The Puppet stood up, pulling out his phone.
"Hello, William. I need a favor."
On the other end, William's voice came through, lazy and indifferent.
"What is it?"
"How can I get close to Ganesh?" The Puppet's question was direct and immediate.
There was a brief silence. Then, William's tone changed becoming more sharper and alert.
"Why do you need him?" There was a slight nervousness in his voice now.
Sensing it, the Puppet let out a small chuckle. "Relax. I'm not planning anything bad. Just helping him... from a distance."
William didn't respond right away. He was thinking.
Eventually, he sighed. "Fine. I'll send you a trinket. Give it to Ishan he might help you."
The Puppet grinned, pleased at how smoothly things were going.
A few minutes later, a small object materialized in his hands. It was a book, but tucked inside there was three letters.
One addressed to him.
One to Ishan.
And the last...
To Nicolas Sam
Knowing that Sam had no family, the Puppet felt a wave of confusion.
"Nicolas? Who the hell is that?"
Before overthinking it, he unfolded the letter addressed to him and began reading.
[Puppet, you will assume the fake identity of Nicolas. You were originally meant to take over the company, but seeing how successful it became, you changed your mind. You are an orphan who I personally chose as my successor before my death.]
Before opening the letter tied to his fake identity, the Puppet burned the one he had just read.
He glanced at the remaining letters. Just from their thickness, it was obvious they contained a lot more information. He didn't bother opening them.
Instead, he tucked them away and focused on his next move.
Ganesh had already managed to escape the mob of fan girls and slipped into his company building. Without hesitation, the Puppet followed.
Ishan could barely hold back his tears. "I know that when I pass away, William and Sam will be proud of me."
At that moment, Radhika came in with a tray of cookies. "Don't go talking about passing away just yet! Think about our children first or at least wait until Ganesh has a child!" she teased, trying her best to lighten the mood while handing out the cookies.
Nicolas looked closely at Radhika, sensing something was off. Focusing on her, he noticed a problem. Radhika had a weak heart.
Ishan caught Nicolas's concerned gaze toward his wife but remained silent. When Nicolas finally looked away, their eyes met. 'How long was I staring at her?' Nicolas thought. 'I guess it's fine to help her.'
Ishan didn't avert his gaze, as if he already knew what Nicolas was about to say.
"Mr. Ishan, did you know that your wife's heart needs medical attention?" Nicolas didn't bother to lower his voice, even with Radhika nearby.
Radhika, who was pouring more tea, abruptly stopped and left the room.
Watching his wife leave without a word, Ishan turned back to Nicolas. "We've been to every hospital for help, but because of her age, surgery is very risky and doctors don't want to do it because they're reputation. Please, don't mention it to my children. She just wants to go peacefully."
"I understand, sir. I won't say a word. But if it's alright, may I head to the company by myself?" Nicolas asked, wanting to complete his task.
---
At the company...
Knock, knock.
"Mr. Ganesh, these papers need your approval."
"Sure, come in." Ganesh was sipping a bottle of pineapple Fanta. Looking at the documents handed to him, he asked, "Give me the short version, what's the main issue?"
"On the second page, our rival company is doubling our sales. If this continues, our brand might lose its standing. On page six, our social media presence is also receiving significant backlash."
Ganesh sighed. "Is it because I became CEO in my 20s?"
"Yes, sir. They're claiming that your father forced the previous owners of the company to commit suicide." The worker looked uneasy as he spoke.
"Tell our social media team not to engage with that nonsense. Right now, we're at the top, if we lower ourselves to respond to baseless rumors, the company will fall tomorrow." Ganesh flipped through the last few pages and approved some documents.
Relieved, the worker left the office. Ganesh went back to drinking his Fanta.
Knock, knock.
"Come in."
"Greetings, Ganesh." A man in a fancy suit with messy black hair entered the room.
"Who are you?" Ganesh asked, confused. Just then, his phone rang, it was his father.
"Ganesh, I sent someone for you to meet his name is Nicolas. Nicolas Sam."
Ganesh looked at the man standing in front of him. "Are you Nicolas Sam?"
Nicolas nodded in agreement.
"Father, he's already here. I'll handle it. Take care." Without waiting for his father's response, Ganesh ended the call.
Straightening his posture at the desk, Ganesh took an exaggerated sip of his Fanta, the sound dragging out dramatically. *sssslllluuurrrppp*
Their eyes locked, neither willing to be the first to speak.
This silent standoff lasted for ten minutes, with neither one breaking eye contact. Despite his cup being empty for the past seven minutes, Ganesh continued making the slurping sound as if it were still full.
Both of them sighed at the exact same time, realizing that if this continued, they would be stuck there for hours.
Ganesh was the first to break the silence. "I knew a man named Sam," he said, occasionally glancing at Nicolas.
"It's sadder that he died on the same day as Kim Dokja's birthday," Nicolas remarked, shaking his head in disappointment.
Ganesh looked puzzled. "You... Who are you?"
