WARM BUT PHASING HUG
It was 11:02 PM. Sejun wore a simple casual outfit and had already left the condo that Adiel had bought for them years ago. Aurie, in her translucent form, phased from the living room back to their bedroom. She floated over the large bed, replaying the earlier scene in her mind.
Aurie:"He heard me, and I'm right son, he's... he's handsome." Her approval, ironically, was the final confirmation of her complete failure to plan for her son's happiness.
Adiel sat rigid on the bed, his fists clenched, punching his knees in silent agony over Sejun's abrupt departure. Aurie shifted away a little, trying to calm her son, trying desperately to be heard. "You know, son. He looks familiar, I really forgot how I met him. What's his~"
Adiel burst out: "Sejun Gae, please come back." The name ripped from him, a raw plea.
Aurie shook again, the information registering. "Oh, nice name! Sejun Gae. I still can't..." she thought, struggling to place the handsome face in her memories. Adiel stood up near the window, murmuring to himself, "Please Sejun, come back," his eyes scanning the condo's entrance, hoping to see Sejun's car re-enter the vicinity.
Aurie hugged him from behind. She was phasing, but she maintained a consistent, loving pressure against his invisible back, consistently whispering, "Son, you know it's not right. I'm not judging your preference or what but... please... please leave~"
Adiel abruptly walked out of the condo. He couldn't stay there without Sejun. Aurie is left alone, floating in the room, asking herself, "What should I do?"
CUTE MEET
Adiel was now driving fast, a man possessed, trying to guess the possible place that Sejun might go to. As he drove, his mind drifted back, settling on their first memorable encounter; the one he always felt was their "Cute Meet."
The backdrop was: a massive shopping mall in Bangkok, Thailand. Adiel was a teenager, hiding from Cassandra, the girl his mother, Aurie, was relentlessly trying to set him up with.
Teen Adiel was eating lunch inside the mall when he spotted his mother's brother, his Uncle Martin. Adiel shouted: "Uncle!!!"
Martin turned his head, saw Adiel, and waved a reluctant hand. Adiel quickly grabbed his burger and his four-seasons drink and approached him. "Are you really here?"
Martin answered: "No, I'm just a ghost."
Both laughed, releasing the tension.
Martin:"Are you following me?"
Teen Adiel:"No!!! That's why I'm this hype!!! And... why should I?"
Martin:"Ok bye! I'm busy!"
Teen Adiel pulled his arm: "Wait, wait, wait, where are you going?"
Martin immediately became serious, prompting a joke from Adiel: "What's that? Did you kill some~"
Martin swiftly tapped his arm. "No, how could you? No... I mean... I'm going there," he said, pointing out a vast open-arena beside the shopping mall where they standing now.
Teen Adiel:"And you don't want me to..."
Martin:"Of course, this is my 'Me' time!"
Teen Adiel:"Please, who will perform there? A hollywood singer?"
Martin eyerolled but reluctantly explained: "It's the finals... the uhm... Pageantry."
Teen Adiel smirked and joked: "Oh, you're courting the most beautiful woman there and?~"
Martin:"No... you know... Aurie don't want me to~"
Teen Adiel crossed his arms to Martin: "And we will go there because if it's not, I'll text her. I'm in a roaming plan, I can call her too~"
Martin:"Ok, alright. Good Nephew!!!"
Teen Adiel:"Nice! Good Uncle!"
They walked inside the open-arena. They went straight to the backstage as the security handed them IDs; Martin's readCOORDINATOR, Teen Adiel's readSUB-COORDINATOR.
While walking, Teen Adiel noticed the tag: "Sub-coordinator huh! Powerful!!!" Martin shushed him: "Quiet! You're not 3!" almost whispering.
When they entered the Change Room, Martin went to one of the contestants. "So, how's the future Korean Skincare owner?" He tapped thetall, buff, young, Korean guy.
Teen Adiel murmured: "South Korea. Why it shows ONLY 'Korea' on his sash?"
Then the Korean guy faced them. Teen Adiel was shook; the guy was undeniably handsome. Martin introduced the Korean representation to Adiel. "Hey Sejun, this is my nephew, Adiel. Adiel, he's Sejun, Sejun Gae."
Teen Sejun corrected him immediately: "Uhm, it pronounce as 'Guy' not 'Gay'."
