Noelle sank into the plush armchair by the window of the hotel lounge, a delicate porcelain cup of peppermint tea warming her hands. Outside, the city shimmered with festive lights, reflecting softly on the glass. The scent of freshly baked scones and buttery pastries mingled with the faint aroma of pine from the lobby decorations, creating a comforting holiday atmosphere.
Mei Ling sat opposite her, a slice of yule log balanced carefully on her plate. "You need this," she said with a smile. "Just forget about boys for a bit and enjoy Christmas."
Noelle laughed softly, the sound lighter than it had been in weeks. "I suppose so. At least until Han goes off with Jessica."
Mei Ling shrugged, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "Then we binge K-dramas and critique every ridiculously dramatic scene. Or we crash that Christmas party tomorrow and make it fun for ourselves. Trust me, you'll forget all about him for a little while. And, not to mention that you're still completely oblivious to Ethan."
"Honestly," she said, letting the words linger, "he's totally simping for you and you don't even notice."
Noelle choked on her scone, coughing and waving a hand to brush off the sudden heat creeping up her neck. "What? Who?" she sputtered, trying to hide her blush.
Mei Ling smiled knowingly, tilting her head. "Ethan, obviously. All those little things he does. The way he notices what you like, how he's always around, checking on your sketches… you haven't realised it?"
Noelle shook her head, laughter bubbling up with a mix of disbelief and embarrassment. "He's just… nice, isn't he?"
Mei Ling rolled her eyes, a small laugh escaping her. "Nice? Noelle, he's smitten. Straight-up simping for you. And here you are, sipping tea like nothing's going on."
Noelle let her gaze wander to the decorations around the lounge, the glow of twinkling lights, the wreaths hung carefully above the windows, and the soft murmur of Christmas carols floating through the air. She tried to focus on the festive atmosphere, but her mind couldn't help wandering to Ethan. How he had brushed a stray strand of hair behind her ear last week, how his small smiles always seemed meant just for her.
She felt a tiny flutter of warmth, an acknowledgment that maybe Mei Ling was right. And yet, in the back of her mind, there was still that whisper: Han. The spark that had always lingered, complicated and distant, making her heart tug in two directions.
Noelle shook her head slightly, letting out a soft breath and smiling faintly at Mei Ling. "I guess… maybe he is a little smitten," she admitted, her tone teasing herself more than her friend.
Mei Ling leaned closer, lowering her voice with a grin. "A little smitten? He's practically floating on air around you, and you're too busy daydreaming to notice."
Noelle sipped her tea, letting the warmth spread through her chest. She changed the subject by distracting Mei Ling with stories about the latest K-drama twists, debating which characters had the best holiday outfits, and sharing small inside jokes only they understood. The hotel's soft lighting and festive decorations made the lounge feel like a world apart from everyday worries, almost like a perfect bubble where she could simply be.
Every so often, Noelle's mind wandered to Han, imagining him elsewhere, but she gently nudged it aside, focusing instead on the twinkling lights, the sweetness of the desserts, and the comforting rhythm of Mei Ling's company. For a little while, the ache of longing faded, replaced by the simple joy of being present, letting herself smile without restraint.
By the time the last crumbs were eaten and the tea cups emptied, Noelle realised she had allowed herself to be caught up in something completely her own. It wasn't forgetting Han entirely, but it was enough of a reprieve which is enough to remind her that the world could be light hearted and full of small, fleeting joys even when her heart still carried its quiet ache.
Noelle was still carrying the easy buzz of laughter from her afternoon with Mei Ling as she walked home, the faint taste of sweet pastries lingering on her tongue. Her arms were filled with shopping bags, her steps light, her heart just a little less heavy than it had been in weeks.
Turning the corner toward her house, she still had Mei Ling's words in her head. The teasing remarks about Ethan, their chatter about parties and dramas, all of it comforting in its normalcy. Noelle smiled faintly to herself at the notion that Ethan could be remotely interested in her.
And then she stopped.
Just outside her aunt's place, Han stood in the soft spill of light from the gate. His bleached hair caught the glow, slightly tousled and the soft illumination carved shadows along his cheekbones, making his sharp jawline stand out even more. He looked so achingly familiar but he wasn't alone. Jessica leaned into him, his hand brushing her arm with casual affection. Han bent his head slightly toward her, listening intently before slipping an arm around her shoulders as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
The sight pierced straight through Noelle's buoyant mood. She had prepared herself for this, telling herself it was bound to happen. Yet the sight still caught her like a bruise pressed too hard, tender and undeniable. She froze, her shopping bags biting into her hands. Her throat constricted. If they looked up, if they saw her standing there, the hurt on her face would betray her completely.
Forcing herself into motion, she hurried to her own gate, fumbling with the latch until she slipped inside and shut the door behind her.
Inside, Noelle pressed her back against the wooded door, her heart hammering as though she had run a mile. The glow she had carried from Orchard, from Mei Ling's laughter, dissolved instantly, replaced by an ache so sharp it left her breathless.
She kicked off her shoes and rushed to the bathroom, heart hammering as though she could scrub away the image, the ache, the sting of seeing him with someone else. The shower blasted hot, steam fogging the glass but the heat only sharpened her trembling. Her chest rose and fell in quick, uneven gasps and her hands shook as they pressed against the cool tiles for support. Water ran over her face, mingling with tears she hadn't realised were falling and for a moment, the world narrowed to the pulse in her ears and the relentless thrum of longing and loss.
No matter how hard she tried to breathe, the picture of them replayed in her head. Jessica's hand curling against his chest, his smile bending toward her, the kind of closeness Noelle had once dreamt of for herself. It was unbearable but yet she couldn't escape it.
Hours passed, though it felt like minutes and days all at once. Noelle finally stepped out of the shower, wrapped in a towel, but the warmth did little to soothe the ache coiling in her chest. She lay on her bed, staring at the ceiling, the memory of Han holding Jessica etched behind her eyelids. Her thoughts tumbled over themselves, replaying the scene in loops, each time sharper, each time leaving a little more sting.
When she finally crawled into bed, her body was exhausted but her mind refused to quiet. Every time she closed her eyes, the porch light returned, casting Han and Jessica together in its glow. Her pillow grew damp beneath her cheek as she tossed and turned, sleep elusive, her heart raw from the wound of wanting something she could never have.
By the time the first pale light of dawn crept into her room, Noelle's eyes were rimmed with red, her hair damp from the night's restless tossing, and her heart still carried the sharp, unyielding ache of longing. The joy of the afternoon was gone, erased by a single moment.