Noticing his reaction, Isabel leaned closer. "What does it say this time?"
Kaivan exhaled, frustration lacing his voice. "Why should I help Tania? After everything she's done, I don't even want to see her."
Isabel fell silent for a moment. "Maybe it's something important. The Tome doesn't usually make mistakes."
Kaivan snapped the book shut. "I wanted today to be peaceful. Just buying a suitcase."
Isabel chuckled softly. "Are you ignoring its orders because you're trying to cheer me up?" she teased.
Kaivan shot her a flat look, though a faint smile tugged at the corner of his lips. "I don't trust love anymore, Isabel. It's an illusion that only hurts people. I just… don't want you feeling down today."
Meanwhile, elsewhere, Tania sat alone in her living room, sinking deeper into her thoughts. Memories of Kaivan flashed through her mind like shards of glass, each one stinging.
The doorbell rang.
With a nervous breath, she opened the door. Vella and Rapi stood outside.
"Let's go see Kaivan," Vella said with a mysterious smile, leaving Tania even more confused.
The late afternoon sun draped the streets in warm amber light. After choosing the suitcase, Kaivan and Isabel stopped at a nearby drink stall. Isabel ordered a strawberry milkshake, while Kaivan sipped an iced coffee under the shade of a large tree. A gentle breeze drifted past, carrying the scent of earth and evening.
The Tome Omnicent trembled again.
Kaivan opened his bag just as the pages flicked themselves apart:
"Return home. Tania is on her way to you."
His expression hardened.
Isabel leaned in. "What did it say this time?" she asked softly.
Kaivan closed the book with a sharp motion. "Why should I meet her? After everything, I don't even want to hear her name."
Isabel gazed at him with quiet warmth. "There must be a reason. The Tome has never been wrong, right?"
"I want to enjoy today," Kaivan said coldly. "Not get dragged back into the past."
Isabel let out a small laugh. "You're funny. Are you ignoring it for my sake?"
Kaivan clicked his tongue, looking out at the fading sunset. "Fine. Then I'm not going home yet. Let her wait."
Isabel giggled, shaking her head. "Girls these days are so bold. Not like before."
Kaivan paused for a moment before speaking softly. "Wait… February 2010. I just remembered, I made a promise to someone." His eyes drifted toward the darkening sky. "I have to meet the grandmother who gave me the Tome Omnicent. There's something I need to ask her."
Isabel frowned slightly. "We're going there now?"
Kaivan started his motorcycle. "Yeah. To the place where everything began."
Without hesitation, Isabel climbed on and wrapped her arms around him from behind. The engine roared, and they sped through the lively streets toward an upscale neighborhood, where elegant houses stood behind manicured gardens and the evening air felt strangely serene.
Isabel's eyes widened when they arrived at the enormous mansion Kaivan pointed to, a classical-style residence with towering iron gates. "Are you sure this is really her house?" she asked, overwhelmed by the grandeur.
Kaivan nodded firmly. "I'll never forget this place. The grandmother who gave me the Tome Omnicent lives here. I want to know why this book keeps forcing me to do things I don't want to do." His gaze hardened as he stared at the closed gate.
He pulled a small remote from his jacket and pressed a combination of buttons. As the gate began to slide open, the doorbell rang.
At the very same moment, somewhere else entirely, the doorbell at Kaivan's own house also chimed.
Tania stood at the doorstep, anxiety twisting her expression. She glanced nervously at Vella beside her. "A-are you sure we should meet Kaivan now?" Her voice was barely above a whisper, trembling with fear and regret.
Vella offered a cryptic smile. "Yes. If you want to fix all those misunderstandings, you have to face him now."