The Wish You Left Behind

Chapter 36: Ghost from the Past (Part 1)

YOKO

Facing the mirror, Yoko adjusts the blue shirt in front of her.

"Hmm." She shakes her head and picks another one from the dresser.

She cocks her head to the side.

Isn't red too bright?

Yoko huffs before throwing it on the bed. She's aiming to pick another one when her phone suddenly rings.

If it is her friend from the party again, she's determined to ignore it.

Only, it's Marissa.

"Hey! How are you feeling?"

"I'm good now."

"Ice told me you're in the office. Didn't I tell you to take a rest day?"

"I'm fine," Marissa said with a small chuckle. "What time are you coming here?"

"Well, I'll be on my way. If I can choose what to wear, that is."

There's a long pause on the other line that Yoko pulls the phone away to see if Marissa is still there.

"Marissa?"

"And since when did you care about what to wear?"

Yoko pauses, hanger in hand before clearing her throat. "I'll be there before you know it. Did something come up?"

"Well, Janice from reception said there's an investor to see you. Someone from the party last night."

"What -." Yoko bites her lip.

She didn't get to talk to anyone last night because she's - well, busy.

"Yo? Are you still there?"

"Sorry. Did you get the name?"

A rustle of paper sounded on the other end before Marissa spoke again. "Fon Chakri. Did you or Faye know her?"

The name is oddly familiar.

"No."

"That's odd. Janice said Faye is with Ms. Chakri right now."

With the mention of Faye's name, Yoko suddenly remembered where she heard the name Fon.

"That's -Faye's ex.

FAYE

Ripples of black liquid swirl inside the cup as Faye mindlessly stirs her coffee.

She can't remember how long she's been playing with her drink. But whatever warmth it has, it already fades.

"Do you want a different one?"

"Huh?" Faye does all her best not to freak out seeing Fon there in front of her.

Fon was quiet the entire time they were at the restaurant, and Faye couldn't be more grateful.

But now she's talking. It seems like Faye would rather have a headache.

She braves a look at the woman again who once made her heart full, before breaking it to pieces.

And now that Faye's learning to pick up and make her heart whole again, Fon suddenly shows up, threatening to shatter it once more.

Is she happy to see her alive?

Definitely.

But why does Faye find nothing inside of her to care about anymore?

It's as if - the woman is now a stranger.

And it hurts her just to think about that.

"Do you want another drink, Faye?"

There are so many questions in her head and Faye can't help but to voice it out.

"What do you want? Why are you here? How -?"

Faye pauses and takes a sip of her now cold drink to calm herself.

Despite the nearly empty restaurant, her brief outburst earns a few watchful eyes from the crew.

She looks back at the beautiful woman who's staring at her unwaveringly.

Fon purses her lips.

"Trust me. I did my best to stay away," she said in a small voice.

"You were - dead."

She was bleeding on the floor even before the medic arrives. How -?

"They revived me inside the ambulance. I was in a coma for a long time," Fon said. The woman's attention is now on her own drink.

She surely loses some weight, but thankfully, she looks healthy.

"As soon as I recovered, my parents sent me to the States. You know how they are," Fon said with a shrug.

"When?" Just talking to her feels surreal. "When did you come back?"

"A couple of months ago. I don't mean to disrupt your peace. But then I saw you. Last night at the party." Fon stops playing with the rim of her mug before looking at her. "You're with the playgirl heiress."

The title somehow irks her.

"She has a name. It's Yoko."

"I don't care."

Faye stares at her in disbelief. This is not the woman she used to know.

"What I do and who I'm with have nothing to do with you. Not anymore."

"I know that. Why do you think I stay away all this time? But Faye, of all people, you're choosing a womanizer?" Fon said with a scoff.

Suddenly, Faye can feel her face getting warm. "You don't know her!"

"But I know you! And I saw the way you looked at her last night! That woman will only break your heart!"

Now they are on a full-blown argument that she saw a crew walking towards them.

Faye raises her hand to stop him.

She isn't planning to stay longer, anyway.

"You're worried about my heart?" This time, it's Faye who scoffs. She takes her coat and stands. "Well, don't be. 'Cause it doesn't belong to you anymore."

She takes one last look at the woman before leaving the restaurant.