CASSANDRA

I planned to stay inside my hotel room for the rest of the day until Dan's photoshoot ended. But then, as I enjoyed reading a book in the living room with a cup of tea my phone rang, and saw Dan's number on the screen.

I placed a bookmark on the page I'd been reading to answer his phone call. "Hello?"

"My Cassie! I have a problem."

I lost the smile on my face upon hearing his distressed voice. "What's wrong? What happened? Are you okay?"

"I forgot the jacket the fashion house sent me in my room. I need it for today's photoshoot and I don't have time to go back and get it. Do you think it is possible to bring it here for me while the photographer isn't here yet?"

I laughed softly. I thought for a moment that something bad had happened to him. "Settle down. I'll bring it for you."

"Really?" The relief in his voice was palpable.  "I already called the front desk and informed them to give you the spare key to my hotel room."

"All right, just tell me where is this jacket and where should I bring it."

"Oh, thank you, Cassie. You are truly a heaven's sent. I owe you one."

I chuckled as I made my way to the door. "How about you treat me to an Onsen once we get back to Japan?"

He clicked his tongue. "Sure! I'll bring you to the most expensive Onsen once I get my paycheck."

"Sounds like a deal to me," I replied as I got down to the lobby to ask the receptionist for the spare key to his room. He also told me the address of the studio where his photoshoot was taking place.

After I retrieved the jacket from his room I went back to my hotel room to get changed before going down to the lobby. I returned the spare key to the receptionist before booking Uber outside the hotel.

It didn't take long before I was on my way to give Dan the jacket he needed for his shoot. After almost half an hour of travel, I finally arrived at my destination.

I got inside the building and I phoned Dan to where I would meet him but the man was not answering his phone. Thankfully, I bumped into a woman in the hallway and I decided to ask if there was any chance she knew a studio that is currently having a photoshoot.

"Are you the intern?" She asked with a smile.

I shook my head, presenting the jacket in my hand. "No. I'm here to give this to Daniel Takaaki. He left it back at the hotel."

"Oh, are you his girlfriend? You're so pretty!"

I shook my head once again. "Oh, no, I am not--"

"I'm Mary, by the way. I am the editorial assistant for this magazine shoot. Come, I'll show you the way."

"Thank you. But, you see--" I didn't have the chance to correct her since she already walking away and I didn't have a choice but to follow her lead.

She led me to the room where there was a photoshoot. The room was a bit dark except for the part where the main stage where all the lights seemed to focus on that area of the room.

I saw Dan doing a couple of poses in front of the photographer whose back was on me. This must probably be the reason why he was not answering his phone.

I planned to wait until Dan was free before making myself known but the editorial assistant had other plans. "Hey, Daniel! Your girlfriend is here."

I felt my cheeks go in a deep shade of red as everyone inside the studio stopped what they'd been doing to look at me.

I was about to lower my head to hide my embarrassment when Dan tried to approach me the same way the photographer turned around and took a look.

I swore the air left my lungs,  my heart stopped working and my blood ran cold when I recognized the man.

He mirrored my reaction. He too, couldn't believe his eyes that I was standing in front of him right now. It was, as if, the two years had gone by in the blink of an eye. I wanted to look away but my eyes were held captive by those familiar blue gazes.

I prayed to God that my eyes were only playing tricks on me and that he was just resemblance him. There was no way...

"Cassie..." Dan's voice managed to break my eye contact with those blue gazes that were frosty at the moment.

I threw an accusing glare at my dear friend. I couldn't believe that he would betray me like this!

"I swear, he isn't supposed to be the photographer for this shoot," he informed me in a low tone. "The original man for the job became unexpectedly ill and I didn't know that he would be the replacement."

"Liar!" I hissed at him angrily.

He looked appalled. "Cassie. I attest that this is just a pure coincidence. When I learned about this the shoot was already about to start and I didn't have a chance to inform you. You know that there is no way I will do this to you, right?"

"Are you two going to whisper continuously and waste everyone's time or we are going to resume working?"

I gasped, hearing Calix's cold voice not far from us. To the onlookers, we might appear to have whispered conversation like lovers when the truth was that we were arguing.

Dan turned round to smile apologetically at Calix while I couldn't even look again at him without recalling our hurtful past. I refused to meet his gaze again as I focused my eyes on the floor. "I'm sorry, just give me one second to talk to my Cassie, Mr. Spiridakou. I assure you this will not long."

