I was busy writing on the bond paper Emilliano brought, while he, on the other hand, was organizing all of my drafts. I had finally decided to write my novels down—partly because I could tell Emilliano was getting tired of just listening to all the stories inside my head.
I stopped writing when my hand started to go numb. I stretched it out, but he gently took it and began massaging it for me. I glanced at him.
"Don't you have a game with Luis? Why are you still here?" I asked.
He just looked at me and sighed. "You said you'd finally write the story down today. Did you know I've been waiting for that ever since you told me about it? I need to know what happens next."
I chuckled at that and laid my head on my arms, facing him. "I thought you were getting bored with all my stories. That's why I figured I should just write them instead—since I know you prefer reading."
He shook his head. "I can read and listen, Naure." Then he turned fully to face me. "Just promise me something. When you become a writer—I want to be part of it. I want to act in one of your stories." His lips pouted slightly.
I laughed. "Alright, if I ever publish this." I sat up straighter. "I just thought of another scene. I'm going to write again." I added, now focused once more on writing.
I heard the loud thumping of my heart again when they called my name. I took a deep breath before slowly stepping out from backstage. I smiled as I heard the cheers and applause from the crowd.
"And here comes the writer—cutiespiccyy!" the MC announced. I gave a small wave and nod before taking my seat in the middle of the long couch on stage. We all held mics, just in case we were asked questions.
I couldn't help but smile—I was the only one wearing violet while everyone else wore baby blue or yellow. The MC gave a short introduction, and soon, we moved into the Q and A.
"So, this is my question for our dearest Author, Miss cutiespiccyy," a fan said. She wore glasses and had a headband with my face printed on it. I smiled and nodded. "What did you feel when you saw your characters—who once only lived in your head—come to life?"
I smiled and looked out at all of them. "What I'm feeling right now… honestly, it feels like a dream. I never imagined one of my stories would be adapted. And now that I'm here—it all feels surreal. These characters used to only exist in my mind. And now they're here—breathing. I feel proud, grateful, excited… and just a little overwhelmed."
Someone else raised their hand, and a member of the team handed them a mic.
"Another question for Miss Author. Is Until Our Paths Meet Again based on real experiences? And do any of the characters reflect someone from your life?"
I bit my lower lip as I smiled—definitely not a question I expected.
"Well, UOPMA is based on a real experience. As a writer, I find it hard to write just from imagination. I have to feel it too—to see it happen in real life. That's how I write the scenes you read. And about the characters? Yes. Not just some—all of them were inspired by people I once knew… and still know."
The crowd nodded, seemingly satisfied.
"So, since this is an adaptation, are you going to rewrite or change the ending?" a journalist asked gently.
I shook my head. "No. I thought about that, too—but I told myself that… some painful and tragic moments have to stay in the story. Even if we never get closure in real life, that doesn't mean the story should change."
Then the Q&A moved on to the cast. Of course, they saved Emilliano for last.
"Uhm, so, here's a question for you," the fan began, her voice shaking. Honestly, I would be shaking too if I were just a fan and Emilliano was standing in front of me. "What was your initial reaction the first time you read the script?"
I adjusted in my seat. I was curious too—my heart was racing as I waited for his answer.
"Well," he began, "while reading the script, the first thing that came into my mind was… it felt like it was written by a memory. As if I knew him. As if I was him."
I inhaled deeply when I heard that. My chest suddenly felt tight, so I quickly grabbed the bottle of water in front of me and took a sip.
"The script wasn't overly dramatic—it was raw. And for my acting career… I feel like this role is going to break something inside me. That's what makes it so terrifying to portray."
I couldn't bring myself to look at him after that. And I knew he wouldn't look at me either—not with cameras, fans, and journalists watching our every move.
"How do you prepare for emotionally heavy scenes? Especially portraying someone dealing with regret and lost love?" a journalist asked.
"Honestly, I don't have to dig that deep. Everyone has lost someone. Everyone has looked back on a moment and wished they'd said more… stayed longer."
I found myself glancing at him.
And even though the space between us wasn't that far… it felt like he was drifting farther away.
I looked down for a moment, but reminded myself to stay composed—we were surrounded by cameras and fans.
The Q and A continued, followed by a group photo shoot. We all gathered at center stage for selfies with the fans. We handed out tarpaulins, fans, and lots of freebies—a small token of gratitude for their support and presence.
I met a lot of fans. We even went down the stage to greet them—it turned into a mini meet-and-greet.
We received so much love and so many gifts. And thankfully, not a single harsh question was asked. I was just happy that the press ended with all of us smiling.