Unpredictable Connection

36. When Silence Speaks

Becky's POV:

I could tell what Freen was trying to ask — I just didn't know why.

Did she find something?
Did she remember something?

Whatever it was, I knew one thing with painful certainty: I had to tell her everything. Even if it meant wrecking the fragile little world we'd built over these months.

Dinner ended on a surprisingly warm note, laughter echoing under the soft lighting, as if none of us were carrying ghosts in our pockets. After that, we all walked out of the restaurant, the night air still tinged with the scent of spices and quiet comfort.

Char was exactly where I expected her to be — tucked close beneath P'Engfa's arm. The way Phi Engfa's hand rested around her shoulder, gentle yet sure, made something in me happy. Char looked at peace in a way she hadn't in a long time.

P'Heng offered to drop P'Kate home, and for once, no one dared to tease. Maybe because deep down, we all knew their bond was more delicate than it looked — sweet, sure, but shy. A single misplaced joke could've unraveled the moment.

P'Nam and P'Krik left together, as usual, like a pair whose rhythm didn't need announcement. And P'Noey took Irin — apparently to get her some ice cream, though from the look Irin gave me before leaving, I had a feeling it was an excuse.

An excuse for something that became clear the moment everyone disappeared —
They were giving us space.
Freen and me.

And just like that, we were alone in the middle of the parking lot.

The rest of the world faded — no sounds, no steps, just Freen's car behind us and the flickering streetlights above. She hadn't said anything yet, but the silence between us was loaded. I could feel the weight of her unspoken thoughts, and mine weren't much lighter.

After a few minutes of silence, I cleared my throat.
"P'Freen?"

She turned to me slowly, her eyes clouded with a storm of questions — so many that I couldn't decipher a single one. It made me gulp.

"Let's get inside the car," she said gently, her voice soft but firm. "It's getting cold out here."

I simply nodded and walked toward the passenger seat. She opened the door for me, waited until I was settled, then quietly shut it. I watched as she jogged around the front of the car and slipped into the driver's seat beside me.

"Beck..." she called, her voice low.

I looked at her, offering a small smile — unsure if it was out of nervousness or habit. "Yes, P'Freen?"

She turned her full attention to me, studying my face for a long moment before finally speaking.

"I guess you know I have amnesia?"

I nodded, quietly, and she turned her head away, toward the empty road ahead. The engine was off, and the parking lot around us was silent — just us, tucked into the quiet cocoon of her car.

"I'm trying to regain my memories," she said.

My eyes widened instinctively. She turned her head back, watching me, almost like she was examining my reaction more than hearing my words.

"S-since when?" I asked, my voice barely a whisper.

Her reply was calm, but there was a distance to it — not cold exactly, just... guarded.

"Since that night Noey said the name Serena."
She exhaled deeply.
"It triggered something. My head hurt, and I saw these... visions."

My heart clenched. I lowered my gaze to my lap, too afraid to meet her eyes. But I could feel her watching me, reading every small shift in my posture, every breath I took.