Euphoria

Serene's smile, so radiant yet tinged with sadness, struck Killian deeply. Her words, though simple, resonated with an undeniable truth.

— "Perhaps, when you come here again; you will not be you, or maybe I will not be I anymore."

She said, her voice carrying a melancholic note beneath her smile. For the first time, Killian fully grasped the depth of her wisdom.

Her words choked him, causing a lump to form in his throat.

Reflecting on his week in Amsterdam, he realized how much he had changed.

He arrived as one person, burdened by past wounds and confusion, and now he was leaving as someone else—someone touched by Serene's presence.

"How can she see so deeply?"

Killian wondered. He admired her ability to understand and articulate profound truths that many failed to see.

He checked his watch—only five hours remained until his flight to France. The weight of impending departure pressed on him.

Their eyes locked, and this time, Serene didn't look away. Her gaze was steady, open, and full of unspoken words. Killian felt a rush of emotions, knowing this might be the last time he would see her for a while.

As Serene murmured into the night air, her voice barely a whisper, she said.

— "Please, Mr. Killian, speak whatever you want. Otherwise, you will feel regret. Say those sentences before it gets too late to tell me."

At the same moment, Killian's heart echoed his own unspoken words,

— "I don't know if it's love or what, but if it is, then I will come back again to...to make you mine. Because I want to fall in love truly but only with you. Unfortunately, I realized it too late."

Breaking their intense eye contact, Serene, with her usual sweet voice, said,

— "I guess you should go. Don't be late."

Killian simply nodded, his gaze still fixed on her. He couldn't tear his eyes away from Serene, mesmerized by her inner and outer beauty.

How could someone possess such grace and depth simultaneously?

The thoughts he had about her before their meeting had transformed entirely, and he found himself liking this unexpected turn of events.

As Serene gazed into Killian's eyes, she could see the turmoil of emotions reflected back at her. She longed to hear his true feelings, to know if he shared the same sentiments she harbored in her heart. Killian seemed hesitant, grappling with his own inner conflicts.

In a moment of unexpected boldness, Killian called out her name, breaking the barrier of formality that had lingered between them throughout their encounter.

— "Serene!"

Serene's heart skipped a beat at the sound of her name falling from his lips, a husky whisper that stirred something deep within her.

With a breathless face she whispers,

— "Ye-yes?"

Serene responded, her voice trembling with anticipation. She awaited his next words with bated breath, her eyes locked with his in an unspoken exchange of longing and uncertainty.

Then, in a moment that seemed to suspend time itself, Killian uttered words that held the promise of a future yet to unfold.

— "I will come back to you."

He declared, his voice filled with determination and resolve. For a brief, timeless moment, they stood locked in each other's gaze, the weight of his words hanging heavy in the air between them.

Around them, the world continued to move, but in that moment, they were the only two souls in existence, bound together by the unspoken promise of a reunion yet to come.

As a taxi pulled up before them, reality intruded upon their fleeting connection, signaling the end of their encounter.

With one last lingering look, Killian met Serene's gaze, silently conveying a multitude of emotions that words could not express.

After that, Killian smiled at her, and Serene returned the gesture. The colors of white and red, now representing their separate paths, distanced from each other as Killian prepared to leave.

He waved one last time before settling into the taxi, casting a lingering look at Cafe Wabi-Sabi—the place that had brought him to Amsterdam and, ultimately, to Serene.

As the taxi started toward Amsterdam Airport, Killian kept his eyes on the café, watching Serene wave with that ever-present smile.

Life was full of unexpected turns, and sometimes all you could do was accept them with grace, just like Serene did.

Killian's eyes held a deep, affectionate look as the taxi carried him away, knowing he would return. For himself, and for her.

Serene waved until the taxi disappeared from view, her smile never faltering.

She marveled at how something so extraordinary could happen to her, realizing that love often arrives in the most unexpected ways, breaking all preconceived rules.

Turning back to Cafe Wabi-Sabi, Serene felt a surge of gratitude. Her café had given her so many unexpected joys and meaningful encounters.

With a bright smile, she thanked her café silently, cherishing the surprises and happiness it had brought into her life.

As she stood there, under the glow of the streetlights and the gentle gaze of the moon, Serene felt an unwavering sense of hope and anticipation for what the future held. Serene smiled even more when her lips read,

— "Start From The End."

Where everything seemed to end, new beginnings often emerged. In everyone's life, when one chapter closes, another starts immediately, just as it happened with Serene.

When she stopped hoping for Killian to return, he reappeared, reigniting her hopes. Like starting from the end, her hopes began to blossom anew.

Cafe Wabi-Sabi had given her every reason to live. It didn't just heal others' wounds but also her own.

Because nobody can stared on their wounds forever; they need to heal. And that's how she and Cafe Wabi-Sabi would help everyone who walked through its doors—by starting from the end. This time, she would wait for him. She would do it.

After all, not all promises are meant to be broken!

The End