Love Beyond The Stars.

Chapter 2: Author's POV

10 years Later

“Found you!!!!!!” Clarita screamed excitedly, bursting through the garden bushes after spotting Mai.

Mai squealed and laughed as she tried to run away. “Noooo! You didn’t see me! I was hidden so well!”

Clarita pointed at her dramatically. “You were behind the wrong tree, Mai! That was too easy!”

The other girls, Asha and Kalista, came running behind them, laughing and clapping.

“Okay, okay, round is over!” Kalista said, catching her breath. “Mai was definitely the worst hider today.”

“Hey!” Mai protested, placing a hand on her chest. “I improved! You guys are just too good at finding me.”

The girls laughed again, the garden filled with the sound of joy and innocence.

But then, everything changed.

While Mai was still laughing and catching her breath, her eyes suddenly caught something unusual near the far side of the garden.

Her smile faded slowly.

“Kathy…?” Mai whispered to herself.

There she was—Kathy, the mean neighbor’s daughter—playing carelessly with a doll.

Mai froze.

That doll… it looked exactly like the one her grandmother had bought for her.

Her heart tightened.

She slowly walked closer. “Kathy… is that my doll?” Mai asked, her voice softer now but firm with suspicion.

Kathy looked up briefly, then held the doll tighter. Her expression changed instantly.

“No,” Kathy said quickly, stepping back. “It’s mine.”

Mai shook her head slowly. “That’s not true. My grandma bought that doll for me. I know it anywhere.”

Kathy rolled her eyes. “You rich kids always think everything belongs to you. This is mine now, Mai. Go away.”

Mai’s eyes widened in disbelief. “Kathy, give it back. You know it’s not yours.”

Kathy suddenly turned and ran.

“Mind your own business, Mai! This is mine!!!!” she shouted while running.

“Stop!” Mai yelled. “Kathy, come back!”

Without thinking, Mai ran after her.

The girls behind her gasped.

“Mai!” Clarita called out. “Don’t!”

But Mai didn’t stop.

She caught up with Kathy and jumped forward, grabbing her arm and pulling her back. Both of them stumbled to the ground.

“Give me my doll!” Mai shouted, struggling to get it back.

Kathy’s face twisted in anger. “I told you it’s mine!”

And then suddenly, Kathy began hitting Mai.

“Stop it!” Mai cried. “You’re hurting me!”

But Kathy didn’t stop. The struggle turned into a full fight.

Mai, overwhelmed and angry, finally managed to push Kathy away and slapped her.

The sound echoed in the garden.

At that exact moment—

“KJ!”

The boy Mai had been crushing on appeared.

KJ had just walked into the garden area, unaware of what had happened before his arrival.

He only saw the final moment.

He saw Mai standing over Kathy.

He saw the slap.

And Kathy on the ground.

“What is going on here?” KJ asked sharply, stepping forward.

Mai’s heart immediately jumped.

Her eyes widened.

“KJ…” she whispered softly, her voice filled with hope.

To her, it felt like her savior had arrived.

But KJ’s expression was cold.

He quickly moved between them and pulled Mai away from Kathy.

“Stop it!” he said firmly. “What do you think you’re doing?”

Mai blinked in shock. “KJ, she—she stole my doll! She started it!”

But KJ didn’t even look convinced. His eyes stayed on Kathy.

Kathy immediately changed her expression, looking helpless and teary. “KJ… she attacked me for no reason…”

KJ’s jaw tightened.

He turned slowly toward Mai.

“So you’re bullying her?” he said coldly.

Mai froze. “What? No! That’s not true!”

But KJ shook his head. “Just because you’re rich, you think you can do whatever you want?”

Mai’s eyes filled with tears. “KJ, you didn’t see everything! She took my doll!”

But KJ didn’t listen.

He stepped back, still believing Kathy.

And from that moment—

KJ started hating Mai.

He thought she was a spoiled rich brat who bullied others just because of money and power.

