That afternoon, Kiara stood in front of the house, glancing at her phone screen every now and then. She had no idea how many times she'd checked the time, even though Bumi always arrived right on schedule.
A small smile formed on her face when a car horn sounded outside the house.
“Sounds like someone's getting impatient,” she murmured with a quiet laugh.
Kiara quickly stepped outside. As soon as the front door opened, she saw Bumi already standing beside his motorcycle. He was wearing a dark, lightweight jacket, and his hair was slightly tousled by the wind, which only made him look more relaxed.
Bumi looked Kiara up and down, then smiled.
“Ready?”
Kiara nodded confidently. “Always.”
“Are you sure? Don't start complaining that you're tired after we've barely gone anywhere.”
Kiara immediately put on an annoyed expression.
“I'm not a little kid, Bumi.”
“I know.”
“Then?”
Bumi chuckled. “Just making sure.”
Kiara rolled her eyes before finally putting on the helmet Bumi handed her.
“So where are we going today?”
Bumi didn't answer right away. Instead, he started the motorcycle.
“It's a secret.”
“Oh, come on. Am I really not allowed to know?”
“If I tell you, it won't be a surprise.”
Kiara let out a soft huff, but she couldn't hide the smile on her face.
A few minutes later, they began leaving the house behind. The afternoon breeze welcomed them on their journey. Kiara sat behind Bumi, slowly gripping the back of his jacket to keep her balance.
For some reason, a simple trip like this had always felt different since Bumi came into her life.
In the past, Kiara often spent her time thinking about what she was supposed to do after the major decision she'd made. Quitting her job had left her life feeling empty. She'd lost her routine, lost her sense of direction, and had even started to feel that her decision had been a mistake.
But then Bumi came along.
Not with grand promises.
Nor did he force her to become the Kiara she'd been before.
Bumi simply took her places, showed her new sights, laughed with her over little things, and slowly helped Kiara realize that life didn't always have to go according to plan.
“Kiara.”
Bumi's voice pulled her from her thoughts.
“Hm?”
“We're almost there.”
Kiara lifted her head. In the distance, a stretch of ocean came into view beneath a sky that was slowly changing color, turning orange.
Her eyes immediately lit up.
“The beach?”
Bumi gave a quiet laugh. “Do you like it?”
“Very much!”
As soon as the motorcycle stopped, Kiara got off and jogged toward the shoreline. The wind whipped through her hair while the sound of the waves welcomed her arrival.
Bumi stood a few steps behind her, watching Kiara with a smile he couldn't hide.
She looked so much happier now.
And without Kiara realizing it, perhaps that happiness was what was slowly making Bumi fall even more deeply in love with her.
“Why are you just standing there?” Kiara asked when she realized Bumi hadn't come closer.
Bumi walked toward her.
“Nothing's wrong.”
“You keep looking at me.”
“I'm just making sure.”
“Making sure of what?”
Bumi stopped right in front of her.
“Making sure that your decision to leave your old life behind wasn't a mistake after all.”
Kiara fell silent.
Their eyes met.
For a few seconds, the sound of the waves seemed to be the only sound in the world.
Then Bumi smiled faintly.
“Because if you hadn't made that decision, maybe we never would've ended up here.”
Kiara's heart beat a little faster.
She tried to turn her gaze toward the ocean, hiding the smile beginning to appear on her face.
“Don't say things like that.”
“Why not?”
“Because…”
Kiara gently bit her lip.
“You're making me feel awkward.”
Bumi laughed.
And that afternoon, beneath the sky slowly turning orange, the two of them walked along the edge of the beach.
Without realizing it, the adventure that had begun as a way to fill Kiara's empty days was slowly turning into something far more meaningful.
Something that might, one day, make them both afraid of losing each other.