Fall Down (Stray Kids Seo Changbin)

Three

Moscow, Russia
Starbucks
21 January 2025
17:30

"Same as always," she simply shrugged before glancing at table four. "Table included."

The barista only chuckled before typing in the order on the system and giving Kyla her change.

Sitting down at the table, she pulled out her laptop from her bag and placed it on the table.

It wasn't long until her coffee arrived and she watched someone sit opposite her. She didn't have to look up to know who is was.

"Don't you have some work to complete, August?" Kyla beamed at the boy.

"I do, but Lara wouldn't mind," he shrugged.

She cocked an eyebrow

"You almost got fired last time..."

"Almost, but I didn't. Lara loves me too much to fire me."

"Yeah, well, you better hope so because she's currently glaring at your back."

"What?" He exclaimed, jumping up and pretending to clean the table. "Is she still there?"

Kyla snorted.

"So gullible. What will I do with you, huh?" She laughed before reaching out to pinch his cheek.

"Ha, ha. Very funny," he said sarcastically as he took a seat again. "I would have expected better for my first day back. I was gone for a whole month. Didn't you miss me?"

"I did... Ivan isn't as easy to trick."

He rolled his eyes.

"What did I expect? This is the Kyla Blakely. Always joking around and such... Or should I say Blake?"

"Don't you dare!" She snapped, getting more agitated as she saw his smirk. Then calmed herself with a long sigh. "I mean, I'm just Kyla Blakely. I have do idea who Blake is."

"Oh come on, Kyla. Just give me one little inside of how your life was before. All I know is that you worked for the Society and we've been dating for what, two years? What happened and why are you in hidding?"

"It's a past I never want to remember. Does that help?"

"No. Everyone has a dark past. And besides, if it's a painful experience, I want to share the pain with you. Also, who the heck is Tom and Dave? And why do you write it on the top of every report you write then cross them out? Are they two dudes from your past you don't want to remember? Your exes perhaps?"

Kyla sighed, glancing up at August before deciding he was right. If they were ever going to get married, he may as well know.

"Tom and Dave stand for Thompson and Davies. As in Cassidy Thompson and Janey Davies. And they are part of the life I try to forget."

August noted how her voice cracked when she said their full names. Never once had she mentioned either but he just knew they must have impacted her somehow.

"And what happened? Why did you run away?"

"That's the part I try to forget about."

She closed her laptop and stuffed it in her bag, quickly finishing her coffee.

"Don't leave," he pleaded. "I'm sorry. I just want to know why you would leave such a life behind. Whenever you're drunk, you always go on about how much you loved it and how it was a job unlike any other. Why would you leave that all behind?"

Kyla stood up with a sigh as she carried her bag on one shoulder.

"We were a team," she cleared her throat and August was sure he saw a tear threatening to fall.