One month back Lian's arrival
In Mistwood Lian's parents house
Inside the house, Lian's father Daniel, stood near the table, carefully sorting vegetables into a basket. His hands moved slowly, almost absentmindedly, his brows slightly furrowed as if he were thinking about something else entirely.
From the kitchen, Lian's mother, Sarah, leaned against the doorway, watching him for a moment before speaking.
"Honey…" she called, her tone calm but carrying a hint of annoyance, "did you leave the tools outside again?"
Daniel didn't look up immediately. He picked up a tomato, turned it in his hand, then replied casually,
"I didn't leave them. I kept them outside."
Sarah raised an eyebrow, crossing her arms as she stepped closer.
"Oh, is that what we're calling it now?"
Now he looked up, a faint smile tugging at the corner of his lips.
"They'll dry."
She exhaled, shaking her head, though there was no real anger in her expression, just familiarity.
"Sometimes I wonder how you've managed all these years."
Before he could respond, the doorbell rang.
Daniel frowned slightly, glancing toward the door.
"Who would come this early?"
Sarah shrugged, wiping her hands on her apron.
"Go see."
Daniel nodded, placing the basket down. As he walked toward the door, He opened the door…
…and froze.
His hand remained on the door handle.
His eyes widened just a fraction, like his mind needed a second longer to catch up.
Standing there… was a man who is an unexpected guest
But familiar.
Very familiar.
"…M-Martin?" Daniel's voice came out lower than usual, almost uncertain.
The man smiled instantly, a grin that carried years of history.
"What? Took you that long to recognize me?"
For a second, Daniel just stared.
Then suddenly….
A laugh broke out of him, disbelieving, warm, almost boyish.
"You idiot…" he muttered, stepping forward and grabbing Martin by the shoulders before pulling him into a tight hug.
Martin let out a short laugh, patting his back.
"Still as emotional as ever, huh?"
Daniel pulled back, looking at him again, scanning his face like he needed to confirm he was real.
"When did you get here? Why didn't you tell me?"
"Because then I wouldn't get this reaction," Martin smirked.
From inside, Sarah walked closer, confusion on her face until her eyes landed on him.
Her expression changed instantly.
Her lips parted slightly in surprise.
"Martin…?"
He turned toward her, his smile softening.
"Sarah."
She walked up to him without hesitation and lightly smacked his arm.
"You disappeared into the city and forgot we existed?"
Martin winced dramatically.
"Hey! That hurts."
"Good," she shot back, though a smile was already forming. "You deserve it."
Daniel scoffed, leaning against the doorframe.
"He thinks wearing expensive clothes makes him important now."
Martin glanced down at his outfit, then back at Daniel.
"Well… it does."
Sarah let out a small laugh, shaking her head.
"You both haven't changed at all."
They moved inside, settling into the living room. For a while, it felt like time had reversed.
Laughter came easily.
Daniel leaned back in his chair, one leg crossed over the other, his posture relaxed in a way it hadn't been before.
"You remember the river?" he suddenly asked, narrowing his eyes at Martin.
Martin immediately grinned.
"Oh no… not this again."
"You pushed me," Daniel said, pointing at him accusingly.
"I didn't push you…you slipped!"
"I slipped because you shoved me!"
Martin laughed, leaning forward, elbows on his knees.
"You were too slow. That's not my fault."
Sarah covered her mouth, trying to hide her smile.
"You both came home that day covered in mud. Your mothers were furious."
Daniel groaned, dragging a hand down his face.
"And he blamed me for everything."
Martin raised his hands defensively.
"Because it was your fault."
Daniel stared at him for a second…
Then shook his head, letting out a quiet laugh.
"Unbelievable."
Like that, old friends got reunited and enjoyed their time by remembering their old days. Martin felt like he got back to life by eating Sarah's homemade food; like this, they passed time.
But slowly…
Martin leaned back, his smile disappearing little by little. His fingers tapped lightly against his knee, a subtle sign of hesitation.
Daniel noticed his expression shifted, the lightness leaving his eyes.
"Okay, now come on! Tell me the reason behind your sudden visit," Daniel asked his buddy, making the air tense.
"How did yo…"
"Man, we literally grew up together. I can read you like an open book. You've got a very big issue on your shoulders, that's why you are here. Am I right?" Daniel asked.
Sarah looked between them, her smile gone now, replaced with concern.
Martin inhaled slowly.
His gaze dropped to the floor for a moment before he spoke.
"It's about Valary."
The way he said her name….
Sarah straightened slightly.
"What happened?" she asked, her voice softer now.
Martin swallowed, his jaw tightening briefly.
"You know… before my wife passed away…"
The room went completely still.
Daniel's posture stiffened.
Sarah's fingers curled slightly into her palm.
"That was her last wish," Martin continued, his voice lower now, almost strained.
His eyes flickered up, meeting theirs.
Daniel leaned forward slowly, resting his elbows on his knees, his hands clasped together.
"And what are you thinking now?" he asked carefully.
Martin looked straight at him.
A pause.
"I want Valary to get married."
Sarah's brows drew together slightly, confusion and concern mixing on her face.
