Chapter 6: "The Man Who Always Arrives Right on Time"
"A stranger couldn't possibly know everything about you... unless he's known you for a long time."
The old hallway was once again shrouded in a suffocating silence.
The age-worn stone walls looked dull beneath the afternoon sunlight slipping through the gaps in the small windows. The smell of rotting wood and dust filled the air, making the atmosphere feel even more stifling.
At the end of the hallway...
An old wooden door stood solidly in place.
Its surface was covered in the scars of time.
A thick iron chain wound around the door, while an old, rust-covered padlock hung at its center.
According to the household servants...
The room beyond that door had been locked for decades.
No one had ever opened it.
Yet...
Tania had just heard something from the other side.
"Knock..."
Tania's body froze.
Her eyes immediately fixed on the old door.
Her heart began beating a little faster.
Several seconds passed in silence.
Then...
"Knock... Knock..."
The knocking sounded again.
This time, it was clearer.
Slower.
More rhythmic.
As though someone were knocking from behind the door with infinite patience.
The hairs on the back of Tania's neck instantly stood on end.
Her breath caught.
Impossible...
That room had been empty for a long time.
There couldn't possibly be anyone inside.
She slowly swallowed.
In a voice barely louder than a whisper, she asked,
"W-Who's there?" Tania murmured. Her lips trembled, while she dared not take her eyes off the old door. Her fingers clenched tightly at her sides, trying to hide the nervousness filling her chest.
The hallway fell silent again.
There was no answer.
Only the sound of wind slipping through the cracks in the old building.
Tania closed her eyes for a moment.
Maybe...
She had simply heard wrong.
But before her thoughts had time to settle—
"Knock... Knock... Knock..."
The knocking sounded again.
This time, its rhythm was slower.
Softer.
As though someone behind the door were asking to be let in.
Tania's heart began pounding again.
Fear and curiosity blended into one.
Her eyes slowly lowered toward the iron chain wrapped around the door.
If there really isn't anyone inside... she thought.
Then where did that sound come from?
Without realizing it, she stepped closer.
Her footsteps sounded faintly on the brittle wooden floor.
Every creak made the atmosphere more ominous.
Now she stood only a few steps from the door.
Her gaze stopped on the old padlock, thick with rust.
Her hand slowly rose.
Her fingers moved hesitantly.
"I'll just take a quick look..." Tania murmured softly, more to herself than to anyone else. She drew a deep breath, trying to gather her courage. "Maybe it was just a rat... or the sound of wood expanding."
Though she tried to sound calm, doubt was still plainly visible on her face.
Her fingertip drew closer to the padlock.
Only a few centimeters remained.
Just as her fingers were about to touch the rusted metal—
A cold hand suddenly closed around her wrist.
The touch was so unexpected that Tania's entire body jolted.
"Tania."
A calm voice she knew so well sounded softly beside her ear.
Tania spun around.
Her eyes immediately widened.
"Nicholas!" she cried in surprise. Her breathing quickened, while her left hand instinctively pressed against her pounding chest. "Oh my God... you scared me!"
Nicholas stood right beside her.
As usual...
He wore a long black coat that swayed gently, even though the hallway was almost completely still.
His black hair looked slightly tousled.
His blue eyes appeared far more serious than usual.
There wasn't the slightest hint of amusement in his gaze.
Nicholas slowly released her wrist.
But his eyes remained fixed on the old door.
"Don't touch that door," Nicholas said quietly. His voice was low but firm. Every word sounded like a warning that could not be ignored.
Tania was still staring at Nicholas's face, her breathing not yet fully steady.
She gently rubbed the wrist he had just gripped.
The cold touch still lingered.
"How long have you been here?" Tania asked in confusion, furrowing her brow. "I didn't hear you walk up at all."
Nicholas turned toward her.
At last, a faint smile appeared at the corner of his lips.
"Since before you touched the door," he replied casually.
His answer only left Tania more confused.
She gave a small shake of her head.
