ø jude ø

All through high school, Jude planned to go to college and earn both degrees. He recently completed his bachelor's. And though he was supposed to continue—he was even accepted—he ultimately didn't enroll.

When Rain helped him set up an investment account nearly a year ago, Jude had no idea how well it would go. How much he'd take to it. Jude started educating himself in the field, attending workshops, and realized that school wasn't offering him as much value as this new pursuit.

So he stopped at his bachelor's degree and interviewed with a company offering financial consulting. A few days later, they called to hire him as a freelance consultant, meaning he was now doing exactly what Rain did.

Since the day they argued, Jude hadn't seen either Rain or Aura. Months had passed - he'd stopped counting. He'd made a pretty radical decision back then, but he hoped it had at least opened Rain's eyes. He missed Aura sometimes, even to the point of trying to find Rain on social media once. But everything was private.

He knew he had to move forward with his life, and so far, he was doing well.

Jude felt slightly nervous as his first workday began. As a freelance consultant, he didn't have set hours or even a requirement to be in the office. But as a new hire, there was mandatory training in the company's systems and operations. He'd bought some shirts and dress pants - things he hardly owned before - and that morning, he put on a white shirt and black slacks. A safe choice.

The company's offices were in the tallest, most modern building downtown. Standing at the entrance, he still couldn't quite believe they'd hired him.

Once he stepped inside, a young woman quickly approached and gave him a brief tour of the building, leading him to a conference room with a computer set up. "Wait here. Someone will be with you shortly to start your training," she said with a smile before leaving.

Jude looked around. The conference room had glass walls instead of solid ones, just like in the movies. Feeling self-conscious, he sat down and focused on the screen in front of him, trying to blend in.

"So, I hear your investments are going well?" a voice said behind him.

Jude spun around abruptly. Rain stood in the doorway, leaning against the frame. He wore a black shirt and an employee badge, identical to the one Jude had just received. No. No way.

"Don't tell me you're the one training me. What are you doing here?"

When Jude last saw him, Rain was fully freelance, even in financial consulting. Unlike Jude, who thought joining a company would be a good starting point, Rain had always worked independently.

Rain pushed off the doorframe and pulled out a chair to sit down. "Working," he said simply. "I started here a few months ago."

"Why?"

Rain shrugged. "That's a long story."

Rain's response could've been an invitation for Jude to suggest they grab lunch or coffee to talk, but he wouldn't dare. The moment Jude saw him, his mind was flooded with memories of their argument about Aura, reigniting a flicker of anger. Maybe life had been easier not knowing anything about Rain these past months.

Jude changed the subject. "Can we get started?"

Rain smirked slightly. "I'm not here to train you. I just saw you when I walked by. There was some chatter about a new hire, so I put two and two together." He glanced past Jude, and when Jude followed his gaze, he saw a man approaching - someone Rain apparently recognized. "Your trainer's here," Rain said, standing up. He extended his hand to Jude. "Welcome aboard. Looks like we'll be crossing paths now and then."

Still a bit stunned, Jude shook his hand. As Rain left, he nodded at the approaching trainer and exchanged a few words with him before walking out. The training session began.

After two hours of absorbing information, the same woman who'd given Jude the initial tour returned to show him his office. Jude was only required to be in the office one day a week, the same day meetings were held. He figured Rain's schedule was probably similar.

The woman also showed him the café and bistro she'd mentioned earlier, though there wasn't time to stop.

"And here's the daycare - a kind of on-site preschool for employees' children, in case you ever need it," she said.

Jude chuckled softly. "Won't be necessary, but thank you," he replied, glancing in the direction she indicated. For the second time that day, he saw Rain.

And he saw Aura in Rain's arms as he spoke to a woman who was probably a caretaker.

Jude froze. A wave of sadness and memories washed over him. Aura had grown in the past year - her hair had gotten longer, styled like the princesses she loved, with a hint of natural curls starting to form.

He checked his watch. Rain usually picked her up from school around two; it was now almost five-thirty. Rain must've been bringing her here when he needed to stay late.

"Shall we continue?" the woman asked.

Jude snapped out of it. Reluctantly, he tore his eyes away from Aura, who thankfully hadn't noticed him, and followed the guide. "She's adorable, isn't she?" she remarked. "Do you know Mr. Carter?"

The sudden question caught Jude off guard. "A bit," he admitted. "Aura is... magical."

The woman smiled. "These stairs lead to the parking garage..."

Truthfully, Jude didn't pay much attention to the rest of the tour. His thoughts were consumed by Aura and his brief conversation with Rain. Seeing Rain again brought back all the words that defined their relationship.

When the day ended, Jude drove home in his parents' car - he didn't have his own yet but was saving up. His latest milestone had been renting a small studio apartment, which he was still furnishing.

At home, Luna texted him right away, asking about his first day at work. His mom didn't leave him alone either, peppering him with questions. But the only thing he could think about was Aura's smile as Rain lifted her into his arms.

He hoped she was happy. That Rain had stopped drinking alone and hadn't just replaced Jude with someone else to enable his old habits. He hoped Rain had found a way to truly connect with his daughter.

Jude wasn't sure how he'd handle Rain, given how badly they'd parted. But he'd like the chance to ask how Aura was doing.

That evening, Jude didn't stay home long. He changed clothes, grabbed his wallet and phone, and left, telling his parents he needed to run errands for his apartment.

It was a lie. He wasn't ready to tell them yet, but for the first time in a long while, Jude had a serious date planned.

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a date with a person who isn't rain hahahaha