Chapter Three : Echoes of Absence

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Adrien was a quiet person, hardly ever speaking more than necessary. With Sera by his side, he found solace in her chatter and laughter, a comforting presence that filled the silence he often inhabited.

But now that she was gone, he felt a profound emptiness, a silence that enveloped him like a shroud.

In his new school, Adrien remained friendless, not because people disliked him—he was quite popular, thanks to his striking looks—but because he was oblivious to the world around him.

His mind often drifted to other realms, to thoughts that held deeper significance than idle conversations. He excelled academically, a star in every game he played, yet his true passion lay elsewhere: in the delicate verses of poetry he crafted about Sera.

Each word was a fragment of her essence, a piece of his heart saved in the confines of a worn notebook. As he scribbled away, he sought to keep himself busy, desperately trying to stave off the memories of loneliness.

Adrien's life had been shaped by loss. He had lost his mother when he was just five years old, a victim of an incurable disease. His father, devoted to her memory, chose not to remarry, pouring all his energy into work to secure a better future for his son.

Adrien was raised alone, showered with material comforts but left emotionally starved. He longed for the warmth of love, for the simple pleasure of being cherished by someone.

When Sera entered his life in high school, everything changed. At fourteen, he met someone who illuminated his world.

Sera was a whirlwind of energy, her laughter contagious, her stories vibrant and full of life. She shared everything with him—the mundane and the extraordinary—and in doing so, she filled the void that had lingered since his mother’s death. She was determined to lift his spirits, and she often succeeded, bringing a smile to his face when he least expected it.

With her, life felt different; she became an inseparable part of him, and he found himself dependent on her presence for his happiness.

Adrien had been haunted by nightmares since the day he lost his mother.

In these dreams, a sinister voice urged him to end his life

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In these dreams, a sinister voice urged him to end his life. He would often find himself perched on the edge of a railing, the echo of that voice resonating in his mind, until one fateful night, he jumped —only to awaken in a cold sweat, gasping for breath, trapped in a cycle of fear and despair.

But, after Sera came into his life, those nightmares faded, replaced by the comfort of her companionship.

Everything seemed to be falling into place until the day his father announced they had to move to another city for work.

Adrien struggled with the weight of this news, torn between his duty to his father and his love for Sera. He couldn’t bear the thought of telling her; the words lodged in his throat, heavy with emotion. Instead, he left without a goodbye, slipping away in the stillness of night, leaving behind only silence and memories.

The next day, when Sera came to visit, concern furrowed her brow. Adrien hadn’t attended school for two days, and worry gnawed at her insides. She arrived at his house only to find it empty, echoes of laughter replaced by desolation. Tears streamed down her ocean-blue eyes, cascading down her pink cheeks, a testament to the storm of emotions within her. A neighbor, noticing her distress, gently informed her that the family had moved away, leaving no trace behind.

Devastated, Sera tried to reach him, dialing his number repeatedly, but each time, the response was the same: the number did not exist. Panic consumed her; she couldn’t understand what was happening. In a moment of desperation, she bolted into the street, her heart racing, not paying attention to the world around her.

Suddenly, the screech of tires filled the air, followed by a sickening thud. A speeding truck struck her, sending her body sprawling ten feet away. The impact left her bloodied and broken, a severe head injury evident to those who rushed to her aid.

As chaos erupted, paramedics arrived, swiftly transporting her to the hospital. Sera’s parents were called.

“Where’s my daughter?” Mrs. Kim’s voice trembled with fear as she arrived, scanning the emergency room for any sign of Sera.

Mr. Kim, struggling to console his wife, felt his own heart plummet. The doctor’s urgent shouts pierced through the din of the hospital, a stark reminder of the fragility of life. “She’s lost a lot of blood; we need to operate immediately!” the nurse exclaimed, her voice laced with sorrow.

Mrs. Kim fainted at the news, the reality of her daughter’s condition crashing down on her like a tidal wave. Sera’s sister and Mr. Kim waited anxiously in the dimly lit waiting area, their hearts heavy with dread.

Hours felt like days as they clung to hope, praying for a miracle in the face of despair. Outside, the world continued its relentless pace, oblivious to the tragedy unfolding within the hospital walls. Everything had become a disaster—a canvas of memories now splattered with pain and uncertainty.

As Adrien grappled with his decision to leave, he was unaware of the storm brewing on the other side of the city, a storm that would forever alter the course of their lives

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As Adrien grappled with his decision to leave, he was unaware of the storm brewing on the other side of the city, a storm that would forever alter the course of their lives. In the silence that filled his new room, he began to understand the true weight of absence, and the echoes of Sera’s laughter became a haunting reminder of what he had lost.

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