"That's… a big decision, Martin, are you sure about it?" she said gently.
"I am," he agreed.
Then he said it.
"And I think Lian is the one who will be perfect for her."
Everything stopped.
Daniel blinked, As if he hadn't heard it right.
"…Lian?" he repeated slowly.
Sarah turned toward Daniel, then back to Martin, her lips parting slightly in shock.
"Our Lian?"
Martin didn't look away.
"Yes."
Daniel leaned back, running a hand through his hair, a breath escaping him as he tried to process it.
"That's not… something you just say casually," he said, his voice steady but filled with disbelief.
"I'm not saying it casually," Martin replied.
"I thought about this, You know about valary she is like…I couldn't able to take care of her after her mother's death I failed to protect her from so many things..i don't know how many days I will live I just want to make sure that she will be in safe hands and then I can die peacefully. " he said with his teary eyes
Both couple faces went sad hearing a father's concern towards his daughter.
"I trust you, Daniel."
Their eyes met.
"We grew up together. I know who you are, And I trust the way you raised your son."
Sarah's expression softened slightly, but the uneasiness in her eyes didn't fade. Her fingers tightened around the edge of her dupatta as she asked, more carefully this time—
"Does Valary… know about this?"
His gaze dropped for a brief second before he answered "That's not important right now."
Daniel's expression changed instantly. The softness from earlier disappeared, replaced with something firmer… something protective.
His jaw tightened.
"This is about their lives," he said, his voice no longer light, no longer casual. "How is that not important, Martin?"
Sarah nodded slightly beside him, her brows drawn together now.
"We understand what you're trying to do," she added gently, but there was a quiet firmness beneath her tone, "but this isn't something we can decide on our own."
She took a small step forward, her eyes meeting Martin's.
"We have to ask Lian."
Daniel continued, his voice steady but filled with conviction…
"And Valary too. This is her life as much as his."
For the first time since he entered the house, Martin didn't respond immediately.
He exhaled slowly, running a hand over his face before looking back at them. There was something fragile in his eyes now… something barely being held together.
"I knew you'd say that," he murmured.
A faint, tired smile appeared on his lips.
He pulled out a folded paper. He looked at it for a moment… his thumb brushing lightly over its edges, as if it held something more than just words.
Then he extended it toward Daniel.
"This…" his voice faltered slightly before he steadied it, "…this is the reason."
Daniel took the paper slowly, his brows knitting together in confusion.
Sarah stepped closer beside him, her shoulder lightly touching his as both of them looked down at it.
The handwriting was delicate.
Feminine.
They read every word in that letter carefully in the middle of reading they don't even know when their eyes got moist
Sarah's eyes welled up before she could stop it.
A tear slipped down, and she didn't even try to wipe it away.
"…She wrote this?" she whispered, her voice trembling.
Martin nodded.
He didn't trust himself to speak. Daniel swallowed hard, his grip tightening slightly on the letter. His eyes lingered on the last few lines before he slowly lowered the paper. For a moment, he couldn't say anything. Sarah turned slightly away, wiping her tears with the back of her hand, but more kept coming. Daniel closed his eyes for a brief moment, exhaled slowly, then spoke…
"We can't promise anything immediately."
Martin's expression tensed slightly But Daniel continued before he could react.
"We will talk to Lian."
His voice was calm, but firm.
"Because his decision matters to us." Sarah nodded beside him.
"And Valary's too," she added gently. "She deserves to choose her own life."
Martin didn't interrupt this time, He just listened. Daniel leaned forward slightly, placing the letter carefully on the table between them.
"But…" he paused, his voice softening, "if things align… if they're both willing…"
He looked at Martin.
"Then we won't stand against it."
"…Thank you," Martin said, barely above a whisper.
Daniel gave a small nod.
"We'll speak to Lian," he said. "And we'll give you our answer."
Back to the present…
For a moment, Lian just sat there.
Completely still.
The words had been spoken, clearly, gently even, but his mind refused to process them. His fingers, which had been resting loosely on his lap, slowly curled into fists without him realising it. His gaze stayed fixed on the floor, but he wasn't seeing it anymore.
It felt like everything around him had gone quiet. Like the world had stepped back… and left him alone with that one word.
Marriage.
His throat felt dry. He tried to speak anything…but nothing came out. Not even a sound. It was as if his voice had been taken away along with his certainty. Inside his head, thoughts crashed into each other all at once.
Marriage? Just like that? Out of nowhere?
What about everything I imagined…?
What about… choosing someone? Falling for someone? Knowing them… slowly… naturally…
A faint, almost bitter smile tugged at his lips for a second before disappearing.
Of course… why would anything in my life go the way I imagined?
His chest felt tight. Like something was building, and he didn't know where to let it out. Across from him, Sarah noticed the change immediately. The way his shoulders had stiffened, the way his eyes had lost focus, she understood without him saying a word.
She moved closer to him slowly, her expression soft, careful.
"Lian…" she called gently.
Daniel leaned forward slightly, resting his elbows on his knees, watching his son with a quiet seriousness.
"Son," he said, his voice calm but firm enough to reach him, "there's no pressure here."
