Vanessa was walking toward the ride, her long hair catching in the lights. Her star-shaped mark shone faintly under the glow, unmistakable. Travier tried to look away, to focus only on Saphirra, but Vanessa's eyes suddenly met his—and lit up.
"Travier!" she called out, rushing forward. "It's me, from yesterday!" Vanessa called, and in an instant, she was already standing beside Travier, not noticing Saphirra, who was holding his hand.
Saphirra froze, her fingers tightening around Travier's hand.
Saphirra looked at Vanessa, then her eyes widened in shock. It was indeed Vanessa... Her ex-best friend.
Saphirra stayed silent and hid behind Travier, not looking at Vanessa, and seemed not to recognize her, which made her let out a sigh of relief.
But then she could feel the shift in his body—the way his shoulders tensed, the way his eyes softened with recognition.
Vanessa reached them just as the attendant gestured for the next riders. "I was such a mess yesterday, and I'm sorry for what happened," she said, her voice bubbling with excitement. "I'm so glad I get to see you again!"
Travier forced a polite smile, but before he could say anything, Vanessa glanced at the Ferris wheel. "Oh! Are you riding too? That's perfect—I'll join you!"
Saphirra's heart sank. This was supposed to be their moment. Their wish. Their 11:11. But before she could protest, Vanessa was already stepping toward the carriage with them, chattering away.
Travier didn't stop her.
He didn't even try.
Travier stayed behind Saphirra and assisted her to climb the cabin, but then Vanessa was already sitting in the cabin, looking at her with a frown, probably just noticing Saphirra.
"Oh... I didn't know you were being accompanied by your makeup artist," Vanessa suddenly said, which made Saphirra pause mid-step, while Travier looked at Vanessa, taken aback, before clearing his throat and speaking, but Vanessa talked again.
"Ahh, right, models surely need to have a guard," Vanessa said with a smile, which made Saphirra grit her teeth in annoyance, but she just ignored Vanessa and stepped inside the cabin.
Saphirra swallowed the lump in her throat as the three of them climbed into the small Ferris wheel cabin. She pressed herself quietly against the window, trying to hide the way her chest ached. All she had wanted was one memory—one private wish with her husband beneath the stars.
Now, at the very moment she had dreamed of, she wasn't even sure if she had his full heart beside her.
And as the Ferris wheel began to rise, the ticking clock moved closer and closer to 11:11.
The Ferris wheel cabin swayed gently as it climbed higher into the night sky, the city lights stretching out beneath them like a sea of stars. Saphirra sat by the window, her fingers clutching the stuffed bear Travier had won her earlier. She had imagined this moment a hundred times—her and Travier alone, whispering a wish at 11:11. But now, Vanessa's voice filled the small space, bright and sweet... and distracting.
Travier tried. He really did. He kept glancing at Saphirra, trying to smile at her, trying to reach for her hand. But each time, Vanessa laughed or leaned a little closer, and his attention slipped. There was something magnetic about her—the glimmer in her eyes, the glow of that identical star mark. He hated himself for noticing, for feeling that strange pull again, but he couldn't deny it.
Vanessa tilted her head, studying Saphirra with curious eyes. "You seem tense," she said suddenly. "Thank goodness that I was here, or else Travier would just get bored having someone boring accompanying him."
Saphirra stiffened. Her chest tightened as she forced a stiff smile. "Yeah, right, but I also hope you know that even if I were his makeup artist, we still can't indulge with the model or else it will spread false rumors," Saphirra said before her stiff smile turned into a soft one.
"Unlike someone who's just a fan who seems to be greedy to have an issue with the model," She continued sarcastically, which caught Travier off guard and turned to Saphirra, but she didn't spare him a single glance.
Meanwhile, Vanessa could feel her blood boiling and glared at Saphirra. "Oh, really? I think you must learn how to shut that mouth of yours, have some respect," Vanessa said before turning to Travier. "Oh gosh, Travier, is this the kind of staff you have? If I were the manager or even you, I would have already fired her. Look at how she treats your fans."
Saphirra gritted her teeth and glared at Vanessa. She's still the same, always acting the victim. But before Saphirra could even speak, Travier suddenly turned to look at her.
"Saphirra, let's not make any harsh replies anymore, okay?" Travier said, which made her eyes widen in shock.
'Did he just defend Vanessa?'