Nicolas simply shrugged and tossed a book onto the desk. The very book that Ishan had mentioned, the one William never got to finish.
The infamous 1Q84. "Why a book? Is there some kind of reason? Well, I shouldn't go down that easily!" Ganesh thought. Opening his drawer, he pulled out a manhwa titled On My Way to Meet Mom and tossed it back. Nicolas caught it effortlessly in mid-air.
After inspecting the manhwa for a few seconds, Nicolas made a suggestion. "Wanna go out and talk?"
Ganesh glanced at the clock, noticing it was almost lunchtime. Shrugging, he got up from his desk. Before leaving, he called his secretary. "Jay, inform the workers that today's lunch break is extended by an hour. Also, if someone needs to go home early, make sure they provide a reason."
Nicolas waited patiently, not wanting to eavesdrop on their conversation.
"Oh, and one more thing," Ganesh added. "Let everyone know that today's lunch money is on me." He patted Jay's shoulder and left the building, dressed casually to avoid drawing attention.
As they walked to the coffee shop, Nicolas and Ganesh made small talk. Once they arrived, they sat down and placed their orders. The moment the waiter left, their expressions grew serious.
Nicolas spoke first. "You know my name. I was chosen as the company's successor."
Ganesh replied, still puzzled. "I don't understand. Why did you throw that book at me?"
"Ask Mr. Ishan," Nicolas responded without missing a beat.
Ganesh cut straight to the point. "What's your connection with Sam?" The question had been nagging at him.
"I'm their son," Nicolas stated plainly.
Ganesh's face twisted in confusion. "You mean Sam and William adopted you? And if things went south, you'd inherit the company?"
Nicolas smirked. "Bingo, you got it."
The tension eased, and both of them laughed, like old friends reunited after years apart.
The two continued their small talk when Ganesh suddenly asked, "So, do you have a girlfriend?"
Nicolas glanced at the screen in front of him, which popped up with an update request. Without fully processing Ganesh's question, he absentmindedly replied, "Yes." The screen promptly disappeared.
Ganesh raised an eyebrow, amused. "Oh? Who is she?"
Realizing his mistake and feeling cornered, Nicolas blurted out, "Alena," without much thought.
Ganesh chuckled. "So young, and you already have a girlfriend? Man, I'm jealous."
Nicolas tilted his head. "You don't have a girlfriend?" He already knew what the answer would be. Ganesh's true love story was still there, which meant he had never dated.
Ganesh's expression darkened, his voice turning cold. "It's... complicated. I'm having some issues with my ex."
Nicolas nearly choked on his drink when he heard that Ganesh had dated someone.
Sensing Nicolas's surprise and not wanting to dwell on the topic, Ganesh quickly asked for the bill.
After leaving the restaurant, they walked down the streets in comfortable silence, with Ganesh leading the way. Eventually, they arrived at an old bookstore.
Inside, the shelves were packed with a mix of old and new manga, manhwa, and light novels, all coexisting in the cozy space.
Ganesh leaned forward to pick up a newly released book when his hand brushed against someone else's.
The moment Ganesh hands touched the little girls, Ganesh's story seemed to glow. Nicolas instinctively stopped Ganesh from taking the book forcefully. Not wanting to leave a bad impression on the girl who reached for the book at the same time.
Ganesh feeling sad asked if the store has that exact book. He was close to getting depressed when the owner said it won't be back for a month.
Ganesh's thoughts raced. Why would he do that? He knows how much I love reading, and I wanted to read that book to William.
Frustrated, Ganesh stormed out of the store, with Nicolas following close behind.
Feeling betrayed, Ganesh wanted to demand an explanation, but as he thought more about it, he reminded himself that the book was meant for William. Which made his emotions in chaos, he didn't voice his true feelings. Instead, he shouted, "Nicolas, I'm going to kill you!"
Nicolas understood that Ganesh was upset about losing the book, but he couldn't reveal his real intentions. He was doing this for Ganesh's future, even if it meant being misunderstood.
But instead of explaining himself, Nicolas shot back, "Ganesh, I'm going to kill you!"
They went their separate ways. Ganesh headed back to the company, while Nicolas, unsure of what to do, opened his screen.
The update was still running in the background. Maybe I should ask the other puppets who know more about romance, he thought.
Nicolas searched the romance category, and a wide range of sub-genres filled the screen. bromance, abusive love, and more. Feeling a bit overwhelmed, he narrowed his search for "true romance." Only a few names appeared, and among them, only one person was currently available.
"Ughhh... I guess I don't have any other choices," Nicolas muttered, switching back to the thousands of unread messages and missed calls all from one person.
The most recent message read: "It's rude to leave a woman hanging, you know!!"
Taking a deep breath, Nicolas typed, "Come to me," and sent his location. Barely a second passed before she appeared.
She materialized instantly, her expression filled with anger, and without hesitation, she ran at Nicolas. As she got close, she delivered a powerful slap, so forceful that if it had been an ordinary person, they would have died on the spot.
