At the High-Speed Rail Station, Elise sat in the waiting area, gazing ahead in boredom, watching the diverse crowd passing by.
There were young college students with rolling suitcases, businessmen and women with briefcases, some in suits and ties, others in office wear.
She had been people-watching like this for nearly half an hour, yet the man beside her still hadn't planned on heading to the platform.
"Your phone's all set up. Aren't you coming back already?"Bored of the view in front of her, Elise finally turned to the man beside her, looking at him with confusion.
"There's still twenty minutes before departure; no rush." Braden was still setting up his phone, changing his home screen to a new photo.
After today's scare, he decided to replace every profile picture on his social media from solo shots to a photo of him and Elise from their last trip to N City.
Elise, who was his mutual best friend on social media, saw the update in his feed, showing their picture together. She felt a little thrill but kept it to herself.
"Why change your photo out of nowhere?" She said it offhandedly, though the joy was still evident in her eyes.
She secretly took a screenshot, thinking she'd have to jot this down in her journal later.
"I don't want to go through what happened today again…" His eyes dimmed, missing their usual confident shine.
"There won't be a next time." She looped her arm through his, leaning her head on his broad shoulder, and said in a playful tone, "But you should hurry into the station and wait, or you might miss it."
"I just want to see you more, to spend more time with you…" He looked at her with a hint of sadness. "Didn't you miss me at all?"
"Of course, I missed you. That's why I wondered why you vanished yesterday." She almost rolled her eyes—how could he misread her like that? But seeing the hint of gloom on his face, she let the thought go.
It seemed he genuinely worried about her aloofness. She'd thought… he'd treat this relationship like his past ones, not really caring even if they had a fight.
She remembered when they were just friends, they'd discussed relationship issues often. Back then, he'd always given her the impression that fights were no big deal.
He wasn't one to pick fights, but he'd said that if he wasn't in the wrong, he didn't care how the other person reacted; he wouldn't go out of his way to make up.
Now, thinking back, she recalled he'd mentioned he couldn't stand women who threw tantrums. Wait, did her behavior today count as a tantrum?
But she wasn't throwing a fit—she was genuinely upset, disheartened, especially after seeing those photos of him with Mylee.
And she was certain that if he saw her getting too cozy with another man, he'd be just as unhappy.
Tyree was the perfect example of that.
"I missed you too," Braden confessed, "I really did."
"Then make sure to call me as soon as you're free. I can't sleep well when I'm waiting for your call," Elise said, her tone softening.
Braden was about to say something when he noticed the ring on her hand. He remembered that on the day he left for his trip, she hadn't put it on yet.
Noticing his gaze, she smiled. "Since I can't see you every day, I thought I'd wear the ring. It feels like you're right here with me."
"I'm happy… truly happy." Baden's voice was soft, unguarded as he shared his feelings.
"Remember to eat, rest up. I'll be waiting for you in here." Elise showed off the wedding ring he'd given her, her voice growing softer. "Waiting for you… to marry me."
He said nothing, sealing his promise with a kiss on her lips.
He wanted to kiss her deeper, but, remembering how she'd get shy in public, he left a light kiss on her sweet lips.
"I should catch my train now." He held her hand, their fingers entwined, slowly letting go. "Wait for me… baby."
He'd never forget the way she'd hide her flushed face in her hands whenever he called her that.
Seeing her blush for him still, he could finally ease his worries that she might grow distant again.
He stood on the escalator, watching her until she was out of sight. Only then did he start thinking about his broken phone.
He'd only had that phone for less than a year. All he'd done was leave it on his desk to use the restroom, and by the time he returned, it was broken.
Killian had owned up right away, apologizing and explaining that she'd accidentally knocked it off the desk while goofing around with others.
But no matter how he looked at it, something felt off. He'd dropped his phone a few times himself, yet it had never shattered the screen like this.
Or was he being played? The thought crossed his mind, and he laughed. Or was he being played? The thought crossed his mind, and he laughed.
He must have watched way too many cheesy dramas with Ruth to even start thinking someone might be scheming.
------
The next morning, as soon as Elise sat down at her desk, Evelyn greeted her with a mischievous grin, eyes wide with surprise.
"Didn't think you and Braden would take a pretend act and make it real?" Evelyn smirked, pointing at a post on her phone screen.
Elise glanced over and saw a post where she'd been tagged in a photo with Braden.
She'd been so exhausted when she got home last night that she crashed without checking who'd commented on the post. Now, giving it a proper look, she saw several people had left well-wishes, while others poked fun at Braden.
For instance, Nathanael teased him for finally admitting he liked her.
She scrolled quickly through the post and noticed that Tyree had liked it too, which reminded her of yesterday's company tour, stirring an odd discomfort.
However, she realized something—Tyree wasn't even friends with Braden. So why would he like this post?
"What's up? Thinking about him? You've been staring at that post forever," Evelyn teased, her eyes gleaming with mischief. "When did all this happen? Is that ring on his hand supposed to match yours?"
Elise's cheeks flushed deep red, all the way to her ears. "Yeah… it's been just about a month."
"You two are registered already?" Evelyn gasped, squealing in excitement. "No wonder Braden looked so upset last time Tyree teased you. And no wonder he showed up yesterday—he must've come to see you!"
"Yeah, but we haven't actually registered yet. We're waiting until he's back from his trip," Elise replied, picking up her calendar from the desk. "Just three more weeks—it's coming up so fast."
"I'm really rooting for you two, and I wish you all the best," Evelyn whispered earnestly, "but I heard he dated Mylee. Even if it wasn't real, be cautious. Remember Aleena? A close friend turning into a third wheel… it's not easy to guard against."
"I know." Elise nodded, setting down her calendar. "Speaking of, if I do have a wedding, would you be my bridesmaid?"
"Of course! Why wouldn't I?" Evelyn wrapped an arm around her shoulder, flashing her a bright smile, filled with anticipation. "I can't wait to be a bridesmaid—it'll be my first time!"
"Maybe as a bridesmaid, you'll meet your own happiness," Elise leaned against her shoulder, already picturing the wedding. "Or I could have Braden introduce you to some friends."
"I'm not in a rush," Evelyn laughed, then grew more serious. "But this time, you really deserve to be happy. As your friend, I want to see you truly happy. Just remember, you still have that collaboration to wrap up. Don't let all your focus drift over to H Technology."
Elise's smile was blissful. "Of course. Both the project and my relationship will go smoothly!"
