3
❥๑━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━๑❥

“ANOTHER NUÑEZ.”

“Huh?” Zane replied, the strange sensation returning, a mix of curiosity and surprise.

“You’re one of the Nuñezes here, right? Known to the owner,” she said, her voice steady and casual. “Nephew or relative?”

“Nephew. H-How did you know? Did Auntie tell you?” he asked, turning to face her fully, his brow furrowing as he tried to understand how she had made the connection.

“Here’s your order, dear.” Her mysterious gaze shifted to the back as Zane heard footsteps approaching, followed by Mrs. Nunez’s voice.

“Oh, thank you, Auntie!” she exclaimed, a smile breaking across her face as Mrs. Nuñez handed her the cup of coffee. “That new apron suits you,” she added.

Additional questions suddenly popped into Zane’s mind. He realized he hadn’t noticed if his aunt was wearing an apron earlier or not. And another thought struck him—was she also one of the tenants in the apartments there?

After taking her order, the woman settled into the chair Zane had intended to occupy earlier.

“I see you noticed it,” Aunt Clara said, a smile playing on her lips as she glanced at her customer. “Hold on, dear. I’ll get your order, too.” Zane watched as she moved gracefully behind the counter.

Once Mrs. Nuñez left for the counter, the woman turned her attention back to Zane, her cappuccino sitting untouched in front of her. Instead, she retrieved a small notebook and pen, jotting down notes with quick, precise strokes.

“Do you like reading?” she questioned once more.

"Is that because I took a book—" Zane began, glancing at the table where the book he had intended to borrow sat. She flipped it open, writing down notes from its pages, seemingly unfazed.

"You prefer manga. If you want, I found a manga book for you," she responded. "I enjoy writing stories and whatever else. Do you think it’s okay for us to have different interests?"

Mrs. Nuñez’s footsteps approached again. “Why don’t you sit in the other chair?” she suggested, glancing at Zane with a gentle smile.

“He can just sit next to me,” the woman interjected.

“Would you mind, dear?” Mrs. Nuñez asked, a hint of concern in her tone.

“I’m just writing,” the woman assured, her focus unwavering as she scribbled notes.

As Mrs. Nuñez placed Zane’s treats on the table, he seized the opportunity to seek answers. Leaning closer, he whispered to her, “Did you tell anyone here about my arrival? Does anyone know?”

“No one. It’s impossible that your sibling did, as she went home on vacation. She only told me recently you were coming,” Mrs. Nuñez replied, her expression reassuring.

“Uh, ma’am, can I ask you something?” Zane turned to the woman seated beside him. Her pen paused, and she closed the book, directing her full attention toward him. “C-Can I?” he stammered, a mix of nerves and curiosity bubbling within him.

“Sure,” she replied. “What is it?”

“Who told you I’m the owner’s nephew? And how did you know that I like manga?” Zane inquired cautiously, careful not to offend her with his probing questions.

Her lips curved upwards, a soft warmth spreading across her face. “Looks like I’ll finally have someone to share my flat with.” Standing up, she nudged the book that had caught their attention towards him. “Mrs. Nuñez, can I please take my coffee out?”

“Are you going to be my flatmate?” Zane queried before she left.

“I finally have someone to share the expenses with,” she replied with a grin.

One of the staff came, transferring the woman's coffee to a styrofoam cup labelled ‘Clara’s Coffee Café’. “Here you go, ma'am,” she said.

“Thank you again,” she expressed her gratitude, and Zane watched her departure with lingering curiosity. Just as she was about to reach the door, she paused and turned back to face him. For a moment, he thought something had fallen from her, but instead, she addressed him once more. “Let’s meet at dinner.”

“A-Are you really sure it’s okay to have a guy as your flatmate?” he hesitated, uncertainty creeping into his voice.

“It’s okay with me, especially since I know I can trust you,” she replied.

Zane’s eyes widened in surprise. The way she spoke made it seem as though she already knew everything about him, leaving him both intrigued and a bit unsettled by the ease of their connection.

“I’m sorry, but do I know you, ma'am?” Zane blurted out, unable to contain the flood of questions swirling in his mind.

She shrugged nonchalantly, glancing around at the few onlookers in the café. “Maybe, maybe not,” she replied, a teasing smile playing on her lips. “By the way, it's nice to meet you, sir.”

