Why Now? Why Here?

Charlie stood frozen, his mind racing as he struggled to process the situation unraveling before him. Questions swirled like a storm cloud—how had Alex managed to find him in Taipei? Charlie had made sure to sever every tie, blocking Alex on social media and cutting off all communication. And most pressing of all: Why now? Why here?

The weight of uncertainty pressed down on him, and a dizzying wave of unease swept over him. Alex’s face, so familiar yet now so out of place, seemed to blur against the backdrop of the bustling office. For a moment, it felt like a scene from a nightmare that Charlie couldn’t escape. 

Finally, Charlie broke the silence, his voice wary, and asked the question again. “What are you doing here, Alex?” Alex smiled faintly, sliding his hands into the pockets of his light sports jacket. “Can we talk? Somewhere private?”  

Just as Charlie was about to respond, Xing, who always seemed to show up where the drama unfolded, stepped closer to Charlie and Alex. With a playful grin, he asked, “Mind introducing us, Charlie?”

“Uh, yeah,” Charlie stammered, his heart pounding in his chest. “Alex, this is Xing, my coworker. And, uh…” He hesitated, wincing slightly. “Xing, this is Alex. My ex. From New York.”  

Xing’s eyes widened, and a grin immediately spread across his face. He raised a finger, pointing dramatically at Alex. “This is Alex? The no-good, cheating ex we’ve only heard about in passing? Oh man, this is better than the office gossip I made up when I was bored.”

“Xing!” Charlie groaned, burying his face in his hands.  

“What?” Xing shrugged, unrepentant. “Your ex flew across the world for what I can only assume is a K-drama-worthy showdown, and you’re telling me ‘not now’? Buddy, you’re killing me here.”

Alex chuckled, clearly entertained despite the awkwardness in the air. He crossed his arms, his expression equal parts bemused and intrigued. “Nice to meet you too, Xing.” 

*Charlie was surprised to see Alex.

Charlie let out a long sigh, turning back to Alex. “Look, I don’t think this is a good time.”  

Alex’s faint smile faltered, and his tone softened as he took a step closer. “I know it’s a lot, but it’s important. Especially since I flew over 7,000 miles to see you. Please, Charlie.”  

Charlie shakes his head, his voice cold. “You don’t get to just show up and demand my time, Alex. You lost that privilege a long time ago.”

Alex’s smile faltered briefly, but he quickly recovered, his tone measured. “I understand why you’re upset, Charlie. I do. But I’m not here to cause trouble—I’m here because I have to be.”

Charlie crossed his arms, glaring at Alex. “That’s not my problem. Whatever reason dragged you here, it doesn’t involve me.” His voice cracked slightly, but he straightened his posture, determined to keep his composure.

Alex sighed, glancing around at the bustling office. “Fair enough. I’ll give you space—for now. But you should know that I’m not leaving Taipei anytime soon. I’ve got a job assignment here for a few months.”

Charlie’s stomach tightened. He didn’t want to ask, but the words slipped out before he could stop them. “A job? Here?”

“Yeah,” Alex said, a flicker of something unreadable crossing his face. “Marketing gig. I won’t be far.”

Charlie clenched his jaw, his mind racing. Out of all the cities in the world, Alex had landed in his. Coincidence felt like too easy an answer.

Alex stepped back, lifting his hands in a gesture of surrender. “I’ll let you get back to work. But, Charlie…” His gaze softened, and for a second, it almost felt genuine. “We’re going to have to talk eventually.”

“No, we don’t,” Charlie snapped, his voice firm.

Alex hesitated as if weighing his following words carefully but merely nodded. “Okay. For now.” With that, he turned and strode out of the office, leaving a trail of tension in his wake.

As the door clicked shut behind him, Xing appeared at Charlie’s side, his face mixed with disbelief and excitement. “Charlie, your life just turned into a K-drama, and I’m here for every episode.”

Charlie groaned, pressing a hand to his temple. “This isn’t a K-drama, Xing. It’s a nightmare.”

Xing leaned closer, his voice teasing. “Nightmare or not, you’ve got some serious plot twists coming, and you know I’m not missing a second of it.”

Charlie shot him a withering look but said nothing. Deep down, he knew Xing was right—Alex wasn’t done, and neither was the chaos he’d brought with him.

As Charlie turned back to his desk, the questions he’d tried to suppress bubbled to the surface. Why now? Why here? And most importantly, what was Alex really after?