Paul's body suddenly recoiled as if an invisible force had pushed him back. His eyes widened, and his breathing became ragged. The girl's words echoed in his ears, crashing like waves.
"My girlfriend?"
The words collided in his mind over and over. The more he tried to make sense of them, the more complicated everything became. Violet took another step forward without hesitation. The distance between them had almost completely vanished. She locked her eyes onto his, her voice carrying a slight hint of a challenge.
"Yes. Is there a problem with that?"
Paul instinctively raised his hands. He placed his palms gently on Violet's shoulders and slowly pushed her back. The movement wasn't rude; it was the natural defense of someone who didn't know what else to do.
"No, it's not that..."
His voice was wavering. He didn't know what to say. His mind suddenly turned inward. As the sounds of the outside world muffled, his thoughts became clear.
Now I have a girlfriend too...
This thought felt strangely heavy to him.
For someone like me, who knew nothing but football in my previous life, this is a difficult situation.
There was an invisible wall between that old self inside him and his current consciousness. Although everything behind that wall seemed to belong to him, it was entirely foreign. Paul looked at Violet again and parted his lips.
"How did I— with you—"
His sentence was cut short. He suddenly noticed the stares around him. Everyone in the classroom was watching them. Whispers, suppressed giggles, curious eyes... they were all focused on him.
We're drawing too much attention...
This thought stopped him from finishing his sentence. Violet, however, was still looking at him, her entire focus fixed on his eyes, as if searching for an answer within them. Paul took a deep breath and composed himself.
"If it's alright with you, can we talk about this after school?"
His tone was more controlled now. He wasn't trying to run away from the situation; he just wanted to choose the right time. Violet first looked behind her. Everyone in the class was still staring. Under those gazes, her face turned slightly red, a warm hue spreading across her cheeks. She turned back to Paul.
"Yes... it would be better if we talked after school."
There was a shy softness in her voice. She turned around and began to walk away, but after a few steps, she stopped. She suddenly turned back, her eyes locking onto Paul's again.
"But please, don't try to run away."
She paused for a moment. Her tone changed, becoming deeper and more fragile.
"I don't want to lose you again."
The sentence echoed quietly through the silent classroom. A slight smile appeared on Paul's face.
"Don't worry. I'm here now."
As he said these words, even he didn't know how sure he was. But at that moment, that was exactly what Violet needed to hear. A bittersweet smile formed on Violet's lips.
"I hope so..."
She turned and walked back to her seat with slow but determined steps. Paul headed to his own desk and sat down. He propped his elbow on the desk and rested his chin in his hand. His eyes inadvertently found Violet.
What kind of relationship did I have with her?
There were no images in his mind.
Or how close was I?
These questions remained unanswered. He slowly turned his head toward the window. The sky outside was clear, and a light breeze moved the leaves of the trees.
Even if we were close, what would it matter?
His thoughts grew heavy.
In the end, I don't remember anything.
He looked at his hands.
Appearance-wise, I am Paul.
He wiggled his fingers slightly.
But in reality, I have the mind of a mature man.
This contradiction bothered him. He slowly clenched his hand into a fist.
By getting close to Violet, I would be betraying the real Paul.
This thought was sharp and clear. A few seconds later, he relaxed his hand.
"I will reject her gently..." he whispered. His eyes drifted back to the window. "And as always, I will continue to chase after football."
This decision seemed like the most logical path for him.
Chapter 9: The Bench of Memories
After school, as the hour approached sunset, the park near the school had fallen into silence. Paul and Violet stood facing each other. There were only a few steps between them, but the distance seemed much larger because of what they were feeling. Only the sound of the wind filled the air. The leaves of the trees rustled gently, and bird calls could be heard from afar.
Neither of them spoke for a while. They just looked at each other. Finally, Violet couldn't take it anymore.
"First of all, I'm sorry," she said softly. "I panicked because I hadn't seen you in so long, and I unintentionally scared you." She bowed her head slightly.
Paul smiled sincerely. "It's okay."
This smile made Violet pause for a moment. Her eyes widened. It was as if she had seen a piece of the past in that smile. A slight warmth spread across her face, and she smiled back.
"Even if you don't remember anything, I'm glad your smile hasn't disappeared." There was a slight shimmer in her eyes as she spoke. Then she took a deep breath. "Today, I thought only about the two of us. And I've reached a decision."
Paul's inner voice immediately kicked in: No matter what she says, I won't change my mind. He prepared himself with this thought.
Violet turned her head toward the bench on her right. "Do you know why we're talking here?"
Paul didn't answer. Violet looked at him again.
"Because this is where you saw me and fell in love, and immediately asked me out." Her voice had softened. "We used to chat here every day until evening. Sometimes we talked about nonsense, but just spending time with you was enough for me." A slight smile formed on her lips. "In short, this bench is filled with wonderful memories."
Then she bowed her head. "But one day, I got the news that you had been in a traffic accident." Her voice trembled. Tears began to stream from her eyes, but she continued to speak. "I ran to the hospital with all my strength. I made it to that distant hospital in twenty minutes." Her eyes were brimming. "I saw you, and I was devastated. The smiling Paul was gone... left behind in the memories of this bench."
Paul just looked at her, unable to say anything. Violet wiped her tears.
"Thinking you were going to die, I stopped visiting you a year ago."
That sentence was heavy.
"Then you suddenly came back just as you had left, but you didn't remember me. It felt like I was being punished for betraying you with my own thoughts." She bowed her head slightly. "But I thought if you saw me on this bench again, you might fall in love the same way."
Paul's eyes softened. He spoke to himself: I...
His breathing became heavy. I can't take this anymore...
He hesitated for a second. Then he moved suddenly. He took a step toward Violet and pulled her into his arms. He hugged her tightly.