"What? but-"
"Saphirra, enough is enough," Travier said, cutting her mid-sentence, which made her bite her inner cheek. She glanced at Vanessa, who was smirking, which made her angrier, but she decided to just let it pass this time.
Saphirra's face flushed. Her hands curled into her lap, but she stayed silent, staring out at the skyline instead of answering. She didn't trust her voice not to break. This was supposed to be her moment with Travier, not a stage for someone else to belittle her.
Travier caught the shift in the air, the sarcasm in Vanessa's words, the way Saphirra's shoulders tensed. A flicker of disappointment crossed his face. Vanessa wasn't what he thought she'd be—her beauty was striking, yes, but her attitude... It left a bitter taste.
Yet he said nothing.
The silence that followed was heavier than the creak of the Ferris wheel. Travier is sitting between the girls, torn between his guilt, his fascination, and his frustration at himself. He wanted to reach for Saphirra, to reassure her. But the words stuck in his throat.
Saphirra, lips pressed tightly together, kept her eyes fixed on the glittering city below. Inside, she burned with anger and sadness—not just at Vanessa's sarcasm, but at Travier's silence and the way he defended Vanessa. He hadn't defended her. Not even a word.
The wheel climbed higher, ticking closer to 11:11, but for Saphirra, the magic of the moment was already gone.
The clock struck 11:11. The Ferris wheel cabin reached its peak, the city lights glittering below like fallen stars. It should have been the perfect moment. The one Saphirra had imagined—her hand in Travier's, whispering a wish into the night sky.
But she couldn't do it.
Her lips never parted. Her chest was too heavy, her mind spinning with cruel thoughts.
'Why would I wish for forever when fate has already chosen someone else for him?'
Beside her, Travier and Vanessa were talking softly. Vanessa's voice was light, her laughter a melody that filled the cabin. Travier chuckled at something she said, even though it was nonsense, his smile reaching his eyes in a way that made Saphirra's stomach twist.
Saphirra pressed her palm against the cold glass, staring out at the skyline. She felt like an intruder in her own marriage. The irony cut deep—she was the wife, but sitting here now, she felt like the third wheel.
Then, without warning, the Ferris wheel jolted. The cabin rattled violently, swaying hard enough to send Vanessa squealing in surprise.
Saphirra gasped, bracing herself, certain that Travier would reach for her. Her heart leaped with hope—he'll protect me, he always does.
But instinct betrayed him.
Travier's arm shot out, wrapping protectively around Vanessa, pulling her close against him as if shielding her from harm. His movement was so fast, so natural, as if his body already knew what to do before his mind could catch up.
Saphirra's breath caught in her throat, and her forehead accidentally hit the glass, which made her groan lowly and grit her teeth. For a moment, she sat frozen, watching the two of them. Her husband and his supposed soulmate pressed together in the small cabin, his arm secure around her.
Her chest burned, but she said nothing. She turned her face back to the window, forcing the tears to stay hidden, her hand clenched tightly, and her blood boiling, wanting to lash out, but decided to just stay silent.
Travier realized too late. His eyes flicked toward Saphirra, guilt flashing in them like lightning. But the damage was done. His instinct had chosen—and it wasn't her.
The wheel steadied, but for Saphirra, the shaking never stopped
The Ferris wheel slowed to a stop, the cabin rocking gently as the attendant opened the door. Saphirra moved quickly, stepping out first before Travier could offer his hand. She didn't want him to see how badly hers was shaking.
She paused in front of the Ferris wheel gate, steadying her breath, and turned slightly as if to call for him. But the sight that met her stopped her voice in her throat.
Travier was behind Vanessa, helping her step out of the cabin. His hand rested at her waist, steadying her as she hopped down. For a moment—just a moment—it lingered there, fingers pressed lightly against her. Then, as if realizing it, he pulled away.
But Saphirra had already seen it.
Her chest tightened, her vision blurring at the edges. This was supposed to be their night. Their wish. Their date. Their memory. And yet, all she felt was the sting of being left in the background.
Travier glanced up, and his eyes landed on her. He knew. He could see it written all over her face—the tightness in her jaw, the way her lips pressed together, the sadness she tried so hard to hide.
"Saphirra—" he began, stepping forward.
But before he could reach her, she snapped. Not with words, not with anger. Instead, she turned sharply on her heel, her silence louder than any outburst could have been. She walked away, her figure swallowed by the glow of neon lights and the hum of the amusement park.