Chapter 6: New Beginnings

It had been a few days since the tension between Fah and Nara had reached its peak, and the air between them felt like it was holding its breath. The unspoken feelings between them were becoming harder to ignore, but Fah had promised herself she wouldn't complicate things. For now, she would focus on the group dynamic—on keeping her friends happy.

But Beam had other plans.

-Fah and Phat's "Date"-

Beam had been relentless in her efforts to push Fah and Phat together. Fah had always thought of Phat as a good friend, but Beam's constant matchmaking began to wear on her.

It was a Saturday afternoon when Beam announced that Fah and Phat were going to spend the day together. A date, she had called it, even though Fah knew it wasn't that simple.

Phat had been enthusiastic, though a little too playful in his attempts to make the day feel more like a couple's activity. He took her to a local coffee shop, where they sat outside under an umbrella, sipping iced lattes and chatting casually. Phat was easy to talk to, his jokes and infectious smile always making the time go by quickly.

But as Fah sat there, listening to him talk about his favourite movies and latest video games, she couldn't shake the feeling that something was missing.

It wasn't that she didn't enjoy Phat's company—she did. He was funny and kind, a good listener. But her mind kept drifting to Nara.

When Phat reached for her hand as they walked through the park, Fah pulled away just a little too quickly, making it obvious to Phat that something was off.

"Is something wrong?" Phat asked, looking at her with concern.

Fah forced a smile, trying to brush it off. "No, it's just... I don't know. I've been feeling a little distracted lately. I'm sorry."

Phat nodded, understanding but clearly disappointed. He didn't push it further, but Fah couldn't shake the guilt that settled in her chest. She wasn't being fair to him. She wasn't being fair to herself either.

-Nara and Ton's Date-

The next day, Beam's matchmaking efforts continued with the same enthusiasm. She insisted on setting up a group date, where Nara and Ton would spend time together. Fah's anxiety only increased as she observed Nara and Ton interacting.

Ton seemed completely at ease with Nara, making jokes and trying to get her to laugh. Nara, on the other hand, remained distant, her smile polite but strained. It was clear that Nara wasn't entirely comfortable with the situation, but she didn't say anything, either.

Fah noticed Nara's quiet resistance. She wasn't engaging in the way she normally did, her usual wit and charm muted. Ton didn't seem to notice, or if he did, he didn't want to push.

As Nara and Ton talked about their favourite hobbies, Fah could feel herself becoming increasingly restless. She wanted to be there for Nara, to support her, but she also didn't want to disrupt the group. She couldn't bear the thought of Nara feeling uncomfortable.

At the end of the day, Ton gave Nara a friendly pat on the back. "Well, that was fun. Maybe next time, we'll get together again, just the two of us?"

Nara smiled politely, but Fah could tell it wasn't a smile of genuine enjoyment. The tension was palpable, and Fah knew it was only a matter of time before Nara would need to have an honest conversation.

-Secret Dates with Nara and Fah-

Later that week, something unexpected happened.

Fah and Nara went for a walk, just the two of them. No group. No pressure.

At first, they kept it casual, talking about small things—classes, the weather, funny moments from the past week. But soon, the conversation shifted.

"I never thought I'd end up here," Nara said, glancing at Fah. "With you. I mean, I didn't think we'd be spending time together like this."

Fah's heart skipped a beat. There it was again—that quiet longing in Nara's eyes. Fah had to look away, her cheeks flushing slightly. "Yeah, it's weird, right?"

But even as Fah tried to keep the conversation light, something shifted between them. They both seemed to lean in, their words becoming quieter, more intimate.

They walked for hours, completely lost in each other's company, enjoying every moment. There was no pressure, no pretense. It was just Fah and Nara, two people who didn't need words to communicate.

By the end of the night, they had shared their first real moment of connection, something Fah hadn't even realised she was craving. They laughed, they smiled, and for the first time in a long while, Fah felt completely at peace.

That night, as she lay in bed, Fah couldn't stop thinking about their time together. It was simple, but it felt like the most genuine connection she had ever shared. In comparison to the awkwardness with Phat and the strained dynamic with Ton, this date with Nara felt like it came from a completely different world. It was effortless.

-Beam's Increasing Pushiness-

As the days passed, Beam's matchmaking plans became more obvious and more aggressive. Every conversation seemed to revolve around setting up another date, with Fah and Phat, or Nara and Ton, or sometimes all of them together.

