The sound of brakes faded…
but this time—
no one fell.
No blood.
No screams.
No chaos.
Everything… was normal.
I stood there…
breathing heavily.
"It worked…" I whispered.
Riya was safe.
That's all that mattered.
Slowly…
I turned toward her.
She looked confused…
a little shaken…
but safe.
Alive.
Her eyes met mine.
For a moment…
time stopped.
There was something in her gaze…
something familiar.
Something… searching.
"Do I… know you?" she asked softly.
That question…
still hurt.
But this time—
I was ready.
I smiled gently.
"No…"
I said.
"I'm just… someone passing by."
She kept looking at me…
as if trying to remember something.
Her brows slightly frowned.
"I feel like… I've seen you before," she murmured.
My heart skipped a beat.
Maybe…
just maybe…
memories fade—
but feelings don't.
I stepped back slowly.
"It's just your imagination," I said lightly.
But deep inside…
I wished she'd remember.
Just a little.
Suddenly—
she held my wrist.
My breath stopped.
"Wait…" she said.
Her touch…
felt the same.
Warm.
Real.
Alive.
"Thank you…" she whispered.
"For what?" I asked softly.
"I don't know…" she said with a small smile.
"But it feels like… you just saved me."
Tears almost filled my eyes.
She doesn't remember…
but her heart knows.
And maybe…
that's enough.
I gently freed my hand.
"Take care," I said.
And turned away.
Each step away from her…
felt heavier than before.
But I didn't stop.
Because this time—
loving her…
meant letting her go.
But then—
"Hey!" she called out.
I froze.
Slowly…
I turned back.
She walked toward me.
Her eyes…
filled with curiosity.
"Can we… meet again?" she asked.
My heart shattered…
and healed…
at the same time.
I smiled softly.
"If it's meant to be…"
I said,
"We will."
She smiled back.
And in that moment…
I realized something.
Maybe fate didn't separate us.
Maybe…
it just gave us a chance—
to fall in love again.