That afternoon, Leia arrived at the café, right on time for her scheduled blind date. She had agreed to it out of obligation, not really expecting much, but at the very least, she wanted to be polite. As she approached the café's entrance, she spotted a well-dressed young man standing near the door, checking his watch repeatedly. From his clean-cut appearance and slightly expectant expression, she guessed he must be her date.
For a brief moment, her mind drifted elsewhere—to Nathan.
She hadn't expected to run into him again after all these years, much less to relive the emotions she had once buried. But unlike before, she was no longer that high school girl admiring him from afar. She was older now, more grounded, more realistic. No matter how much her heart still fluttered around him, she understood something very clearly—they were not meant for each other.
Nathan was the sole heir to Gu Group, a man with influence, wealth, and a future carved out for him in the corporate world. And she? She was just a regular office worker, leading an ordinary life, far from the circles he belonged to.
With a soft sigh, Leia pushed the thoughts away and stepped forward, putting on her best polite smile.
"Hello, I'm Leia," she greeted warmly. "You must be my blind date?"
The young man turned toward her, his expression instantly brightening as he returned her smile. "Yes, that's me. I'm Yun Fei. It's nice to meet you."
They exchanged a brief handshake before entering the café and choosing a quiet corner to sit down. From the moment their conversation began, Leia realized that Yun Fei had a naturally warm and approachable demeanor. There was something comforting about the way he spoke—his words were easygoing, and his laughter had a lighthearted charm to it.
As they introduced themselves, the conversation quickly flowed from their jobs to their hobbies and travel experiences. Yun Fei was an IT engineer who enjoyed basketball and traveling, and Leia found his stories genuinely entertaining. He had a subtle humor that made their interaction pleasant, and before she knew it, time had flown by.
For the first time in a while, Leia felt at ease—no complicated emotions, no second-guessing, just a simple, enjoyable conversation between two people getting to know each other.
After nearly an hour, they left the café, stepping out into the cool afternoon air. Just as Leia was about to say goodbye, her phone buzzed with a new message.
Her breath hitched slightly when she saw the sender's name—Nathan.
Nathan: How was the date?
Leia stared at the message for a moment, her fingers hesitating over the keyboard. Why was he asking? Was it just curiosity? Did he actually care about the answer? Pushing away the sudden flurry of thoughts, she decided to keep things simple.
Leia: It went well. He's a nice guy, and we get along pretty well.
Almost immediately after she sent the reply, an inexplicable sense of unease settled in her chest.
Somewhere, Nathan was reading her message right now.
And at that very moment, miles away, Nathan's expression darkened as he stared at the screen of his phone, a dull ache creeping into his chest.
—
That night, Leia returned home later than expected. As she made her way toward her apartment complex, she suddenly noticed a familiar figure standing near the entrance, leaning against his car. Her footsteps slowed, her breath catching slightly as she realized who it was.
Nathan.
He was waiting.
For her.
Leia stopped in her tracks, her fingers tightening around the strap of her bag as she tried to steady her racing thoughts. Why was he here?
He was dressed casually, different from his usual business attire, but his presence still carried the same quiet intensity. His gaze met hers the second she approached, unreadable yet somehow heavier than usual.
Leia stopped in her tracks, staring at Nathan in disbelief. "Nathan, why are you here?" Her voice came out softer than she had expected, barely carrying over the quiet hum of the city around them.
Nathan's expression was unreadable at first, but when he finally spoke, there was an undeniable weight to his words. "When I saw your message… when I read that your blind date went well… I felt something I wasn't prepared for." He exhaled slowly, as if steadying himself before admitting, "I felt… disappointed. So I came to see you."
Leia's heart clenched at his honesty, her fingers instinctively tightening around the strap of her purse. "Nathan, we're friends now, aren't we?" she asked gently, though her chest ached even as she said the words. "Shouldn't a friend be happy for me?"
Nathan's gaze darkened slightly, his jaw tightening. "Leia, don't you ever considered me?" His voice was steady, but there was a rawness beneath it, a quiet desperation he was trying to keep in check.
Leia's breath caught in her throat. "Nathan… what are you saying?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. She had never seen him like this—so unwavering, so direct.
Then, with a quiet resolve, he said the words that sent her world tilting.
"Leia, I like you."
The confession hung in the air between them, heavy and impossible to ignore. Leia's mind went blank for a moment, her heart pounding so hard she thought he might hear it. She had imagined this moment countless times when she was younger, had longed for it in high school when she had admired him from afar.
But now?
Now, things were different.
Leia swallowed hard, forcing herself to find her voice. "Nathan… I don't think we're suitable."
Nathan's brows furrowed, his gaze searching hers. "Why not?"
Leia hesitated, then exhaled deeply. "Nathan, look at you. You're successful, respected, the heir to a major corporation. You have a world ahead of you that I don't belong in. You could find someone who fits into that world, someone extraordinary."
Nathan took a step closer, his eyes never leaving hers. "Leia, tell me what you think I am."
She let out a nervous laugh, feeling her face heat up as she tried to explain. "You're intelligent, kind, responsible. You care about the people around you. You're patient, and you treat others with warmth, even when you pretend not to. And of course, you're the sole heir to the Gu family's business. You're—"
Before she could finish, Nathan moved.
In one swift motion, he wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her flush against his chest. Leia gasped, but before she could react further, he leaned down, tilting his head just slightly—and captured her lips in a kiss.
Her breath caught, the world spinning as she felt the warmth of his touch, the way his fingers gently cradled the side of her face as if she were something precious, something he was afraid to break. The kiss was slow, lingering, filled with emotions that had been bottled up for far too long.
Leia's mind screamed at her to pull away, to resist, to remind herself why this was a bad idea—but her heart?
Her heart betrayed her.
Her fingers clutched at the fabric of his jacket, her body melting into him as she let herself surrender to the moment, let herself feel the weight of everything that had been left unsaid.
When they finally parted, her lips tingled, her face flushed, and her breath came in uneven gasps.
Nathan rested his forehead against hers, his voice low and intimate. "Leia, be with me—with marriage in mind."
Leia's eyes widened. "Nathan, are you sure? I'm not good enough for you."
His lips curled into a soft, almost exasperated smile. "Leia, I never cared about things like that. I don't care about status, wealth, or expectations. What I care about is you. I regret missing my chance years ago, and I won't let it happen again." His voice softened even more as he added, "When my mother told me you had planned to confess at graduation, I waited for you. But when she got sick, I had to leave, and I never got the chance to see you one last time. Meeting you again now… it feels like fate. And I don't want to let you go again."
Leia's throat tightened at his words. He had known. He had known about her planned confession all along.
The realization left her feeling raw, vulnerable, and incredibly emotional.
Tears burned at the corners of her eyes, but this time, she didn't hold them back. "Nathan… I think we can try."
She didn't say the words lightly. She said them because, despite all her logic and reasoning, despite all the fears and doubts—her heart had already chosen him a long time ago.
Nathan pulled her into his arms, holding her tightly, as if he had finally found something he never wanted to lose again. "Leia… thank you for giving us this chance."
Leia smiled against his chest, closing her eyes as she wrapped her arms around his waist, holding onto him just as tightly.
She didn't know where this road would lead, but in this moment—she knew she was exactly where she was meant to be.