The next morning, Kael stood at the entrance of the city's old forest trail. This place had been their secret spot growing up, hidden away from the world, a sanctuary only they knew about. It was where they made their childhood promises and shared their dreams. He hadn't been back here since Selene left, but today felt different, like it was time to revisit the memories they had left behind.
Selene arrived a few minutes later, her eyes catching Kael's. She wore a soft, nervous smile, and in that moment, they were no longer adults navigating the complexities of life, they were just two kids again, caught in the spell of the forest and each other.
"You remember this place?" Kael asked, his voice quiet but filled with nostalgia.
"How could I forget?" Selene replied, stepping closer. "We used to sneak out here every chance we got."
Kael smiled, glancing at the trail ahead. "Do you want to walk with me? I think it's time we revisited our old promises."
Selene hesitated for a moment, her gaze flickering between Kael and the forest. But then she nodded, taking a deep breath. "Let's go."
---
The air between them was thick with unspoken emotions, the sound of their footsteps crunching on the forest floor the only noise breaking the silence. Kael felt the weight of the past pressing on his chest, but he knew this walk was important—for both of them.
"I used to think about this place all the time," Selene said, breaking the silence. "When I left, I thought maybe if I could forget about it, I could move on from everything."
Kael's heart tightened at her words. "But did you? Move on, I mean?"
Selene shook her head, her voice soft. "No. I tried, but I never really could. Everywhere I went, I kept thinking about you, about what we had here. I kept thinking about how I hurt you."
Kael stopped walking, turning to face her. "You did hurt me, Selene. But I hurt you too by not understanding why you needed to leave. We were both trying to figure things out, but neither of us knew how."
Selene's eyes filled with regret, and Kael could see the weight of her past decisions weighing on her shoulders. "I was scared, Kael. I thought leaving would make things easier for both of us. But I was wrong. I thought I was protecting you, but I was just running away."
Kael reached out, gently taking her hand in his. "We don't have to run anymore. We can figure this out together."