CHAPTER 2

  "I'm sorry, miss, but... who are you?"

  It was as if someone poured a cold bucket of water in me when he asked that question. My heart broke, and all the hopes in me shattered into pieces.

  "W-what... y-you're kidding, right?" I tried to laugh it off. "Oh, come on, Dion, I know you're just playing with me. Come on, stop this."

  But the serious look and confusion in his eyes said it all, he couldn't recognize me. He doesn't know me. And my system cannot accept this, I could feel my heart shattering into pieces as I look at him.

  He shook his head. "No, miss, I'm sorry. I don't know what you are saying. And I am not Dion."

  "Gin. My name is Gin."

  Our eyes locked, and although he denied it twice, I knew it is him. Dionysus. My Dion. But then...

  "Gin. My name is Gin."

  Dion.

  Tears loomed in my eyes as I look at him. He sighed and for a while, I thought he would end this play but then he apologized and once again, shattered all the remaining hope in me.

  "Look, miss, I-I don't know who is this Dion you are calling, but I am telling you, I am not him. My name is Gin Montero, and I am just here for a quick vacation. I am not Dion, and I don't know anyone named Dion."

  And so tears fell from my eyes as he repeated those words. He is not Dion. And he doesn't know anyone named Dion.

  I felt the looks of the people passing by so I took a deep breath and gathered myself to calm. I closed my eyes and sniffed. When I opened them again, I looked at the man in front of me who looked exactly like Dion.

  "Gin..." his name came out from my mouth.

  His brows furrowed. "Y-yes?"

  A small smile made its way on my lips and I shook my head. Even if their name is different, it has the same effect on me.

  "S-sorry." I stuttered. "I'm sorry I've mistaken you to be someone else."

  Dion's signature smile appeared on his lips and it made my heart jump in so much joy. But then again, I have to remind myself that he is not Dion.

  "Ah, okay. It's fine miss..."

  His tone indicated that he wanted to know my name so I widen my smile and introduced myself.

  "Zhanaia. Call me Zhanaia." I said.

  "Aye, Zhanaia. Nice to meet you."

  "Nice to meet you too, Gin."

  We were like lovesick fools feeling shy with each other as we stand in front of Miró Coffee, and we only came back to our senses when a woman excused herself and she walked past us.

  "Uhm, how about let's have a cup of coffee and vibe for a while?" he offered and I don't have the heart to refuse it.

  He opened the door for me and even pulled a chair for me, reminding me how Dion does that too, but then again, I reminded myself he is not him. I let him order something for us and I watched him as he walks to the counter and talks with the barista.

  Everything about him resembled Dion, and the question as though how did it happen that he looked exactly like him was playing in my head but I pushed it off for a while and focused on the moment where I currently am.

  When he walked back into our table holding a tray, the aroma of hot choco and Cappuccino filled my nostrils. Again, it reminded me of those moments Dion and I shared in this coffee shop.

  "So, uhm, how's life?" he tried to start the conversation.

  I took a sip on my Cappuccino. "Well, life is good, sometimes a bitch."

  His brows furrowed and he tilted his head while he has this amused look plastered on his face. Then he shook his head and sipped on his hot choco.

  "Well, if you say life is good, I'd say it is, but yea, sometimes a bitch." he said. "Life gives us things we never wished for, and the things we wish to have were never given."

  "Too deep," I commented.

  He shrugged. "Experiences. Well, Zhanaia, what do you do for a living?"

  "Oh, me? I am a flight attendant in Swiss Airlines, and I am on a vacation this week, so, I'm enjoying my time to relax."

  "Ah, I see."

  "Hmm." I took another sip of my coffee. "How about you? What do you for living?"

  The chair screeched as he moved and leaned his back, relaxing his body. "I just started my shipping company last year, and so far, it is doing good."

  And it was my time to have that amazed look on my face and my eyes widen a bit.

  "You own a company, you are a CEO?" I asked despite the obvious.

  He shrugged. "I'd say yes, but you know, I don't flaunt it. I wanted to remain lowkey and unbothered by all those business stuff. As you see, here I am, enjoying the beauty of this paradise."

  I smiled at his words, and again, it reminded me of Dion who also wanted to stay lowkey despite being the heir of his father. But then, I shook him off of my thoughts. It is not good to think of someone else while you are talking to someone.

  Gin and I talked some more, and just like the first time I shared a moment with Dion, we easily vibed with each other. An hour later, I know enough about him and him to me so we were no longer strangers sharing a cup of coffee and hot choco on a late morning.

  Dion and he have a lot of things in common too which made it hard for me to believe that they were not one, but in some ways, they have differences too. Nonetheless, I pushed Dion away from my thoughts and focused on Gin.

  We weren't aware of how much time we spent sitting on that spot, talking like we were old friends and like we didn't meet just this morning. I just found out that it was already nearing noon when my phone vibrated from my bag and Zhairo's name appeared on the caller ID.

  "Excuse me, I'll just take this call."

  "Yea, sure. I'll wait for you here."

  I smiled and stood up, walk a few meters away from our table where there was no one could hear me talking.

  "Hello, Zhairo?"I put the phone on my ears.

  "Eyy there, Zha. You going home for lunch? Heartly wants to see you."

  "Oh, you two there?"

  I could hear him nodding on the other line. "Yes. We were supposed to be here at dinner but she said she misses you and wanted to see you now."

  "Ah, okay. I'll go home, wait me there."

  "Where are you?"

  "Miró Coffee."

  "With who?"

  That question made me look in Gin's direction who waved his hand at me with a smile. I nodded and motioned him to give me more time and he just gave me a thumbs up.

  "Hello, Zha? You still there?"

  "Ah, yea. I am with a friend." I said when I heard my brother's voice again. "Zhairo, I'll be there shortly. Could you wait for me?"

  I heard him asked his girlfriend from the other line before he gave an answer. Heartly's yes made me smile.

  "Okay, brother. I'll be there. I'll cook for lunch, prepare the ingredients."

  "Great! What will you cook?" his cheerful voice made me cringed.

  "Whatever Heartly wants," I replied.

  "Alright! Got it!"

  Before I could even utter a word to respond, the line ended and I shook my head at my brother's craziness. Walking back to our table, I have this apologetic smile on my lips. I just realize that we had more than four cups of Cappuccino and hot choco.

  That's a lot.

  "Who was it?" he asked with a smile when I came back.

  "It was my brother, Zhairo," I told this to him already so he knew. "And he was with his girlfriend at the house, they wanted me to come since you know..."

  A knowing look crossed his eyes. "Ah, yea, I get it. You and his girlfriend are close and you haven't seen each other for a while."

  I nodded.

  "Well, alright. I guess we'll end this one here and talk again next time."

  "Next time?" my eyes widen. "There is next time?"

  "Only if you want to. I can give you my number."

  "Oh, sure!"

  And we exchanged phone numbers before standing up at the same time. He walked me to the street and called a cab for me, a gentleman.

  When the cab stopped in front of us, he opened the door for me and told me to take care. I thanked him for the moment and said we'll talk again some other time and exchange messages.

  He closed the cab's door and waved when it started moving. And on the way home, the smile never left my lips as our conversations played in my head over and over again.

  Gin.

  You're not Dion, you said that for how many times, and proved me through your differences. But then, why do you look exactly like him and why do you resemble him in some ways? And why do you have this effect on me that only Dion could give?