"Puppet 0351, the nerve of you making a woman come to you! You should have come to pick me up instead, you meathead!" She pouted, her brows furrowed in frustration though her exaggerated expression made it hard to take her seriously.
"So, are you done? The reason I called you is that I have a problem with my genre." Puppet ignored her anger, jumping straight to the point.
"Hmph. So what is it?" She was still annoyed but curious.
"Don't laugh, understand!" Puppet warned, his tone firm.
"Okay, okay, I won't." She leaned in, intrigued.
"It's... true romance."
The moment he said those words, she burst out laughing. "You? True romance? Hahaha! What a good joke. Stop kidding, tell me the real problem!" Her laughter was so loud that bystanders started looking in their direction.
Puppet quickly covered her mouth with his hand, glaring at her. Realizing he was serious, she calmed down.
"You... got a true romance? But you're mostly an action genre."
"Yeah, that's the problem. So, can you help me?" Puppet was already regretting asking for her assistance.
"I will... but in return, I want you to... hmm... Be my husband officially. Yeah, that's fair!" She grinned, clearly satisfied with her demand.
"Absolute not!" Puppet declined her offer at an fast speed.
"How about becoming my boyfriend?" She didn't give up and still continued.
"Still no!" Puppet shaked his head in denial.
"Ughh fine how about 3 or 4 wish? It's fine right, plus you can put rules." She was certain this would work.
"I guess that works." Puppet sighed as he pulled up his screen. "This is Ganesh. Today, we met a little girl, and when their hands touched, his genre glowed golden. Also, Ganesh apparently dated someone before, but his genre didn't disappear, which seems weird to me."
"Oh, what an interesting case. You've definitely caught my attention!" She beamed, thrilled by the unusual situation but "Let's go and meet him I wanna right now!" She was more happy that puppet accepted her offer.
"That's the problem." He was a little bit nervous to say what happened. "To not let Ganesh forcefully take the book I stopped him."
"You what?!" After Puppet showed her the playback on his screen, she finally understood what he meant.
"But why are you helping mortals?" She gave him a mischievous look, clearly amused.
"William is very important to my origin story. That's it." His voice was casual, but his eyes betrayed a hint of embarrassment.
"Wait... you said Sam and William are your adoptive parents is that true?" Her lips curled into a devilish grin, her thoughts clearly straying somewhere not safe for public discussion.
Cheeks turning slightly red, he quickly clarified, "N-not like that! He's just... really important to how I came to be." His voice stumbled through the explanation.
"Okay, okay, I get it. Stop overreacting." She let out a soft smile, it was the first time she'd seen the Puppet get flustered.
"So, you accidentally introduced me as Alena, huh? Well... I guess I can work with that." She leaned in slightly. "But if I was really on your mind, you could've just used my real name Luna, right, Nicolas?" Her smirk was pure teasing.
Nicolas was already regretting his life choices. "Can we go now? You can fix this, right?"
She slowly shook her head. "I'll try."
With that, Nicolas teleported them right in front of Ganesh's office door.
He knocked. Knock knock.
"Who is it?" Ganesh replied in a tired tone. "If you want to take the day off, go ahead. No need to leave a reason."
"It's me. Nicolas."
A brief silence followed.
"…Come on in."
Nicolas opened the door, and both he and Alena stepped inside.
Ganesh didn't even look up right away. "Nicolas, I was wrong to say I'd kill you, okay? I just… really wanted to read that book to William." He let out a heavy sigh, hoping his apology would rebuild the trust between them.
"It's fine. I'm sorry too, I didn't know you wanted it for William." Nicolas looked genuinely regretful. "I just didn't want you to come off as an asshole in front of a little girl."
While they were mending things, Nicolas's phone rang. He excused himself, stepping away to a more private spot before answering.
His phone shifted back into its screen form as he picked up the call. "Yes?"
As he listened, his hands began to tremble. His expression darkened. Without another word, he teleported across the galaxy—to the farthest dying star.
"Do you understand!" a voice shouted from the other end just before the call ended.
Nicolas's fury ignited. The star was obliterated in an instant.
He reappeared shortly after, but something had changed. The warmth was gone from his face. No smile. Just a cold, emotionless stare.
---
Back at the office, Alena was casually getting to know Ganesh better.
"So… what kind of woman do you like?" she asked playfully.
Ganesh let out a slow sigh. "...Why are you asking?"
Alena flashed a teasing smile. "I am a woman. I'm just curious!"
"I don't want to talk about it. Besides, I've got a ton of work waiting." He gestured at the overwhelming pile of documents on his desk.
"How about this, me and Nicolas handle some of it for you?" she offered, her sweet smile impossible to resist.
Ganesh hesitated, then asked, "Do you know anything about marketing?"
"Some," she replied with a shrug.
Ganesh duplicated some papers and handed her a copy. "Let's see then."
They got to work. Papers spread across desks, pens scribbled notes, and the silence was surprisingly comfortable until a female voice echoed through the hallway:
"Is anybody here?"
