A Year After Us

Episode 6

Cate's POV

Monday started like any other.

Late coffee. Mild panic over deadlines. Ali rambling about her weekend love life while I tried to debug a user permission error for the fifth time.

Normal. Safe. Steady.

Until our project manager, Sir Neil, stepped into our team pod with his signature smile — the one that usually meant something exciting... or exhausting.

“Good morning, Team Cate,” he greeted, voice cheerful. “Just a quick announcement. We’ve been formally invited by our partner company — yes, the mining and copper guys — to attend their founding anniversary celebration this weekend. There’ll be team-building activities, an overnight stay, and a quick showcase tour. It’s part of our collaboration goodwill.”

My fingers froze on the keyboard.

Ali elbowed me under the table. I could already hear her voice in my head: Girl, is this destiny or disaster?

“Is it company-wide?” someone asked from the back.

“Yup. All teams involved in the system project. So yes, Cate, you and your team are on the list. Required presence,” Sir Neil added with a chuckle. “They’ve already booked the resort. Transportation will be arranged too.”

Required.

Of course.

I forced a smile and nodded, pretending it didn’t make my stomach tighten.

Karl’s company.

Karl’s event.

Karl’s space.

How am I supposed to breathe normally in a place where he’s supposed to be the host?

Ali leaned in and whispered, “Plot twist, girl. I’m into this. Like w*****d — but in real life.”

I wanted to laugh. Instead, I inhaled slowly. Exhaled even slower.

Another weekend with Karl in the background.

Or worse… the center.

I stared at the open luggage on my bed like it had just asked me to perform surgery.

Ali’s voice came through the phone speaker, tinny but teasing. “Hey, don’t tell me you still haven’t packed?”

“Not yet,” I muttered, pulling out a couple of neutral-colored blouses from the closet. “I don’t want to overthink this but why does it feel so hard to choose clothes when you know he’ll be there?”

“Ha! So you are admitting you still think about him.”

“It’s not like that…”

“Cate. Don’t lie to me. I’m your work wife.”

I rolled my eyes and collapsed onto the bed. “I just… I just want to be invisible, okay? I don’t want to cause a scene. I don’t want any awkwardness. I don’t want a moment.”

“Girl, even if you don’t say a word, your presence alone brings tension.”

“Wow, thanks.”

“That’s not an insult, babe. That’s your power. And I think — part of you wants him to notice.”

That made me sit up.

Because maybe she was right.

Or maybe… I was just afraid to admit how much space he still took up in my head, even after two years of being gone.

I folded a plain blue dress — the same one I wore the day I signed my regularization papers.

Safe. Neutral. Professional.

But part of me remembered how Karl once said I looked “like calm ocean waves” in that exact dress.

I stuffed it into the luggage anyway.

“I’m not packing feelings, Ali,” I said finally, zipping up the suitcase.

“Good,” she replied. “But don’t be surprised if the feelings travel with you.”

I didn’t answer.

Because honestly… I didn’t know how much I’d already packed without realizing it.

The Shuttle Ride

The company shuttle was bigger than I expected — air-conditioned, clean, and already half full when Ali and I climbed in.

“Window seat, dibs!” she grinned, scooting to the far side.

I followed, placing my tote on my lap, eyes scanning the other passengers. Safe faces. Familiar ones. No Karl.

Yet.

The seat in front of us was empty.

“I’m starving,” Ali murmured. “If they don’t have snacks, I’m getting off this bus.”

I tried to smile, but my hands wouldn’t stop gripping my bag.

“Relax,” she added softly, bumping her shoulder against mine. “No way he’ll end up next to you. Unless… the universe planned it.”

I rolled my eyes, about to respond — but the bus door hissed open again.

And there he was.

Karl.

Wearing a dark polo, hair slightly tousled, face calm — like always. But his eyes — they swept across the bus slowly, until—

He saw me.

Our eyes locked for a second. Maybe less.

I looked away first.

He didn’t sit near us. Of course he didn’t. He took a seat near the back, next to a man I assumed was from their team.

But just like that, the air changed.

I stared out the window, pretending to be fascinated by power lines and overpasses. But I could feel him behind me — not physically, but in memory. In presence.

And suddenly, the bus felt too warm.

Too loud.

Too quiet.

Arrival at the Venue

The resort was tucked just outside the city — modern, but surrounded by greens and quiet. Perfect for corporate celebrations… and maybe heartbreaks.

Teams were quickly assigned to rooms. I got one with Ali and two other girls from our department.

It was only a two-day thing.

But my heart already knew — this wasn’t going to be an ordinary two days.

The sun dipped low, and fairy lights flickered to life above the open-air function area.

Laughter echoed across the resort. There was lechon, iced drinks, and a band playing soft acoustic hits — the kind that made people sway or sing along even if they didn’t know the lyrics.

It was the perfect kind of celebration.

And I hated how perfect it looked with him in it.

Karl wasn’t hard to spot. Tall, relaxed, laughing quietly with some of his engineers. He looked at ease. He looked like he belonged.

Meanwhile, I tried to stay lowkey with Ali and the rest of our team — sipping on juice, politely clapping after each speech. Normal. Professional. Detached.

But the universe had different plans.

“Okay, team-building time!” the host suddenly announced, mic in hand. “We’ve got a quick challenge lined up: The Trust Task! You’ll be grouped in random pairs — one from our guest team, one from our core engineers. You’ll guide each other blindfolded through a short obstacle course!”

My stomach dropped.

Ali leaned in, whispering, “Oh no. Oh no no no. I swear if you—”

“Pairing number four,” the host continued, reading from a card, “Cate Mante… and Karl Tan!”

I froze.

Even Ali cursed under her breath. “Want me to tackle the host?”

But it was too late. People had already started clapping, calling out our names. It was just a silly game. But it didn’t feel silly. Not to me.

Karl approached, quiet, unreadable as always.

“Hey,” he said. Just that. Like we were still okay. Like two years never happened.

I nodded once. “Let’s just get it over with.”

He gave a small, unreadable smile — then handed me the blindfold.

“Ladies first,” he said softly.

My hands trembled as I tied it over my eyes.

And in the darkness… I remembered another moment — two years ago — when I said I needed space and he let go too easily.

Now, I had no choice but to trust him to guide me — even if my heart had spent years unlearning exactly that.