It wasn't just awkward anymore—it was becoming exhausting.

Fah tried to go along with Beam's plans, but the weight of it all was starting to crush her. She didn't want to hurt anyone, least of all Beam, but Fah felt like she was suffocating. She had to maintain the facade for Beam's sake, but every time she saw Nara's guarded expressions, every time she saw Phat's hopeful looks, her heart grew heavier.

One afternoon, as they all gathered in the cafeteria, Beam's excitement reached a new peak. She was practically bouncing with energy, oblivious to the tension around her.

"Okay, okay, I've got the perfect idea!" Beam said, leaning across the table and grinning at Fah. "You and Phat should go on a picnic this weekend, and Nara and Ton should go on a double date with you guys! It'll be so much fun, right?"

Fah's eyes widened. How could she say no without hurting her?

Fah glanced at Nara, who was sitting quietly, picking at her food. Her gaze was distant, her thoughts clearly elsewhere.

Fah forced a smile, trying to keep things light. "Sure, Beam. A picnic sounds great." But inside, she was tired—tired of the lies, tired of pretending everything was okay when it wasn't.

She couldn't keep lying to herself. She couldn't keep lying to Nara.

-The Growing Divide-

As Beam's plans grew more ambitious, Fah found herself more frustrated with every passing day. She had wanted to respect everyone's feelings, but now, she was starting to feel like she was losing herself in the process.

The secret dates with Nara, though fun and freeing, were becoming more dangerous. Every moment they shared felt like it was pulling them both deeper into something that neither of them were ready to fully acknowledge. The weight of their unspoken connection was becoming harder to carry.

Meanwhile, Beam's matchmaking kept pushing them further apart, making it harder for Fah to hide what she was feeling. But how much longer could she keep this up?

-One Night in Fah's Room-

Nara and Fah were lying on the bed together, the quiet of the night wrapping around them like a blanket. Despite the exhaustion that both felt, they had developed a routine of spending nights like this, alternating between Nara's room and Fah's. And with each passing night, Fah learned more about Nara—the quiet things, the little details of her life that she had never shared before.

Nara was more than just a pretty face, more than the quiet, composed girl Fah had first met. Her family—her legacy—was much more than what anyone had assumed.

Nara's family was famous, but it wasn't just the typical kind of fame that could be found in the tabloids. They were incredibly wealthy, known in the highest social circles. The kind of elegance that seemed to follow Nara everywhere had its roots in her family's old-money status. But despite the polished exterior, Nara's life had been far from perfect.

Her mother had been a famous actress, her face frequently seen in magazines and on screens, her career taking her all over the world. Her father, a real estate tycoon, was a powerful figure in the business world, constantly on the move, managing deals and properties. The long hours and busy schedules of both parents meant that Nara had spent most of her childhood alone.

For years, Nara's only consistent companion had been her home tutor, a woman who was both a teacher and a motherly figure to her. Nara looked forward to the moments they spent together, as she had no real friends to speak of—at least not in the way others did. But as time passed, it became clear that her tutor had a deeper connection to Nara than she had first realised.

Nara's voice softened as she shared the story, her eyes distant as though she were looking at something far off in the past. "I thought I could trust her," she said quietly, the vulnerability in her words cutting through the quiet of the room. "She was the one person who gave me attention when no one else did."

Fah turned to face her, her hand brushing Nara's, offering a small, silent comfort. It was clear now that Nara's loneliness had shaped much of her life.

"But she wasn't who I thought she was," Nara continued, her voice tinged with regret. "She was never really there for me. She..." She trailed off, swallowing hard as she tried to steady herself.

Fah, ever the quiet listener, didn't press for more but waited, letting Nara collect her thoughts.

"I guess I didn't realise just how much I was craving connection," Nara said, her voice small now. "She became someone I thought I could rely on, but it wasn't healthy. I didn't know any better back then."

Nara's family had provided for her material needs, but they had not been able to offer the emotional connection she longed for. The space between her and her parents had only grown over the years, leaving Nara to seek comfort in other people—but the isolation she felt continued to haunt her, even now.

Fah squeezed Nara's hand gently, offering her support without needing to say anything more. There was so much more to Nara than the carefully composed exterior she presented to the world.