"You always just appear out of nowhere," Tania complained with a long exhale. Her voice held equal parts annoyance and relief. "Sometimes I don't even know whether I should be startled or grateful."
Nicholas chuckled softly.
His laughter was gentle, almost inaudible.
"Does that bother you?" he asked, tilting his head slightly. His eyes remained warm, even though his expression still held its seriousness.
Tania fell silent for a few moments.
She looked into Nicholas's blue eyes, then slowly shook her head.
"...Not really," she answered softly.
The moment she said it, Tania herself looked surprised.
Only then did she realize that Nicholas's presence actually made her feel calmer.
Nicholas's smile widened.
Though only for a moment.
"I'm relieved to hear that," Nicholas replied, his voice sounding sincere.
A small smile touched Tania's face.
But it slowly faded when her gaze returned to the old door.
The ominous atmosphere she'd momentarily forgotten once again enveloped the hallway.
"Just now..." Tania said softly, pointing toward the door. "...I heard knocking from inside."
She paused for a moment.
Her eyes filled with hope as she looked back at Nicholas.
"Did you hear it too?"
Nicholas followed her gaze.
He stared at the door for a long time.
His expression turned serious again.
Then he slowly nodded.
"I heard it."
That brief answer made Tania's eyes widen immediately.
For the first time...
Someone had acknowledged that the sound had really existed.
"So..." Tania said quickly, her voice full of hope. "...I wasn't hallucinating?"
Nicholas turned toward her.
His gaze was steady.
"No."
Just one word.
Yet the answer was far more reassuring than Tania had imagined.
She let out a long breath.
At least...
She could still trust her own mind.
But her relief soon turned into curiosity.
She looked back at the old door.
"Then..." she said cautiously. "...who exactly is inside?"
Nicholas did not answer right away.
He merely stared at the door without blinking.
His expression was difficult to read.
As though so many memories were hidden behind that old door.
Several seconds passed.
Only then did Nicholas speak.
"There are some questions..." he said slowly, exhaling softly. "...whose answers you're better off not knowing yet."
Tania immediately let out a quiet sigh.
She folded her arms over her chest.
Her expression turned irritated.
"See?" she muttered, shaking her head slightly. "You're always like this."
Nicholas turned to her with a faint smile.
"Like what?" he asked gently.
"Whenever I ask you something..." Tania replied, raising one eyebrow, "...your answers are always left hanging."
Nicholas laughed softly.
The tension that had filled the hallway eased a little.
"It's not that I'm leaving you hanging," he replied casually.
Tania gave him an indignant look.
"Then what?"
Nicholas smiled faintly.
"I'm just waiting for the right time."
Tania clicked her tongue softly.
"The right time according to whom?" she asked, sounding slightly annoyed, though curiosity was beginning to fill her eyes.
Nicholas slowly shrugged.
"According to Fate."
His answer made Tania slowly roll her eyes.
"You're weird," she muttered, shaking her head.
Nicholas smiled easily.
"A lot of people have said that."
Tania finally couldn't hold back a small laugh.
The sound of her laughter broke the silence of the old hallway.
For some reason...
Whenever Nicholas was near her, the fear that had initially filled her chest slowly faded.
But when Tania glanced back toward the old door, that strange feeling remained.
The mysterious knocking had stopped.
Yet the silence behind the door felt more frightening than any sound.
Nicholas followed Tania's gaze.
In a calm voice, he said,
"Come on."
Tania turned toward him.
"Where?"
Nicholas nodded toward the end of the hallway.
"Let's leave this place."
Tania glanced once more at the old door, still bound by the iron chain.
Her curiosity hadn't gone away.
But for some reason...
She chose to trust Nicholas.
They left the old hallway side by side, walking slowly.
The afternoon sunlight had begun to slant westward, stretching along the length of the silent hallway floor.
Ahead of them...
The backyard garden spread out beneath warm golden-orange light, as though welcoming them away from the hallway filled with mystery.
