CHAPTER 9: (Distance, Destiny & Defining Who We Are)

Suci's POV

I used to think school would always be the center of my life.

Waking up at 6:00 AM. Uniform ironed. Hair tied neatly. Bag full of notebooks. Dreams stuffed in the side pockets.

But everything changed after Vienna. And definitely after Tokyo.

Now, instead of walking into a classroom, I log in.

Every morning, I sit by the wide window of the Tokyo dormitory, the city humming outside, and I open my laptop—not just to study but to keep up with both my academic life and my rising music career.

I shifted to online schooling, officially.

Not because I wanted to slack off.

But because there's only 24 hours in a day—and every one of them is now split between rehearsals, interviews, writing sessions, cultural classes, and voice mentoring.

My parents understood.

They saw the whirlwind my life was becoming.

> "As long as you don't stop learning," Dad told me over the phone, "you're not falling behind—you're just learning in a different way."

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Artum's POV

I'd been standing in front of a whiteboard when it hit me.

Half the class was scrolling their phones, the other half yawning.

And me?

I was there physically, but not mentally. My soul was somewhere else.

I couldn't pretend anymore.

The week after Suci left for Tokyo, I handed in my resignation papers.

> "You're one of our most beloved professors," my department head said, stunned.

> "I know," I said. "And I love teaching. But I've taught others how to chase dreams for years... I think it's time I chase mine fully now."

It felt like cutting off a limb.

But also... like growing wings.

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Back to Suci

It had been five weeks since I left New York. Since I last saw him in person.

We kept in touch—video calls, voice notes, silly pictures of food we were eating.

But let's be real.

Distance doesn't just test your love—it tests your patience.

One night, I sent a voice note:

> "Hey, I saw a couple holding hands today and it hit me—I miss yours. I miss the way you hold me when the world feels too loud."

It took hours for him to reply.

He'd been in the studio all day.

> "Sorry, I crashed. But I miss you too, Su. Every day feels quieter without your voice beside me."

I tried to be strong.

But some nights, I cried into my pillow.

Being surrounded by opportunity doesn't make you feel less lonely.

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Artum's POV

Tokyo looked beautiful on her stories.

But it also looked far.

I buried myself in music. I painted my studio walls with concepts. I signed with a local creative agency in Brooklyn and started performing in underground art shows.

It was exciting... but I felt like I was walking alone on a bridge only she understood how to cross.

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A Month Later – Turning Point

I got a call from my old student, Rayne.

> "Sir, I saw you on YouTube! You and Miss Suci! Why didn't you tell us you're, like, famous now?"

> "Not famous," I laughed. "Just finally doing what I love."

> "We all miss your classes, but we're proud of you. Like, really proud."

And just like that, something shifted.

I stopped feeling guilty for leaving.

I started feeling grateful for choosing me.

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Meanwhile in Tokyo – Suci's Growth

My mentor in Japan, Ms. Okabe, pulled me aside after rehearsal.

> "You hold emotion like thunder in your voice," she said. "But sometimes, you try too hard to be perfect."

> "I just don't want to disappoint," I whispered.

> "Discipline matters, Suci-san. But sometimes, vulnerability is the performance."

That stayed with me.

That night, I wrote a new song.

A letter in melody.

For Artum.

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[Song Lyrics – Untitled for Now]

🎶

> ♪ "Are you sleeping under the same sky as me?

Do your hands still tremble when you think of me?

I'm singing across seas just to reach your breath

Hoping love finds its way even through silence and stretch…" ♪

🎶

I sent him a clip.

He replied instantly.

> "Don't ever stop writing like this. You just made the moon feel jealous."

My heart melted.

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A Week Later – The Invitation

My Japanese team handed me a thick envelope.

Inside: an invitation to perform at the Asia Global Fusion Summit in Seoul.

But this time, they wanted a dual act.

> "Your chemistry with your former partner, Mr. Wolin, was unlike anything we've seen," the letter said.

"We would love for you both to headline the finale."

My hands trembled.

A chance to see him again.

A chance to sing not just to him—but with him.

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Suci's Call

> "Art? Are you sitting down?"

> "Yeah… why?"

> "They want us. Together. For Seoul."

Silence.

Then—

> "I'll be on the next flight."

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Final Scene – Airport Reunion

I stood at the arrival gate in Incheon International Airport.

Nervous. Sweaty palms. Heart pounding like a bass drum.

Then I saw him.

Tired eyes. Hoodie. Bag slung over his shoulder. But still him.

I ran.

He dropped his bag.

We met in the middle.

He didn't say a word.

He just held me.

Like nothing had changed.

Like everything had.

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> "Missed me, Wolin?"

> "Every second, Leighton."

> "Let's make them remember why we're better together."

> "Oh, they won't forget."

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To Be Continued…