With a playful wave, she turned toward Mrs. Nuñez and Zane. “Now, excuse me, Auntie, new guy, I’m off to my next destination.”

“Next destination?” Zane murmured to himself, his gaze lingering on her as she left once more, heading towards the left side of the coffee shop before disappearing from view. “Who was that, Auntie?” he asked, turning back to Mrs. Nuñez.

“You guessed it right. She’s your flatmate,” she confirmed, her smile widening as she watched Zane’s reaction.

“Is she really strange, or is it just because you seem close that you often mention me to her?” Zane asked, struggling to comprehend the situation.

“I never mentioned anything about you or your sister to her,” Aunt Clara clarified.

“Didn’t Mary tell her?” Zane pressed further, confusion clouding his thoughts.

“Actually, your sibling was supposed to be her flatmate when she first came here last year,” Mrs. Nuñez explained. “But Mary preferred to move to another room and spoke with the woman earlier.”

“Because?” Zane probed further, needing more clarity.

“She has a friend and workmate who stays here, so your sibling requested to stay there instead,” Mrs. Nuñez explained. “By the way, if you want to know her name, she’s a De Verra.”

The surname struck a chord with him, sending shivers down his spine.

“But who is she, this mysterious lady who seems to know some information about me?” Zane thought, his mind raced with possibilities.

“Can I take your order?” Another customer’s arrival interrupted their conversation, pulling Zane's focus away.

“I’ll leave you there for now,” Mrs. Nuñez remarked as she began to step away and go back towards the counter.

He sat down and began munching on Mrs. Nuñez’s chocolate crinkles, their rich sweetness melting on his tongue. The mythology book lay open before him, and as he flipped through the pages, a small piece of paper slipped out, fluttering to the table.

Curious, he picked it up and read the neat handwriting scrawled across the page:

Cook your favourite adobo later. Let’s celebrate your arrival.

“Again, how did she know that? Did she stalk me? How? He furrowed his brow, frustration bubbling beneath the surface. I don’t even post on my social media accounts,” he once again thought. His aunt had said she hadn’t mentioned anything. It felt as if the woman just somehow gleaned this knowledge simply by looking at him.

“Impossible!” he murmured, the thought sending a wave of irritation through him. “She must have some information or something!”

As the search for answers began, he found himself fixating on the mysterious woman’s notes signed with the initials L.A.V. A surge of curiosity propelled him to dig deeper.

Sipping his coffee, he reached for his phone, eager to uncover any clues about the woman he had seen earlier. “Let me search for who this De Verra is,” he muttered to himself, determination flickering in his eyes as he tapped away on the screen of his phone.

Opening a social media app, he swiftly typed in the surname De Verra and began scrolling through the results. Numerous profiles appeared, but none seemed to match the person he had encountered earlier.

"Let’s see," Zane muttered, scrolling through his phone. "First social media site… according to some researchers, it’s still the most popular platform. There must be someone here connected to her—or at least someone who knows her."

He kept scrolling, scrutinizing each profile with careful attention. "A girl with wavy hair in a white turtleneck—no, not her," he muttered under his breath. "Strawberry-blonde, close, but not quite… A coat? No, still not her."

A staff member working for his aunt noticed his intense focus and paused by his side. "Do you want some water, sir?" she offered, her voice breaking his concentration.

He looked up, momentarily startled before shaking his head. "No, but thank you," he replied politely. "Just doing a bit of research. I might be at this for a while."

The staff member gave a sympathetic smile. "Of course, sir. Research can be rather taxing, can't it? I'll leave you to it, then," she said, preparing to move on before Zane suddenly stopped her.

"Uhh… Just for this research, would you happen to know the name of that lady from earlier?" he asked, his tone casual but intent.

The staff member paused, a slight smile crossing her face. "Her name is Lorraine de Verra—two 'r's in Verra. She's... well, she's quite nice," she replied, a hint of admiration evident in her voice.

"Excuse me, miss. May I order an espresso?" a nearby customer requested, catching the staff member's attention. She turned to assist him, and Zane quickly resumed his task, typing the said name into the search bar.

Frustration gnawed at him as he continued his search, hope dwindling with each passing moment.

Just as he was about to abandon his quest, a glimmer of hope emerged. A post caught his eye, featuring a full name alongside a cryptic hint related to the initials L.A.V.

“Got ‘ya!” he exclaimed softly, a spark of excitement igniting within him.