Love Of My Life

Chapter 42

As Fredrick and Mira arrived at the tea club meeting, they found themselves in the company of familiar faces, including Moon, Maya, Jeremy, Sophia, and the rest of F4. However, Fredrick's attention was immediately drawn elsewhere when a girl dropped her bag and uttered his name with a mixture of surprise and recognition.

"Fredrick?" the girl spoke, and Fredrick's heart skipped a beat as he gazed at her in disbelief.

"Amber... it's been a while," Fredrick replied, his voice tinged with a mixture of nostalgia and uncertainty.

"Yes... it has," Amber echoed, her tone soft and somewhat wistful.

As they settled down for the tea session, Fredrick took the lead in teaching the group about the intricacies of the way of the tea. Mira, despite her initial excitement, couldn't shake off a growing sense of insecurity as she observed the interaction between Fredrick and Amber.

Meanwhile, in the privacy of the bathroom, Amber found herself overwhelmed with emotions, tears welling up in her eyes as she grappled with her inner turmoil. Taking a deep breath, she tried to compose herself, reminding herself to let go and move on from someone who didn't reciprocate her feelings.

"Don't think about someone who doesn't love you," Amber whispered to herself, her voice barely above a whisper. "After all these years, you've already moved on. So why... Why do I still like you so much?"

As Amber remained outside the room, lost in her own thoughts, Mira approached her with a gentle smile. "Fredrick mentioned you," Mira began softly, sensing Amber's inner turmoil. "He told me about you."

Fredrick joined them, extending an invitation for Amber to join him for a private conversation. Despite Mira's initial reluctance, Amber insisted that Mira accompany them, though Mira politely declined. With a nod of understanding, Amber and Fredrick ventured out for a walk, leaving Mira behind.

Amidst the tranquility of their surroundings, Amber poured her heart out to Fredrick, expressing regret for their past misunderstandings and the pain they caused each other. Fredrick, filled with remorse and longing, pleaded for another chance, to which Amber tentatively agreed, a flicker of hope igniting in her eyes.

Meanwhile, Mira wasted no time in confiding in Moon, recounting the unexpected turn of events with a mixture of surprise and concern. Back at home, Amelia's conversation with Donna revealed that Francisco remained in the hospital, his condition still uncertain.

The following day, Amber reached out to Mira, extending an invitation to meet up once more, perhaps signaling the beginning of a new chapter for both of them.

As Amber departed, leaving Mira to contemplate her feelings in the aftermath of their conversation, Mira found herself lost in a whirlwind of emotions. The weight of Amber's words lingered heavily on her mind as she made her way to work, her thoughts consumed by the prospect of Amber's budding relationship with Fredrick.

Upon reaching her workplace, Mira sought solace in confiding in Moon, her closest friend and confidante. "Do you think I should change my eyebrows?" Mira questioned, her voice tinged with uncertainty. "Even when I'm happy, I still look sad. Amber mentioned that she and Fredrick are going to the building tomorrow."

Moon listened attentively, her heart going out to Mira as she grappled with her own insecurities. Unbeknownst to Moon, she too was slowly drawing comparisons between herself and Amber, a realization that only served to compound Mira's distress.

As tears welled up in Mira's eyes, Moon enveloped her in a comforting embrace, offering her unwavering support and understanding. Determined to lift Mira's spirits, Moon resolved to spend the evening in her company, dragging Francisco along for the ride in a bid to provide Mira with the solace she so desperately needed. At the karaoke bar, Mira found herself drawn to the stage, her heartache spilling forth in the form of a poignant ballad.

As the next day dawned, Mira found herself standing in front of the familiar building, her heart racing with anticipation as she waited for Fredrick. To her relief, he soon arrived, his presence bringing a sense of reassurance amidst the uncertainty.

However, their meeting took an unexpected turn when Mira's phone rang suddenly, causing her to hastily answer and hear Fredrick's somber voice on the other end. Without delay, she made her way to the rooftop, her mind buzzing with questions and apprehension.

Upon reaching the rooftop, Mira's eyes fell upon Fredrick, his expression grave as he delivered the news she had dreaded hearing.

"Amber left. It's over between me and Amber," Fredrick's words echoed in the empty space, their weight heavy upon Mira's shoulders.

As Fredrick stood on the rooftop with Mira, his mind drifted back to the poignant conversation he had shared with Amber just hours before. The memory played out vividly in his mind, every word etched into his consciousness like a scene from a bittersweet dream.

Amber's presence beside him felt both familiar and foreign, their gazes fixed upon the empty space where the sign once stood. The weight of their unspoken emotions hung heavy in the air, a silent acknowledgment of the inevitable conclusion that had loomed over them.

"We still missed it, Amber," Fredrick's voice broke the silence, a hint of regret tingeing his words as he grappled with the realization of what could have been.

Amber's response was measured yet poignant, her words carrying the weight of resignation and acceptance. "Don't you think that this is a sign that nothing would remain? Did you realize? After we met again, everything we talked about was in the past and can only stay in the past."

Fredrick felt a pang of recognition at her words, the bitter truth of their situation hitting him with a force he couldn't ignore. "We think of the past because we can no longer go back to it, Amber. Is that what you are saying? I'm sorry. Five years ago, that day when you asked me to come here, was our 'Once in a Lifetime' moment. I missed it."

Amber's response was laced with a mixture of understanding and resignation, her voice tinged with a hint of sadness. "It's fine, Fredrick. Some things are meaningful when they only happen right there and then. If you missed it, just move on. Actually, I can tell, your 'Once in a Lifetime' moment doesn't belong to me anymore. It belongs to another girl."

Fredrick's heart ached at her words, the weight of missed opportunities and unspoken feelings pressing down upon him. Yet, amidst the pain, there was a glimmer of solace in the honesty they shared.

"Amber, I owe you a confession nevertheless," Fredrick admitted, his voice tinged with regret. "The old me really liked you. Back then, you were more important to me than anything."

Amber's response was tinged with a bittersweet nostalgia, a reflection of the complex emotions that had once bound them together. "Fredrick, I used to really like you too."

As the memory faded, Fredrick found himself back on the rooftop with Mira, the echoes of his past mingling with the present.