As I stepped inside his home, a sense of awe washed over me. It was everything he had described in our conversations, from the windchimes that tinkled melodiously in the gentle breeze to the vibrant flowers that adorned the surroundings.
The memories flooded back, reminding me of our initial meeting in an online chat group. From there, our connection grew, with daily conversations and heartfelt letters exchanged between us. I recall his letters vividly, filled with his hopes, dreams, and confessions of love. We had planned to meet at Tokyo airport, a momentous occasion where our paths were meant to converge. Yet, fate had different plans, and I found myself waiting for two days at the airport with my luggage without a single sign or communication from him. He vanished from my virtual world, leaving me with a sense of abandonment and unanswered questions.
Time passed, and despite the arrival of his delayed letters, we never managed to reunite. Maybe he wasn't ready to face the reality of meeting me or committing to our relationship in the first place. The love letter, dated February 2023, finally arrived in February 2024, just days after he failed to appear at the airport. It felt like a cruel twist of fate, a reminder of the missed opportunity and the unanswered longing that lingered within me.
Now, standing in his home, surrounded by the remnants of our unfinished story, I yearned for answers. I wanted to understand why he had disappeared, why he had chosen to marry someone else. The questions weighed heavily on my heart, overshadowing the beauty of the place that once held so much promise.
When I entered in the hall his dad was sitting on the sofa talking to his mom. He introduced me to his parents as a friend though his mother smiled like she saw his girlfriend, but why a man will bring his girlfriend even after his marriage? He told me to sit and talk with them and went to make tea even though I said I don't want it.
After serving the tea he had prepared, he took me upstairs to a room that held a breathtaking surprise. As I entered, I saw something that made me speechless. The room was fullwith countless photographs of me, covering the walls and even the floor. Stacks of letters, which were written but never posted, were scattered throughout the room. At that moment, I got all my answers, he still loves me, maybe more than ever before, even though he knew he probably will never meet me again
He paused, taking his hands on my shoulder, and laughed a little. "First of all, I am not married. Did I never tell you that you are the only one who can truly make this house a home? Didn't I ever express how you made me feel the essence of love?" His words hung in the air, causing my heart to skip a beat. Could it be true? He was waiting for me all the time? I got no words to even think of.
Then he revealed a series of scars that crisscrossed his chest. With a solemn expression, he explained how, on his way to the airport to meet me, he had been involved in a devastating accident. The trauma had robbed him of all of his memories, erasing the moments we had shared. Only later, when his recollections began to resurface, did he believe that I might have moved on and found happiness with someone else. He had resigned himself to a solitary existence, surrounding himself with my photographs as a way to hold onto a love he feared he had lost.
Lips had nothing to say just shake. The weight of missed opportunities and the pain of our separation suddenly felt insignificant compared to the truth before me. Fate had conspired to tear us apart, but it had also brought us back together. In that room, filled with remnants of our unfulfilled past, I could see a glimmer of hope for a shared future.
Without a word, I stepped closer to him, my hands reaching out to touch his scars, to feel the tangible evidence of his enduring love. It was a love that had weathered storms, transcended time, and now stood before me, undeniably real.
We looked in our eyes, I knew the journey we were about to start would be a testament of the power of love, a lot memories, a lot of fate, and the dreams we had together to fulfill. He took me closer to him leaning to taste the lips which was waiting to touch for the years. And I whispered, "Time stops here".