Sam inhaled slowly, trying to gather the pieces of his broken memory.
"Well… actually," he said, rubbing the back of his head, "the woman who helped me didn't have white hair. She had red hair. And her eyes were… red too. Like a vampire. She said we were safe now. Not just me—she visited a lot of students who were unconscious."
I blinked, the tension in my shoulders easing a little.
"Oh," I whispered to myself.
Not Erza.
Someone else.
Probably the agency cleaning up after the chaos she caused.
It made sense why Sam's memories were twisted—why he didn't remember me.
I swallowed and faced him again.
"So… you really don't remember me at all?"
"I'm sorry, buddy," Sam said gently. "My brain's still recovering. I'm taking the medicine the doctor gave me. If I ever remember you… I promise I'll come to you. I won't ignore it."
A small, tired smile formed on my lips.
"That's enough. Really. At least you're alive. Maybe…" I let out a weak breath, "maybe we can be friends again in another life."
Sam hesitated for a moment, then gave me a thumbs-up—the exact same way he always used to.
"Yeah. Another life," he said.
I turned away before the ache in my chest could spill out.
It hit harder than I expected—losing someone without losing them.
All our memories together… class jokes, our stupid theories about dragons, the time he forced me to watch his favorite anime—all of it suddenly felt like something that happened in a dream.
After graduation… I knew we'd go separate ways.
But I never thought it would end like this—quiet, cold, and without a proper goodbye.
I walked back to a quiet corner of the courtyard and sat down.
My head rested on my clasped hands, like I was praying to calm myself down.
That's when someone approached—quiet footsteps, soft enough that I barely noticed.
A figure sat beside me, silently.
Without looking up, I muttered,
"Whoever you are… don't expect any jokes. I know I have red eyes, I'm the 'famous clown' Yuuta Kounari or whatever… but today I'm not in the mood."
"I know."
The voice was familiar.
Too familiar.
I lifted my head, surprised.
"Fiona…? What are you doing here?"
She looked at me exactly how Erza looks when she thinks I'm being an idiot.
"Seriously? That's what you ask?" she said. "What are you doing here?"
I rubbed my face.
"...Okay, fair. My bad. I meant—it's been a while. How are you, Fiona?"
"I'm fine," she said softly. "More importantly… I'm glad to see you well. It's been so long."
"Yeah," I said, nodding. "Last time you visited me, I was unconscious, right?"
"Of course," she replied, her tone dropping to a gentle warmth. "You were hurt. I was scared when I heard what happened to you."
Her voice carried sincerity—warm, fragile, and unexpectedly comforting.
"I know," I said quietly. "Grandpa told me you visited. I'm… glad you came."
Fiona puffed her cheeks in irritation, like she was reliving the moment.
"I did visit. But I couldn't even get close to you," she huffed. "Because of Erza. She was like a terrifying mother cat protecting her cub. I swear, the whole room felt like it would explode if anyone took one step toward you."
"She did that?"
I blinked. Honestly, it didn't surprise me—but hearing it from Fiona felt unreal.
"Back then… I didn't even know about dragon grief."
Fiona let out a small, soft laugh—one that instantly eased the tension.
"Yeah… I guess so. Anyway… it's good to talk with you again, Yuuta."
"It's… really nice," I said, feeling a strange warmth in my chest.
"Feels like old memories coming back. Remember when we were kids?"
She smiled, that nostalgic, bittersweet smile only childhood friends can make.
"I remember. You kept telling me you'd marry me one day."
She jabbed my shoulder lightly.
"And every time, I refused. So you tried again. And I refused again. You were persistent… and stupid."
I buried my face in my hands dramatically.
"Please… don't remind me. I still cringe thinking about it. I must've disturbed your peace so much."
Fiona shook her head gently.
"You didn't disturb me," she said quietly. "Not really."
Her tone shifted—softer, a little fragile.
Her eyes lowered, lashes trembling.
"It's just… back then I was drowning in anger. Revenge. I didn't know what I was doing. I didn't understand love… or anything close to it."
A quiet moment fell between us—not heavy, but delicate.
Like the air itself didn't want to interrupt.
Then she finally lifted her eyes.
"Yuuta," she said, voice steady but cautious, "can I ask you something?"
"What is it?" I asked, my heart tightening a little.
She hesitated… just for a heartbeat.
"Did you really love me?"
Her eyes locked onto mine.
"Before Erza came into your life. Before everything changed. Did you actually… love me?"
There was no teasing.
No smile.
Just genuine honesty—like she needed the answer for herself, not for drama.
I felt the question hit me deeper than I expected.
Back then… was it really love?
Or was it just a childish fantasy?
A desperate attempt to hold onto someone who felt safe?
And for the first time… I realized I didn't even know if my younger self understood love at all.
I let out a long, tired sigh and leaned back, gazing at the sky as if the clouds could answer questions my heart couldn't.
"Fiona… let's be honest," I started, my voice quiet, almost like I was talking more to myself than to her. "I don't even know if I truly… love you. At least, not in the way people expect."
Her eyebrows furrowed, and she tilted her head. "What do you mean?"
I hesitated, choosing my words carefully.
"Love… it's a word people throw around so easily. Everyone has their own explanation. Someone lonely and successful will call it a love is a scam. A businessman will tell you, love is a waste of time. And someone broken, someone betrayed, will have a definition that makes sense only to them."
