1.18: A Meet

Here's the revision with present tense and refined in the same format:

---

Pan parks her bike carefully under her dorm building. Today is exhausting, though, honestly, every day feels that way.

"I'm not even 30 yet, not even 25... but why does my body ache like I'm a grandma?" Pan sighs, dragging her legs toward the entrance. She swings open the door but stops midway, sensing something uneasy.

From where she stands, she feels like someone is watching her.

Or at least, there's the presence of another person nearby.

Are you sure it's a person, Pan? She asks herself. Her eyes dart to her watch.

It's midnight.

That's eerie...

Pan turns and presses her back against the wall. She walks slowly, her footsteps almost inaudible, toward the spot where her suspicion lingers. She clenches her fists. If it's a person, she's ready to throw a punch.

If it's not a person... well, let's just assume it is!

Not that... no way!

Pan frowns, her theory seeming more likely. Her nose crinkles as she catches a familiar scent. She lowers her gaze, her eyes growing droopy and hooded.

"Oui!"

Just about a meter away.

If she picks up speed, her knuckles would hit that face, causing a major catastrophe. Luckily for the other party, the response isn't too late.

"That punch still feels heavy," Zee says, blocking her fist. Pan pulls her hand away, fixing her shirt while scowling at him.

"What are you doing here at this hour? You know this is a restricted area..." she points to the signboard at the entrance.

**NO BOYS ALLOWED.**

"That doesn't apply to me. I'm a man," Zee answers subtly.

"Your joke's not even funny," Pan replies casually. She eyes him, debating whether to smack his head to knock down his sarcasm or punch him in the face to wake him up to reality.

"Sorry..."

"Too late. I could alert the guard if I wanted to. So, answer the question wisely," she slams the wall, trapping Zee between her hands. Because she's quite short, she has to stand on her tiptoes to meet his gaze.

Zee smirks, amused by the girl's difficulty trying to intimidate him. He pokes her forehead and shoves her away with ease.

Just like that.

"I'm here to see you. Here," Zee says, handing her a brown paper bag.

Pan frowns and checks the contents: clothes—hoodies and T-shirts. There's also a pair of sneakers.

"They're for Shu," he explains.

"Did you buy these for her? You shouldn't—"

"They belong to Ylang. I don't think she wants them anymore," Pan stares at Zee.

"Does she know?"

"She knows."

"And she didn't ask anything?" Pan feels uneasy.

"Don't worry. I told her it was for a university donation. I did work hard for that shoe, though. It wasn't easy to convince her to let go of it."

Zee points to the sneakers. Pan stares at them with a heavy heart.

"You don't have to go this far, Zee..."

"Nah, Ylang won't need them anymore. Not now, not in the future either. So, why not give them to Shu? At least I know they'll be in good hands," he leans against the wall, looking at the free, dark sky with a faint smile.

"No... I mean, you don't have to get involved in Shu's life this much. She's fine with what she has now," Pan says respectfully, feeling a churn in her stomach. The worst scenarios replay in her mind.

"Why?"

"She's no one to you," her words make Zee sigh. He gazes at her, sending a shiver through her bones.

Zee is mad now. Well, at least he's getting pricked!

"I don't believe giving away some nostalgic stuff crosses any line of your private life. Besides, Shu reminds me of someone," he says, standing tall with a tiny fury in his eyes. "Unless you're afraid someone might misunderstand my actions toward you," Zee continues.

They exchange glares. Pan knew who is Zee trying to mention. No need to even spell it out to her. Two years in a relationship is enough to know each other's thoughts. Sarcastic words, glares, even expressions... They don't need words to express their thoughts.

They know each other all too well!

"I came here to achieve something in my life, to be a proud mom for Shu. Nothing else matters to me. Not even love..." she pauses, looking at the man standing firm in front of her.

"Good. Focus on your studies. You've got a long way to go," Zee replies with a nod.

Pan watches him. A million words jumble inside her, but they get stuck halfway. Silently, she reminds herself that the chapter between Zee and her ended long ago. Now, Zee is no one but her senior, someone she should respect.

