Rainan hadn’t planned on coming to the restaurant, but it felt like the right moment to stop and unwind. The familiar scent of freshly cooked food and the soft hum of chatter greeted him as he entered. He wasn’t expecting anything special, just a quiet dinner alone. He hadn’t been back to San Felino long, and every day seemed to be filled with so many things to handle.
As he made his way to an empty table near the window, he heard a familiar voice calling out from across the room.
“Rainan?”
Turning, he saw Lance Reyes, one of his closest friends from the past, sitting at a table by the bar. Lance was holding a glass of wine, and when their eyes met, he grinned widely, waving him over.
"Hey, Lance!" Rainan said with a smile as he walked over. It felt good to see a friendly face, especially after everything that had been going on.
“Long time no see! Come on, join me," Lance said, standing up and pulling out a chair. "What brings you to this side of town?"
Rainan sat down, looking around the cozy, familiar restaurant. "I wasn’t planning to stop by, but it felt nice to sit down for a bit," he replied. "It’s good to see you, though."
Lance laughed, sitting back down with his glass. "Yeah, same here. You just get back?"
“Yeah,” Rainan nodded. "Just came in a couple of days ago. Things have been a bit... overwhelming."
"Overwhelming?" Lance smirked. "I bet. I’m guessing things didn’t exactly go how you planned, huh?"
Rainan chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck. "Something like that. It's been a lot, but I’m figuring it out. Just taking it one day at a time."
Lance raised an eyebrow. “And you’ve been avoiding everyone else’s questions, huh?”
Rainan shrugged, looking a little sheepish. "You know how it is. People want answers, but sometimes it’s just not that simple."
Lance leaned in slightly, his expression softening. "I get it, man. But, you know, we were all wondering why you left so suddenly. You didn’t tell anyone what was going on. I think a lot of us were caught off guard."
Rainan took a deep breath. He had been asked this question so many times already, and he had given the same kind of response each time. "I just had to do it," Rainan said lightly. "I wanted to pursue my dream, and... well, sometimes you think you can do it alone, you know?"
Lance nodded, understanding the drive to follow one’s ambitions. "Yeah, I know the feeling," he said, swirling the wine in his glass. "But, Rainan... I’ll be honest, I was mad at you when you left. I thought we were friends, and then—poof—you were just gone. No word, nothing."
Rainan's eyes lowered for a moment, a little guilty. "I know. I’m sorry. I didn’t want to hurt anyone. I just thought it was what I had to do."
There was a pause, and Lance let out a quiet sigh. "It’s alright. I mean, we all have our reasons. You had yours, and I had mine. But, I get it now. You were chasing your own path."
"Yeah, I guess," Rainan replied, still feeling the weight of his past decision. "I should’ve done things differently, though. I should’ve let people in on what was going on instead of disappearing. But at the time, I thought it was best if I just went after it without any distractions."
Lance smiled slightly. "Hey, I get it. You were following your dream. That’s all any of us can do, right?"
Rainan nodded, feeling a sense of relief. It was nice to hear that from someone who understood, someone who wasn’t looking for answers or reasons, just a simple acknowledgment.
They chatted a bit more about other things, catching up on the years they had spent apart. Lance told him about his work and life in San Felino, and Rainan shared a few stories from his time away. It felt good to laugh again, to talk with someone who had been a part of his past, even if they hadn’t been in touch for so long.
After a while, the conversation turned lighter, and they moved away from the heavy topics of the past. "So, what's next for you?" Lance asked with a raised eyebrow as their meal came to an end. "Back to your old life here, or are you planning to do something else?"
Rainan smiled, his shoulders relaxing. "I’m not sure yet. I’m just taking things one step at a time. There’s no rush."
Lance leaned back in his chair. "Sounds good. As long as you're not rushing into anything, that’s what matters."
They both laughed, and for a moment, everything seemed normal again.
As the night wore on, the two of them finished up their meal and continued chatting casually. It was the kind of conversation they used to have—easy, natural, and filled with laughter. Rainan felt lighter after their talk, like some of the weight he had been carrying around had lifted, even if just a little.
When the check came, Lance took care of it, refusing to let Rainan pay. "Old habits die hard," Lance joked, and Rainan rolled his eyes good-naturedly.
"You’re still the same," Rainan said, smiling.
"Yeah, well, I’ve missed you," Lance said with a grin. "And I’m glad you're back."
Rainan nodded, grateful for the ease of their conversation. "I’m glad we ran into each other tonight. It’s good to talk again."
After leaving the restaurant, they stood outside for a few moments, the cool night air wrapping around them. "I’ll let you get going," Lance said, giving him a quick hug. "Take care of yourself, alright? Don’t be a stranger."
Rainan smiled, nodding. "I won’t. Thanks for everything, Lance. See you around."
As he walked to his car, Rainan felt lighter than he had in a long time. Meeting Lance had been unexpected, but it had been a good conversation. It was clear that while things had been complicated when he left, there was still understanding between them.
He got in his car and drove back home, thinking about the way things had turned out. He still had a long road ahead of him to make amends with others, but at least with Lance, it felt like a small step in the right direction. And that, Rainan thought, was enough for now.