Wine’s POV

It was raining.

But not the kind that felt romantic or soothing.

It was the kind of rain that drowned your thoughts—merciless, loud, and cold.

I stood there, with a broken umbrella, my sleeves soaked, my eyes stinging—not just from the rain.

Faifa was just a few feet away, talking to her. Laughing. Flirting. Like always.

"Hey, your hair..... looks beautiful." With bright smile.

"I just got hair cut, so of course that is why my hair looks beautiful." She replied to him.

"Wanna go out somewhere ?"

They were talking to each other and I just didn't want listen that conversation, because that can break my heart anytime.

I tried to focus on the sound of rain.

But my heart kept interrupting.

He used to laugh like that with me.

He used to look at me like I was the only person in the world.

What changed?

I was foolish. I knew what kind of person Faifa was. Flirty. Loud. Arrogant. Addicted to attention. But still, I—

No.

I couldn’t stop myself.

I loved him.

That was my mistake.

She left with a soft “Bye,” and Faifa started walking back toward me, completely unaware of the storm inside me.

He grinned like nothing had happened.

But everything had.

“Why are you crying?” he asked, stepping closer, squinting at me under the rain.

I hadn’t even noticed the tears falling. My cheeks were wet long before the rain reached them.

I looked up at him, and for once, I didn’t hold back.

“You’ll never understand,” I whispered.

“What?”

“You’ll never understand what I feel for you.”

My voice cracked. It felt like my chest was caving in.

Faifa frowned, confused. “What are you saying? What happened to you suddenly?”

“What happened?” I repeated. I almost laughed through my tears.

Then I snapped.

“You’ll never understand because the only people you care about are those girls who chase after you.

You flirt with everyone. And I… I just stand there like an idiot, waiting for you to look at me once the same way you look at them.”

Faifa stepped back slightly, his expression hardening. “I don’t get you these days. Why are you talking like this? It’s annoying. Stop it, Wine.”

“You’re right,” I said, my voice trembling.

“I’ve become annoying. I annoy you just by being honest.”

And then, I walked away.

I didn’t look back.

Because if I did, I knew I’d stay.

And staying was killing me.

The rain was relentless by the time I reached the university hostel. My clothes clung to my skin, my shoes squished with every step, and my heart… it felt heavier than ever.

I closed the door behind me, dropped my bag, and collapsed on the floor of my dorm room. I didn’t even reach the bed.

I cried.

Like a child.

Like someone who finally realized the truth—that love, when one-sided, is the cruelest thing in the world.

“Why him?” I whispered to no one. “Why did it have to be him?”

I buried my face in my hands, trying to muffle the sobs.

That’s when I heard a knock… and then the door opened slowly.

A familiar voice—soft, yet filled with concern—called out from behind me.

“Wine… are you okay?”

Before I could turn around, warm arms wrapped around me tightly from behind. I froze.

Then I heard it.

“It’s me… Arc,” he said, his voice trembling with worry.

My elder brother.

My rock.

He held me tightly, my back against his chest, and whispered, “Don’t cry, please don’t cry… I saw what happened. That guy—he doesn’t deserve your tears. I’ll teach him a lesson. I’ll break his arrogant smile. I swear.”

I shook my head, still crying.

“No… don’t hurt him,” I sobbed. “Please, don’t hurt him.”

“He hurt you!” Arc snapped. “I won’t let anyone make you cry like this.”

I turned around, still in his arms, tears running freely down my face.

“It’s not his fault,” I whispered. “It’s mine.”

“What?”

“I’m the one who’s wrong,” I said brokenly.

“I fell in love with someone who never even tried to understand me… who never even noticed. Who never cared enough to ask why I always waited for him.”

Arc clenched his jaw. He gently wiped my tears, his voice low but firm.

“You shouldn’t stay here, Wine,” he said.

“You need to get away from this place. From him. From the memories. Go somewhere far… where his shadow can’t follow you.”

I looked into his eyes, still shaking, and after a long pause… I nodded.

“I’ll go,” I said quietly.

“I’ll leave, Arc. I promise.”

He pulled me into another tight hug, and for the first time tonight… I felt warm.

Outside the window, the rain still poured.

But inside the room, something had broken.

And something else had begun.

End of Chapter 1

“Some loves are loud. Mine was silent, standing behind you in the rain… waiting for you to turn around.”

(Wine’s POV)

The faint light of morning crept through the curtains, painting soft golden lines across the room. I shifted in my bed, still holding on to the last fragments of a dream I couldn’t remember. My eyes fluttered open when the door clicked and creaked.

“Good morning, sleepyhead,” Arc said, stepping into my room, already dressed, hair slightly messy but his tone annoyingly cheerful. “Get up. You’ll be late. Remember, we’ve got to reach the airport on time. No one's going to wait for you—not even the ones from Bangkok or Chiang Mai. You’ve got to make it there yourself.”

