Samantha's POV:

I walked into the room and immediately spotted a girl, who was looking at us with wide eyes. I couldn't help but notice the striking resemblance between me and the girl standing before me. The doe brown eyes, and facial features that bore a remarkable similarity to my own. It was almost like looking into a mirror, but with blonde hair instead of my dark brown locks.

The girl's eyes widened as she too took in my appearance, a flicker of recognition crossing her features. "You're Samantha?"

"How do you...?" I began, but that girl cut me off, a small smile gracing her lips.

"Kai talks about you often. I've seen your photos, I'm Raquel, by the way." She explained, her voice warm but tinged with uncertainty.

My curiosity piqued as she turned towards Bonnie, who wasn't one to beat around the bush.

"Why is Kai staying here, and are you and him...?" Bonnie trailed off, leaving the question hanging in the air. Raquel's discomfort was palpable, and she hesitated before she could formulate a response. Just then, Enzo emerged from the room, brushing off some dust from his clothes. His presence seemed to alleviate the tension, but I was not about to let the conversation drop.

"Well, Raquel?" I pressed, my eyes pleading for answers. There were many questions that I wanted answers for. Raquel's forced smile faltered at the edges, and she looked from me to Bonnie, her eyes lingering behind Enzo, where Kai was sleeping.

"It's complicated, but yes. We're together." Raquel finally admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. She excused herself, heading into the kitchen, leaving behind a cloud of unease and unanswered questions.

I won't mind if he moved on. I can't expect him to wait for me or anything but somewhere inside, I wasn't feeling good about it. I felt something burning inside my chest. Just a little bit.

Bonnie and I exchanged a knowing look before turning to Enzo. There were questions burning on the tip of my tongue as I looked at Kai, who was dozing off under the effect of Bonnie's spell.

Enzo merely met any of our gaze with a shrug, and I sighed, resigning myself to the mystery surrounding Kai and Raquel.

"Coffee, anyone?" Raquel pitched from the kitchen, grasping my attention to her. I felt my throat tightening, couldn't bear to even mumble a no. My heart raced but I told myself that it's okay. He did nothing wrong. It was me who left him.

Bonnie took a sign and said no, in place of me while Enzo patted my back to soothe out the tension that was penting up inside me. "Calm down, we don't know anything right now." He whispered and walked forth, towards Bonnie.

After a while, I gingerly approached Kai's room, memories of the prison world flooded my mind. The air was thick with unspoken emotions as I quietly entered. There he was, vulnerable in sleep, the remnants of the previous incident still visible on his hands and lips. I couldn't help but recall the moments when things weren't as complicated.

I dipped a cloth in warm water, carefully wiping away the traces of blood with a small, subtle smile playing on my lips. The silence spoke volumes as I reminisced about a time when the world seemed simpler.

The door creaked open behind me, and Raquel entered, her presence adding a layer of complexity to the room. She hesitated before saying, "I never thought I'd see you here."

I sighed, not breaking eye contact with Kai. "Life has a way of surprising us."

Raquel's gaze lingered on Kai as she murmured, "He's been through a lot."

"He always has," I replied, my voice tinged with a mix of empathy and longing.

After a moment of shared silence, Raquel finally spoke, "He talks about you, you know. Even after all this time."

I continued tending to Kai, my hands steady but my heart not quite as composed. "We've been through a lot together."

The room felt heavy with unspoken words, and Raquel couldn't hold back any longer. "Why did you leave?"

I met her gaze, a flood of emotions behind my eyes. "Sometimes, we have to leave to find ourselves. And I wasn't myself when I made that decision." My gaze fell, as I remembered that day again.

Bonnie's voice echoed from the doorway, breaking the tension, "We're heading out for shopping. Need anything?"

I shook my head, after folding the stained towel, "We're good. Just take your time."

As Bonnie and Enzo left, I found myself alone with Kai and Raquel. A tear escaped, landing on Kai's hand. It was a silent acknowledgment of the reality that he had moved on, and whatever we had shared was now a memory.

Raquel spoke softly, "He cares about you, Sam."

"I know," I replied, my voice barely above a whisper.

As I continued to clean Kai's hands, I couldn't help but wonder if some scars run deeper than others, hidden beneath the surface of our shared history.

The weight of my emotions pressed down on me as I quietly walked out of Kai's room. Raquel followed me, and the silence between us spoke louder than words. The balcony seemed like a good place to catch my breath, but tears insisted on falling.

"Why'd you leave him?" Raquel's voice carried curiosity and concern.

I turned to face her, my eyes showing the mess inside me. "What's the point of all this now?"

