Author's Preface
By evening, everything had settled into its usual rhythm.
Luna couldn't help smiling to herself. Seeing her mother smile throughout the day had quietly filled her heart with contentment.
For dinner, she prepared a simple vegetable pilaf—the same one her mother used to make for her whenever the weather turned cold.
As they finished eating, another thought quietly settled into Luna's mind.
Now Luna was thinking about where to hide that cake...
Her father would almost certainly be upset about spending money on something he considered unnecessary, especially while they were already struggling financially.
Luna brought up the concern to her mother.
Her mother simply smiled and gently shook her head.
"Don't hide it."
She looked toward the refrigerator before returning her gaze to Luna.
"When your father comes home, serve it for dessert."
Luna wasn't entirely convinced.
She wanted to protest.
But her mother was the only person Luna rarely argued with—not because she was afraid, but because she loved and respected her too much to do so.
In the end, Luna left the cake exactly where it was.
Even so, a quiet nervousness lingered within her.
What if Dad gets upset...?
Then she remembered her mother's smile.
The way it had stayed on her face throughout the afternoon.
That memory alone made the worry feel a little smaller.
After helping her mother take her evening medicine, Luna sat beside her on the bed.
Her mother had already begun resting.
Luna reached for her phone.
She opened her social media feed.
Yet every picture seemed strangely blurred by the thoughts crowding her mind.
She wasn't really looking at anything.
She was simply waiting.
Waiting for the quiet comfort surrounding her not to disappear.
As her thumb continued scrolling, she sighed.
Yeah... whatever.
It's not like I can change anything anyway.
Just then—
Her thumb stopped.
One particular post had quietly caught her attention.
It was one of those calm aesthetic photographs.
The caption read—
"Quietly, the sun is setting again."
Luna looked at the picture for a long moment.
A warm mug of coffee rested on a wooden table, thin ribbons of steam drifting lazily into the evening air.
Beside it sat a small shortcake.
Beyond the café window, the setting sun painted everything in soft shades of gold and amber, the light spilling through the glass making the whole scene feel peaceful.
Comforting.
Without realizing it, Luna felt some of the tension leave her shoulders.
She blinked.
Why does a photograph from a stranger make me feel so at ease?
A small smile appeared on her face.
She was about to continue scrolling.
Then something else caught her eye.
Resting beside the shortcake—
A white camellia, held gently between two slender fingers.
Luna's heart skipped a beat.
...Is this stranger trying to say something to me?
A quiet laugh escaped her lips.
"Nah..."
She shook her head to herself.
"We've only talked a few times, that's all."
Still...
Life can be strangely beautiful... at least when it wants to be ...
Almost without thinking, Luna opened the comments.
Her fingers hovered above the keyboard.
Maybe I shouldn't...
Then she smiled to herself.
It's just a comment. No harm in that. It's not like I'm expecting anything... am I?
She typed—
"Is the shortcake any good?"(;
The moment she posted it—
Her inbox lit up.
Not the comments.
A direct message.
"Depends on the consumer"(;
Luna couldn't help laughing softly.
She quickly replied.
"Is that so?"
She had barely set her phone down when—
The familiar hum of her father's vehicle echoed outside.
Almost instantly, the warmth she'd been feeling quietly slipped away.
Luna closed every open tab before placing her phone beside her.
She stood.
Then walked toward the apartment door.
The footsteps outside grew closer.
Luna drew in a quiet breath.
Before her father could knock, she reached for the handle.