Unpredictable Connection

34.Where Hearts Begin Again

3rd person's POV:

Graduation day arrived, bathed in warm sunlight and bittersweet smiles. Both Engfa and Heng were stepping into a new chapter, leaving behind the comforts of their university days. Naturally, the entire group — Freen, Nam, Becky, and the others — were present to cheer for them.

As expected, Engfa had topped the batch, with Heng coming in a close second. The applause that followed was heartfelt and loud, filled with admiration. Laughter filled the air as the ceremony wrapped up, with photos, hugs, and the unspoken realization that time was quietly moving forward.

Becky, once the outsider, now found herself slowly stepping into the warmth of the group. Her efforts — quiet but consistent — hadn't gone unnoticed. Even Freen's parents, who had every reason to stay cold toward her, had begun to soften. Maybe forgiveness hadn't fully arrived, but something like understanding had started to bloom.

After the ceremony, they gathered at a cozy restaurant — not too fancy, but intimate, perfect for heartfelt goodbyes. Heng was preparing to go abroad for his future — higher studies, perhaps a chance to expand the family business. It was a celebration, yes, but it held the sting of parting, too.

They took their seats around the round table — Freen beside Becky, Irin on Becky's other side. Then Noey, and across from them: Char, Engfa, Nam, Krik, and Heng. Laughter returned quickly as dinner began. And soon enough, the teasing followed.

All eyes turned to Char and Engfa.

Of course. How could they not?

Char had made sure Engfa ate properly during the exam period, even when she had her own academic load. She reminded her to rest, took care of her like she was more than just a friend. And Engfa? She never let Char go a day without feeling seen. If she couldn't text for a while, she'd drop a message beforehand, just so Char wouldn't worry. Even during their busiest days, they found little ways to hold each other close.

That kind of bond didn't need words. It just was.

Char smiled more now. Genuinely. Without the weight she used to carry on her shoulders. And Engfa? She looked at peace. As if something inside her had clicked into place. Something right.

But while they enjoyed the ease of this newfound closeness, a quiet struggle brewed just beneath the surface — in Freen.

No one knew that Freen had been seeing a psychologist. That she was trying — step by step — to recover fragments of her lost memory. The therapy sessions brought flashes. Quick, sharp scenes that left her confused and unsettled. She hadn't asked Nam or Engfa about them, not wanting to cause worry — especially with final exams pressing in.

And then... there was Becky.

Freen had her suspicions — that Rebecca might actually be that Becky. The one from before.

But she didn't act on it. Because Freen had always trusted the present more than the past. And this present version of Becky? She was warm. Thoughtful. And in her own way... healing.

Freen noticed more than people gave her credit for. She saw how Becky's shoulders tensed whenever someone mentioned the past. How her smile faltered. The guilt was there — raw and real. Becky might be terrified of Freen remembering everything. The unspoken fear of what might happen if Freen remembered everything.

But the truth was — Freen no longer cared about the past that much.

Because when she was falling, no one else almost got hurt to save her.

What fall?

It had happened just a day before — during the final preparations for the graduation ceremony. As the student council president, Freen had been overseeing the decorations when something — a sound, a flash of color, a phrase — triggered a memory. A sharp, stabbing image from her fragmented past. Her vision blurred, her knees weakened, and before anyone could react, she stumbled backward from the edge of the stage.