Yor Regret is Too Late!

2

The sound of the rain beating against the school library window seemed to violently drag Aria’s consciousness back to a time ten years ago. That memory always found a way to return—like a ghost that refused to leave.

"Here, eat this. Don't cry anymore, Asher."

Little Aria offered half of her chocolate bread, which was already a bit squished. In front of her, a little boy sat curled up behind the trunk of a large mango tree. His uniform was filthy, his knees were scraped and bleeding, and the scent of sweat mixed with dirt emanated from his body. He was a 'sponsored kid,' a harsh label the other children used for Asher because his mother was just a laundry woman.

The boy looked up. His weary eyes stared at Aria with hesitation. "Why do you want to be friends with me? They say I smell like garbage."

Aria let out a soft laugh, ignoring the dirt smudge on her own cheek. "They also say I'm weird because I prefer drawing dresses over playing with dolls. We're both weird, so we should stick together, right?"

Asher accepted the bread. His first bite was ravenous. Once he calmed down, he reached for Aria's small hand and hooked their pinky fingers together. "Later, when I grow up and don't smell like garbage anymore, I will come back for you. We will always be together, Ai."

"Promise?"

"Promise."

*

"Aria! Stop daydreaming! Hurry up and clean that window!"

The harsh shout from a student council member shattered Aria's reverie. She flinched, almost dropping the mop she was holding. Today, as punishment for her terrible exam grades, Aria was assigned to clean the windows of the second-floor corridor, which faced directly toward the main gate of Garuda High School.

Aria exhaled a long sigh, wiping the sweat from her forehead with the back of her rough hand. Her messy hair was tied haphazardly with a rubber band. She went back to scrubbing the glass until a sight down below froze her movements.

Three glossy black Mercedes-Benz cars pulled into the school parking lot. The convoy stood out starkly among the other luxury vehicles. The security guard even stood at attention and saluted as the door of the middle car was opened by a man in a crisp suit.

A young man stepped out.

Aria’s heart skipped a beat.

The boy was wearing the exact same school uniform as her, but somehow, it looked like a royal garment on him. His posture was tall and commanding, his jet-black hair was perfectly styled, and his sharp, defined jawline gave off a cold yet mesmerizing impression. He no longer smelled of dirt. He smelled of pure luxury.

"Asher..." Aria whispered softly. The voice caught in her throat.

Even though ten years had passed, Aria could still recognize those eyes. The eyes that were once fragile were now as sharp as an eagle's. It was Asher. Her childhood best friend who had promised to come back for her.

Tears unbidden welled up in Aria’s eyes. An overwhelming tightness suffocated her chest. It wasn't out of envy for his transformation, but because the raw longing she had locked away in the dark cottage of her heart for years had suddenly exploded out.

"He really came back," Aria murmured.

Without a second thought, Aria set her mop down. She ignored the shouts of the student council supervisor behind her. She bolted down the stairs, completely forgetting her dowdy appearance, her uniform slightly damp from splashes of window cleaner, and her thick glasses sliding down her nose.

She just wanted to say hello. She wanted to tell him that 'Ai' was still here. She wanted to show him the old handkerchief she still kept in her skirt pocket.

Aria's steps slowed as she reached the main lobby. A crowd of female students had already gathered around Asher, though his private bodyguards kept them at a distance. Aria took a deep breath, trying to summon the courage to call out his name.

"Ash—"

Before Aria’s voice could escape her throat, a beautiful silhouette swept past her, leaving a trail of expensive rose perfume.

"Asher! You're finally here!"

The voice was all too familiar. A voice that always sounded sweet but carried venom for Aria.

Aria froze in her tracks. Ahead of her, Aileen stood with her sweetest smile—a smile capable of melting anyone's heart. Aileen stood right in front of Asher, gazing up at him with a glimmer in her eyes that perfectly feigned a deep, agonizing yearning.

Asher stopped walking. His icy gaze softened the moment he looked at Aileen. He paused for a moment, scanning Aileen's beautiful face intently, as if trying to match it with his childhood memories.

"Ai?" Asher asked, his deep baritone sending a shiver down Aria’s spine.

Aileen nodded quickly, her hand wrapping coyly around Asher's arm. "Yes, Asher. It’s me, your Ai. You took so long to come back."

Standing just a few meters behind them, Aria felt her entire world collapse in an instant. Her legs went weak, as if all her bones had been violently pulled out. She watched Asher's hand—the hand that had once hooked pinkies with her—gently return Aileen's grasp.

"I'm sorry I'm late, Ai. You've grown into a very beautiful girl," Asher said softly, without once turning his head toward Aria, who stood frozen in the shadow of the school pillar.

Aria squeezed the handkerchief in her pocket until her knuckles turned white. It was supposed to be her. That smile was supposed to be hers. But the bitter reality struck her harder than anything else: In Asher's eyes, the 'Ai' he was searching for was the flawless girl standing right in front of him, not the ugly shadow hiding behind the window.