Chapter 02

Gabriella stepped out of the car and made her way towards her grandmother's house, she could feel the warmth of the place already wrapping around her.

The familiar warm feeling of her grandma's house was there and she couldn't help but smile.

Sara, with her usual energy, mischievous grin welcomed her as she was already pacing outside the house for last twenty minutes.

" Well, well, look who finally decided to show up!

I was starting to think you ran off to another continent instead of coming here! "

Gabriella laughed, rolling her eyes before saying,

" You're lucky I didn't just leave you all behind. I had to deal with a flight, jet lag, and your endless messages! "

Elena raised an eyebrow, a teasing smirk on her lips, she then said,

" I don't know, Sara's right. It's been way too quiet without you around."

She glanced at Mateo, then back at Gabriella with a sly grin.

" Grandma's been even more obsessed with you than usual. I swear. We haven't seen her since morning because she's been in kitchen all day."

Gabriella's mouth dropped open in mock surprise.

"What..? No..!

Not again.... You guys"

she groaned afterwards making everyone laugh out loud.

" And you know what the worse part, with all the chefs, she is doing it just for you " Elena joined in.

" Don't try to deny it, " Sara chimed in, crossing her arms and giving Gabriella a knowing look while nodding

" You've always been her special one. I was starting to think we're just background characters in this family drama."

Gabriella laughed along with them but deep down she couldn't deny the truth.

" I swear, if I hear one more story about Mariya this and Mariya that.... I might lost my mind " Mateo started, but his voice trailed off as he exaggeratedly playfully rolled his eyes. Sandra laughed at her husband's dramatics.

" I mean, you can't blame Grandma. You've got that charm that gets her every time." Sandra said out of nowhere.

Gabriella, gasped dramatically.

" You're all just jealous because I'm Grandma's favorite! I don't know how I can live with this constant pressure!" She put a hand on her forehead as if overwhelmed by the weight of the accusations.

"You'd better get used to it, because I'm pretty sure she's been baking your favorite cookies just to rub it in our faces," Mateo teased, earning an exaggerated groan from Elena and Sara which made Sandra and Gabriella laugh loudly.

Gabriella grinned, glad to see them all teasing and laughing with each other like old times. It was like this always.

But the fact, Gabriella was actually grandma's favorite because of her innocence and her manners. Everyone teases her when she gets special treatments but it was never out of jealousy.

Gabriella was only four or five when she began living with her grandma. Her parents would often leave her there due to their constant arguments, which became increasingly severe.

Over time, these tensions made Gabriella reserved, sensitive, and quiet. Whenever her parents went on business trips, they'd leave her with her grandma, and that bond formed naturally.

With her grandma and cousins, she always felt at ease. It wasn't that her cousins were jealous, they simply enjoyed teasing her, and she knew that.

...

She glanced over at the door, her heart suddenly lightening at the sight of her grandmother standing there, watching them with a loving smile. As she stepped inside, the warmth of her grandmother's presence enveloped her.

" Mariya, my darling! Come in, come in!" her grandmother exclaimed with open arms, her voice full of affection.

" Welcome back home, my sweet girl! Let me see that beautiful face of yours!"

Gabriella's chest swelled at the sound of the name her grandma always used for her.

Back in Seoul, everyone had called her Mariya because they couldn't pronounce Gabriella well. It had become her cherished nickname.

It reminded her of her time there, a time that seemed so distant now.

She was known as Mariya Kim in Seoul,

but here in Madrid, she was

Gabriella Mariya Kim.

Her heart swelled at the reminder of the love she had here.

Behind her, her cousins were still teasing, their playful groans filling the room as they couldn't hold back their laughter.

" Lucky we! Reina Mariya de Español has blessed her with her arrival! " They joked, their teasing lighthearted but full of affection.

The title Reina had caught her off guard, and for a brief moment, her heart skipped. It was the nickname Mike had given her, the one that always made her smile but today it ached at the same time.

A wave of emotions hit her, a quiet pull in her chest, but she quickly steadied herself, pushing the sadness aside. Today was about family, about being here. She just laughed at their commentary.

Her grandmother wrapped her arms tightly around Gabriella, holding her close.

" I'm so glad you're home, sweetheart. I've missed you so much," she whispered, her voice thick with emotion.

Gabriella closed her eyes for a moment, letting the warmth of her grandmother's embrace sink in. She had always felt so loved by this woman, her steady presence in her life. She squeezed her grandmother a little tighter, her voice soft but full of meaning.

" I missed you too, Grandma. I'm glad that I'm home" Gabriella replied, her heart full, the weight of the distance between them melting away in this simple, yet profound, moment.

As her cousins continued to mockingly groan about her special treatment, Gabriella couldn't help but feel the weight of the past few days lift.

Despite everything that had happened between her parents which she had been torn apart about but still this felt like a happy family vibe. This reminded her that she is not alone she has alot of people to make her happy and make her feel like she is home.

....

They went inside the house together, the familiar, homely scent of her childhood home and the lingering aroma of freshly baked bread wrapping Gabriella in an embrace of nostalgia.

As she stepped further inside, a wave of comfort washed over her, mixing with the bittersweet feeling of being back in her childhood home.