Ganesh stood up and opened the door. A woman stood in front of him, holding a folder in both hands.
"Ah, hello. Who are you?" he asked.
"Oh! Mr. Ganesh. I'm from Lazer company. My boss sent me to arrange a meeting with you."
Ganesh raised a brow. "Couldn't you have sent it through our company email?"
"I did… several times today. But there was no reply. That's why I came in person." She tried to sound confident, but the nervousness in her voice betrayed her.
"Tell her I'll meet her tomorrow," Ganesh said, brushing past her and walking back into his office.
As the woman turned to leave, her eyes caught a glimpse of Alena inside. She paused. Something about that woman felt… off.
Looking around and realizing no one else was there, she left the building and returned to her own company.
The woman walked down the familiar hall and knocked on her boss's office door.
"Yes, come in." a gentle voice called from inside.
She stepped in and bowed slightly, her gaze briefly taking in the imposing yet elegant figure before her. Nova sat behind her desk, her straight black hair falling like a shadow against the crisp lines of her charcoal suit. Those dark ruby eyes, usually so calculating, now held a rare softness as she looked up from her work.
"Miss Nova, he agreed to come tomorrow," the woman said. "But… may I ask why you wanted an audience with him?"
Nova leaned back, her long fingers steepled in thought. The ruby at her throat caught the light, glinting like a drop of wine. "Well, Mr. Ganesh's friend helped my sister today," she replied, a faint smile touching her lips. "I think it's only right to repay the favor."
A pause. The assistant hesitated, then ventured: "Do you believe the rumors about him?"
Nova's smile didn't waver, but something shifted in her gaze. A flicker of steel beneath the polish. "Rumors are just noises." she said, her voice smooth. "But kindness? Those are currency."
As the woman heard her boss's words she stopped herself talking about an empty office and Ganesh having a girl in her office.
---
As both Alena and Ganesh sat working on the paperwork, Alena broke the silence with a sly smile.
"Be honest with me, do you still like your ex?" she asked with a small chuckle.
Ganesh looked up, visibly thrown. "Hoh… that was out of nowhere. Why do you ask?"
"Just a girl's intuition," she said, looking away. "I feel like you didn't take it lightly."
He paused, eyes drifting to the floor. "Its in the past now."
Alena gave a sympathetic smile. "Can't imagine how hard it was for you, though. Watching her walk away when you believed she was the one."
He gave a low hum. "Right… I really don't want to talk about that. I've already moved on."
She leaned back slightly, voice gentler now. "Even now, you still hold her in your heart. Reminiscing about the old times… when you two were together. Those memories, don't they cling to you, refusing to let go?"
"You're treading on thin ice, Alena," Ganesh warned, his voice rising with anger, tension building in his jaw.
Alena chuckled softly, unfazed. "I know a broken-hearted man when I see one."
That hit Ganesh harder than he expected. He looked away, embarrassed.
Then Alena leaned closer, her voice dropping to a whisper. "How about…"
"Her?" Ganesh suddenly pushed Alena away, shocked. "No! I haven't moved on!" His voice echoed through the empty office.
Alena raised an eyebrow but said nothing.
Realizing what he'd just admitted, Ganesh brought his hand to his face and let out a heavy sigh. "I'm just… conflicted, okay?"
Alena's tone shifted turning softer now, almost maternal. "Listen, here's my advice, revisit your memories with her. Go through everything one last time. Accept that she's moved on… Only then will you be able to move on."
Her words wrapped around him like a warm embrace he didn't know he needed.
Ganesh let out another deep sigh. "I… I don't even know what else there is to remember."
Alena simply smiled and handed him a stack of signed paperwork.
A small laugh slipped from her lips as she headed for the door. "Only you can answer that, Mr. CEO."
She exited the building, leaving Ganesh alone with his thoughts.
Curious and maybe slightly hopeful Ganesh looked over the papers. To his surprise, not a single error. Her marketing work was just a little bit worse than his own.
Then he looked at his original stack of documents and found them neatly organized, with a sticky note resting on top
'I also did these.'
A small smile crept across his face. Maybe he is going home early.
---
Arriving home, Ganesh headed straight for the shower, hoping a quick rinse would wash away the heaviness of the day. But Alena's words lingered, echoing in his mind, refusing to fade.
Lying in bed afterward, he turned from side to side, the advice gnawing at him. With a quiet sigh, he sat up and looked around his apartment, it was a mess.
Restless, he stood and began to clean. Dusting. Folding. Organizing. It was almost mechanical, like his body needed the motion to think. In the middle of sorting through a pile on the floor, something caught his eye, a photo.
He picked it up.
It was a picture of him and his ex.
He stared at it for a moment, unsure of what to feel. Then, with a quiet breath, he placed it back where it belonged—neither hiding it nor giving it a shrine. Just... restoring order.
When he finally looked around, the apartment was better. Not spotless his mother would still have scolded him till everything was shiny but clean enough. For him, it was peace.
