The birthday lights had faded. The restaurant was quiet now, the echoes of laughter and music still lingering in the walls. Anaya stepped back into her room, still wearing the little paper crown they gave her, now slightly tilted on her head.
She closed the door gently, leaned against it for a moment, and let out a soft breath.
A smile still lingered on her lips.
Maybe happiness didn't have to be loud. Maybe it came in small, unexpected ways like cake shared with kind people, or a sudden wish made under candlelight.
She changed into her nightdress, sat on her bed, and picked up her phone. The room was dim, only the soft blue light of her screen reflected in her eyes.
She opened Weibo.
His account was still there. Still distant. Still untouchable.
But tonight, something in her felt braver. Not because she expected a reply, but because she needed to speak. even if it was only to the stars.
She opened the chat box and typed.
"I think I got an uncle just now.
I don't know if he was serious or just joking… but he said he wants me to be his daughter. The 'uncle' is my boss. He runs the restaurant I work at.
It sounds strange, right?
But I felt happy. Really happy. Like I got a family again, even just its a little word..
Oh, wait.. did I even introduce myself to you properly?
My name is Anaya. Though sometimes I want to change it. Maybe one day, I will.
I just turned 19 today.
Height: 152 cm.
Weight: 43 kg.
I love writing stories. Novels, mostly. I like music too. playing the violin, especially. And painting, when I feel too quiet inside.
I can't talk to people easily. Maybe because I grew up in hostels. I never had real friends. I still don't. But I've never picked up any bad habits either.
My favourite food is fish.
Favourite fruit—mango.
Favourite sweet—ice cream.
Favourite colour—blue.
Favourite person…
Only you.
From now on, I want to focus on my novel. I don't know how it will go, but for once, I have faith in myself. That, one day, I'll meet you.
Until then… good night."**
She stared at the message for a moment. Then, without hesitation, she hit Send.
She knew just like every other time, that he might never read it. Might never reply.
But still, she smiled.
Because tonight, it felt like someone was listening.
Maybe not on the other side of the screen. Maybe not in the same country.
But somewhere, in the quiet of the world, her words had gone out.
And that was enough.
She put her phone aside, turned off the lights, and curled under her blanket.
The city outside was asleep. The stars were above. The paper crown still lay on her desk, and her diary stayed closed beside her.
After, days passed..
One evening..
The restaurant was quiet that evening. Most of the customers had left, leaving behind the soft clinking of dishes being washed and the faint hum of an old song playing in the background.
Anaya was helping to wipe down the tables, her movements unhurried. Mr. Brain, sitting near the counter with a cup of chai, looked over at her with a calm smile.
She glanced up after a moment, as if hesitating. Then finally, she walked over and sat across from him.
"Uncle," she said softly, "can I ask you something?"
He raised his brows slightly, amused. "Of course, What is it?"
"Well…" She paused. "I've been here for a while now, and I've never seen your family. So, I was just… curious. I mean, if it's too personal, I'm really sorry."
Mr. Brain leaned back in his chair, his gaze distant for a moment.
"No need to apologize," he said after a quiet sip of tea. "It's not something I talk about much, but... it's alright."
Anaya waited silently, listening.
"My wife passed away a long time ago," he said. His voice was calm, but there was a softness to it. A memory hidden behind the words. "She was the kind of person who lit up the whole house. After she left, everything felt empty."
Anaya lowered her eyes, heart aching for him.
"As for my son," he continued, "he's overseas. I told him many times to come back to India, to be with family. But he's got his own life now. He never listened."
He chuckled faintly, though it didn't quite reach his eyes. "So I stopped insisting. I let him go, and I stayed here. Cooking always made me happy. So I followed that dream… and this restaurant happened."
Anaya's eyes softened as she watched him.
"It must've been lonely," she whispered.
Mr. Brain looked at her for a long moment. "Sometimes," he admitted. "But now I have this place. And you."
Anaya gave a small smile, her voice steady but full of feeling. "Then from now on, Uncle… I'll look over you."
He blinked, surprised.
"I mean it," she said. "You've done so much for me. Let me be here for you too."
For a moment, the air was quiet, warm.
Mr. Brain smiled then, not the usual playful one, but a quiet, grateful one.
"Thank you, Anaya," he said. "You're really something, you know?"
Anaya looked down shyly, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.
The two of them sat like that, as the evening light faded into night. Not as a boss and an employee, but as something gentler. like family found in an unexpected place.
And for the first time in a long while, both of them felt a little less alone.