My mouth hangs open while glowering at Dan. I knew that it was a joke between me and Dan that he fondly calls me 'his Cassie' and at the time I didn't mind his little joke but I think he shouldn't mention it at this time.

Calix might get the wrong idea. Wait...why would I even care? "Stop wasting my time." He rumbled thunderously.

"Let's give Daniel time to thank his girlfriend when she brings clothes for him, Calix." Mary inserted with a teasing tone in her voice.

Calix made a sound somewhat like a sneer before he turned around and adjusted something in his camera.

"You guys look so good together. Now I understand why you are aloof with female models when they try to flirt with you. You have a secret girlfriend." One of the staff had said to Dan.

I eyed him angrily so he would sort out this misunderstanding as soon as possible. Now everyone thinks that I am his girlfriend.

"Guys stop teasing it's not what you think," Dan started, putting an arm around my shoulder. "My Cassie and I--" I elbowed him on the rib as hard as I could. "--I mean, Cassie is just a dear friend."

"Says everyone who wants to hide their relationship from the public." Someone quipped. "We understand, you know."

Mary wiggled her brow. "But you're a sly one, Takaaki. This is the first time meeting your girlfriend. Are you hiding her? Are you afraid that some other men will try to win her favor?"

Before Dan could even refute the claim. Everyone nearly jumped on their feet when one of the softboxes violently smashed into the ground.

"Sorry," Calix apologized insincerely. "I accidentally tripped on it. Go on, continue with your chitchat."

Some of the people hovered us around for moments to get the latest deets between the handsome Daniel Takaaki and the mystery girl with him scattered around and get back to their work.

"I'm sorry for putting you in this awkward situation, Cassie," Dan said when we were finally alone. "I will make it up to you. I promise. I will accept all the punishment you want to impose on me."

I shook my head sadly. I knew he wasn't at fault for this since this was purely a coincidence. I knew that Dan wouldn't put me in a difficult situation like this knowing that Calix was my ex. I pushed the jacket on his hand. "It's okay. I just want to go back to the hotel."

"You'll not talk to him?"

"What's the point?" I asked sorrowfully. "Nothing would change. I think it's better this way. We pretend not to know each other."

"Next time we should implement no visitors allowed during the shoot. Unexpected visitors interrupt the whole thing." Calix announced from the crew.

I knew without a doubt that he was talking about me. He didn't want me to be here anymore. Not that I could blame him he probably hates me for running away abruptly two years ago.

This was the harsh reality that I have to face right now. He was no longer the same Calix that I knew in the past. Two years had done so much for both of us that it felt like we were practically strangers to one another. I should have accepted this a long time ago but my heart is still in so much despair.

"I-I have to go, Dan. See you back at the hotel." I was glad that I managed to say that without breaking. Because my tears were on the break of falling uncontrollably. I have to get away from here before I make a fool of myself.

"Cassie!" Dan said worriedly but I didn't wait on whatever he was about to say and bolted away from the studio. My heart felt like it had been pricked by thousands of needles at once. I also had difficulty in breathing.

Once I was outside I burst out crying. I covered my face with my palms as I sobbed in the middle of the street. I didn't care if people were starting to give me weird looks.

All I wanted was to get this feeling out of my chest when all of a sudden, someone pulled me into his strong arms. I froze for a moment then I realized that it was Dan and he followed me outside. I became more emotional and cried in his arms.

"I-I thought...I thought I would be okay if I saw him again but I was wrong." I muffled in his chest while crying uncontrollably.

"Shh..." Dan soothed my rigid back with his hand. "I'm sorry for making you cry. Please, don't cry. You make me feel like the worse kind of an asshole."

"The pain is still here, Dan," I admitted, clutching his shirt. I didn't care if it would crease in the process. "I thought I would not feel the same kind of pain when I saw him again."

"Don't let the pain in your heart dictate how should live the rest of your life," he murmured against my hair. "I know it's hard to believe but trust me. I've been there. I know what you must feel right now."

When I finally controlled my emotions. I drew back from our embrace.

"Let's go. I will take you home."

I looked horrified while looking at him with wide eyes. "What about your work?"

He shook his head. "I'm worried about you."

I smiled at him. "I am a grown woman, Dan. I can take care of myself. Please apologize on my behalf for the delay in your shoot. I will go back to the hotel alone. I'll see you later."