He laid down again, this time with a weight lifted, and checked the time.
1:03 AM.
His eyes slowly closed, and this time, they stayed that way.
---
The Next Morning
Ganesh paid a visit to his parents' house. While there, he learned about the book Nicolas had gifted. The discovery stirred something in him, but he didn't linger on it. Just smiled, thanked them, and took his leave.
Once back at work, he called for his assistant.
"I'll be having a meeting with Lazer Industries today," he said, voice calm and composed. "Reschedule anything urgent after 3 p.m. This takes priority."
His assistant nodded, noting it down immediately.
Ganesh checked his reflection one last time.
His dark blue business suit was understated, no flashy designs, no ostentatious flair. Just sharp, clean tailoring that spoke volumes. His neatly cropped black hair framed a composed face, and his deep brown eyes held a quiet fire.
"Will you need a ride, sir?" his assistant asked, already guessing the answer.
Ganesh gave a small smile. "Sure. But let me hear what they need first."
With that, he picked up his silver pen, tucked it into his breast pocket, and stepped forward to the elevator.
Arriving at Lazer Industries, Ganesh walked in with the confident air of someone who knew exactly where he was going. Inside the elevator, he noticed a small child, probably around 7 to 10 years old, standing quietly by herself.
He glanced around, half-expecting her parents to show up. "Hey kid, where's your mom?" he asked gently.
The girl just looked up at him with wide, innocent eyes and reached her hands toward him.
Ganesh blinked. "Seriously?" He checked the time, he had a few minutes to spare. With a small sigh, he picked her up and let her guide him, following her silent directions through the halls.
They stepped into a dimly lit office. At the far end, a woman stood behind a desk, the only light coming from a warm desk lamp casting long shadows across the room. She leaned forward slightly, her fingertips resting on a spread of documents. Her onyx-black suit cut a sharp silhouette, softened only by a crimson pendant hanging at her collarbone. Jet-black hair framed her face, falling just past her shoulders.
As her eyes rose to meet his, her expression softened when she saw the girl in Ganesh's arms.
"Ivy, get down, that's rude to our guest," she said firmly, yet with softness.
Ganesh glanced down, surprised. "Ivy? As in... Yvonne?, that makes you... Nova?"
A soft chuckle escaped Nova's lips. "Long time no see, Ganesh."
Yvonne clung to him, pouting. "Uncle Ganesh, you didn't recognize me yesterday!"
Ganesh raised an eyebrow. "Uncle? Since when did I become your uncle?"
Nova chuckled, soon burst out laughing. "Ivy calls everyone older than her 'uncle' or 'aunt.' Don't take it personally." She leaned back, relaxing. "So, how's life?"
"Good," Ganesh replied with a slight nod. "But let's get to the point why did you call me here?"
"Oh, that?" Nova waved a hand dismissively. "You know me, I'm selfish. I just wanted to see how you're doing." She casually pushed the stack of documents on her desk aside.
Yvonne leaned in and whispered into Ganesh's ear, "I told her I met you yesterday. That's why."
Realizing the truth, Ganesh let out a hearty laugh. "Haha, you still can't be honest. You really haven't changed."
Nova's cheeks flushed. "Says you! You still hang out at the manga store you sharky!"
Ganesh smirked. "Oh really? Says you, Ice Queen!"
Their eyes locked for a moment familiar, and warm. Then, at the same time, both burst out laughing.
"What are we even saying? We haven't changed at all," Ganesh said, laughter still in his voice. "It's been, what? Eight years?"
Nova's expression softened, eyes brimming with nostalgia. "Eight years…"
"And I still want my shark plushie and my hoodies back," Ganesh added with a grin.
Nova crossed her arms defiantly. "I gave you that scarf I made! And besides those are mine now!"
As their playfully bantering, Yvonne, curled up in Ganesh's arms, drifted off to sleep.
Ganesh and Nova both looked at the sleeping Yvonne for a moment before Nova called her assistant. The assistant arrived promptly, gently took Yvonne from Ganesh's arms, and left the room.
Nova couldn't help but smile at the sight of Ganesh holding the little girl.
"What's so funny?" Ganesh raised an eyebrow, noticing her expression.
"Oh, nothing," Nova replied with a grin, brushing it off. Then, her tone shifted. "By the way, there's going to be a high-school reunion soon. Will you be coming?"
Ganesh's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Reunion? When is it?"
Nova checked the calendar on her desk. "It's from May 23 to May 31, right after high school is over."
Ganesh glanced at the clock, noticing it was already 2 p.m. "Well, I'll think about it. It was good seeing you, but I need to head to my company." He paused before opening the door. "Hey, give me your number. I don't want your assistant to be overworked."
Nova smiled and gladly handed him her phone number.
Ganesh nodded in thanks after stepping out the door. He walked to the car waiting for him, where the driver was ready to take him to his next destination. "Back to the company?"
"Yeah" as Ganesh quietly waited till he arrived.
