Two days passed so quickly that neither of them truly noticed how close time was bringing them to the same place.
It was finally the day of the grand art event.
The venue was already bustling with preparations, but Maria Luna Catingbig and her team had arrived much earlier than everyone else. They had personally set up each artwork with perfection — frames aligned neatly, installations polished, and every piece placed with care and emotion.
Her team later settled near their display section, proudly guarding the artworks they had worked so hard on. Luna looked around once to ensure everything was flawless. Satisfied, she quietly excused herself and walked toward the restroom.
Inside, she looked at her reflection and gently wore a sleek black mask that covered the upper half of her face. Being widely admired and recognized everywhere, she didn't want crowds gathering around her for pictures or conversations today. She wanted the focus to remain on the art, not on her fame.
After adjusting the mask, she stepped out and calmly took her seat at the main table between her team members, blending in like just another artist among them.
Soon, the event officially began.
Businessmen, art collectors, critics, and guests from different industries started walking around the venue, appreciating the various exhibits. Many of them stopped at Luna's section, praising the intricate details, the emotions captured in every piece, and the uniqueness of the work. Her team politely interacted with them, explaining the concepts behind each artwork while Luna remained quietly seated, observing everything with composed grace.
On the other side of the grand hall,
Rafael Xavier Murillo had also arrived.
Dressed sharply as always, he walked through the venue, occasionally greeting business partners and exchanging professional smiles. His presence was calm yet noticeable, the aura of a successful businessman following him naturally.
He roamed around, observing different exhibits with genuine interest. Art had never been his field, yet anything connected to emotions always caught his attention.
Slowly, unknowingly, his steps began leading him toward one particular section of the venue — the very counter where Luna's artworks were displayed.
At that exact moment, Luna's phone vibrated.
She quickly glanced at the screen and saw her manager's name flashing. The call was urgent. She answered softly, and her manager's hurried voice came from the other side, saying she had reached outside the venue and needed Luna to come quickly.
Without wasting a second, Luna stood up in a rush.
"I'll be back in a minute," she whispered to her team and hurried away.
In her haste, her elbow accidentally hit the small name plate placed on the counter — the plate that displayed the artist's name. It slipped, tilted, and fell flat on the table, its name no longer visible.
At the same moment, Raffy reached the counter.
He paused, looking at the beautiful handcrafted artworks displayed there. His eyes softened with genuine admiration. There was something about the detailing, the way emotions were preserved in the art, that felt strangely familiar to his heart.
"This is impressive," he said to the team members present there.
They smiled proudly and began explaining the concepts behind the pieces, the techniques used, and the story each artwork carried. Raffy listened attentively, clearly impressed by the depth and emotion reflected in the work.
He didn't notice the fallen name plate.
He didn't see the artist who had just rushed past him seconds ago.
And he didn't realize how close he had come to the love he once lost.
Meanwhile, outside the hall, Luna hurried forward, unaware that just a few steps behind her… stood the very person her heart had never truly forgotten.
Once again, fate brought them to the same place, the same moment —
yet allowed them to pass each other like strangers.
A lost love… still lost in time. 🌸