The Red String Between Us Part II: Frayed Threads

第38章 Between Us

      The following week, the sound of work seemed louder than usual, every sound sharpened by the awareness of Mallory's presence in the office. Her role as liaison placed her directly between the contract managers and me, which meant constant communication. I couldn't deny she was efficient, polished, and quick to earn respect from the team. But every time I watched her step into Kenji's office, some part of me tensed.

On paper, it was just work. Two professionals doing their jobs. But beneath the surface, it was harder to ignore the way their familiarity lingered. She laughed easily in his presence, sometimes referencing things I didn't understand—inside jokes that belonged to another time, another version of Kenji I hadn't known. He never indulged her beyond polite professionalism, but still, the sight made something tighten in my chest.

One afternoon, I lingered by the glass conference room as Mallory and Kenji wrapped up a meeting. She leaned over the table, pointing to a document, her tone warm, almost casual. Kenji's jaw remained set, his responses clipped, but when he glanced up and caught me watching, his expression softened instantly. That look—the one reserved only for me—was enough to steady me, but the unease didn't vanish.

I reminded myself of what he had said in Okinawa: there will always be challenges, situations we can't avoid. Don't run. His words echoed like a promise and a warning all at once.

Still, as I walked back to my office, the whispers I'd overheard from staff earlier replayed in my mind. They look good together. Almost natural. Professional, yes. But natural. That word alone scraped at something raw inside me.

Later that evening, as Kenji and I sat curled together on his couch, the contrast between the intimacy of his hand resting on my thigh and the stiffness of our public masks became too sharp to ignore. "Do you ever worry," I asked quietly, "that people see you and Mallory and... assume?"

Kenji turned toward me immediately, his gaze piercing. "Assume what?"

"That maybe there's something still there. Or that we're—" I hesitated, then forced it out. "That we're hiding because we don't belong together."

His hand tightened around mine, firm and steady. "Eden, listen to me. There is nothing left with Mallory. Nothing. I've been clear with her, and I'll be clear again if I have to. What we have? That's real. And if people can't see it yet, that's only because we've chosen to keep it private."

I wanted to believe every word without hesitation, but the image of Mallory's easy laughter lingered in the back of my mind. Kenji pressed a kiss to my knuckles, grounding me. "Don't let shadows make you doubt the light, Eden. Not when we've fought this hard to be here."

And just like that, the war inside me softened. But it didn't vanish. Not yet.