He looked doubtful. "Are you sure?"

I nodded my head with a wide smile. "Yes. I will be fine. I used to live in this city remember?"

After a moment, he finally became convinced and allowed me to go. He hailed a cab for me but instead of going back straight to the hotel, I told the taxi driver to pull over after our short ride.

I decided to go on foot from there. I wanted to clear my head as I walked to the familiar places I used to go to when I was still living here.

Everything seemed familiar in this town and yet different at the same time. I truly felt happy when I lived here. This was the same place where I truly felt in love and blissfully happy. I thought that I finally had the happy-ever-after I always dreamed of. But I should have known that there was no such thing as happy-ever-after. This world was too cruel to live in. 

Seeing the cold and aloof behavior of Calix toward me. It was only understandable why he was like that. I must hurt him unintentionally when I fell without saying a word two years ago. But at that time, everything was too much for me to accept at once. The man I thought was my soulmate turned out to be my half-brother.

I stupidly thought that I would get over him if I would never have to see him again. But deep inside that was only wishful thinking because sooner or later, we would cross paths again. After all, there was something that binds us--and it was blood.

If only I was not my father's daughter or he wasn't my father's biological son. Until now, I was still mad at my father for what he did to my mom. I thought he adored my mother dearly but it turned out that he was in love with another woman while being married to my mom! I was not sure if I would permanently cut ties with him. All I knew was that I still hadn't forgiven him.

I didn't know how long I stayed outside until I decided to go back to the hotel before Dan started worrying about me. Thankfully, when I arrived he wasn't there yet. I went to bed and dropped my body in the middle of the bed while staring at the ceiling. 

I didn't know how long I'd been staring into space when I heard a knock on my door. I went to the door and checked who might that be. When I opened the door I was greeted by a very huge bouquet of red roses, it was so huge that the man behind it could not be seen.

"Surprise!" Dan greeted jovially, peeking at the side of the bouquet. 

I gave him a slightly forced smile because of a moment I had hope... Nope, that was not going to happen. 

He hates you, remember?  Have you forgotten the way he looked at you a while ago with those disdainful blue eyes? He detested the sight of you. He couldn't wait to throw you out of the studio away from his presence. So how could he bring you flowers, Cassandra, after your disappearing act?

I swallowed hard, removing that nostalgic memory from my mind. "Oh, thank you, Dan!"

"Here, I'll carry it inside. This is quite heavy." He said as I stepped aside so he could come in. "How are you?"

"Fine," I replied casually.

"I'm sorry about the incident a while ago," he was apologizing once again. 

I shook my head with a reluctant smile on my face. "It's fine, Dan. I know that sooner or later we will meet again. That scene moments ago was inevitable. How did the photoshoot go?"

He rubbed his nape warily. "I think I became your ex's number one most hated person on the planet."

"Huh? What do you mean?" I frowned at him.

He smiled ruefully. "I think it's safe to say that he unleashed hell on me. I never had a hard time on a photoshoot until today. I believe that he truly loved you and I think he is very much jealous thinking we're in a relationship that's why he gave me hell during the shoot."

My eyes widened in disbelief. "You got to be kidding me!"

"It's true," he insisted, rotating his shoulder to make a point. "Look. My muscles were all stiff because he couldn't be satisfied with my poses. I think he still loves you, Cassie."

I shook my head to refute his assumption immediately. "No. You are mistaken. That can't be true."

"Are you sure? From what I can see..."

"We can't be together, Dan."

My dear friend was silent at the moment and then he sighed deeply. "Aren't you going to share the reason why you left him in the first place? I barely knew what went wrong with your relationship when you seemed to still love one another. I bare everything to you about my relationship with Mia. I think it's about time you do the same."

I let out a frustrated breath. "It's an ugly tale."

"I'm willing to listen and I will not judge."

I chuckled humorlessly. "We can't be together for the simple reason that we found out that he's my half-brother."

His jaw slacked. "Don't shock me like that!" He protested. "Wait. Hold up for a minute! Can we slow down? Don't just drop the bombshell on me like that. We can start from the beginning on how you found out that you are having a relationship with your half-brother."

I knew it was about time to tell him about my past with Calix. "Let's sit over there. This going to be long storytelling." We sat on the couch and I took a deep breath before starting my tale. "It all happened when I attended a wedding..."