Heading inside, Ganesh looked at his assistant. "How's work going?"
The assistant walked up and reported today's activities.
"After you left, work continued normally. Some of our clients wanted to meet and talk with you, but since you weren't here, I explained the situation. Later, your friend Nicolas came and handled it. That's everything."
"Huh? Nicolas handled it?" Ganesh said, surprised, as he quickly made his way to his office.
Inside, Nicolas was calmly sitting in a chair, flipping through some documents.
Ganesh calmed himself down before walked up to him. "Hey, Nic, can I ask you a favor?"
Nicolas looked up and gave a slow nod.
After 30 to 40 minutes, Ganesh left the office with a smile on his face.
He called over his assistant. "I'll be absent for a few days. Nicolas will handle things until I return."
Without waiting for a response, he walked out of the company.
Today he felt different, he felt free.
But he gave a short sigh, murmuring to himself, "Revisit my memories with her."
Taking Alena's advice to heart, he wandered through the city streets, yet even then, the feeling barely helped.
Ganesh found himself sitting on a bench, staring down, unsure how to revisit those memories. The only thing that came easily were the painful experiences with her.
Feeling lost, he thought maybe Alena could help him again... but he quickly scratched the idea. "She said only I can do this."
He sat there thinking for so long he didn't realize how quickly time had passed. The only truly happy memories he could recall were with his family... and Uncle William.
---
Meanwhile, Nicolas and Alena left the company after work hours.
In a grumpy tone, Alena glared at Nicolas.
"Hey, tell me where did you disappeared yesterday!"
"I cannot," Nicolas replied coldly, refusing to meet her gaze.
"If you don't tell me, I'll use my wish!" she warned, hiding her irritation behind a playful smile.
"You'll just waste your wish. I don't mind," Nicolas said, sneering slightly without looking at her.
"Tch," Alena clicked her tongue in annoyance.
As they walked, Alena's mood brightened when she spotted an amusement park. "Hey, can we go there?"
"No! We're here for a mission, not to mess around!" Irritation was clear in Nicolas's voice.
"Bleeghh," Alena teased, sticking out her tongue. "Then I'll use one of my wishes!"
"Ughhh," Nicolas groaned, rolling his eyes in a dramatic, comical way, but he still ended up following her.
Ganesh, hearing their bickering nearby, stirred from his deep thoughts.
Noticing the two familiar figures, he stood up and walked toward them.
Ganesh watched where they were heading and realized they were going toward an amusement park.
He hesitated. "Maybe they're on a date... It would be rude to interrupt." But despite his doubts, he still followed them.
"Hey Nicolas, I want to go on that one!" Alena said excitedly, pointing toward the bumper cars.
A worker nearby stepped in. "Hello, ma'am. You need to buy tickets to enjoy the rides."
Alena immediately turned her gaze to Nicolas, giving him wide, pleading puppy eyes.
Nicolas sighed. "Can you show me where to buy the tickets?" he asked the worker.
As Nicolas and the worker left to purchase them, a man swaggered up to Alena.
"Hey girl," he said with a sleazy grin, "why don't you ditch that twig and come with me? I'll give you a ride you won't forget." He even added an overly top grin at the end.
As a puppet who had seen millions of romance stories, Alena immediately recognized the type: the rich, handsome, arrogant playboy.
Seeing the scene unfold, Ganesh clenched his fists and stepped forward, anger rising.
But before he could even react, a strong gust of wind blew across the area, kicking up dust. When the dust cleared, Nicolas was standing there, holding the man by the neck, lifting him clean off the ground with one hand.
"Try to get near her again," Nicolas said in a voice cold enough to freeze the air, "and I'll show you what really exists after death."
The man, struggling helplessly, looked into Nicolas's eyes which he almost wet himself in pure terror.
A nearby worker rushed toward them, stopping a few meters away.
"Uh... excuse me, sir," he said nervously, "but if you don't put him down, we'll have to ask you to leave." He leaned in to whisper, "There are kids here."
Nicolas glanced around and noticed children staring in horror, some already crying, a few even peeing themselves. He sighed heavily to calm himself.
"Count yourself lucky," Nicolas muttered to the man, before dropping him like a sack of garbage.
The worker exhaled in relief.
"Thank you for understanding, sir," he said, forcing a polite smile.
"N... Nicolas?" Alena stammered, still processing what had just happened.
Before she could say more, Nicolas grabbed her wrist firmly and led her toward the ticket booth.
Inside, the worker greeted them again.
"So, sir, what kind of ticket would you like to purchase?"
Nicolas scanned the pricing board.
The cost for all rides for one adult was $75.
Alena, still in daze leaned over and asked, "Is there a couples ticket?"
The worker nodded and pulled out two different tickets. "The ticket on the right is for one ride at each attraction. The left one is for unlimited rides for the whole day. Which one would you prefer?"
Nicolas pointed at the right one. "We don't need to ride the same thing over and over. Let's get that each one."
