Forget Where We Were (reupload!)

Chapter 11

The moment was broken when Nilou looked at Alhaitham, then at the very familiar man wearing unfamiliar Fontaine garbs, and back at the Scribe again.

"Haitham, how long have you known about this?" Nilou's puffy eyes then went over to Kiran, "S-sir, I am so sorry, I thought you were somebody else I knew."

Alhaitham shook his head, trying to figure out the best way to handle this situation with the few seconds that he has. What would be the best way to do this? He turned to Nilou first, "Calm down, Nilou. I'll explain everything later, is that okay? I don't think I can shorten this one, but this man is named Kiran, and..." The Scribe watched her face as he continued, "...and unfortunately, he lost all of his memories more than two years ago. I only met him recently when I visited Fontaine."

Nilou's expression changed from shocked to understanding. She nodded her head quickly, giving Alhaitham enough time to turn to Kiran, who has been admiring a certain set of Athel wood table-and-chairs inside the tent.

When he saw Alhaitham's gaze on him, he straightened up with a sheepish smile, "Sorry, I was just..."

Alhaitham shook his head, "It's alright. Do you find the design interesting?"

"Oh, oh! Yes, actually. I think the woodwork is amazing," Kiran then ran a hand over the surface of the wooden chair. "The finish is quite stunning. And the swirling design for the backrest obviously has some cultural value to it. This must be a well-thought pattern."

Nilou could not help but giggle, her tears already gone. Alhaitham, too, could not suppress the chuckle. They both watched Kiran as he inspected a chair, running his hands around the patterns sculpted on the backrest, until his hands touched an engraving.

It was a name.

"Uh..." Kiran frowned as he tried to decipher the unfamiliar language. "Is it... huh. Kaveh? Am I saying it right? The name on the chair?"

Nilou nodded, "It's the name of the artist that made that set from scratch. A gift from one artist to another, he had said."

"But, you just called me that name." Kiran looked at Alhaitham with confusion written all over his face. "Wait, you, too! You called me that, too... Could it be...?"

Kiran pressed his lips together, "Am I from here? Alhaitham, have you known who I was when you met me back at the shop?"

Alhaitham nodded. This was something he had expected to happen sooner or later, but he has failed to consider the possibility of Kaveh going back to Sumeru this early and asking the right questions immediately.

The Scribe already felt the beginnings of a headache.

He was about to answer Kiran, but the blond spoke again, looking right into Alhaitham. "So, you lied to me from the moment you met me. All those letters when you already knew who I was all that time. You know me from before I lost my memories. Why did you treat me like you never did?"

Oh.

Oh, no.

Alhaitham never thought of how to answer this question. He never accounted for a chance that it would be asked, since his plans were all about letting Kaveh go for good, letting him be Kiran until the end of time. Nahida was right, then. Kaveh would want all of the choices presented to him. He always has been like this. Always so eager to take. Always so eager to have.

And if Alhaitham were to tell him everything right here and right now? Would he be finally hated and discarded and thrown away by the face and the voice the Scribe treasured so dearly?

Would he be finally free from this self-imposed prison he put himself in after failing Kaveh again and again? Alhaitham craved to be hated by Kaveh. The Scribe knew. He deserved that much.