Paris, France June 18th

Nalani had been wrestling with her final projects for days, and today, she decided she needed a change of scenery. Dressed and ready to go, she was applying her makeup when Lena, who was munching on her breakfast, noticed her preparations.

"You going out today?" Lena asked, her voice muffled by the food in her mouth.

"Yep, thought I'd take a look around... more," Nalani replied, focusing on her eyeliner.

Lena chewed thoughtfully. "I'm almost finished with the project, by the way," she said, her words garbled.

Nalani slowly turned to her with a glare. "Well, good for you," she said, her tone dripping with sarcasm.

"Hey, wait," Lena said, swallowing her food and catching herself before finishing her thought. She knew better than to mention that Nalani might not have started her project yet. "Is that why you're going out? You haven't—"

Nalani cut her off with a sharp look. Lena quickly changed tactics. "Then, I'm coming with you," she declared, standing up and hurriedly gulping down her water.

"No, I'll be fine. And don't you have to meet Zaire later today?" Nalani teased, a smirk forming on her lips.

Lena stammered, "That—that could wait, okay?" Her cheeks flushed slightly, and Nalani laughed at her friend's flustered state.

Lena rushed to brush her teeth while Nalani finished her makeup. Nalani was about to grab her shoes when she realized she wasn't wearing her watch and bracelet. She headed back to their room to retrieve them.

Meanwhile, Lena, having finished brushing her teeth, hurried to the room where they kept their luggage. She opened hers and began rummaging through her clothes. "Um, Lena?" she heard Nalani call.

"Yeah?" Lena shouted back, still searching for something to wear.

"Have you seen my bracelet?" Nalani asked, her voice tinged with worry.

"What bracelet?" Lena asked, distractedly pulling out a suitable outfit. "Aha! Found you!" she exclaimed, holding up her chosen clothes triumphantly.

At that moment, Nalani emerged from their bedroom, looking increasingly anxious. "The bracelet Mom had custom-made. I got it on my 18th birthday, remember?"

"Oh! The one with the moon and star charms?" Lena said, finally realizing what Nalani was talking about.

Nalani nodded. "Didn't you wear that when we went to the exhibit again the next day?"

"Yes, I did. I'm sure I was wearing it... back," Nalani trailed off, furrowing her brows as she tried to recall the last time she had the bracelet. "I must have lost it after leaving the gallery. It rained that day, too."

"Maybe you left it at the gallery. Didn't you say that was the last place you went to before coming home?" Lena suggested. "You should go to the Paris de la Reine and ask if they found a bracelet that day. I'll meet you there."

"God, I can't lose that," Nalani said, her hands getting sweaty. She quickly grabbed her bag and shoes, heading for the door.

Mr. Antoine, their trusty driver, was waiting outside. He took Nalani to the gallery and then went back to pick up Lena. Nalani thanked him and walked inside the gallery, noting that some of the paintings she had seen before were no longer on the walls.

"Oui, m'dame. N'hésitez pas à regarder autour de vous," a woman said warmly, greeting her as she entered. "Pardonnez-nous, l'exposition s'est terminée hier, donc peu de tableaux ont été envoyés à nos clients qui les ont achetés à l'avance."

(Translation: Yes, ma'am. Don't hesitate to look around; Forgive us, the exhibition ended yesterday, so few paintings were sent to our customers who purchased them in advance)

"Ah, en fait, je suis ici pour vous demander si vous avez trouvé un "bracelet céleste" ici il y a deux jours. This was the last place I went to that night and thought maybe I lost it here," Nalani explained, her voice tinged with anxiety.

(Translation: Ah, actually, I'm here to ask if you found a "heavenly bracelet" here two days ago)

The woman shook her head. "Je n'ai rien vu ces deux derniers jours, désolé," she replied apologetically.

(Translation: I haven't seen anything in the last two days, sorry)

Nalani thanked her and was about to leave when she heard a familiar voice call her name. "Nalani! What brings you here, dear?" Anais said, smiling warmly.

"Uh... forgive me, Ms. Anais—" Nalani began, but Anais raised her hand to stop her.

"I told you to call me 'Anais' or 'Aunt Anais' if you prefer," she said with a gentle smile.

"Aunt Anais, I was asking if anyone here had seen a bracelet. I thought I lost it here a two days ago," Nalani said, fidgeting with her hands.

"Is this the bracelet you're looking for?" a man's voice suddenly asked from behind them.

Nalani turned and saw a man holding up her bracelet, the moon and star charms glinting in the light. She rushed over, recognizing it immediately. "Thank God, you found it!" she exclaimed, relief flooding her as she took it from his hand.

As she inspected her bracelet, she heard someone clear their throat. She looked up and finally noticed that the man wasn't alone; he was accompanied by another man, who seemed to be his secretary.

"Ah, forgive me for being rude," Nalani said, quickly realizing her oversight.

When she was about to step aside, she paused and looked back at the two men, focusing on the secretary. "Oh," she exclaimed, her eyes widening in recognition. "Koen? You're Koen, right? From art school?"

The secretary, who had been standing quietly, smiled. "Uh...yes, it's me. It's been a long time."

Nalani's eyes lit up. "I can't believe it's you! What are you doing here?"

Koen glanced at his companion, then back at Nalani. "I work with Mr. Clarke here now. I hope you remember him as well"

Nalani looked from Koen to Mr. Clarke and back again. "Uh.. I don't.. but it's such a small world. I never expected to run into you here," she said, a smile spreading across her face.

Anais watched the exchange with a bemused expression. "It seems like a happy reunion," she said warmly. "Nalani, I'm glad you found your bracelet. Why don't you and your.. friend join me for a cup of tea before you go?"

Nalani glanced at Koen, who nodded in agreement. "I'd love to catch up," he began to say.

But his boss and bestfriend Theodore, standing beside him, subtly bumped Koen's shoulder, signaling his disapproval while maintaining a sweet smile directed at Nalani. Koen noticed Theodore gritting his teeth and laughed awkwardly. "Actually," he said, his tone shifting, "I just remembered that Mr. Clarke and I have some business to attend to. I'm sorry, Nalani, but I won't be able to join you."

Nalani's face fell slightly, but she quickly masked her disappointment. "Oh, that's alright. It was nice seeing you again, Koen."

"Likewise," Koen replied, giving her a reassuring smile before turning to follow Theodore. "Take care, Nalani," he added over his shoulder.

Nalani watched as they hurried out of the gallery, feeling a mix of confusion and disappointment. Anais noticed her expression and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry, dear. You'll have plenty of opportunities to reconnect. Now, how about that cup of tea?"

Nalani smiled gratefully at Anais, taking solace in her warmth and kindness. "That sounds lovely, Aunt Anais. Thank you."