I paused, letting the weight of that sink in.
"The truth is, nobody really knows what love is. They can't. Not completely. It's different for every person, and sometimes… it doesn't even make sense at all."
Fiona's eyes searched mine. "Then why are you telling me this?"
I swallowed hard and shook my head, staring at my hands.
"I'm not trying to confuse you. I'm just… trying to explain what I've learned. Real love… it's nothing like what movies show. Nothing like what people post on social media. It's not all roses and sweet words. Real love is far more complicated. It's patience, sacrifice, and even pain. It's messy and beautiful at the same time."
I let my gaze fall to the ground. "Erza… she showed me that. She waited for me for years, silently, without complaint. That's patience. She gave up her throne, her life of power and comfort, just to see me, one more time. That's sacrifice. She felt my pain as if it were her own, and when I was hurt… she cried. That's painful love. It's not gentle. It's raw. It's all-consuming. And the moments we shared… simple things, small gestures—they were filled with warmth and beauty. That's what made me realize… love isn't something you can define neatly. It's chaotic, sometimes overwhelming, and yet… utterly necessary."
I raised my eyes slowly to meet hers, and for a moment, I wondered if I was saying too much. But there was no turning back now. "Love… is more than just a feeling. It's enduring someone else's flaws as if they were your own. It's rejoicing in their happiness even when it doesn't benefit you. It's walking through fire together and still holding their hand at the end. That's what I've learned. And that's what… Erza taught me."
"If someone loves your face,
that is affection.
If someone loves you because of your status, power, or title,
that is kindness mixed with admiration.
If someone loves you only because you love them first,
that is empathy.
These feelings look like love,
but they are not its deepest form.
Love begins when reasons disappear.
When you don't know why you love someone,
yet you never question staying.
When the heart chooses
even when the mind has no answer.
That is love.
Erza saw me only once.
She didn't know who I was.
She had no reason to care.
And yet, she fell in love.
I knew her strength.
I knew her cold and ruthless nature.
Every sensible thought told me to stay away.
And still, I loved her.
We never understood why.
But we never stopped choosing each other.
Maybe that is what true love is—
not something you can explain,
but something you can never deny."
Fiona's voice softened.
"…And what does that mean for me, Yuuta?"
I finally turned to look at her.
Not cold.
Not warm.
Just honest.
"It means this:
you deserve someone who can give you that kind of love.
And that person… isn't me."
I lifted my hand and pointed toward the parent section across the field.
"Look."
Fiona followed his gaze.
There, standing quietly with a steady gaze,
was Loid — the man who had been watching her with silent devotion.
I spoke my final words gently, but firmly.
"He walks the same path that Erza walked for me.
He is the one who can protect you…
not with grand gestures,
but with consistency."
The wind blew softly between us.
Neither spoke.
The truth didn't need more words.
Love isn't perfect. It isn't easy. It isn't always beautiful in the ways people expect. But when you see it in someone… when you feel it in your life… you realize it's worth everything. That's what I realized after Erza. And maybe… Fiona deserves to realize it too.
Fiona suddenly laughed. It wasn't bright or cheerful—it broke halfway, like glass cracking under pressure. Tears welled up in her eyes as she shook her head.
"Why was I so stupid…" she whispered. "Why couldn't I understand love like that?" Her voice trembled. "Just because I was obsessed with revenge… I lost sight of the real value of love."
I smiled faintly and stepped closer, gently trying to steady her. "Don't cry, Fiona," I said softly. "It's not too late. And honestly… I was never your man in the first place. So don't think in terms of being late or early."
I took a slow breath and looked around us—the people, the noise, the world moving forward without caring about broken hearts.
"This is the modern world," I continued. "We don't see love as an emotional bond anymore. It's treated like financial security… or social status. The real value of love has faded so much that people don't even know what they're missing."
I let out a quiet sigh.
"So everyone ends up needing someone else to point it out for them. To show them what real love looks like. Because in the end… we're like sheep without a leader. We wander. We lose our way."
Fiona wiped her tears, but her expression didn't soften. Instead, it grew complicated—almost heavy.
"You don't know what I did in order to get you," she said quietly. "Soon… you'll realize it. Destiny has already started returning."
I blinked, genuinely confused. "What does that mean, Fiona?"
She didn't answer. She just looked at me—her face suddenly serious, guarded, as if a door inside her had closed.
"Stop that," I said, frustration slipping into my voice. "Everyone keeps secrets from me. And now you're doing the same. Don't tell me you're hiding something too." I clenched my fist. "I'm tired of all these mysteries. Just tell me."
She took a deep breath.
"I promised someone," she said slowly, each word weighing down the air between us. "I promised I would give my life to him."
Her lips curved into a bitter smile. "That's why I said I was stupid. I didn't even think twice before saying yes. I thought it was destiny."
"Huh…?" My mind froze. "What do you mean by that?"
Before I could ask anything else—
"Yuuta Konuari!"
A clear voice echoed across the field.
"Please come forward and collect your degree certificate from the hands of Father Brian."
The moment shattered.
The words Fiona hadn't finished hung between us—unanswered, unresolved—while destiny called my name, pulling me forward whether I was ready or not.
To be continue....