LM0039: Dreams

"What do you want to do?" Mizuki asked conversationally, her voice light but her curiosity genuine. It was a question she had never thought to ask Pablo in her previous life. Back then, she had simply assumed he enjoyed business, as he excelled at it. He and her father, Caleb Wolfe, had been a formidable team, pushing the Wolfe Group to expand its reach deeper into Asia. That was why, in her past life, she had followed Pablo to Singapore after their wedding, never questioning his dreams—or her own.

"I'm honestly not sure," Pablo admitted after a pause. His voice was steady, but Mizuki caught the faint shadow of hesitation in his tone. She nodded knowingly, her mind drifting back to his earlier words about feeling trapped by duty, his life dictated by the weight of his responsibilities.

"Was there ever something you dreamed of doing when you were younger?" she prompted, her gaze softening. "When I was a kid, I wanted to be an astronaut."

Pablo glanced at her, his brows lifting in mild surprise. "An astronaut? Really?" he asked, a faint smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "What about now? Do you still want to be one?"

Mizuki let out a light laugh, shaking her head. "No. I realized I hate math. There's no way I'd ever make it to space." Her words were playful, but as she spoke, an unbidden image filled her mind—a memory that didn't feel like her own.

She was floating in the vast expanse of space, weightless, surrounded by the infinite blackness of the cosmos. The moon loomed impossibly close, its surface glowing with a silvery luminescence that seemed to pulse with life. Below her, Earth shimmered like a jewel, a mesmerizing swirl of blue, green, and white, distant yet achingly beautiful. The memory—or was it a vision?—felt so vivid, so tangible, that Mizuki could almost hear the hum of silence in the void and feel the cold vacuum pressing against her skin.

A sharp throb pulsed at her temple, jolting her back to the present. She winced, her hand instinctively moving to her head.

"What's wrong?" Pablo's voice was tinged with concern, his footsteps stopping as he turned to face her.

Mizuki blinked, shaking her head as she forced a smile. "I'm fine," she said quickly, though her voice was softer now. "Just a little headache."

"Probably stress from dealing with our mothers," Pablo quipped, his tone lighthearted as he tried to ease the tension.

Mizuki chuckled despite herself, the sound lifting the lingering weight in her chest. "Well, that's certainly possible," she replied, her eyes crinkling with amusement.

They continued walking, their pace unhurried as the cool evening air brushed against their skin. The path before them was quiet, lined with tall, swaying trees that cast long shadows under the dim glow of the streetlights. For a moment, neither of them spoke, the silence between them comfortable, almost companionable.

"What about you?" Mizuki asked after a while, her curiosity resurfacing. "When you were young, did you ever dream of doing something completely different?"

Pablo hesitated, his gaze drifting to the path ahead. "I don't know if I'd call it a dream, but I used to imagine being a teacher," he admitted. "I liked the idea of helping others, guiding them. But…" He trailed off, his expression clouding with something Mizuki couldn't quite place.

"But life had other plans?" she finished for him, her voice gentle.

Pablo nodded, a wry smile tugging at his lips. "Yeah. My parents had plans, and I followed them. That's just how it was." He glanced at her, his gaze softening. "I don't think I ever really let myself dream after that."

Mizuki felt a pang of sadness at his words. The Pablo she had known in her past life had always seemed larger than life—confident, decisive, and driven. But now, as she looked at him, she realized how much of himself he had buried under the weight of expectation.

"You should try dreaming again," she said quietly, her voice earnest. "Even if it's just small dreams. Like…" She paused, her lips curving into a teasing smile. "Like imagining a life where our mothers aren't meddling in our every move."

Pablo laughed, the sound warm and unrestrained. "That does sound like a dream," he agreed, his eyes crinkling with amusement.

For the first time in a long while, Mizuki felt a flicker of hope—not just for herself, but for Pablo too.

—-------------------------------

"Mizuki, child, are you sure you don't want Pablo?"

Mizuki paused mid-bite, a piece of bacon poised on her fork. She sighed, setting it down with a soft clink against the plate. She'd lost track of how many times her mother had asked her this same question. Ever since Romina and her son had left after dinner last night, it seemed to have become Kai's mantra.

Kai had even insisted that they stay the night, but Romina and Pablo had been adamant—they had already booked a hotel nearby and promised to drop by again soon. This, however, hadn't stopped Kai from placing the blame squarely on Mizuki.

"It's because of your rejection," Kai had declared more than once, as if willing it to be true.

But Mizuki refused to admit fault. She wasn't responsible for their decision to leave. Pablo had assured her it was for the best, that boundaries were necessary. Neither of them wanted to entertain the engagement, and being too accommodating would only invite trouble—prying eyes and wagging tongues eager to spin gossip into full-blown scandals.

No, Mizuki thought firmly, this was better for both of them.

"Of course not! Mother, you're so focused on the fact that I'm not head over heels for Pablo, but have you even noticed that he's not thrilled about what you and Aunt Romina are doing either? He clearly doesn't feel that way about me, so why are you so adamant about pairing us up?"

"Mizuki Wolfe! Watch your tone!" Kai gasped, her voice a mix of shock and indignation. Mizuki had never spoken to her like this before. But Mizuki wasn't in the mood to care. Ever since mentioning outer space earlier, she'd been plagued by a nagging feeling—like she'd forgotten something monumental connected to it. The frustration of not remembering was eating at her, making her even more irritable.

"You don't have to talk to me like that," Kai added, her voice trembling with offense.

"And you don't have to ask me the same question over and over again either," Mizuki snapped. "It's not like my answer is going to change after just a few minutes."

Kai's expression grew even more hurt, her offense now palpable. At that moment, Caleb entered the dining room, his presence adding a new layer of tension to the air.

"What's going on here?" he asked, looking between his wife and daughter.

Kai immediately turned to him, her voice taking on a childlike tone as she sought comfort. "Darling, I was just asking Mizuki if she's sure she doesn't want to be engaged to Pablo. They looked perfect together! I just don't understand why she doesn't want to marry him." She walked up to Caleb and hugged him, her dramatics in full swing. "She was so mean to me just now, and I was only asking."

Caleb returned the hug, casting Mizuki an exasperated look that made her bristle. "Mimi, there's no need to be angry at your mom," he said in a tired voice. "She's only thinking about your future. Pablo's a good kid."

Mizuki felt her irritation boil over. "Well," she began, standing abruptly, her appetite gone, "news flash: not everyone is okay with pretending to be happily married to someone they don't love. It's better to reject it now than to live with someone who would cheat on you because they never liked you in the first place!"

Her words hung heavy in the air, a blunt accusation that cut deep. Mizuki wasn't just referring to herself—her comment was a direct jab at her father's affair and her mother's silent acceptance of it.

Her voice rose with her anger, her emotions spilling over in a way she couldn't control. Both her parents stared at her, stunned into silence.

Without waiting for a response, Mizuki turned on her heel and left, leaving behind an unfinished plate and a room full of shock.