Chapter 2: Unspoken Words

Niki slowly turned to look at the boy standing behind her.

For a moment, everything seemed to freeze.

The dim restaurant lights fell on his face. He was calm, his eyes steady, and his expression unreadable.

"He's my friend," Bikky said casually. "We study together in college."

The boy gave a slight nod, showing no emotion.

For a fleeting second, Niki's heart pounded, but she steadied herself. Her face remained unchanged.

"Hi," she said in a neutral tone.

The boy responded with a brief "Hi" and pulled out a chair to sit down.

Bikky carried on, "Today was so busy at work that I barely had time to breathe. And now, suddenly, I run into Niki after all these years!"

Niki gave a small smile, as if nothing had happened.

The boy—Bikky's friend—remained silent. His eyes occasionally flickered toward Niki, but they quickly looked away.

"What are you doing these days?" Bikky asked, taking a sip of his juice.

"I'm in my final year," Niki replied. "And you?"

"Same here! Different college, but I'm enjoying it!" Bikky said with a laugh.

"Yeah, life is strange," Niki murmured, lightly tapping her fingers on the table.

She could feel someone watching her, but she refused to look in that direction.

Just then, Bikky's phone rang. He glanced at the screen and said, "One sec, it's my manager calling."

He stepped aside to take the call.

Now, only Niki and that boy remained at the table.

The air suddenly felt heavier.

The boy's gaze was fixed on the table, but Niki could sense that something was going on in his mind.

As Bikky was about to return, his eyes suddenly landed on a faint scar on Niki's forehead.

"Oh, did you get that while sneaking away from your grandma?" Bikky joked.

Niki smiled faintly, but something in her eyes shifted.

"No," she said softly.

Bikky didn't notice, but the boy was now looking at her.

"Did you fall?" Bikky asked.

"Yeah," Niki answered briefly.

Bikky laughed. "You've had a habit of falling since childhood!"

But this time, the reason for her fall was different.

She gave no explanation. Just nodded with a small smile.

Bikky Said, i wanna do some work I'be come back

Now, only the two of them were left at the table.

In a quiet voice, the boy said, "You didn't expect to see me here."

It wasn't a question. It was a statement.

For the first time, Niki met his eyes, expressionless. "No."

For a brief moment, something flickered in his eyes, but it disappeared just as quickly.

Niki wanted to say something—something sharp, something cold—but she stopped herself.

This wasn't the right place.

This wasn't the right time.

The bright club lights were still visible outside, but at this table, everything felt slower.

The night had just begun.

And so had the game of unspoken words.

Niki slowly slipped the strap of her bag onto her shoulder and stood up.

"Alright, I should go," she said in a quiet voice.

Bikky looked surprised. "Leaving so soon? Stay a little longer!"

"No, I should head out now," Niki replied, her voice carrying an odd exhaustion.

But just then, a commotion near the restaurant entrance caught her attention.

"Niki!"

She turned—and saw her friends walking in.

"Hey, you're here? We were looking for you at the club!" one of them chirped.

And then, their eyes landed on the boy.

"Oh, you're here too?" one of them asked, surprised.

The boy gave a small smile. "Yeah, I'm here with Bikky."

"Wow, small world!" another friend laughed.

Niki said nothing. Her fingers were still tightly gripping the strap of her bag.

"Since we're all here now, why don't we sit and chat for a while?" one of her friends suggested.

"Yes, absolutely!" another friend pulled out a chair.

Niki glanced at the boy for a second. He was calm, just looking at her.

She loosened her grip on the strap.

Leaving now wouldn't be easy.

She sat back down, but the uneasiness inside her remained.

The conversation started flowing—old memories, college stories, laughter.

Bikky kept throwing in jokes now and then. But Niki's mind was elsewhere.

The boy remained silent, only smiling occasionally or giving short replies.

But Niki knew...

This was just what was visible on the surface.

Inside, something entirely different was going on.

And maybe… she wasn't the only one feeling it.