That Saturday night, Kaivan planned their celebration. Ludwig Café, with its sweeping view of the city sky, became the perfect stage. Usually quiet beneath the blanket of stars, the rooftop turned lively that evening, filled with laughter, warm chatter, and the hum of gratitude.
From above, the city lights shimmered like a sea of jewels, echoing their triumph. The night breeze carried the scent of food and a thrill of unseen excitement, weaving an atmosphere both intimate and almost magical. The moment became a memory in the making.
Normally, it was just Kaivan, Radit, Frans, and Zinnia at these gatherings. But tonight was different. Two new faces joined them: Thivi with her bright cheer, and Felicia with her quiet mystery. They didn't just add to the numbers, they shifted the rhythm, changing the mood into something new. The celebration was no longer about gold or numbers, but about belonging. About becoming one.
Plates of tempting food crowded the table, drinks gleaming beneath the soft lights. Conversation jumped from jokes to dreams, from strategies to secret confessions. Laughter bound them together, an unspoken promise: none of them would walk alone again.
In the midst of the cheer, attention fell on Felicia. Sitting easily on Kaivan's lap, she fed him with casual grace, as if it were second nature. Kaivan accepted it without fuss, as though their closeness required no explanation.
From another seat, Tira, sitting beside Frans, watched with curious eyes.
"Who is she? The one on his lap, feeding him?" she whispered.
Frans smiled, a touch of pride in his voice. "That's Felicia. And the guy is Kaivan, my most loyal friend. He was there even when I confessed to you."
Tira frowned slightly. "Are they… dating? Isn't that a bit much, in public?"
Frans shrugged lightly. "No. They're not dating. But Felicia's always like that, looking after Kaivan like he belongs to her. I don't know why."
Tira nodded slowly, though her curiosity lingered. Across the table, Zinnia caught a piece of their exchange but replied only with a faint smile, choosing silence over judgment.
Above them, the night sky spilled stars across the city, as if blessing the moment. No one thought of tomorrow. They lived fully within the passing second, letting smiles and laughter warm the rooftop.
After seeing Tira home, Frans returned to Ludwig. The streets were hushed, streetlights glowing dimly, his steps thoughtful as he replayed the night. When he arrived, the others were still gathered, joking and chatting under the gentle light.
Suddenly, Radit lifted a bottle from the table, his grin turning mischievous.
"How about we play Truth or Truth? If there's a Dare, people can dodge the real questions. Not fun at all."
The circle formed: Kaivan, Zinnia, Thivi, Frans, and Radit sat around the table. Felicia, still near Kaivan, smiled faintly, choosing to stay an observer. The bottle spun slowly under the touch of Radit's hand, marking the beginning of a game that would peel back secrets hidden beneath laughter and the night's glow.
The bottle turned, its scrape soft but enough to stretch the silence tight. Time itself seemed to hold its breath as every gaze fixed on it. At last, it slowed… and stopped, pointing directly at Zinnia.
Zinnia straightened her back, a faint smile brushing her lips, though her eyes held something unspoken. Radit grinned, seizing the moment. "Zinnia, what makes you so relentless? Something happened?"
Silence. Zinnia lowered her gaze, her eyes sweeping over the faces around her. The night, once filled with laughter, gradually fell quiet.
"My life used to be ordinary," she said softly, her words firm. "School, hanging out. But slowly… the men I trusted all disappointed me. Every relationship ended in wounds. Even after my sister got married, I saw the same in my brother-in-law. That's when fear took root. Even with you guys, I need distance. At least one hundred and twenty centimeters just to talk."
Her voice was calm, yet it cut deep. Each sentence peeled back layers of hidden scars, heavy enough to weigh down the night air.
"My father died when I was little," she continued. "So I never had a man to look up to. Over time, men became something like a threat that never sleeps."
The rooftop turned still. No jokes, no laughter. Only the wind and their hushed breaths. For a brief moment, everyone felt closer, not through games, but through the truth finally laid bare. Zinnia's wounds touched them all, binding their hearts in shared silence.
Radit, usually lighthearted, now looked at her with steady eyes. "Thank you, Zinnia," he whispered, sincere. No one answered with words. Only their gazes met, offering strength in silence.
The bottle spun again. Tension grew, as if the night itself held its breath. Many silently wished it would stop at Kaivan, that the mystery of the Tome Omnicent would finally surface. But fate chose otherwise, the bottle pointed at Radit.
Zinnia's smile was faint, but her gaze sharp. "What's the worst thing you've ever done?"
Radit hesitated, a flicker in his eyes, but he didn't look away. Under the broken moonlight, he began to speak.