"It's completely your decision," Daniel continued. "Whether you agree to this marriage or not… that choice is yours."
Sarah sat beside him now, close enough that her presence felt grounding. She lifted her hand and gently ran her fingers through his hair, just like she used to when he was younger.
"We're not forcing you into anything," she said softly. "Martin only brought this up because… he trusts us. That's all."
Lian swallowed, his throat still dry. His lips parted slightly, as if he wanted to say something, but again, nothing came.
"You came here to relax," Sarah added, her voice warm, almost soothing. "That's why we didn't tell you on the first day. We didn't want to ruin your time here."
Daniel nodded.
"You don't have to answer now," he said. "Take your time. Think about it properly."
Sarah smiled faintly, her hand still resting on his head.
Lian finally moved. He pushed his hands against the edge of the chair and stood up, but his legs felt strangely weak, like they didn't fully belong to him. He avoided their eyes as he turned.
"I…" he started, but the sentence died halfway.
He gave up.
Without saying anything more, he walked away. Each step felt heavier than it should. He reached his room. He let himself fall backwards onto the bed.
"Marriage," he whispered under his breath, almost like he was testing how the word felt.
A short, breathless laugh escaped him.
"This… this is how I find out?" he muttered, dragging a hand over his face. He turned his head to one side, eyes unfocused.
"I didn't even get a warning… nothing… just…'hey, you might get married.'"
He let out a quiet scoff, shaking his head slightly.
"Wow… great."
He rolled onto his side, curling slightly, then onto his back again, restless like he couldn't find a position that felt right.
"So this is it, huh?" he murmured. "This is how my marriage story starts…"
His eyes drifted toward the ceiling again.
Who even is she…?
Martin uncle's daughter…
He tried to picture her.
But nothing came. Just a blank space.
"How is she?" he whispered. "What kind of person is she…?"
His brows pulled together.
"Will she even like me?"
"What if she's completely different from me…"
That question lingered longer than the others. He let out a slow breath, his lips pressing into a thin line.
"Not like anyone ever has…" he added quietly, almost under his breath.
There was no self-pity in his tone. Just… acceptance. The kind that comes from repetition. He turned again, this time burying his face halfway into the pillow before pulling back in frustration.
"What if she says no the moment she sees me?" he muttered, staring at the wall now.
"They're probably… rich… well-settled… living in the city…"
He let out a dry laugh.
"And me?"
He lifted his hand, staring at it for a second.
"Just… me."
The room felt smaller suddenly. Or maybe it was just his thoughts closing in.
"What if she doesn't want this at all?" he continued, his voice lower now. "What if she's being forced into it too…?" That thought made him pause. His expression shifted slightly.
"…Then it's not just my problem," he whispered.
"It's hers too."
He kicked his legs lightly against the bed in frustration, running both hands through his hair now.
"This is so messed up," he groaned. He sat up halfway, then dropped back again dramatically.
"Should I just say yes?"
He stared at the ceiling again, blinking slowly.
"I mean…" he exhaled, "it's not like I have options lined up or anything."
A small, self-aware smile appeared for a second.
"Let's be honest… I don't exactly have girls waiting for me."
He turned his head, staring at the empty space beside him.
"Maybe this is… my chance?"
Something inside him resisted.
"What if it turns into a disaster?" he added quickly.
"What if we don't get along at all… what if she hates me… what if I mess it up somehow…?"
His thoughts started spiralling again, faster now.
"What if I say yes and regret it?"
"What if I say no and regret that even more?"
He groaned, pulling a pillow over his face.
"Why is this so complicated…"
He stayed like that for a while. But his mind refused to rest. It kept going back and forth…
Yes.
No.
Maybe.
Fear.
Hope.
Doubt.
Curiosity.
Everything was tangled together in a way he couldn't separate. Both Sarah and Daniel sat in silence long after Lian had left the room.
Sarah leaned back slowly, her head coming to rest against Daniel's chest. Her fingers absentmindedly gripped the fabric of his shirt, as if holding onto something steady.
"Are we… making the wrong decision?" she asked quietly. "He looked so stressed, Hun… I've never seen him like that."
Daniel didn't answer immediately. His hand moved gently over her hair, stroking it in a slow…
"Our son isn't that weak," he said finally, his voice calm, grounded. "He knows how to face things… even when they're not easy."
Sarah shifted slightly, looking up at him, her eyes searching.
"He's always been careful about his life… about his choices," Daniel continued, a faint smile touching his lips. "I trust him."
He lowered his head just a little and pressed a soft kiss against her forehead.
"And whatever he decides… I'll respect it."
Suddenly…
"MOM… DAD!"
Lian's voice echoed through the house.
Both of them straightened instantly, pulling slightly apart as their eyes turned toward the direction of his voice.
Lian appeared at the doorway, slightly out of breath. His chest rose and fell heavily, as if he had run not just from his room… but from his own thoughts.
"Lian…?" Sarah called softly.
Lian swallowed once, his hands clenching slightly at his sides before he forced himself to speak.
"I…"
He paused.
Just for a second.
As if this one moment carried the weight of everything.
"I'm ready to get married."