Turning his gaze to Ariana, Jayson inquired softly, "And you? Have you managed to move on?"

Ariana cradled the coffee cup delicately in her hands, a bitter smile playing on her lips as she slowly shook her head.

After encountering someone as dazzling and captivating as Theodore during her most naive and impressionable years, how could she possibly forget and move on from a love like that? Deep within her heart, she knew she might never fully overcome him in this lifetime.

A weighted silence settled between them for a fleeting moment. Kindred spirits bound by grief, they exchanged understanding smiles, a wordless communion passing between their eyes. Through unspoken accord, they deftly shifted the conversation to lighter subjects.

They engaged in conversation about mundane things, catching up on each other's lives over the past five years. After talking for a while, Ariana stole a glance at her watch, realizing she needed to pick up Melon soon. She bid Jayson a warm goodbye and then made her way to her car, driving over to Sonia's place.