Ayan's eyes widen the moment he looks up.
His breath stops.
That face—
the one he once loved,
the one he still carried in the quietest part of his heart—
was standing right there.
But the shock didn't stay long.
It melted into something heavier… shame.
He quickly lowered his gaze.
"Um… have we met before?"
Her voice was soft, unsure, almost hopeful.
Ayan forced a tiny smile.
A broken one.
"I guess… maybe. But I don't think so."
The smile didn't reach his eyes.
Nothing did, these days.
"Oh. Sorry for disturbing you…"
Her tone dipped, just slightly.
She looked at him again.
His face resembled someone she once knew.
Someone she waited for on a café table years ago.
But the man she remembered never looked this tired.
Ayan can't be like this… right? she thought.
His face was charming and he always preserves a beautiful smile only for me.
Ayan's fists tightened.
She didn't recognize me…
Of course she didn't.
If she still had anything left inside her for me…
she wouldn't have left that day.
A single tear escaped before he could stop it.
Stop crying.
Stop being weak.
Show her you grew stronger.
He lifted his head—
but the seat was empty.
She was gone.
His heart jumped.
His body followed.
He shot up slightly, scanning the entire bus.
"She's gone again…"
His voice shook, but he forced a faint smile over it,
as if pretending would make it hurt less.
He checked the time.
"I'm already late… ahh, he'll scold me again."
But the regret didn't leave him.
It clung to him all the way to his office.
---
At the Office
The moment he stepped inside,
every pair of eyes turned toward him.
Not just staring—
judging.
"What the hell…?"
Ayan whispered.
He looked down at his shoes.
Nothing.
He checked his bag.
Clean.
Then he touched his shirt—
and his fingers met something warm.
Sticky.
Wet.
With a smell that could end civilizations.
He froze.
"…no way."
He sniffed his fingers.
Instant regret.
A giant pile of dog poop had smeared across the side of his shirt—
from when he slipped while rushing off the bus,
still shaken by seeing her.
"DAMNNN—
These bastard dogs!"
He yelled.
Everyone stared harder.
Ayan closed his eyes.
Heartbreak on the inside.
Dog poop on the outside.
What a perfect morning.
He gets into the rest room sitting in one corner, his vision going blurr due to one bad memory from his past that he was holding from years.
—FLASHBACK—
(distorted edges, muffled sounds)
The café lights were warm that day.
Ayan remembered sitting there, tapping the wooden table nervously.
She'll come. Obviously she'll come.
He kept telling himself.
Two chai cups, untouched.
The seat across from him waiting—
the only place he ever wanted her to sit.
Then a waiter approached.
"Sir… someone dropped this outside. It has your name."
Ayan frowned, confused.
The envelope was wrinkled, but the handwriting—
his heart skipped.
It was hers.
Why a letter?
Why today?
He opened it slowly.
His eyes scanned the first line—
and froze.
I'm fed up of you.
His fingers went cold.
Don't involve me in your relationship nonsense.
Don't contact me again.
The noises around him disappeared.
You were one of the most disgusting people I ever loved.
The words stabbed deeper than any knife could.
Ayan read the lines again—
and again—
as if maybe the letters would rearrange into something else.
They didn't.
His throat tightened.
He felt the humiliation burn deep in his chest.
People around him were laughing, talking—
but he only heard his heartbeat pounding painfully.
He folded the letter with shaking hands,
stood up slowly,
and walked out of the café.
He didn't remember how he walked.
His body moved on its own,
but his mind stayed back in that seat.
His pulse echoed.
His vision swam.
His palms were cold and damp.
Why would she write that?
What did I do?
Why today…?
He wiped his eyes quickly,
angry at himself for crying in public.
He didn't look back.
He couldn't.
Because he believed…
that was the last thing she ever wanted from him.
And so he left.
—FLASHBACK ENDS—
Ughhhh...
Just get out from my mind..
He yelled again punching the wall beside him.
He was completely frustrated by that memory.