"It will cost $120," the worker said. "What kind of payment will you be making?"
In the worker's eyes, Nicolas and Alena didn't quite look like a couple, more like business partners but he didn't comment.
"By card," Nicolas said, pulling out his wallet and handing over his card.
The worker processed the payment and handed him a single ticket.
"Huh? It's only one?" Nicolas asked, confused.
The worker nodded. "Yes, couples share a ticket, since they ride together."
Before he could say more, Alena grabbed his arm and dragged him excitedly back toward the bumper cars.
"Let me drive, please!" she pleaded with sparkling eyes, tugging on his arm until he gave in with a sigh.
Ganesh, watching from a distance, stayed far enough to avoid being noticed, but close enough to observe everything.
"So this is what a real date looks like?" he murmured to himself.
His own dates with his ex had always been at fancy restaurants or high-end shops. She'd buy expensive things she didn't need, often on her phone, barely paying attention to him.
'Looking back... I was an idiot for believing she'd ever change.'
Meanwhile, Alena was in the driver's seat, carefully steering the bumper car trying hard not to hit anyone.
"Hey, Alena," Nicolas called over to her with a smirk, "you do know the whole point is to bump into the others, right?"
Alena's face turned pink. "W...Why didn't you tell me that earlier!?"
She immediately began crashing into other cars with enthusiasm.
Soon, laughter escaped from her lips as she embraced the fun. For the first time in a while, she enjoyed something like this.
After a few minutes, their time ended, and they stepped out of the car, walking together toward the next ride.
"H-Hey, Nick," Alena asked in a shaky voice, her eyes not quite meeting his. "Do you… hate me?"
Nicolas stopped walking and looked at her seriously. "I don't hate you," he said gently.
He reached out and took her hand, holding it firmly but softly.
"Don't worry. I don't hate you. I just... hate romance the most. So, think of tonight however you want, but to me, it's just two people trying to enjoy being human for a while. Nothing more."
Alena wiped away a small tear and smiled. "Yeah… you're right. Last time I picked a ride. Your turn now."
Nicolas looked around the park. There were lots of options, but the spinning tea cups had the shortest line, so he pointed. "That one."
Alena chuckled when she saw what he chose. "Ooh, feeling fancy, huh?"
"Haha, good one," Nicolas replied with a rare laugh.
They climbed into one of the oversized cups, not realizing at first that they were supposed to sit on the hidden seats and hold the center pole.
As the ride picked up speed, Alena lost her balance and instinctively grabbed onto Nicolas, practically falling into his arms.
Startled, Nicolas quickly gripped the center pole and spotted the nearly invisible seats. With a bit of fumbling, he helped guide Alena to one of them, and sat down beside her.
'How did we not see this?' he thought, embarrassed.
The two clung tightly to the pole as the ride spun faster and faster.
By the time it came to a stop, both of them were so dizzy they could barely stand, stumbling out of the cup with wobbly legs, laughing weakly at how ridiculous it was.
"Hahaha, I've never felt like this! It's so much fun!" Alena laughed, clutching her stomach and trying her best to fight off the urge to throw up.
"It would've been more fun if we knew there were seats," Nicolas muttered, clearly embarrassed. "I can't believe we missed that."
As they continued walking, they arrived at the largest ride in the park, a Ferris wheel.
A cheerful worker waved them over. "Hey, you two! Want to ride on this super big Ferris wheel?, it's brand new you can even stand on it as these hardened glass will protect you from falling and If you're lucky, you might catch the fireworks."
Alena raised an eyebrow, then glanced at the ride. "Why not try it? This one has visible seats," she said with a small chuckle.
Nicolas gave a half smile, glancing at the nearly deserted queue. "Fine. Let's do it."
---
Ganesh, watching from below, sat at a nearby seat to relax when suddenly "Is that guy dating your ex?"
He turned his head left, only to have his mouth suddenly stuffed with a hotdog.
Blinking in surprise, his eyes shifted upward just slightly.
She stood beside him, a playful smile curving her lips. Her usual sharp suit was gone, replaced by a relaxed yet elegant outfit: a dark wine-colored blouse tucked into high-waisted jeans, her jet-black hair pulled loosely behind one ear. Without the harsh lighting of her office or the rigid lines of her usual attire, her face looked softer, more beautiful.
Ganesh bit off the hotdog and swallowed. "What are you doing here, Nova?"
"Well, not much. Yvonne's been nagging me to get her that plushie for months." She let out a dramatic sigh.
"Why not just buy it somewhere else?" Ganesh laughed, finding the situation oddly simple.
"Hah." It was a dry, sarcastic laugh. "You think I didn't try? Unless I want to buy some knockoff, that plushie is impossible to find. And the guy wont just sell it. Only couples can enter!, can you believe it? It's so stupid!" She was mumbling on.
Ganesh looked at her side and found nobody was with her. "And you forgot to bring someone?"
