The Deadly Charm

Part 55 : Akira's Story (Part 2)

First Love

Since the day I was born, my life has never been what you'd call normal.
I was born with a gift—or maybe a curse. I could see spirits—things others couldn't. Growing up with this ability made me feel different. Lonely. Isolated. When you see things no one else can, it's hard to truly connect with anyone. That's why I never had many friends.

After my father vanished from my life when I was just a child, I felt lost—hollow.
But there was one constant that never left me. Her name was Aria—a female spirit who always protected me. She appeared to me for the first time when I was very young.

Aria had an ethereal beauty. Snow-white hair, always dressed in black, and piercing red eyes that glowed with a deadly glint. Sometimes, I truly believed her eyes alone could curse someone to death without a single word.

But her presence gave me strength.
When I was bullied at school—mocked for my "weird" family—Aria would... take care of things. No one dared bother me again.

Except for one boy.
He wasn't scared of her at all.
His name was Kritin.

The first time I saw him was at the edge of the schoolyard. No one approached him—and he didn't seem to care. There was something about him that drew me in. Something familiar. I felt... connected. So I sat next to him.

"You're not joining the activity?" I asked softly.

He turned to me, his eyes cautious at first—but then, a faint smile tugged at his lips.

"Nope. You?"

"Me neither," I replied with a quiet laugh.

That was how it began.

We started spending more and more time together—sitting side by side in class, taking walks after school. Sometimes, we'd just sit under a tree in silence, not needing to speak. Just being next to each other was enough.

Kritin was... unusual. The first time he saw Aria, he didn't scream or run. He simply bowed and spoke to her politely.
Aria was very impressed.

And what's more—I could see his guardian spirit too.
A boy with jet-black hair, crimson eyes, and majestic black wings—he looked like something out of a dark fantasy. Aria and his guardian spirit would often stare each other down, clearly sizing each other up. Somehow, they seemed to get along.

My feelings for Kritin didn't bloom overnight. They grew slowly—steadily—like a flame that flickered into warmth. Whenever I was with him, I felt safe. At peace.
It was a feeling I'd never known before.

I never told him how I felt. But I knew...
Kritin was my first love.

Sometimes, I wondered if he felt the same.
But neither of us ever said it.
Maybe we were too young to understand what that emotion even meant. But whenever he looked at me... I knew.
I knew he cared.

The Goodbye

We stayed close throughout high school. I truly believed we'd always be by each other's side. But everything changed the day Aunt Piangfah received news that would alter my path forever.

My father...
He was still alive.
Living in England—among a tribe of ancient gypsies.

I had missed him for so long.
Ever since he vanished, I dreamed of seeing him again. But I hadn't expected that dream to come so suddenly.
There was no time to prepare.

Aunt Piangfah made the decision without hesitation.
We'd be leaving for England in just a few days.

I never got the chance to say goodbye.

Especially not to Kritin.

I was devastated. I missed him terribly.

I wrote him a letter. But he never replied.

Maybe he forgot me.

But I never forgot him.

Because no matter how much time passed,
he was my first love.

The Reunion

After graduating from university, I started working with Nattrinee. We became close, navigating our careers side by side. Life moved forward in ways I'd never imagined.

But the past never truly left me.
Kritin still lived in my memory.

I thought of him often.
That tree in the schoolyard where we used to sit... it still bloomed in my mind.

Since I was whisked away to England so suddenly, I'd never seen him again. I didn't know what had become of him—or how much he had changed.

Until one day... everything shifted again.

That evening, after work, the weather was lovely. So I decided to take a walk through the park near my home. The breeze was cool, the sunlight soft and golden. Everything felt peaceful.

I wandered among the trees and benches, soaking it in—
Then I froze.

There he was.

Kritin.
Sitting on a bench under a tree, looking just the same—but older. Stronger. More defined. I knew him instantly.

What confirmed it beyond doubt...
was the sight of Sora—his guardian spirit—sitting beside him, wings swaying gently in the wind.

My heart pounded.
Shock. Joy. Overwhelming emotion.

I took a deep breath and stepped toward him. Each step made my pulse race faster. I stood in front of him—but he didn't notice me right away, too focused on the book in his hands.

Sora looked up. His eyes sparkled—recognition.

"...Hi," I said softly.

"Uh... what are you reading?" I asked, voice trembling as Kritin looked up, his sharp eyes meeting mine.

"Hello. What's your name?" he asked with a half-smile.

My heart sank.

"...Akira," I replied, trying to smile. "And you?"

"I'm Kritin. Nice to meet you," he said, eyes twinkling with mischief.

"...Do you come here often?"

Without waiting, I sat next to him. We talked like strangers meeting for the first time.

Up close, I could see how much he'd changed—his chiseled features, soft dark-brown hair, his strong presence. But the one thing that hadn't changed...

was his eyes.
Cool. Watchful. Quiet.

And his smile...
There was something mischievous about it. Something that made my chest ache.

We talked until the sky darkened.
Then I said goodbye and walked home.

My heart was bursting.
I wanted to scream.
But I couldn't—because he didn't remember me.

He didn't remember me at all.

But that's okay.

Because I'm not going to let my first love end in silence.