I groaned, turning to the side. “Bro, why are you so hyper in the morning?” I yawned, pushing the covers off and sitting up. “Don’t worry. I’m already up. And anyway, didn’t we pack our backpacks last night? You were the one insisting on it.”

Arc smirked. “Yeah, but I also know you too well. You’d rather sleep through a flight than show up on time.”

I stood and stretched, glancing at my packed bag leaning by the door. It was real now. I was leaving today.

“By the way,” Arc said, pausing before leaving the room, “aren’t you going to say goodbye to your friends? Or planning to leave just like that?”

I hesitated, rubbing the back of my neck. “I’ll say goodbye to them, yeah. Pond and Yotha… they deserve that. But Faifa… I can’t. Not him. Not like this.”

Arc raised an eyebrow but didn’t question it. I continued, almost to myself, “I’ll tell them who I’m going to, and who I’m leaving behind. I’ll let them know I’m heading to my relatives’ place in Chiang Mai for studies… but I won’t say more than that.”

He gave me a short nod and walked off, calling from the hallway, “Ten minutes. Then breakfast.”

I showered quickly, the cold water doing little to calm the storm inside my chest. So many thoughts, emotions, unanswered questions swirled in my head—but there was no time to dwell on them.

By the time I went downstairs, Arc had already set the table. Toast, eggs, and hot coffee. Simple but comforting.

“Eat fast,” he said. “We need to finish the transfer paperwork at your university before heading to the airport.”

We ate mostly in silence, both of us lost in our own thoughts. Soon after, we got into Arc’s car and drove toward the university campus.

---

The formalities at the university felt like a blur—signatures, transfer documents, collecting final reports, and farewell handshakes from staff. It all passed so quickly, yet felt heavy. A strange kind of goodbye.

Once done, we exited the campus and there, waiting by the gates, were Pond and Yotha. Both looked like they were forcing a smile.

“You thought we’d let you escape without a proper goodbye?” Yotha said, arms crossed.

Wine gave a crooked grin, voice soft. “I didn’t expect it. But I’m glad.”

They walked with us to the car. “We’re coming with you,” Pond declared. “To the airport.”

Arc didn’t complain. In fact, he silently opened the backseat door, letting both boys climb in beside me.

The drive was filled with little jokes, fake smiles, and the occasional deep silence. No one wanted to say the words. No one wanted to make it more real than it already was.

---

At the airport, the goodbye finally came.

We stood near the check-in gates, where soon I’d walk away from everything I’d ever known.

Yotha suddenly hugged me tight. “Will you remember us?”

“Every day,” I whispered, voice shaky.

Pond ruffled my hair. “Don’t you dare forget. Or we’ll fly to Chiang Mai and drag you back.”

I gave a soft laugh, even though my eyes were starting to sting. “I won’t forget. I’m just… walking a different road now.”

We hugged again, tighter this time. Then Arc patted my back. “Go. They’re boarding soon.”

I nodded, turned, and walked ahead—toward a future I wasn’t sure I was ready for.

---

The airport was crowded, yet I felt strangely alone. My footsteps echoed louder than the world around me. I handed in my boarding pass, passed through security, and walked toward the gate.

Once on the plane, I took the window seat. Just as I was placing my backpack under the seat, an elderly woman sat beside me.

She was graceful, wrapped in a soft pink saree, her silver hair tied back neatly, her eyes sharp yet warm. Something about her felt… comforting.

After a while, she turned to me and smiled gently. “Is this your first time going to Chiang Mai, dear?”

I nodded slowly. “Yes, ma’am. First time.”

She tilted her head. “Are you visiting, or moving there?”

“For studies,” I replied. “I’ll be staying with my relatives.”

Her eyes twinkled, and something in her expression shifted. “Are you really going just to study… or are you running away from someone?”

I blinked. “Excuse me?”

She chuckled softly. “I can tell, dear. Your heart—it carries something heavy. Like it’s broken, or left behind with someone.”

I didn’t answer. I couldn’t.

How did she know?

She leaned closer and said kindly, “I’m a fortune teller. I read people… and I feel pain. Especially the kind that doesn’t let you sleep.”

My throat tightened.

“I’m going for studies,” I repeated quietly.

She smiled. “That’s a good reason. But remember this—when you reach Chiang Mai, you will meet someone. Someone who will help you become who you truly are. Someone who will make you question who you’ve been loving and why.”

I looked away toward the window, unsure of how to react. The world outside blurred in motion, like my thoughts.

She gently pointed to the bracelet on my wrist.

“That bracelet,” she said, “did someone give it to you… or did you give it to someone?”

My fingers instinctively touched it. The simple thread, once tied with meaning, now felt heavier than chains.

“I gave it to someone,” I said after a pause. “But maybe… they never understood its worth.”

She placed a soft hand on mine.

“Sometimes the people we love… aren’t ready to love us back. But the heart always finds its way. Even when it’s lost.”

A flight attendant interrupted the moment with a warm smile.

“Would you like something to eat?”

