It hadn't been easy for Liam's family to communicate with Freya's family. They had spent months planning, sending secret messages, and finally arranging a quiet meeting to settle the unresolved matters.
"Before Liam left for Japan," Liam's father began, "we coordinated with Miya's family to complete all obligations. We settled every debt owed to them. And included in that… was the agreement."
Freya's mother paused, took a deep breath, and continued. "That's why there was no communication between Liam and Freya. Up until now, your daughter has hardly had any news about him."
The room was silent. The weight of their words was dizzying. Liam's mother looked at Freya's parents with a mixture of apology and hope in her eyes. "We know it was hard, but we did what we thought was right at that time. We didn't want Freya to be hurt. She was too young to understand the full situation."
Freya's father exhaled slowly. "We know you acted with good intentions. So… we forgive you. But that love… it has already been passed. Now, all we want is to protect our daughter."
Liam's father nodded quietly, aware of the gravity of the responsibility they had carried all those years.
---
A few days later, it was agreed that Liam and Freya would meet in a neutral place. For Liam, it was the moment he had been waiting for. He had longed to see her again, uncertain of how he would face both the memories and the new reality.
But for Freya, it felt different. She was calm, observant, as if seeing Liam for the first time. No old grudges, no longing, no lingering pain—just a quiet curiosity, a detached awareness.
Liam approached, trying to steady the nervous flutter in his chest. "Freya…" he said softly, almost a whisper, but enough for her to hear.
Freya only looked at him, offering a small, cautious smile. "Hi," she replied lightly, each word leaving her lips without weight.
Liam was taken aback by her calm tone, by the way she looked at him. It was as if he didn't know her—or rather, as if she existed in a different world now. Still, his heart raced, a mix of excitement and fear.
"I… I'd like to… take a walk," Liam said, forcing a casual tone. "To… to show you the places we used to go, the things you used to like."
Freya nodded, silent. For Liam, it was a glimpse of possibility—a chance for a new beginning, even though Freya's calmness seemed like a protective shield around her heart.
---
As they walked, Liam could feel every step she took beside him. Every memory, every laugh, every childhood game, every promise they once made—it all surged back in his mind. Yet Freya remained quiet, scanning her surroundings, giving a faint smile but revealing nothing of her past feelings.
"Freya…" Liam said, stopping near the park. He looked at the trees, the swings, the playground they once shared. "I just… want to share with you everything you used to love. Your favorite snacks, your candies… everything you liked back then."
But the moment hung in the air. The story felt suspended, unfinished, leaving space for the next chapter: how Freya would slowly awaken her memories, and how her heart might return to what it once felt for Liam.
The lingering question remained: would Liam be able to see Freya's true feelings again? And could they piece together the fragments of their past into something whole once more?