IT'S REAL THOUGH...

Chapter 3

I don't know anymore—was it real, or just my imagination? Confused and restless, I decided to go for a check-up. I couldn’t ignore these strange feelings any longer. I made an appointment with one of the best psychologists in the city.

But I couldn’t let Min Ai know about it. I lied to her, telling her, "I'm going to meet a friend here."

At first, she looked at me like I had lost my mind, her eyebrows raised suspiciously. But after a moment, she simply said, "Okay."

I sighed in relief, feeling the heavy weight lift from my chest.

After she left for work, I got into my car and headed toward the clinic. As I waited in the heavy traffic, a sudden dizziness hit me. My head spun violently, and my vision blurred. Breathing became difficult, as if a giant hand was pressing down on my chest. Panic gripped me.

Out of nowhere, an unknown man appeared, urgently opening my car door. He began giving me first aid, speaking in a calm voice. When I slowly opened my eyes, I saw him—the same man from the museum.

"Don't worry," he said softly. "You’ll be okay. But listen to me carefully—don't go for that check-up. They will kill you."

My heart pounded in confusion and fear. "What's your name?" I asked weakly.

He smiled at me, a gentle, heart-melting smile. Then he took my hand in his, and his touch sent an electric shiver through my body.

"You’ve started to fall for me, haven’t you?" he teased, his eyes twinkling.

I blushed furiously, my cheeks heating up. "N-no..." I mumbled.

"I can't hear you. Can you say that louder?" he chuckled mischievously.

Ignoring his teasing, I tried again. "I asked for your name. Can you tell me, please?"

He gently caressed my hand, and in a soft, mesmerizing voice, he said, "My name is Ju Long."

The moment I heard his name, my heart skipped a beat. My whole body broke into a nervous sweat.

"Umm, I guess you've started to love me," he said with a teasing grin.

"N-no! No, I haven't!" I protested quickly.

Laughing softly, he caressed my head, and instantly, I felt calm wash over me.

"Bharathi," he said, looking deeply into my eyes, "do you know why you allow me to touch you? And why I keep appearing in your life?"

I stayed silent, watching him intently.

"Because we are destined," he whispered. "This is fate. I have waited for you for so long... I can't wait anymore. I love you."

He proposed to me.

I smiled unconsciously, my heart melting at his words.

Then, something inside me stirred—my sixth sense. I gathered my courage and asked him,

"I can understand that you’re not human. If we are destined... then you have to come into my real life. I can't love someone who's just an illusion. I want you to come as a human."

Ju Long chuckled warmly. "Alright. I will come to you as a human. Be ready for our date," he promised, his voice wrapping around me like a cozy blanket.

He started to fade away. In a panic, I grabbed his hand, staring into his eyes with pleading desperation.

"I know you're not human... but can you tell me who you really are?" I whispered.

He brushed a gentle kiss on my forehead and said, "You’ll know... when the right time comes."

And then, he was gone.

I opened my eyes and found myself staring at my room ceiling.

Wait—why was I seeing my room ceiling when I was supposed to be in my car?

Just then, the door creaked open, and Min Ai entered, her face filled with relief.

"Finally, you’re awake," she sighed.

"Awake? Was I sleeping?" I asked, confused.

"Yes... but no," she said, sitting beside me. "You fainted yesterday night while eating. I called the doctor. He said you were just too tired and weak. You would be fine once you woke up. But honestly, I was worried... you slept for so long," she added, ruffling my hair affectionately.

Min Ai had even cooked porridge for me and insisted on feeding me herself. Her kindness touched my heart deeply. For the first time, I felt the pure love of a true friend.

After finishing the meal, I hugged her tightly.

"Thank you, Min Ai. I’ve never felt this much love before. I love you," I said with tears in my eyes.

She laughed and teased me, "I love you too! But hey, don't get me wrong. I'm not a lesbian, okay?"

We both burst into laughter.

That night, I asked her to sleep with me, needing the comfort of her presence. It was one of the most peaceful nights I had ever experienced.

The next day at work, the atmosphere was tense. People were moving around nervously, cleaning, arranging files, and adjusting the furniture.

"What’s going on?" Min Ai asked one of the girls.

The girl whispered back, "Our new CEO is visiting today. They're planning to make our office the head office now."

Our jaws dropped.

"What about our assignment, Min Min?" I asked, blinking in confusion.

She smirked and said, "Haha, throw it into the dustbin, you fool! A new CEO means a new management system. They won’t care about our old assignments."

I pouted, feeling disappointed. "I really worked hard on that assignment..."

"If you’re that disappointed, you can continue working on it, Miss Bharathi," a familiar voice teased from behind.

I turned around—and there he was.

Ju Long.

My heart skipped several beats, and my cheeks flushed red in embarrassment.

"Miss Bharathi," he said, his voice gentle yet commanding, "I’m here now."

I quickly cupped my cheeks to hide the deep blush spreading across my face. He walked closer and whispered in my ear,

"Get ready for our date."

My ears turned scarlet. I was on the verge of exploding from shyness.

"Hey Bharu, why are you blushing like that?" Min Ai teased.

"It’s hot in here!" I lied, trying to escape.

"But the air conditioner is set at 16 degrees, dear," she teased even more.

Unable to stand it, I ran up to the terrace to cool down my burning face.

As I leaned against the wall, trying to calm my racing heart, a familiar voice spoke up behind me.

"The weather’s nice, isn’t it, Bharu?" Ju Long said casually, chewing imaginary gum and flashing me a charming smile.

My heart went wild again.

"At this rate, my heart is going to burst," I mumbled.

He leaned in closer, pinning me gently against the wall.

"Can’t you speak louder?" he teased again.

"I-I can speak loud!" I protested, shoving him away lightly.

"So you finally believe I’m real? That we’re destined?" he asked, pouting like a sulky child.

I smiled and grabbed his arm, leaning against his shoulder.

"I believe you, Ju Long," I whispered. "This is the first time my heart is beating fast for a man... And this feeling, I’ve never felt it for anyone else. When I’m near you, I feel so warm and safe."

For the first time, I confessed my feelings.

"But Ju Long," I said hesitantly, "how am I going to introduce you to Min Ai?"

He chuckled. "Just tell her we are destined to be together."

"But she won’t believe me," I pouted.

He took my hand and placed it gently over his heart.

"Bharathi," he said earnestly, "the feelings my heart holds for you are real. Now go and tell her whatever you want."

Then, he pressed a loving kiss on my forehead.

And in that moment, I knew—I was ready to believe in our destiny.