Meanwhile, Mai stood there shattered, watching him walk away from her judgmentally.

But in her heart—

He was her savior.

The boy who “saved” her from Kathy.

At just 10 years old, Mai’s feelings for KJ began to grow stronger.

But for KJ—

His hatred for Mai only deepened with time.

From a distance, Asha, Kalista, and Clarita had seen everything unfold.

They rushed forward.

“Are you serious right now?” Asha said angrily. “That girl really went too far!”

“We should teach her a lesson,” Kalista added, cracking her knuckles slightly.

Clarita nodded. “She messed with one of the Quads. She can’t just walk away from this.”

They started walking toward Kathy.

But Mai quickly stepped in front of them.

“No!” Mai said firmly.

The girls froze.

“Mai?” Clarita blinked. “She literally hurt you and stole your doll!”

Mai shook her head quickly, her cheeks slightly red as she glanced toward KJ in the distance.

“Just… leave it,” she said softly.

The girls looked at each other, then followed her gaze—and immediately understood.

Asha smirked. “Ahhhh, look guys, she is brushing!”

Kalista laughed. “Oh come on, he is not that cute, okay!!”

Mai turned sharply. “He is NOT that cute, okay!!!”

Silence fell for a second.

Then—

All the girls gasped in unison.

A second of silence passed…

Before they all burst out laughing.

The garden filled again with teasing, laughter, and childish chaos.

As time went by, Mai’s crush for KJ went too far.

What started as innocent admiration turned into obsession.

And slowly, unknowingly, she began to revolve her world around him.

Which made KJ’s life unbearable.

At 15 years old, KJ finally made a decision.

He walked into his father’s study and knocked on the door.

“Come in,” Mr. Jace said.

KJ entered slowly.

His father was buried in work, papers spread across the desk.

Mr. Jace looked up. “Khalil, son, come forward.”

KJ stepped closer.

“I want to go and study abroad,” he said firmly.

His father paused, clearly surprised.

“Khalil… that’s a big decision,” Mr. Jace said slowly. “You’re not just changing schools. You’re leaving the country. Far from home… far from your mother, your sister, and me. Are you sure you can manage alone?”

KJ hesitated for a moment.

Then he looked up.

“I know it’s a big decision,” he said honestly. “I’m not just leaving my family… I’m leaving my friends and everything I’ve known.”

He paused again.

“But Dad… I want to make you proud. And most of all, I want to get the best education. I want to live up to your expectations one day. I want to be competent enough to carry your legacy forward.”

His father went silent.

Completely speechless.

Then softly, he said, “Khalil… you’re only 15 years old.”

“I know, Dad,” KJ replied. “But this is what I want for myself.”

Mr. Jace finally sighed.

“Alright, son. I’ll support you. Don’t worry.”

KJ’s face relaxed instantly, a small smile forming. “Thank you, Dad.”

“Khalil,” his father called again before he could leave.

KJ turned back. “Yes, Dad?”

“Where do you want to study?”

KJ didn’t hesitate. “United States of America.”

He continued, “Since I won’t be close to you and Mom, I thought at least I should be somewhere I have family. Grandma and Grandpa are there… I’ll be in good hands.”

Mr. Jace smiled softly. “I love the sound of that. You never cease to amaze me. Alright, I’ll work on it. Don’t worry.”

A sigh of relief escaped KJ as he left the study.

Outside, he stepped onto the balcony, taking a moment to enjoy the view.

But his peaceful mood suddenly shifted.

His eyes narrowed.

“What is she doing here?” he muttered, annoyed.

Down in the garden, Mai was playing with Clarita and the others.

KJ watched her from above, his expression cold and unreadable.

Then he turned away, already irritated by her presence.

After a few days, KJ left.

And he left behind a broken Mai—

A girl who spent every day thinking about him.

Missing him.

Loving him more.

Even though he no longer saw her the same way.

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