"Oh… this is going to get interesting," Taeng muttered under his breath.
For a moment, no one spoke.
The guests around us had completely stopped pretending they weren't watching.
Every pair of eyes in the hall had turned toward the small circle forming around Anamarija.
Whispers spread quickly through the room, like wind moving through dry leaves.
Phalin's father stared at Anamarija as if he couldn't believe what he had just heard.
"What did you just say?" he asked coldly.
Anamarija didn't look intimidated.
Not even a little.
She stood perfectly straight, her posture elegant and composed, her expression calm — almost amused.
"I said," she repeated lightly, "I didn't see her."
A few people nearby gasped quietly.
Phalin's jaw tightened.
Her eyes burned as she stared at Anamarija, anger flickering across her face.
"You seem very confident for someone who is only a guest here," she said sharply.
Anamarija tilted her head slightly.
"Am I?"
Her tone remained almost playful.
That only made the tension worse.
Chai shifted beside Chak, clearly ready to jump in if things escalated.
Malai crossed her arms, watching Phalin carefully with narrowed eyes.
Chak remained silent.
But I noticed something.
His eyes had moved to Anamarija.
Observing.
Measuring the situation.
Phalin's father took a step closer, his expression dark.
"You should apologize to my daughter," he said sternly.
The room held its breath.
But Anamarija only smiled again.
Slow.
Unbothered.
"No."
The word landed softly.
But it echoed through the hall like thunder.
A wave of shocked murmurs moved through the guests.
Phalin let out a short, disbelieving laugh.
"You have quite the attitude," she said.
Anamarija's eyes met hers calmly.
"I simply don't like drama."
Taeng choked quietly beside me.
Non coughed into his hand.
Pim pressed her lips together, clearly fighting the urge to laugh.
Phalin's patience was visibly thinning.
"You caused a scene tonight," she said coldly.
Anamarija raised an eyebrow.
"Did I?"
She glanced briefly toward the dance floor.
"From what I remember, someone else was the one grabbing people."
That comment sent another ripple of whispers through the room.
Phalin's father looked ready to explode.
"Enough."
His voice cut sharply through the noise.
"You will show respect in this house."
Anamarija looked at him calmly.
Then her gaze shifted briefly toward Chak.
Just for a second.
Something silent passed between them.
Then she looked back at Phalin's father.
"With all due respect," she said politely, "this is not my house."
She gestured lightly toward the doors behind us.
"And I'm leaving."
Phalin's father frowned.
"Tell me the reason why you're leaving."
For a split second, Anamarija turned slightly toward us.
My stomach tightened.
Please don't say anything about me.
Her eyes briefly met mine.
Then she looked back at him.
"I need to call someone important," she said calmly.
"And who might that be?" he asked sharply.
She lifted her chin slightly.
"My mom."
She said it with quiet pride.
Phalin's father scoffed.
"So your mother is more important than my daughter's wedding?"
Anamarija didn't hesitate.
"Mhm. Yes."
The answer was simple.
Blunt.
And it made several guests gasp again.
Phalin's father looked completely offended.
But Anamarija had already turned slightly toward Chak's mother.
"Can we go now?" she asked softly, her eyes suddenly carrying a small hint of pleading.
Chak's mother immediately nodded.
"Of course, dear."
Relief flickered across Anamarija's face.
"Thank you," she said with a small, grateful smile.
But just as she turned to leave—
"Wait."
Chak's voice.
The single word cut through the room.
Anamarija stopped.
Slowly, she turned back toward him.
Their eyes met.
"What?" she asked quietly.
Chak looked at her for a moment.
His expression unreadable.
Then he simply said,
"TCOH."
Anamarija frowned slightly, clearly confused.
"What does that mean?"
But Chak didn't answer.
Instead, his gaze shifted past her.
Toward Kit.
And Pim.
The word hung in the air.
"TCOH."
For a moment, the entire hall went silent.
Guests looked at each other in confusion.
Phalin frowned.
Her father's brows pulled together.
"What does that even mean?" someone whispered from the crowd.
No one understood.
The strange code had landed in the middle of the elegant wedding like a stone thrown into still water.
Even Phalin looked irritated now.
"What are you talking about?" she asked sharply.
But Chak didn't answer.
He simply stood there, calm and unreadable.
Anamarija studied him for a brief moment.
Her blue-gray eyes searching his face.
Then, to everyone's surprise…
She simply nodded.
A small, quiet nod.
As if she understood something no one else did.
Without saying another word, she turned and walked toward the exit.
Malai and Chai exchanged glances.
I hesitated only a second before following too.
Behind us, the whispers in the hall grew louder.
Confused.
Curious.
And slightly scandalized.
But none of us looked back.
—
When we stepped outside, the cool night air wrapped around us.
The noise of the wedding hall faded as the large doors closed behind us.
A black van was already waiting near the entrance.
The driver stepped forward and opened the door.
One by one, we got inside.
The door slid shut.
Inside the van, the atmosphere felt very different from the tense silence of the hall.
Now it was filled with quiet curiosity.
Anamarija leaned back slightly in her seat.
The van moved quietly through the night.
No one spoke for a while.
The lights of the city slid across the windows, reflecting briefly over our faces before disappearing again into the darkness.
My mind, however, was nowhere near the passing streets.
It was still back in that hall.
Still stuck on one moment.
"TCOH."
I lifted my gaze slightly and looked at Kit.
