Sae made sure she looked pretty presentable today. Because she was going to meet Elena at the café that they had set up as their appointment place.
“Am I presentable enough?” muttered Sae hesitantly as she looked over herself before entering the cafe. After feeling herself presentable, Sae then entered there with confidence.
Elena who had arrived first. She was seen enjoying a piece of cheesecake with gusto.
Sae who saw Elena eating with gusto felt happy. That woman had never changed, she was still the same old sweet tooth.
“You came sooner than I thought. And already devoured your cake greedily. Does that really taste good, can I try it?” greeted Sae while seating herself on a chair.
“Owh Sae, sorry if I ordered before you. I was impatient when I walked into this cafe looking for a nice sweet treat. I'm sorry that I seemed to precede you,” he said still busy with his cheesecake.
“Ah, that's your habit from the past. Can I try it?” Sae looked at Elena intently.
Elena immediately took her spoon and cut her cheesecake and offered it to Sae. “Open your mouth, it tastes so good,” she said cheerfully.
“Hahaha you're so bad. I was just trying to joke with you. But okay.” Sae opened her mouth and let Elena spoon the sweet cheese-flavored cake into her mouth.
“It's really delicious. You can never go wrong with sweets,” Sae said after feeling the cheesecake that Elena shoved into her mouth tasted good. In fact, she is not a person who likes sweets too much. But somehow the cake this time she ate tasted so delicious. Was it the effect of her improved mood?
They both chuckled, enjoying a relaxing moment together. The atmosphere in the cafe was cozy, with the refreshing aroma of coffee and soft jazz music playing in the background. Who would have thought that a small town like this would also have a good quality cafe.
While enjoying the cake, Elena took out her cell phone and showed Sae a post. “Look at this, Sae. There's a flower shop that's going viral right now,” she said.
Sae watched Elena's phone screen curiously. When she saw the name of the flower shop, her eyes lit up. “Oh... Ririka? I think I know the owner of that shop.”
Elena, who heard Sae's answer, immediately looked at her curiously. “You know the owner? That flower shop is not only viral because of its beautiful flowers, but also because the owners seem to be a good-looking and romantic couple.”
Sae smiled slightly, past memories of Ririka starting to pop up in her mind. “Yes, Ririka is an old friend of mine, you might say.” Sae recalled Ririka's words back then, telling her that she would soon be opening a flower shop. And now it seemed that the flower shop had opened and gone viral. Isn't that good news?
Elena leaned a little closer, with a mischievous smile on her face. “Old friends, huh? Were you ever more than friends?” This was Elena, she was always curious. Never satisfied with a simple answer.
Sae chuckled, trying to avoid Elena's curious gaze. “We were just friends, nothing more.” For Sae, Ririka was her past and she was done with it. There was no longer anything special to discuss.
Even though Sae said so, her heart couldn't deny that there was something more than just friendship with Ririka. She remembered how Ririka had always encouraged her in difficult times, and how her smile could always warm her heart. But Sae chose to keep those feelings to herself, not wanting to ruin an already good relationship. The past was enough of the past.
“Is that so? I think you should take me to Ririka's flower shop someday,” Elena said as she finished the last piece of her cheesecake. “I want to see that romantic couple in person.”
Sae just nodded and smiled. “Sure, someday I'll take you there.”
They continued their casual conversation, discussing everything from the latest movies to plans to visit some new places. Sae enjoyed every second of her time with Elena, even if it was just as friends. However, in the corner of her heart, there was a hint of something different. She realized how important Elena was in her life.
By late afternoon, they decided to leave the cafe. On the way out, Sae couldn't resist asking, “Elena, do you believe in fate?”
Elena paused for a moment, looking at Sae with a serious look. “I believe that everyone has their own path in life. But I also believe that we have a role in determining the direction of our lives. And every decision we make will determine the course of that life.”
Sae nodded, pondering Elena's words. They walked hand in hand along the deserted street, enjoying the remaining rays of the afternoon sun.
“Sometimes, I think about how fate brings us to certain people in our lives,” Sae said softly as she looked up and watched the reddish-orange afternoon sky. A glimpse of Ririka's face appeared in her mind.
Elena smiled and touched Sae's arm gently. “Maybe it's not just fate, Sae. Maybe it's also our choices. Like choosing to stay in touch with someone, or maybe choosing to take a step further.”
Sae stared at Elena, her heart pounding. Elena's words made her think more deeply about her feelings. She realized that perhaps it was time to not only go with the flow of fate, but also make a bolder choice.
As they parted at the crossroads, Sae felt that something had changed inside her. She knew that one day, she would have to face her feelings for Elena, just as she faced her feelings for Ririka.
But for now, he felt it was enough to enjoy every moment, and let those feelings grow over time. No longer like before, he didn't want to rush and get carried away by lust that made him blind.
A smile appeared on Sae's face, she then walked home with a lighter heart, ready to face whatever would come in the future. For her, both destiny and choice are part of a beautiful and meaningful journey of life. And she had chosen to make a big decision in her life. Breaking up with someone she loves, but shouldn't have because she doesn't belong. And leave the place where she lives so as not to continue to be trapped in her past alone and ready to accept her new life.