The afternoon sunlight had begun to slant westward.
The sky, which had been blue at first, slowly turned golden orange, bathing the Kusumawardhani family home's backyard garden in warm light. The evening breeze blew gently, stirring the frangipani leaves and carrying the soothing scent of flowers.
The garden's atmosphere was completely different from the old hallway they'd just left.
There, the air had felt ominous.
Here...
Everything looked peaceful.
Tania let out a long breath, as though she had finally released the burden that had been weighing on her chest.
She walked toward a wooden bench beside the small fountain pool, then sat down slowly.
Her gaze fell on the water's surface, glittering beneath the evening light.
Meanwhile, Nicholas stood a few steps away, leaning casually against a white frangipani tree.
His long black coat moved gently in the breeze.
For a while...
Neither of them said a word.
The silence that settled between them felt comfortable.
Not awkward.
As though they were already used to sharing silence together.
Tania was the first to break it.
She turned toward Nicholas with a faint smile filled with curiosity.
"I just realized..." Tania said softly, leaning her back against the bench. "...I've been the one doing all the talking this whole time."
Nicholas shifted his gaze from the sky to her.
His blue eyes looked gentle.
Tania smiled faintly.
"Now that I think about it..." she continued, playing with the edge of her sleeve, "...I barely know anything about you."
Nicholas merely answered with a faint smile.
No response.
Seeing his reaction, Tania chuckled softly.
"See?" she said, raising both hands. "I just started asking, and you're already silent."
Nicholas's smile widened slightly.
His expression remained calm.
"My life isn't interesting," he answered briefly.
Tania immediately shook her head.
She looked at Nicholas with an expression of complete disagreement.
"No way." Her voice was light but full of conviction. "Everyone has a story."
Nicholas looked at her for several moments.
His gaze felt so deep that Tania unconsciously fell silent too.
At last, Nicholas nodded slowly.
"I do," he answered softly.
Tania's face immediately lit up.
She leaned forward slightly, filled with enthusiasm.
"See!" she exclaimed softly, grinning. "If you have one, tell me about it."
Nicholas fell silent.
He looked at the small fountain pool in front of them.
The evening breeze blew again, rippling the water's surface into tiny waves.
Several seconds passed.
Only then did he speak.
"Next time."
His answer made Tania let out a long sigh.
She sank back against the bench, shaking her head slowly.
"There you go..." she said with a small chuckle. "That again."
She pointed at Nicholas with her index finger.
"You really love making people curious."
Nicholas laughed softly.
His laughter was nearly inaudible.
"So you'll keep wanting to see me."
He said it casually.
But his eyes remained warm.
Tania had been smiling, but she suddenly froze.
Her pale cheeks slowly flushed.
She quickly turned her gaze toward the fountain pool, trying to hide the nervousness that had appeared unbidden.
"You're awfully confident..." she muttered softly, trying to sound annoyed, though the corners of her lips lifted into a small smile.
Nicholas watched her for several moments.
Then he slowly shook his head.
"It's not confidence."
Tania turned back toward him.
Her eyebrows rose slightly.
"Then what?"
Nicholas drew a slow breath.
His blue eyes met Tania's again.
This time, his gaze looked much gentler.
As though it held something he couldn't bring himself to confess.
"I'm just hoping."
The answer was simple.
Yet for some reason...
It made Tania's heart beat a little faster.
She didn't know how to respond.
Silence returned between them.
But it wasn't an awkward silence.
It was a warm one.
Every now and then, they could hear birds returning to their nests.
Ripples on the fountain pool reflected the fading evening light.
Time seemed to move more slowly.
Suddenly...
A ringtone shattered the atmosphere.
A soft piano melody drifted from Tania's jacket pocket.
She instinctively reached into her pocket.
But before she could answer the phone...
Tania heard something.
Nicholas...
Was softly humming along to the melody.
He sang each note with perfect accuracy.
As though the song were very familiar to him.
Tania stopped moving.
She slowly turned around.
Her face filled with confusion.
