DAY 2
The crisp morning air greeted Aiah as she stepped out of the hotel, adjusting the strap of her bag over her shoulder. It was early—just past seven—but she liked getting a head start on her day, grabbing coffee before heading to the office.
As she turned onto the sidewalk, her steps faltered for a fraction of a second.
Mikha was there.
Leaning casually against the wall just outside the hotel entrance, finishing up a cigarette.
She was dressed in casual clothes—dark jeans, a hoodie layered under a slightly oversized coat—her uniform nowhere in sight. Which meant her shift was done.
Had she been waiting?
Aiah shook off the thought almost immediately. That would be ridiculous. Mikha didn't wait for people. If anything, she seemed like the type to avoid them.
Still, the sight of her lingering outside—right at the time Aiah happened to be leaving—made something flicker in the back of her mind.
She approached with a smirk. "Oh hey. Good morning." Then, tilting her head slightly, she added, "Or should I say good night? Since you'll probably be asleep in a couple of hours."
Mikha exhaled the last of her cigarette smoke, flicking the butt into a nearby ashtray. "Yeah. Something like that."
Aiah crossed her arms, watching her. "So, is this your usual post-shift ritual? Standing outside, looking broody in the cold?"
Mikha shot her a deadpan look. "It's called fresh air."
Aiah chuckled. "Right. Because smoking and fresh air go hand in hand."
Mikha rolled her eyes, but there was a ghost of a smirk playing at her lips. "Aren't you late for work or something?"
Aiah checked her watch. "Not yet. I was going to grab coffee first."
Mikha hummed, shifting slightly on her feet.
Aiah hesitated for half a second before asking, "Want to join?"
Mikha blinked, clearly caught off guard. "I just got off work."
Aiah shrugged. "So? You still drink coffee, don't you? Or do you go straight to bed like a disciplined person?"
Mikha scoffed. "Disciplined? Me?"
Aiah smirked. "Good to know."
Mikha gave her a long look, like she was debating whether this was a good idea.
Aiah held her gaze, waiting.
Then, finally—
Mikha exhaled through her nose and shoved her hands into her coat pockets. "Fine. One coffee."
Aiah smiled, triumphant. "One coffee."
As they started walking down the street, side by side, Aiah couldn't help but wonder—
Was it really just a coincidence that Mikha was outside at the same time she was leaving?
Or was she starting to feel the pull, too?
/
In truth, Mikha had been waiting.
She wouldn't admit it—not to Aiah, and definitely not to herself—but she had timed it. Left the back office just a little later than usual. Stood outside a little longer than necessary.
And when Aiah walked out of the hotel at exactly 7:10, looking effortlessly put together in her smart coat and knitted hat, Mikha felt something in her settle.
