A portrait of the unseen [COMPLETE]

exchanged

One day, I finally met with the real Rae. As we sat down to talk, she revealed the truth behind the confusion.

"Lexa, there's something you need to know," she began, her voice soft yet steady. "Something happened to us, which is why Rae and I exchanged names. We didn't want to hide Ryu, but she's now doing well since she forgot about her trauma. She can recognize faces now."

I listened intently, my heart pounding in my chest. Ryu continued, "We're afraid that if she lives as Ryu again, her trauma might resurface as she gathers her memories. Rae is the real Ryu."

She paused for a moment, collecting her thoughts. "We found Ryu injured in the middle of the night. We still don't have any leads on what happened or why Ryu ended up with a head injury. We don't want to force her to remember."

The answers I needed were now clear. My heart had been right all along. The person I thought was Rae was indeed Ryu, living under a new identity to protect herself from her past.

Rae, or rather, current Ryu, looked at me earnestly. "Lexa, we need your help. Please, don't force her to remember her dark past. She's finally doing well, and we want to keep it that way."

I nodded, understanding the gravity of the situation. "I won't push her, I promise. I just want her to be happy and safe."

Rae smiled, relief evident in her eyes. "Thank you, Lexa. Your support means the world to us."

As I left that conversation, I felt a mix of emotions. Relief that my heart had led me to the truth, and determination to help protect Ryu from her past. It was clear that my love for her went beyond just memories and recognition—it was about her well-being and happiness.

From that moment on, I vowed to stand by Ryu, supporting her in whatever way she needed, without forcing her to confront the darkness she had left behind. Our journey together was far from over, but now it had a new purpose: to build a future filled with love, understanding, and healing.

After the conversation with the real Ryu, she and Rae decided to revert to their original names, bringing some clarity back into their lives.

A few days later, I sat with the real Rae on the beach, the same place where so many of our memories had been made. She looked at me, a mixture of curiosity and amusement in her eyes.

"So, tell me," she began with a light chuckle, "how did the old Ryu manage to pull someone like you? It must have been quite a story."

I couldn't help but laugh at her question. "Honestly," I said, smiling, "it doesn't matter how she did it. I was the one who made the first move."

Ryu raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued. "Oh really? Do tell."

I nodded, reminiscing about our early days together. "I saw something special in her from the start. There was this kindness, this warmth that drew me in. I knew I had to get to know her better, so I took the initiative."

Ryu's smile widened. "Sounds like she was lucky to have you."

I shrugged, my eyes meeting hers. "We were lucky to have each other. And now, I feel lucky to have you back."

Ryu's expression softened, and she reached out to take my hand. "Thank you for understanding and for being here, Lexa. I know this hasn't been easy."

I squeezed her hand gently. "We'll get through it together. What's important is that you're here now, and we can make new memories."

Ryu nodded, a sense of resolve settling in. "You're right. Let's focus on the present and the future. Together."

As we sat there, hand in hand, I felt a renewed sense of hope. Despite the challenges and the confusion, we had found our way back to each other. And that was all that mattered.