I nodded, barely noticing what was being handed to me. My mind was still wrapped in the strange warmth of the old woman’s words.

As the plane soared through the sky, I leaned back into my seat, eyes closed.

I didn’t know what was waiting for me in Chiang Mai.

But a small part of me hoped… it would finally feel like home.

---

"Every journey begins with a goodbye — even when the heart isn’t ready to let go."

The hum of the plane filled the cabin as I leaned back into my seat, watching the clouds shift beyond the window. My thoughts were still tangled in the conversation I had with the old lady—the fortune teller who somehow saw through me like glass.

"Are you really going there for studies, or are you just running away from someone?" she had asked.

Her voice still echoed in my head, haunting me.

I closed my eyes slowly, whispering to myself,

“Whatever is waiting for me there… I hope it’s good. Because I’m tired. I can’t keep carrying the pain that love brings. I just… can’t anymore.”

The weight of it all was too much. My eyes grew heavier until sleep pulled me in.

---

In my dream, everything was brighter. Softer.

I saw him again. A boy from long ago — small hands, kind eyes, and that innocent smile. That was the first time we met, I think. We were just children, but something about him always stayed with me.

We were sitting beneath a tree, laughing. I was holding a handmade bracelet — woven with string and tiny beads. I remember giving it to him.

“Keep it,” I had said, shyly placing it around his wrist. “So you don’t forget me.”

And just as he looked up at me, his eyes filled with something warm — something I had only ever felt once before —

…love.

My heart skipped. The dream cracked like glass.

I gasped and jolted awake, sitting halfway up in my seat, breathing fast. I rubbed my eyes just as a soft voice reached me.

“Sir… we’ve landed,” the flight attendant said gently, giving me a polite smile.

I nodded, forcing a small smile back as the other passengers began moving past me. The cabin was full of motion. Bags being pulled down, laughter, families greeting each other.

I stepped off the plane and followed the flow of people through the airport corridor. Outside, a wave of faces greeted their loved ones with hugs, excitement, and welcome-home signs.

Then I saw them.

Aunt Emi and Uncle John, standing proudly with a large board that read in bold letters:

WELCOME WINE TO CHIANG MAI

I smiled instantly.

They saw me and waved. Aunt Emi opened her arms, and I walked straight into her hug. It felt safe. Familiar.

“Look at you!” she smiled. “You’ve grown up so much.”

Uncle John patted my shoulder warmly. “How was the flight?”

“It was good,” I said softly. “Thank you for coming.”

John headed off to get the car, while Aunt Emi and I stood together. “Do you need help with any university formalities?” she asked kindly.

I shook my head. “No, Auntie. I think I’ll be okay. I want to do it myself.”

“You’ve grown confident,” she smiled. “That’s good.”

Soon Uncle John pulled up in his car. We got in, and the three of us headed toward their home, talking about the city, the weather, and how excited they were that I’d be staying with them.

---

Their house was beautiful — warm, clean, and full of light. It felt nothing like the lonely silence I had left behind.

As soon as I stepped inside, I felt… peace.

Like something inside me finally settled.

Like this place was meant to be part of my new beginning.

Photos lined the hallway walls. Aunt Emi paused near one, pointing at a smiling boy standing with his parents.

“You remember our son, right? Earn? You met him when you were kids,” she said.

I stared at the photo for a few seconds… and then it hit me.

“Yes,” I said slowly. “We used to play together. I remember now.”

“I’m glad you do,” she laughed. “I was worried you’d forgotten.”

“How could I forget?” I smiled back. “You’ve all been so kind to me.”

Uncle John walked up and said, “We don’t have a separate guest room ready, but would you be okay sharing with Earn?”

Without hesitation, I nodded. “Of course. If he’s okay with it, I’d be happy to.”

Aunt Emi added, “We already talked to him. We just wanted to check with you, too.”

I smiled. “You’ve all done so much for me already. Thank you… really, thank you so much.”

Both of them smiled at me — proud, warm, and full of affection.

They started showing me around the house. Just then, a voice echoed from the upper floor.

“Mum! Dad! You’re back? Did that guy arrive yet—?”

The voice came closer as quick footsteps moved down the stairs.

Then, he appeared.

Earn.

He froze halfway, eyes locking with mine. His smile curled up slowly. Cute, natural, and full of quiet energy.

For a second, he didn’t move. He just stared.

I responded to his earlier question with a small grin. “Yeah… that guy arrived.”

Aunt Emi chuckled, “This is him — the one we told you about.”

Earn blinked, almost snapping back to reality. I was lost just looking at him, I saw it written in his eyes.

Then he walked up and reached out his hand. “Welcome. I’m Earn,” he said.

I shook his hand.

“If you need anything, come to me,” he added confidently. “I’m kind of famous around the university.”

I laughed lightly. “Thank you. If I do need help, I’ll definitely come to you.”

---

“It’s not the place that makes it special… it’s the people waiting there.”