Nova laughed. "Yeah, but look at the Bright side you're here! We can win together!" Then, her smile turned sly. "But aren't you forgetting something? You didn't answer my question."
"Ah, those two?" Ganesh glanced up at Nicolas and Alena. "No, the guy's my friend and the woman is his girlfriend."
His voice was calm and honest.
Nova's grin faded as she looked at the couple. "They sure look like a lovely pair."
"Yeah," Ganesh said softly, then quickly shifted his tone. "But enough about that let's win that plushie for Yvonne!"
Nova also joined "let's get that plushie!" She ran off while pulling Ganesh by his hands.
---
High above the ground, inside the Ferris wheel cabin
"Nicolas, I just want to say..."
But before she could finish, the first firework exploded in the sky. Both of them looked up, the colorful lights reflecting in their eyes.
"Hey, Puppet1141," Alena got confused why Nicolas called her puppet code.
Nicolas didn't look at her. "Luna… I know this is supposed to be a romantic scene, but… can we just enjoy it in peace?"
Alena stood quietly behind him, then wrapped her arms around his back.
"Puppet0351… Alex, don't do this," she whispered, her voice trembling. "We both know it won't work. How many times are you going to make me do this?"
Her eyes started to tear up. "This time, you're... you're so much nicer."
Nicolas slowly turned around and embraced her. "Promise me you'll love me again."
Alena's tears flowed freely. "Please don't do this! I can save you please, let me save you!"
He said nothing. Instead, he gently placed a silver heart-shaped necklace around her neck. Alena recognized it immediately, but she didn't even glance at it.
Nicolas wiped her tears, his voice low and quiet. "Love me like it's our first time."
Their eyes closed.
And then, slowly, they leaned *kiss*
---
Down below, a small crowd had started to gather near the Ferris wheel operator.
"Can't you fix your dam machine?! Why isn't it moving?!, you said it was brand new!, How come it already broke?!" the crowd was getting angry.
"I'm sorry!" the panicked worker said, waving his arms. "It's not my fault! The ride's… broken!"
But it wasn't.
The truth was, Alena had quietly used her powers to stop the wheel, just long enough for her to create a moment of peace.
Alena knew what would happen if she opened her eyes but she couldn't do anything but accept the fact. There isn't anyone in her arms. "Good luck puppet0351."
She opened her eyes as she was alone in the ferris wheel cabin. Her hands slowly reached the necklace.
[Message: You acquired True Romance Genre (unfinished).]
She opened the silver heart-shaped necklace with a soft click, revealing the first photo of them together. She saw this picture millions of times but everytime it was painful to look.
Then she exhaled, and quietly shut the locket with a small snap.
She relaxed her emotions. And changed her clothes.
The light dress faded away, replaced by a black-purple turtleneck and tall black military boots being covered by long dark-blue pants. A black coat settled over her shoulders, unbuttoned and still. The silver necklace rested quietly between the sweater and coat, right where it belonged.
Her happy attitude disappeared and was replaced by her cold, icy eyes.
Meanwhile, in a distant building, a man dressed in dark clothing watched silently through binoculars. His gaze followed Puppet1141 as her clothes changed, then shifted to another location where he spotted Nova grabbing Ganesh's arm and dragging him towards a game show.
"So, the true ending is near," he murmured with a grin.
He lowered the binoculars and slipped them into his pocket. Then, he pulled a white mask over his face. Its mouth twisted with crooked teeth. As he exhaled, a faint trail of purple smoke hissed out from the teeth's of the mask.
Without a word, he turned and slowly walked into purple portal.
---
-Hey Mim?, What do you think of this chapter?
Mim:"I hate you! You crool hooman why couldn't you give puppy and Alena a happy love!?"
-you know how I write! And plus this is a true ending route! I wanted to be interesting ending.
"I still don't understand why would you write the before ending chapter here."
-because I wanted to be special this novel has multiple endings as I said so it should also act differently! If the readers want to read it canon order this one should be skipped and read later! Plus this chapter doesn't give any spoilers with what is happening with Sam and William.
Mim:"Speaking of will where is he? I wanna more of my niece!"
-*laughing* ok ok godmother just don't get angry
Mim:"You sure are a Wenny guy!"
-*looks at the crooked smiled mask lifting it up he grabs the Marlboro cigarette and lights it up*
Mim:"are you smoking again?, I told you to stop that you might die before you finish this novel or even the different route endings!"
Wenny guy:"sure thing I guess. Manager mim! Plus stop calling me Wenny guy!, It doesn't suit me!"
Mim:"It does well I have to sleep now goodbye!"
Wenny guy:*he hanged up the call* "goodnight mim." As he puffed few more he started writing "maybe I should add something like 'Meanwhile in a far away building a man with a dark clothes was looking at Puppet1141 switching her clothes.' yeah this will work!"
A/N: sorry had a hard time writing cuz well can't give a good excuse except for university being hard and not having time to write in the weekends this part has a part 2. I tried to make it a single chapter but writing romance is hard for someone who never dated! Sorry.