The long flight had drained her, but seeing the familiar walls and decor, the ones she had always taken for granted, filled her with an undefined ease. This place had been her haven for so long, even though so much had changed.

After a light meal, filled with warm laughter and easy banter between cousins, the group got up, ready to head out with little Olivia.

Gabriella, however, felt the exhaustion creeping in, and with a soft smile, she said,

" I think I'll rest for now. You guys go ahead."

Her grandmother's eyes softened at the sight of her.

" Mariya! You must be tired, honey. Go rest. Just tell me if you need anything." she said warmly, her voice a gentle invitation.

Gabriella smiled gratefully, her eyelids heavy with fatigue. She nodded, agreeing with her grandmother's words.

As she made her way upstairs, she took a slow, deep breath, feeling the warmth of the old house settle into her bones.

The sense of home wrapped around her like a familiar blanket, and with every step she took, memories of her childhood came flooding back, racing down the stairs in the mornings, the sound of laughter and music filling the rooms, and the playful fights with Elena and Sara that had once seemed so trivial but now felt so precious.

Her grandmother said walking behind her, to drop her to her room to make sure she felt the room comfortable or if she needs anything

" You know! Sara was back at four. She couldn't wait to see you and even took a day off. She was literally dying to catch up with you,"

Gabriella chuckled softly at the new information, a smile pulling at her lips as the thought of her cousin warmed her heart.

" Really? We decided to go out tomorrow just to roam around for a walk to the park after breakfast, but for now, I think I'll just take it easy." She paused, turning back slightly.

" Of course, sweetheart," her grandmother said, her tone filled with affection. Gabriella nodded once more, entering into her room after a few chitchats her grandmother finally left.

....

The door clicked shut behind her, and Gabriella looked around for a moment, taking in the sight of the familiar room, her old room. The soft curtains, the bed she used to sleep in, the bookshelves she had once filled with stories.

A part of her had expected it to feel strange, like she had outgrown this place. But instead, it was like nothing had changed. It was as if time had stood still just for her.

As she sat on her bed, taking her stuff out for daily use, her thoughts began to wander back to Seoul and the people she had left behind. Her friends, her memories, Him.

The note, pendant and chocolate were still tucked safely inside her bag, those felt more like a promise to meet again than a mere gift.

She pulled out the stuff outside the bag, holding her diary between her hands, her fingers caresses the cover of diary opening it taking out the note once again, reading them again.

She kept quiet but her mind seems to have a voice of its own.

" If it really was you, if you were the one who left that note," she thought, the ache in her chest deepening,

"Why didn't you come to see me off? Why didn't you say goodbye?"

Her heart ached at the thought. The plane had carried her far from Seoul, but her memories kept pulling her back. She was getting a bit frustrated by the passing time.

She reached for the Polaroid tucked in her diary. The polaroid held a lot of memories. Her tired eyes roamed over it one last time with a sad smile. Their smiles were wide, eyes sparkling with happiness, their unspoken emotions on full display. He looked at her as if she held all the beauty of the world, while she gazed at the camera with a dimpled smile.

She flipped over the Polaroid. The date was mentioned in his handwriting alongwith a nickname he had given her on her birthday.

" A very Happiest Birthday to one and only

Reina Mariya de Español ❤️ "

And at the corner was date mentioned " July 17 "

It was her birthday from last year when he finally started opening up about his true feelings for her that led the whole group tease them continuously.

She felt safe and comfortable with him, and though she had started liking him, but she wasn't sure if it was real or just a passing feeling because of how nice he was to her, creating an unspoken bond between them that no one could name.

It wasn't like she hated it when someone mentioned how cute they looked together, Listening this, Mike would be all smiles and happy, she would get completely flustered.

The memories made her chuckle sadly. Making her blush just to see her reaction had always been his favorite thing.

At first, she thought he was just flirting with her like he did with every other pretty girl on campus. Little did she know, he had already started liking her. She had no idea when, how, or where it had happened.

It wasn't until he started protecting her that leads everyone to notice something. Not only their own group but people around them also started exchanging knowing glances, asking questions about their relationship and sneaky stares to get any gossip.

The unspoken tension between them became evident and impossible to ignore, and soon enough, teasing from their friends became a regular thing causing her to blush furiously.

With each passing moment, her frustration grew, unintentionally but undeniably. After placing the photo and note back in her diary, she tossed it into the top drawer of her bedside table in exasperation. Yet, despite her frustration she had put on the pendant he had left for her. She felt like wearing it.

Even thinking about Seoul now felt like reopening an old wound. She had no idea leaving would hurt like this.

After the long journey, exhaustion weighed heavily on her.

" It's time to start fresh," she murmured, her voice barely audible. She whispered more like a reminding herself, as she finally lay down on the bed, pulling the soft blanket over her.

She stared out of the window for a moment, lying down, the world outside fading into the distance.

Gently, she pulled the pillow close to her chest, as if it could somehow bridge the gap between her heart and the memories that lingered.

A single tear slipped down her cheek and she whispered with a quiet longing

" I don't want this to be the end. I just want to believe we'll meet again, someday, somewhere."

With a deep sigh, she closed her eyes, hoping sleep would bring some peace and unknowingly she fell asleep.