Teen Adiel slightly laughed, covering his mouth with his left hand, a closed fist, trying to suppress his shock and attraction. Teen Sejun misinterpreted it, finding it insulting. He asked Teen Adiel immediately: "Are you mocking me, Sir?"
Teen Adiel was like deaf, mute, and couldn't answer it. Martin shook, covering his mouth with two hands, giggling in an obvious way.
Teen Adiel:"I'm sorry. What now?"
Teen Sejun found it insulting and left as another coordinator shouted, "Okay, fall in line here!!!" The unforgettable, awkward "Cute Meet" was over.
BABY ADIEL
Meanwhile, still in the current time at 11:02 PM, the translucent-human form Aurie stayed in Adiel and Sejun's room inside the condo. Still crying on the bed, her mind was now dredging up a different 'Cute Meet': the day she gave birth to their Unico Hijo,Adiel.
Hugh:"I'll call him 'Huxley'."
Aurie:"No!"
Hugh:"Why?"
Aurie:"Huxley means 'Hugh's meadow', c'mon, he's more powerful than us."
Hugh:"Huh? You literally search for it?!"
Aurie, holding a fragile, newly born Adiel, instantly cried from the overwhelming emotion. After three minutes of tears, she made her decision. She concluded: "We will call him, Adiel."
Hugh just smiled, genuinely wanting to ask, "Why Adiel, love?"
Aurie:"Adiel. Adiel means 'adorned by God'... means 'God is my witness'."
Hugh and Aurie cried together. Hugh tried to lighten the mood. "Why not Huxley Adiel? or Adiel Huxley?" He laughed again. Aurie quickly vetoed him. "You know, 'Adiel' alone would do. I'll let you think of a name or names for our next baby. Promise." Hugh agreed by kissing his wife on the forehead. Aurie appreciated: "Thank you, love."
CUTE CASSANDRA
Currently at 11:51 PM. Adiel stopped his car at a Convenience Store. He ordered a strong, unique drink; not liquor, but one with a kick for the intense hurt that Sejun caused by leaving. While sitting inside, Adiel remembered another 'Cute Meet'; The one his mother planned: the meeting with Cassandra Steel, anAmerican, brunettewho visually looked like a young Aurie. This happened many years ago, before he met Sejun.
Adiel remembered the scene: the birthday of Aurie's friend, inside a luxury hotel. A girl sat beside him on a big balcony.
Girl:"Hi Adiel!"
Teen Adiel:"Huh? How do you know my name?"
Girl:"Your mom told me. Nice name, by the way."
The girl lent her right hand. "My name is Cassandra." Adiel shook hands.
Cassandra:"Are you bored?"
Teen Adiel:"Yeah."
Cassandra:"Why?"
Teen Adiel:"I don't know. Maybe, I don't like this part of New York."
Cassandra giggled: "Can we play hide & seek in the lobby? The lobby is huge! Shall we?"
Teen Adiel:"No, we're not three."
Cassandra:"You literally think of a game."
Teen Adiel:"What?"
ThenCassandra kissed Adiel, straight to the lips, a smack that was quick but sweet.
Teen Adiel:"Why did you do that?"
Cassandra:"You ask a lot, huh. You going to tell this to the police?"
Both were laughing. Teen Adiel just sat his whole body back on the big couch in the balcony. Cassandra did the same.
In the current time, Adiel suddenly woke up. He had only power napped for three minutes, and he almost cried when he dreamt of Cassandra. The memory of his mother's choice was haunting him at his lowest moment.
💔 How will Aurie intervene? As she witnessed the depth of Adiel's heartbreak. Will her maternal instinct override her legal strategy? Will she risk revealing her spectral self to Sejun in a desperate attempt to explain the danger, or will she phase back to Hugh to get the will legally revoked before it destroys her son's happiness?
💔 What is Sejun's limit? Sejun left because he feels an unnatural cold and fears he is being judged by Aurie's ghost. If Adiel reaches out, will Sejun believe him, or will he interpret the sudden contact as the final push from the Fortuna family to separate them?
💔 Will Adiel choose love or security? The three-minute power nap ended with him almost crying over the memory of Cassandra. Is he desperate enough to pursue his mother's choice and attempt to fulfill the will's conditions, even if it means sacrificing his relationship with Sejun?
You readers, do you think he will pursue Cassandra? Or contact Sejun and say "I follow you, please meet me here."