He sat relaxed in his seat, but there was something thoughtful in his expression.
Pim was watching him too.
Anamarija leaned back for a moment, then turned her head toward them.
"What did he say?" she asked.
Her voice was calm, but curious.
Kit let out a quiet breath.
"You really didn't understand?" he asked.
She shook her head.
"No."
Kit leaned back and crossed his arms.
"That's something Chak and I created when we were students."
I frowned slightly.
"Created?"
Kit nodded.
"Yeah. Secret codes."
He chuckled softly.
"Back then we didn't want other people to understand what we were talking about, so we made short codes for certain things."
Pim raised an eyebrow.
"You two were really that dramatic even in college?"
Kit grinned.
"Obviously."
Then he looked back at Anamarija.
"TCOH is one of those codes."
She tilted her head slightly.
"And what does it mean?"
Kit looked at her for a second.
Then he said,
"It means **Take Care Of Him.**"
For a moment, the van went completely silent.
I felt something tighten in my chest.
Take care of him.
Pim frowned slightly.
"Him?" she repeated.
Kit didn't answer immediately.
Instead…
His eyes slowly moved.
And stopped on me.
My stomach dropped.
Pim followed his gaze.
Then her eyes widened a little.
"Oh…"
She whispered it so quietly I almost didn't hear it.
Anamarija noticed it too.
Her eyes shifted.
Slowly.
Until they landed on me.
For a moment, she didn't say anything.
She just watched me.
And suddenly I felt very aware of the small space inside the van.
Of everyone sitting there.
Of the silence pressing around us.
Then she leaned back slightly.
"So that's what he meant," she said quietly.
Kit nodded.
"Yeah."
My throat felt dry.
"He wasn't talking about himself."
Another small silence filled the van.
Kit looked at me again.
"He was talking about you, Niran."
The words hit harder than I expected.
I lowered my gaze immediately.
My hands tightened slightly in my lap.
Why would he say that?
Tonight of all nights.
Tonight…
When he was supposed to be thinking about someone else.
I swallowed slowly.
"He shouldn't have," I said quietly.
No one answered right away.
The van kept moving through the dark streets.
Then I heard Anamarija's voice again.
Calm.
But firm.
"Why not?"
I looked up.
Her eyes were on me again.
Because he's getting married, I wanted to say.
Because none of this should matter anymore.
Because I should be the last person on his mind tonight.
But the words stayed stuck in my throat.
So I just looked away again.
Outside the window, the wedding hall lights were already far behind us.
Yet somehow…
It still felt like Chak was right there.
Watching.
Even from a distance.
No one really knew what to say.
Finally, Pim spoke softly.
"Niran…"
I kept my gaze on the window.
"I'm fine."
My voice sounded distant even to myself.
Taeng glanced at me but didn't argue.
The van continued through the wet streets.
After a while it slowed.
Our first stop.
Pim's apartment.
The van stopped at the curb.
Pim hesitated before getting out.
She looked at me with concern.
"Text me when you get home."
"I will," I said quietly.
She gave my shoulder a gentle squeeze before stepping out into the rain.
The door slid closed again.
The van moved forward.
Next stop.
Amara and Non.
They both got out together a few minutes later.
Non gave Taeng a small nod.
Amara waved softly at me before disappearing.
Now only four of us remained.
Me.
Taeng. Kit and Anamarija
The van drove a little farther before stopping again.
Kit looked at me carefully.
"You want us to stay tonight?"
Taeng nodded immediately.
"Yeah. You shouldn't be alone."
I shook my head slowly.
"I'll be fine."
Taeng frowned.
"Niran—"
I forced a small smile.
"I'm not alone."
I lifted my chin slightly toward the seat beside me.
"I have her."
Both of them looked at Anamarija.
She simply sat there calmly, her arms folded, watching the rain outside the window.
Taeng studied her for a moment.
Then he sighed.
"Alright."
But his voice carried a warning.
"Call if you need us."
"I will."
Taeng and Kit finally stepped out of the van.
The door slid closed.
The vehicle began moving again.
Now it was only the two of us.
The rain grew heavier as the van drove through the quiet streets.
Neither of us spoke.
Finally the van turned into a familiar street.
Chak's house.
The driver stopped in front of the gate.
The house was completely dark.
No lights.
No movement.
Silent.
Anamarija and I stepped out of the van and walked toward the entrance.
The rain soaked through my clothes within seconds.
But I barely felt it.
We reached the door.
I unlocked it slowly.
The house greeted us with darkness.
And silence.
I stepped inside first.
Anamarija followed, closing the door quietly behind us.
For a moment we just stood there in the dim hallway.
Everything inside me was tight.
Too tight.
All the emotions I had forced down during the entire evening were pressing against my chest.
But I held them in.
I had done that all night.
Pretending.
Smiling.
Watching Chak dance with someone else.
Watching Phalin kiss him.
My hands slowly clenched.
I tried to breathe normally.
But it didn't work.
Then suddenly—
Arms wrapped around me.
Warm.
Firm.
Anamarija.
She pulled me into a tight hug.
And that was it.
The last piece of control I had left shattered.
The breath I had been holding all night escaped my chest in a broken sound.
My shoulders started shaking.
All the pain.
All the anger.
All the jealousy.
All the humiliation from tonight—
It came crashing out at once.
And for the first time since the wedding started…
I finally let myself cry.