU ARE READING
MINE, YOURS ONLY (SHORT STORY)
Romance"Mine, you're mine and I'm yours." Sailub is a stern and cold man who despises Pon, his paper husband. Their marriage, arranged by their families, is nothing more than a formality. Sailub had to leave behind his beloved ex to marry Pon, someone he...
