At first, Michael told himself it was normal.
People got busy.
Life changed.
Schedules shifted.
But normal didn't feel like this.
His phone lay beside him on the desk, screen dark.
He glanced at it again.
And again.
Nothing.
It had been almost six hours.
Michael leaned back in his chair, exhaling slowly, trying to focus on the open textbook in front of him.
Words stared back at him.
But they didn't stay.
His mind wasn't there.
It was somewhere else.
China.
His heart reacted before his mind did.
He grabbed his phone quickly.
A message.
From Lucas.
"Busy. Talk later."
Michael stared at it.
Just those three words.
No emoji.
No tone.
"…Okay," he muttered under his breath.
Even though Lucas couldn't hear him.
He dropped the phone back on the table.
But this time—
It didn't feel like relief.
It felt like distance.
Later that night, Michael lay on his bed, staring at the ceiling.
The room was quiet.
Too quiet.
His thoughts weren't.
Why is he different now?
Did something change?
Did I do something wrong?
He turned to his side, grabbing his phone again.
Opened their chat.
Scrolled up.
Messages filled with life.
Jokes.
Teasing.
Warmth.
Then—
Now.
Short replies.
Gaps.
Silence.
Michael swallowed slightly.
Maybe I'm overthinking…
But something in his chest told him—
He wasn't.
That night, he didn't call Lucas.
Instead—
He called someone else.
Grace.
She picked up almost immediately.
"Michael?"
Her voice was bright as always.
"You actually remembered you have a sister?"
Michael let out a small breath.
"Hi, Grace."
She paused.
"…Okay, what's wrong?"
Michael frowned slightly.
"What do you mean?"
"I mean you don't call me like this unless something is wrong," she said plainly. "So talk."
Michael hesitated.
Then he sat up slowly.
"It's Lucas."
Grace went quiet.
But not shocked.
Just listening.
Michael ran a hand through his hair.
"I don't know… things just feel different now. We used to talk all the time, but now it's like… I'm always the one waiting."
Grace didn't interrupt.
"He says he's busy," Michael continued.
"And I get that. I am too. But this feels different."
He paused.
Then quieter
"Like he's not really here anymore."
There was a small silence.
Then Grace sighed softly.
"Distance is not a small thing, Michael,"she said. "It changes how people show up… even when they still care."
Michael looked down.
"So what do I do?"
Grace didn't answer immediately.
Then—
"Hold on," she said simply.
Michael frowned slightly.
"That's it?"
She laughed lightly.
"Yes. That's it."
Then softer—
"If you know what you have is real… don't let fear make you give up too early."
Michael didn't respond.
"Talk to him," she added. "Not with accusations. Just… truth."
Michael nodded slowly.
"…Okay."
Across the world—
Lucas didn't even realize how much time had passed.
Meetings.
Calls.
Decisions.
Problems that didn't wait.
"Mr. Lucas, we need your approval on this," his assistant said, placing a file in front of him.
Lucas barely looked up.
"Leave it there."
She hesitated for a brief second.
Then nodded.
"Alright."
Her name was Lina.
Professional.
Calm.
Efficient.
And recently—
More observant than usual.
She had noticed it.
The way Lucas sometimes stared at his phone without responding.
The way his expression softened—
Then it disappeared.
It wasn't just work.
There was something else.
Something… or someone.
Later that evening—
Michael called.
Lucas saw it.
His phone lit up on the desk.
He stared at it.
For a second.
Two.
Then—
He turned his attention back to the file in front of him.
The call stopped.
A message came in shortly after.
"Are you free?"
Lucas exhaled.
Picked up his phone.
"In a meeting."
Sent.
But the truth?
He wasn't.
Not anymore.
That night, Michael called again.
This time—
Lucas picked.
"Hey," Michael said.
"Hey."
The difference was immediate.
Michael sat up.
"You've been off."
Lucas leaned back in his chair.
"I told you—I've just been busy."
Michael shook his head.
"It's more than that."
Lucas' tone hardened slightly.
"Michael—"
"No," Michael cut in, his voice still calm but firmer now. "You don't just disappear and come back like this and expect me not to notice."
Silence.
Then—
"I'm dealing with things you don't understand," Lucas said.
The moment the words left his mouth—
He felt it.
Too late.
Michael went quiet.
"…Okay," he said slowly.
Not angry.
Not loud.
Just… hurt.
That same night—
Michael sat in his room.
Phone in his hand.
But he didn't call again.
Across the world—
Lucas sat in his office.
Phone on the table.
But he didn't pick it up
Both waiting.
But neither move.
Michael stared at his phone one more time.
Then finally—
He pressed the call.
It rang.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
Then—
It connected.
Michael straightened slightly.
"Lucas—"
"Hello?"
Michael froze.
That voice—
Wasn't Lucas.
A woman's voice.
Calm.
Unfamiliar.
"…Who is this?" Michael asked slowly.
On the other end, a slight pause.
Then—
"This is Lina," she said.
Another pause.
"I'm Lucas' personal assistant."
Michael's grip tightened around the phone.
"…Where is Lucas?"
A small silence.
Not long.
But enough.
Then—
"He's… busy right now."
Something about the way she said it—
Didn't sit right.
Not just the words.
The tone.
And for the first time—
Michael didn't feel distance.
He felt replaced.
And somewhere in that same building—
Lucas sat just a few rooms away.
Unaware—
That everything had just shifted again.