Raquel chuckled mockingly, a kind of emotion that stated unbelievable in her eyes. "What's the point? Huh, you know, He's crazy about you. He talks about you all the time as if he'll forget about you the second he'll stop talking."

That caught me off guard.

"Oh, now don't look at me like that. You should have seen him when he moved in with me. There wasn't a moment when he wanted to be sober. And his rage episodes were too much to handle for me." She fervently shared everything Kai has been through.

After a moment, she sighed and continued, "He came through a lot, Samantha. He was disheveled back then."

"But, he never stopped caring," she continued, her words unraveling my composure.

The balcony door framed Raquel, who was leaning against the frame as she chuckled, "You're always on his mind."

The admission hit me hard, regret stabbing at my heart. "I never meant for it to be this complicated."

Raquel stepped closer, putting a reassuring hand on my shoulder. "I lied about my relationship with Kai. I just wanted you to realise that you're making a mistake. He's just my friend."

Surprised, I looked at her.

She nodded, her eyes softening. "Don't push away the people you love, Samantha. Some mistakes are worth fixing."

Gratitude and sadness swirled inside as I absorbed her words. "Thank you for telling me."

As I turned to leave, Raquel's parting words hung in the air. "Take your time, but don't let happiness slip away."

With a weak smile, I nodded, realizing that the road ahead was uncertain. But just maybe, it held the chance for healing and making things right.

++++

The evening draped the room in a soft glow, marking the passage of an entire day. I must have dozed off on the chair beside Kai's bed when I felt a gentle touch on my cheek. Startled, my eyes blinked open to find Kai standing there, his soft smile lighting up the room.

"Surprised to see me?" he teased, his voice carrying a warmth that was achingly familiar.

I nodded, a mix of emotions flooding in. "I didn't expect you to wake up so soon."

He took a step closer, stopping right in front of me. "Missed me?"

I couldn't help but chuckle, "Maybe a little."

Kai held onto the arms of the chair, caging me between his presence and the chair itself. His eyes traced every inch of my face, as if memorizing the details he had missed. "It's been a long time, Samantha."

I met his gaze, a myriad of unspoken words hanging in the air. "Yeah, it has."

Before I could say anything more, he gently traced his finger on my lips, a silent plea for silence. The touch sent a shiver down my spine, and for a moment, time seemed to pause.

"You always had a lot to say," he mused, his eyes holding a depth that echoed our shared history.

I couldn't help but retort, "And you were always the one to stop me."

He chuckled, the sound familiar and comforting. "Some things never change."

Kai leaned his head against mine, his breath warm against my cheek. "You know," he began, his voice a gentle murmur, "even when you were gone, the stars in the night sky reminded me of your eyes. I missed the constellations we used to trace together."

A soft smile played on my lips as his words stirred emotions long buried. Before I could respond, he went down on his knees, holding my hand in his, his eyes locked onto mine. His thumb traced circles on the back of my hand, a tender gesture that spoke of understanding.

As he leaned on my lap, a quiet vulnerability enveloped us. "You left without saying goodbye," he finally said, his voice carrying a hint of longing.

I sighed, unable to meet his gaze. "Goodbyes are never easy." My hand glided through his hairs unknowingly.

He tilted his head, studying me. "Why did you leave, Samantha? You never really explained."

I looked away, memories resurfacing like ripples in a pond. "I needed to find myself. I didn't want you to see me at my worst."

His hand found mine, a gentle reassurance. "You could have found yourself here, with me." He kissed the back of my hand and continued, "I would have never minded if you acted up in your worst."

I met his gaze, emotions flickering in the depths of his eyes. "Maybe I didn't know that then."

He wrapped his arms around my waist firmly as he confessed "I missed you, butterfly."

The sincerity in his voice tugged at my heart. "I missed you too, Kai."

Our eyes locked, a thousand unspoken words passing between us. The room felt like a cocoon, sheltering us from the complexities of the outside world.

"I know things are different now," he whispered, "but can we try to find our way back to each other?"

I hesitated, my heart torn between the past and the present. "Kai, there's so much we need to talk about."

He nodded, his gaze unwavering. "I'm willing to listen. Are you willing to talk?"

I nodded with a sheepish smile. I was getting this feeling that now nothing can ever break us apart. "Let's go home, first."

"Sure." He pecked the side of my waist before snuggling in with a smile.

Now, it's just him and I.

__________
A/n

Don't you think, this chapter matches with the song that I attached?

Why don't you make that star orange by tapping on it? (⁠◍⁠•⁠ᴗ⁠•⁠◍⁠)

Happy reading (⁠ﾉ⁠◕⁠ヮ⁠◕⁠)⁠ﾉ⁠*⁠.⁠✧