CHAPTER 4

  Last night was a sleepless night for me. Gin called me using the endearment that Dion used to call me, hence, I had a hard time sleeping thinking it might be him. With the way he called me last night and what I felt after that, it was all Dion-like.

  But then we made a research about him, and couldn't find anything that will match him to Dion aside from that they looked alike, and their voices were the same as well, only that Gin sounded mature and manly than Dion. It's been eight years though, he could've been more mature and— ah, no, he's not Dion.

  While in the shower, I was thinking if it was really all just a coincidence. A coincidence that I met someone who looked exactly like Dion, and at the same place where we used to go before. Come to think of it, it doesn't look like a mere coincidence to me. Or was it and I was just making it all a big deal like what I always used to do?

  "Zha, come on! We'll gonna be late if you stay in the shower any longer."

  Hearing Caroline's voice, I shrugged, turned off the shower, dried myself, and prepared for this day's agenda.

  In the living room, Zhairo and Heartly were watching a morning show on tv as they sit together on the sofa. My brother's hands were wrapped securely around Heartly's waist while her head is resting on Zhairo's shoulder.

  The scene made me smile, and it made me think that if Dion did not go back to the US, and if he wasn't sick, maybe we have done this a lot of times, maybe we're married now, maybe... maybe.

  I sighed and shook my head, pushing those thoughts away. A lot of maybe in my head, and I wonder if those maybe could be real someday. What a wishful thinking.

  "Hey, Heartly, Zhairo!" Caroline greeted them, making the two pull back from each other.

  "Eyy there, Caroline. How's the night?" Zhairo greeted back.

  Caroline shrugged. "Nothing much."

  She looked at me and gave me a wink. She knew it was not a good idea to tell Zhairo about what we are up to, Zhairo was mad with Dion for the reason of leaving me and not coming back.

  "Well, where are you two going?" he asked.

  "Just going to hang out," I answered.

  He shrugged and looked at his girlfriend. "Well, babe, how about we hang out today too? You asked to come here yesterday so..."

  Ah, yesterday was fun. I cooked lunch for them, and Heartly helped me. She was eager to learn how to cook a delicious meal so she could cook for my brother. Zhairo's lucky to have her, she's sweet and a girlfriend material, she's everything that a man could ask for.

  Luckily for Zhairo, Heartly agreed to hang out today and even asked if we can all come out at the same time but we'll be late then, so Caroline made an excuse.

  Ten minutes before the agreed time, we arrived at Miró Coffee. Caroline ordered a latte for the both of us, my brows furrowed for I am not into latte but she said that it is fine to sometimes taste something new.

  At exactly eight am, Gin arrived. He entranced the coffee shop dramatically, as if he was a very important person. Wearing a gray t-shirt with a printed text in bold laters, "IT'S JUST ME", khaki shorts, and a pair of white Adidas shoes, he looked like he's just in his early twenties, when in fact he's already twenty-nine.

  Caroline who's sitting beside me looked up when I nudged her with my elbow, and her mouth parted in shock seeing Gin Montero standing tall in front of us. Recognition and shock were visible on her face as she looks at him from head to toe.

  Gin smiled at us and looked at Caroline who's still shocked, his smile fades a bit as he looked at her. He cleared his throat and uttered a greeting to Caroline. When Caroline did not react, he looked at me, silently asking what's with her.

  I sighed and pinch Caroline's arm, making her flinch and look at me cluelessly.

  "A-ah?"

  "He said hi," I murmured.

  She looked at him again and smiled awkwardly, "H-hi, hello. You must be... Gin?"

  Gin smiled and extended his hand, "Yes. Gin Montero. And you are..."

  "Caroline. Caroline Joy Luex."

  Seems like she recovered her poise and stood up for a handshake as she looked at him, studying the man in front of her. They both sat down after the handshake and Gin clasped his hand.

  "Caroline Joy Luex, the rising model and soon to be an actress?"

  She nodded. "Yes. The one and only."

  "It's a pleasure to meet you then, future Hollywood star."

  She smiled at his words and they started conversing. To my surprise, Caroline did not say anything about him looking like Dion which is unusual. Knowing her, she should be asking things to him right now, but they just conversed casually.

  And in just a few minutes, it was as if they were old friends talking over a cup of hot choco and latte. I let them converse and answer whenever they are asking me. I observed both of them as they talk, I don't know what Caroline was up to, so I have to observe.

  "What can you say? Can you come?" she asked.

  She was talking about this art gallery that will open soon. It will be located on the cobbled street of Old Town. According to her, the artist immediately reserved the commercial space when the previous owner left it.

"The gallery will house paintings mostly based on romance and about a couple who met here in Switzerland. I just saw that on the official F******k page of the gallery," she said.

  And because I have a thing for art, I got intrigued and asked her more about it which she tried to answer with her knowledge. Gin stayed silent and watched us as I channel all my interest in the art gallery.

  It will be open two and half months from now, and I take a mental note to try to squeeze it on my schedule for the next two months. The thing that says the artworks were about lovers who met in Switzerland piqued my interest.

  "So, art?" Gin mused.

  "Yea." I nodded. "I already told you my thing about art, have I?"

  Because Dion is an art lover. He used to paint every moment we shared, and I loved it. I fell in love not just with him, but with his masterpieces as well. I remember the first time I saw them... oh, no, Sweet Zhanaia. Don't go there.

  "Oh, yea, you have. I see, I wish I can come, but... I'll be away a week from now. I'll go back to Montreal next week."

  There was a sudden disappointment in me when I heard him say that but I pushed it away and smiled. And throughout our morning meeting, we talked about some random things, and Caroline was the one who did all the talking which Gin listened to. They laughed and smiled, which somehow made me jealous.

  If Gin is Dion, then he wouldn't laugh with Caroline like this. With that, I decided that I should just let go of the thought that he and Dion might be the same. There was a pang in my chest but I did not dwell on that and just listened to them throughout the morning.

  At 9:30, we decided to go. That time, I lost my mood already and just offered Gin a small and forced smile which he noticed. He opened his mouth to say something but closed it again.

  "Take care," was all he said.

  I nodded. "You too."

  I turned my back after that and did not look back. Caroline walked with me and started talking non-stop about her insight with Gin. He's good, he's handsome, he's charming, he's hot, he's this, he's that.

  As she talked, I just half-listened as my mind wandered with the thought that Gin's not Dion. Perhaps they just really looked-alike, douple ganger.

  "But you know what, you are right. Somehow, he resembles Dion. But mostly not. I think he's not Dion, maybe they just look alike and you are just dwelling on the thought that he will still come back. What do you think?"

  We stopped walking and I heaved a sigh and looked at her with a small smile on my lips. And I said,

  "You're right. He's not Dion. I am just dwelling on the thought that he will come back. That's all."

  After that, I walked again without looking back at her. She called me but I didn't look back, I just walked ahead. I don't know but there was the feeling of pain in my chest again, suffocating me.