Love Rekindled

Unknowing Encounters.

Seeing the boss, Mr. Ben bows "Good morning sir." Zelda stands a bit frozen, she doesn't recognise Julius but there's an odd energy. Julius's eyes lock on her. Something stirs. "Isn't she...?

Before the door closes, Julius holds the button. "It's okay. Get in." They both step inside. The elevator ride is quite and heavy. Zelda stands straight, eyes forward latte in hand. Julius keeps looking at her subtly- something about her is too familiar. Adrian looks around- noticing the heaviness, then breaks the silence. "Sir this is miss Zelda. She's part of our newest intake". "She'll be joining the Impact unit. She's an Innovation assistant- R&D coordinator."

Zelda turns, gives a Polite smile and bow. "It's a pleasure sir." Julius nods slightly- saying nothing, just watching. She has no idea he's the same man who handed her an umbrella just days ago.

The elevator dings. 9th floor. Mr. Ben and Zelda bowed before exiting- Julius gives them a short nod. As the door closes, he watches her walk away. " That girl..... why does she feel like a memory I've forgotten to remember."

At Julius's sleek corner office, a panoramic view behind him. He sits at his large desk, stylus in hand, screen glowing with files and spreadsheets. His assistant Adrian is beside him chattering "Sir we're still catching up from your time aboard. The clients briefing, the strategy decks-" Julius doesn't respond. He's barely listening. His thoughts- "Zelda... that name. that face." "Where have I seen her before?"

Meanwhile, Zelda is settling into her new role- at the impact unit. Mr. Ben introduced her to everyone there. "Everyone, this is Zelda. our new R&D coordinator." Zelda waves giving a smile. "It's super nice to meet you," Mira said reaching for Zelda's hands. "You're going to love it here." she smiled warmly.

Zelda was quiet but sharp, picking up tasks quickly. Mr. Ben and other colleagues are impressed with how fast she catches on. She asks questions, takes notes, types fast- this job matters.

Her first day of work ends quickly, she rushes back home- to rest.

Home again.

She kicks are shoes off at the door, tossing her bag with a tired sigh. Before she could sit, the door bursts open- Emily her best friend, storms in like a hurricane. "I brought supplies." she said lifting both hands up, letting Zelda see the things she bought. Emily drops two canned beers on the table, followed immediately by a box of fried chicken. Zelda walks over, flops into a chair with a dramatic thud. Emily pops open a can, "Girl... your place is a mess." "I've been job hunting for weeks- barely time to breathe, let alone clean." Zelda said with her mouth full of chicken. Emily scoffs "Please.. I work and clean. You just messy." Zelda rolled her eyes- licks the grease off her fingers. Stands up, grabs a third can of beer from the fridge, cracks it open. She takes a sip and leaned back with a satisfied groan. " So Zelly, how was your first day at work. Are there any hot guys there." " Just the basic.. but that company's huge- thank goodness I got the job." Emily smiles, they high five.

Hours passed. They sit on the floor, chicken bones scattered, empty beer cans beside them. Chatting about everything- from classmates to celebrity gossip, their "dream vacations too." Zelda slowly rests her head on against the wall. "Em... maybe things are finally turning around." Emily nods, already-half asleep.

The apartment is quiet and warm.

The next morning. Inside a luxury black SUV, city skyline reflecting off the windows. Julius drives with one hand, his Bluetooth earpiece in. His tone is cool, efficient. "Yes, the prototype displays needs security." " No delays on the media setup- I want press coverage live." One call ends. Another begins. "Make sure the guest list is final by tomorrow." outside his window Jewel Tek draws near.

A major product showcase is coming. It's a huge moment for the company.

Julius pulls into his reserved parking. The guards greet him with respectful nods. He strides into the building- tall, composed, dressed sharply in a dark navy suit. His phone buzzes again he takes the call.

Inside his office, Adrian is already waiting with coffee, a tablet and an agenda."Morning, sir." "We have updates on the stage setup, the prototype is arriving this evening, and the PR team is waiting for your approval for the official campaign slogan." Julius takes the coffee and sits, scrolling through a digital folder. "Let's tighten the tagline- keep it sleek and ambitious. "We're not selling comfort. We're selling power."

Mr. Ben drops a folder on Zelda's desk. "Morning, Zelda. The team's reviewing product specs today- take a look at the highlights and join us in the lounge by 10." Zelda nods, flipping through the documents. it's all still new, but she's catching on fast.

Zelda settled into her role quickly. The Impact unit Team held a strategy meeting to divide responsibilities for the upcoming Jewel Tek Showcase, a high-profile event unveiling their latest smart luxury tech. Each member had a specific role — Zelda’s included coordinating product demos, prepping internal feedback, and working closely with the media and PR teams.

After a busy morning, the team broke for lunch in the chic Jewel Tek cafeteria. Conversations buzzed with pressure and excitement about the showcase. Zelda, while still new, was steadily gaining attention for her quick grasp of things.

By evening, most of the team packed up and left — but Zelda stayed behind, still absorbed in finishing a product brief. Her desk was a soft chaos of notes, devices, and a half-eaten sandwich. She didn’t notice the time.

Meanwhile, Julius — still working late in his office — stands up to leave then remembers he'd forgotten his tablet on the 9th floor during a review session earlier that day.

Taking the elevator down, he reached the floor and noticed the lights were still on. Curious, he entered to turn them off — only to pause.

There she was.

Zelda.

Sitting at her desk, writing intently with her left hand, chewing her food absentmindedly — just like back in high school.

That same tilt. That chewing habit. That stubborn focus.

Suddenly, the memory snapped in place.

"Zelda… from school." His eyes widened.

The girl he used to tease mercilessly — not because he disliked her, but because he couldn’t stop noticing her.

He leaned against the doorway, watching her for a moment — unseen, thoughtful. She yawned and stretched, blinking away fatigue. Something about the sight made him smile quietly.

Then he turned and left without saying a word.

Zelda finally packed her things and left the building. The clock had rolled past 11:30 PM. She caught the last bus toward her neighborhood and walked the rest of the way.

There was one stretch near her house — a short unlit alleyway — that always unnerved her. Like every night, she paused and waited for someone else to walk by so she could follow behind them through the dark.

Just like other days she stands there waiting for someone to pass by.

Curiosity made Julius wait by that rundown alley. He wanted to see if she still had that fright for dark allies. He Waits patiently in his car- he sees her standing. "You're still hung up on this, huh?"

Without thinking, he throws on a face cap. Walks ahead of her casually- just enough to give her the comfort of a shadow to trail behind. Once they reached a brighter street, he veers off into another path, disappearing quietly.

Zelda exhaled in relief and muttered to herself,

“Thank goodness someone passed.