"I should go now. You should leave too," she waves him away. Zee nods slightly, stepping out carefully before running from the scene.

But before he disappears, he glances back at Pan. She's still standing in the same spot, watching him fade into the darkness. Deep down, Zee has many questions left unanswered, but he can't bring them up. He knows the chapter between them is over.

If you're happy with your life, I'll be happy too! Zee smiles, though sorrow fills his eyes.

---

A few days back.

"What are you doing in my room, Hia?"

Zee watches Ylang, who stands with her arms full of clothes.

"Helping you pack, of course!" he grins at her. Ylang sighs, scattering the clothes on her bed.

"I told you... I can do it myself!" Ylang snatches her clothes from Zee's hand.

"I can help..."

"Why are you so stubborn, old man?"

Zee laughs, watching his sassy sister. Ylang is his only sister, and though they bicker all the time, no one can deny how close they are.

"When I'm gone, don't become a hermit and forget about home!" she teases, reminding Zee. He sighs, fiddling with his sweater.

"Can I just stay at my apartment?" he asks.

"Nope! Someone has to keep an eye on Pa."

"He's not immobile anyway. Besides, he's always at the office," Zee shrugs. Ylang clicks her tongue, almost swatting her brother with the scarf in her hand. But seeing his gloomy face, she stops and shakes her head.

"Hia, you're 23 now. When are you going to make peace with Pa?"

"You don't understand, Ylang..."

"Make me understand then, Hia. I know he's been unfair to you. But, you treat him the same. Do you realize that?" Ylang says.

Zee falls silent. As much as he wants to explain his feelings, he doesn't want to worry her.

"Ylang..."

"Yes, Hia?"

"Do you think Ma can forgive me?"

Ylang sighs, her eyes turning glassy. She grabs Zee's hand, making him look at her.

"So, it's all about Ma..."

"I—"

"Hia, if Ma were alive, she'd kick your ass for sure! May she rest in peace..." Ylang jokes, breaking the gloomy air. Zee grins and snickers. Ylang hates sad atmospheres. She'll do whatever it takes to make people smile with her jokes. She's wise and witty, reminding Zee of someone.

"What's that?" Zee points at a box in the corner of the closet. It catches his eye because it looks different from the others.

"Oh... that's—" Ylang pauses, rushing over and pulling the box out.

"Here," she opens it. Inside are children's clothes, medals, and a pair of sneakers.

"Why are you keeping these old sneakers?" Zee asks.

Ylang rubs the fabric, smiling.

"Hia, do you remember the day we did a charity run with Ma?" she asks. Zee frowns, his brows almost stitching together.

"Which one? We did a lot of those..."

"This one. The first charity run, organized by Pa's office."

"The one where you fell at the finish line?"

"Yes, that one. I was four. I cried a lot, but..." Ylang smiles, placing the sneakers on the floor. "Ma told me, it doesn't matter if we win or not. What matters is that we had fun. It's not like we get to do this every day. So, I got up and grabbed her hand. She pulled me to the finish line, where you were waiting anxiously."

Zee feels a familiarity with the words. No wonder they flow so smoothly from his lips.

"I keep these as a memento of that day. It's a reminder of when you, me, and Ma had fun together. I'll remember it forever. It's the day I felt like a grown-up," Ylang smiles, pushing the sneakers toward Zee.

"Ylang... I'm sorry for those years when I disappeared," Zee says, staring at his sister.

"Hia, let the past stay in the past. What matters is the future." Ylang gently touches Zee's hand. "And... I always felt like you never left. You've always been here, in my heart."

Zee pulls her into a hug. She'll be leaving soon. Even though it's only for four years, he'll miss her presence. Especially with the strained relationship between him and their father, he knows he'll feel lonely.

"I'm gonna miss you, Ylang..."

"Hia... you're funny! We can still do video calls, you know. It's not like we live in the era of limited internet," Ylang jokes, playfully smacking his shoulder. Zee whines in mock pain.

"Can I ask a favor before you leave?" he asks.

"Spill it. Anything but money or women," Ylang teases. Zee glances at the sneakers.

"About these sneakers..."