"You..." she said softly.
Nicholas stopped humming and looked at Tania.
"What is it?" he asked calmly.
Tania lifted her still-ringing phone.
"You know this song?"
Nicholas gave a small nod.
His expression looked completely natural.
"'River Flows in You,'" he answered softly.
He paused for a moment.
Then, without thinking, continued,
"You always play it when you're anxious."
The words slipped out just like that.
So naturally.
So spontaneously.
Yet...
The moment he said them, Nicholas's expression changed.
He had only just realized what had come out of his mouth.
Meanwhile...
Tania froze.
The phone in her hand slowly lowered.
Her gaze never left Nicholas's face.
Several seconds passed in silence.
Then Tania said softly,
"Wait..."
Her brows drew together.
Confusion filled her eyes.
"I do listen to this song a lot..."
She paused.
Trying to organize her thoughts.
Then she looked back at Nicholas.
Her gaze was now much sharper.
"But..." she said slowly. "...how do you know I play it every time I'm anxious?"
Nicholas fell silent.
He turned his gaze toward the fountain pool.
His smile became slightly awkward.
For the first time...
Tania saw Nicholas look completely at a loss for words.
Several seconds later, Nicholas gave a faint smile.
"I..." he murmured softly. "...was just guessing."
Tania slowly shook her head.
She still didn't look away.
"Your guess was too accurate."
Her voice was calm.
But full of suspicion.
Nicholas did not answer.
He merely looked up at the sky, which was beginning to fill with gray clouds.
The evening breeze grew colder.
Tania tilted her head back as well.
"Looks like it's going to rain," she murmured.
Before she could lower her gaze—
"Grrrrmm...!"
Thunder boomed in the distance.
It was so loud that the air around them seemed to vibrate.
Reflexively,
Tania's body jolted.
Her shoulders tensed.
She closed her eyes for several seconds.
Her fingers unconsciously gripped the side of the wooden bench tightly.
The small movement did not escape Nicholas's notice.
His expression immediately softened.
Without thinking, he said,
"You're still afraid of thunder, aren't you?"
His voice was soft.
Almost like a whisper full of sympathy.
The words made Tania open her eyes at once.
She turned toward him quickly.
Her face was filled with shock.
"Huh?"
Nicholas froze.
Something shifted in his blue eyes.
Only then did he realize his mistake.
He had said something...
Something he shouldn't have been able to know.
Tania slowly stood from the bench.
Her brows drew together even more.
Confusion and suspicion now filled her gaze.
"How do you know?" she asked softly.
Nicholas tried to smile as he usually did.
But the smile was no longer as calm as before.
"Coincidence."
His answer was brief.
Far too brief.
Tania immediately shook her head.
She took one step closer.
"What kind of coincidence?" she asked quickly. Her voice remained calm, but this time it sounded firmer. "I've never told anyone about that."
Nicholas remained silent.
His gaze shifted toward the trees.
As though he were searching for an answer he couldn't say aloud.
Tania didn't give up.
She spoke again.
Her voice was gentle.
But filled with emphasis.
"Answer me, Nicholas."
Nicholas slowly turned toward her.
Their eyes met again.
"How do you know my favorite song?" Tania asked. "How do you know I'm afraid of thunder?"
There was no answer.
Nicholas merely lowered his gaze for a few seconds.
Then he raised his face again.
His blue eyes were filled with profound tenderness.
As though they held memories he'd kept buried for a very long time.
Tania bit her lower lip.
Her heart began beating faster again.
The longer she knew Nicholas...
The more things about him felt impossible.
She had known him for only a few days.
Yet the man knew far too much about her.
More than a stranger should have known.
Tania drew a deep breath.
Slowly, she looked straight into Nicholas's blue eyes.
In a soft voice filled with hope and confusion, she finally asked,
"Have we met before?"
Nicholas did not answer.
He only smiled.
A small, warm smile.
But...
Behind that smile lay so many secrets he wasn't ready to reveal.