He went to the washroom, his tiredness from that crowd clearly visible on his face. His eyes were aching… he felt sleepy now… he just wished to close his eyes.
At the bathroom basin, he washed his face with cold water, cleaned his eyes, and rubbed his hands over them. He washed his face again, trying to wake up.
Looking into the mirror, the reflection was blurry because he had rubbed his eyes too hard. But even through the blur, he saw someone's reflection behind him.
A familiar face.
Ivan got shocked. How was this possible? Did he really see Ryaan standing behind him in the mirror?
He immediately turned around to confirm what he just saw through his blurry vision.
But there was no one standing there.
He was all alone.
No one was there.
He checked the whole bathroom — the door, the corners all empty, silent, and too quiet. There was no place for anyone to hide. Ivan checked thoroughly, even the very corners of the bathroom. He found nothing… no body… not even a single insect.
"It's not my imagination. I saw you," he murmured to himself. He was sure of his eyes. He knew what he saw. And now he wanted answers. Why did Ryaan come here?
And
"Where did you go?"
The question rose inside Ivan, disturbing him a lot.
He stepped out of the bathroom and scanned the corridor empty.
Ivan fumbled for his phone for text Ryaan.
Then he took out his phone from his pocket, opened the text app, tapped on Ryaan's profile, and typed with a tense expression.
"Where are you?"
"Before you, buddy."
Ryaan replied as soon as Ivan sent the text.
Ivan lifted his head, looking toward the corridor leading to the hall.
Ryaan was standing there beside Ivan's mother.
His mother couldn't see Ivan he was still hidden in the hallway.
Tension crawled up Ivan's spine. He didn't understand why Ryaan was standing beside his mother. Did he target his mom? Did he plan to harm her? All these thoughts hunted him at once, his head full of negative possibilities.
"Congrats, Aunty," Ryaan said politely.
"Hm? Thanks, kid. And you are…?" Jaya asked. She was happy today, meeting Ryaan for the first time in her life. She tried to recognize him, but she couldn't she had never met him.
"I'm Ryaan Ivan's best friend."
"It's surprising. He's always been so… himself. And he has no friends," she replied with suspicion. She knew Ivan had no friends. How suddenly did he make one? And the teachers never informed her about her son having any friends. Was the boy new in school?
"Yeah," Ryaan answered lightly. "He's shy. He didn't invite me, but he told me about you and Uncle Marcus."
"I don't think so… anyway, don't leave without eating, kid," she said with a smile.
"Stop stalking me," Ivan muttered.
"Do I need to stalk you?" Ryaan shot back, amusement curling on his lips. "Why are you here?"
"To celebrate your mother's second marriage. What about you, Ivan?" Ryaan asked.
Ivan's face changed a slow, deliberate shift. "I'm here to… to see." His voice dropped, the word hanging oddly between them.
His mother laughed, squeezing Marcus's hand; they looked so happy together.
Ryaan leaned closer, eyes cold.
"She doesn't need you. She already chose her baby instead of you. She took your father, and now she's leaving you alone again, crying. She needs to be punished."