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Yoona shrugged, her pearl earrings swinging with the motion. “I saw him the other day, and he said he was going to be here—”

“Yoona! Hey!” a bubbly feminine voice called out from behind them.

Alex and Yoona turned to see a young Asian woman in a black blazer approach them, waving. Her curly short hair framed her thick glasses. A sulking teenager with a slicked-back undercut trailed behind her.

The woman stopped in her tracks, her smile widening. “Alex? Is that you?”

Alex smiled. Her enthusiasm hadn’t changed since high school. He closed the distance between them, opening his arm for a side embrace. “What’s up, Maya?”

After they pulled away, she gawked at him. “Despite this slicked-back getup, you look exactly the same.”

Alex laughed into the back of his hand, hiding his embarrassment. “Could say the same for you too. How’s that vegan shop going for you?”

Maya beamed enthusiastically. “Going swell in my book. You should visit if you don’t believe me!”

Yoona cleared her throat awkwardly, gesturing with her head at the rows of seats behind her.

Maya patted Yoona’s bare arm playfully. Her face darkened when she noticed Ayase’s portrait across the hall. “I’d say given the circumstances, maybe it’s a blessing that Ruki was the one that brought us together again.” She smiled, trying to lighten the mood. “So you guys came together?”

“No,” said Yoona and Alex at the same time.

Maya laughed nervously, putting her hands up. “I figured. Anyway, let’s all sit together!”

They followed in a line behind her down the aisle between the rows of velvet chairs. They found four open spots in the front row.

As they settled in, Maya gestured to the teenager beside her. “Alex, you’ve met my cousin Tsubasa, right?”

Alex knew exactly what this kid was really like, even if Maya didn’t. “Yeah. We ran into each other a couple of times at like car meet-ups and stuff. Right, amigo?” he said, grinning.

Basa nodded and made a small wave before darting his eyes away.

Maya turned to him. “You better not be getting yourself into any trouble, mijo. Especially with that guy,” she said, pointing to Alex, then shooting him a playful wink.

“I’m not,” Basa protested.

“What are you talking about, Maya?” said Alex, resting his elbows on his knees. “I’m a great guy to be around with. Basa here knows what I’m talking about, ain’t that right?”

Someone’s throat cleared in the softly amplified speakers overheard somewhere. A tall, lanky young man with thick glasses held the microphone and looked around nervously. “If we can have everyone find their seats. We are about to start now.”

He gave a slight nod with a smile, shifting his weight from foot to foot. It was amusing to see Shawn so agitated on stage when he gave such a riveting speech at their high school graduation.

Four more people joined Shawn on the stage, filling the chairs beside the altar. Alex recognized the older couple as Ayase’s parents, who were elegantly dressed in traditional black Japanese kimonos. A tall, furrowed-looking man with a clean-shaven salt-and-pepper haircut took a seat next to them. Alex stared at the man, wondering where he had seen his face before, when the last person, a younger man close to Basa’s age, floated towards Shawn.

He took the spotlight from Shawn effortlessly. He batted his long eyelashes, which eerily matched the color of his long platinum-blond hair that curled daintily on his narrow shoulders. “If everyone could fill in from the center, that would be wonderful. We have a full house tonight.” If his pompous demeanor didn’t turn Alex off, it was his horrendous attempt to hide his accent. “Thank you for coming—”

A door slammed. The entire room went silent. Alex turned, putting his knees on the chair to see above the crowd. He gritted his teeth at the sight, fighting against the second-hand embarrassment.

Stumbling through the threshold, Jun looked at everyone in wide-eyed horror, like a lost child. Jun stood at the threshold, frozen. His hair was a wreck. His clothes looked slept-in. When people started whispering, his whole face went red, and he dropped his gaze.

A young, pregnant woman strolled through the crowd, reaching a hand to his arm with a sweet smile. Hanh, lovely as ever, gracefully guided a bright red Jun towards the seats. Everyone drifted back to their conversations, a few still smirking at the spectacle.

Yoona squeezed her eyes with a large exhale as she sank back to her seat, trying to remain calm. Maya faced front, smacking the back of Basa’s head until he did the same. By the time Alex glanced back to the stage, the prissy blond young man cleared his throat once into the microphone.

“Again, thank you, everyone, for gathering this evening.” The man paused as most of the room settled into their seats in silence. “My name is Nicola Guglielmino, and I am representing Paragon Industries to honor the life of Ritsuki Ayase. Not only was he a beloved team member at this company, but he was a true pioneer in medical innovation and a caring friend to all. Of course, everyone here knows that. If Ritsuki were here today, I’m sure he would have been honored to know that he was—and still is—loved.”

Several nods and murmurs in the crowd responded to Nicola’s statement. A sniffle and several choking sobs broke through the pause. The crowd’s fake performative reaction made Alex sick to his stomach. These people barely knew Ayase.

“We will start the program off with several speeches and eulogies prepared by his lovely parents, Shinichi and Kaoru Ayase,” Nicola continued with an eerie thin smile. “Then it will be followed by Shawn Sterling, Ritsuki’s lab partner and former high school classmate. Finally, several words from the man who was in charge of Ritsuki’s case, Chief Roland Sterling.”