The truth unfolds

Kai stumbled through the door of his home, his heart still racing from his encounter with the bakery owner. He could feel the lingering sensation of Vallentino's touch on his wrist, the warmth of the kiss still imprinted on his lips. The more he thought about it, the more he couldn’t shake the feeling that he was being pulled toward something—or someone—he didn’t fully understand.

He closed the door behind him with a soft click, leaning against it for support. His breath was shaky, his mind spinning with confusion.

"You're home late," his mother’s voice called from the kitchen, where the smell of dinner wafted through the air.

Kai didn’t answer immediately, still lost in his thoughts. How could someone have such a familiar presence? How did that bakery owner know him from the ice cream shop, a job he’d left behind months ago?

"Everything okay?" His mother’s voice was filled with concern now as she walked toward him, noticing the confusion in his eyes.

Kai ran a hand through his hair, still unsettled by the memory of the kiss and Vallentino’s words. "Yeah, I’m fine... I think." His voice faltered.

His mother raised an eyebrow, crossing her arms. "What’s going on, Kai? You’ve been acting strange ever since you came home."

Kai shook his head, still processing everything. "I don’t know. I just... met someone. Someone who feels like they know me. It’s like... I’ve seen them before, but I don’t know when. It’s weird."

His mother frowned, clearly concerned. "Who is it? Maybe you’re just overthinking things. You’ve had a lot of change recently. A lot to process."

Kai sighed, walking over to the couch and sinking down into it. "I met the bakery owner today. His name is Vallentino. But... he looked at me like he knew me. And then he kissed me." Kai’s voice trembled as he spoke. "I don’t know what’s going on, Mom. It doesn’t make sense."

His mother sat down beside him, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Kai, it’s okay. You’re probably just feeling overwhelmed. You’ve been through a lot, and sometimes, things that don’t make sense can feel really intense. Maybe you should take a step back and think things through before reacting."

Kai nodded slowly, but he couldn’t shake the image of Vallentino’s face from his mind. There was something in his eyes—something that pulled at his heart in a way that he couldn’t explain.

"I just... I can’t stop thinking about him," Kai admitted, his voice barely above a whisper.

His mother gave him a reassuring smile, but there was a glint of something else in her eyes, something Kai couldn’t quite place. "You’ll figure it out, Kai. Just take things one step at a time. And remember, you’re not alone."

Kai glanced up at her, his eyes filled with uncertainty. "But what if I can’t figure it out? What if there’s more to this than I realize?"

His mother gave his shoulder a gentle squeeze. "Then we’ll figure it out together. Don’t worry."

Kai nodded again, though a lingering sense of unease settled in his chest. Something told him that the encounter with Vallentino wasn’t just a random event—it was part of something much bigger. And he wasn’t sure if he was ready to face whatever that might be.

As the evening passed, Kai couldn’t shake the thoughts of Vallentino from his mind. He kept replaying their meeting, wondering if he had missed something important. Could this mysterious bakery owner really be someone from his past? Or was it just a strange coincidence?

Eventually, he drifted off to sleep, his dreams filled with flashes of golden-blue eyes and the warm touch of a kiss. But even in sleep, the questions lingered.

To be continued

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