"Yeah," I said quietly, glancing back one last time as Hanna disappeared into the crowd.
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I didn't know what I was feeling at that moment, watching her dissapeared into the crowd. It felt like the biggest mistake of my life.
"Tristan? Are you okay? You seem... lost in thought," Julia asked, her voice pulling me back to reality.
"I'm fine. Just thinking about Hanna," I replied.
"Hanna?" Julia tilted her head, curiosity written all over her face.
"Yes. She disappeared into the crowd earlier without even saying goodbye to us; it seemed like she feels left out."
"Don't worry. I'll talk to her later," Julia reassured me. "But for now, where are we going?"
"Thanks. What about McDo? Let's grab something to eat and talk there." I said it calmly and in a soft tone.
By the time we reached McDo, the inviting smell of fries and burgers filled the air. After ordering, we settled at a quiet corner table. The calm atmosphere felt like the perfect setting for a serious conversation.
Ten minutes later, Julia leaned back in her chair. "So, what you want to ask for?" she asked, her tone gentle but curious.
"It's about Hanna. Since you're her best friend, I figured you'd know a lot about her." I said confidentally.
"Of course. We've been best friends for two years now."
"Oh.. Out of curiosity, how did you two meet?"
Julia's eyes softened as she reminisced. "We met in Japan. Hanna transferred to my school two years ago and became my friend. Back then, she was really quiet-didn't have any friends. She was the only Filipino there, just like me, so it was easy to approach her. I told her I wanted to be her friend, and she said yes. We got close quickly."
"That's nice."
"She told me later her family decided to move back to the Philippines. Since she was my best friend, I followed her. I even enrolled in the same school with her."
"You two sound inseparable," I said, smiling. "Your friendship is like a magnet-no one can pull out."
Julia smiled. "Oh, thanks," she smirked and smiled. I saw it in her innocent face.
"Since you're so close, did she or her mom ever tell you anything about her past?" I asked, watching her reaction carefully.
Julia's face shifted to confusion. "No. Is there something I don't know about my bestfriend?"
"Well... yes." I hesitated, unsure how to break the news. "Three years ago, Hanna was involved in an accident, causing her to lose her long-term memory because of it."
Julia froze. "Wait. WHAT?! Are you serious?" She shocked.
"Yes. It's true." I sadly said.
"How could I not know this? Aunt Amber never told me this! I-I'm such a terrible friend." She nodded it seemed's like she was crying.
"No, you're not. You've been by her side, supporting and comforting her without knowing any of this. That's what matters most. Honestly, I think you've done an amazing job." I said confidently.
"But why didn't Aunt Amber tell me about this? And how do you know about this?"
"Aunt Amber is the one who told me about this. She didn't want to risk Hanna finding out because it could be possible that Hanna will suffer a trauma ever she finds out. That's why she kept it a secret."
Julia sighed, her expression softening. "I get it now. I just... I wish I'd known earlier."
"Don't worry. Aunt Amber says Hanna's fully recovered now," I assured her.
Julia exhaled in relief. "Thank God."
"By the way," I began hesitantly, "did Hanna ever mention that I'm her friend?"
"Yes, she talks alots about you sometimes. Why?"
"Well, I'm not just her friend. I'm also her childhood friend. We grew up together in the same neigborhood."
Julia's jaw dropped. "Wait, WHAT?!"
"It's true. But because of the car accident, she doesn't remember me. Not a single thing. I'm just hoping... one day, she remembers me"
"That's... heartbreaking," Julia murmured, her voice full of sympathy. "I've never seen a relationship like yours before."
"What do you mean?"
"Never mind." She shook her head. "Should I tell her?"
"No, please don't. I want to keep this a secret-for her sake."
"But why?"
"I already said it earlier. If she remembers, it could trigger her trauma. I don't want to risk her health."
Julia nodded solemnly. "Sorry I forgot. I'll keep your secret. You can count on me."
"Thank you." I stood up, ready to leave. "I should get going. See you next time."
"Bye, Tristan. Take care," Julia said, her voice warm.
As I walked away, the weight of unspoken truths settled in my chest. Some secrets were meant to protect, even if they hurt in silence.
{The sun was setting, painting the sky with hues of orange and purple.}
"Ugh... I'm so tired. I really want to go home and rest," I muttered to myself. My head felt heavy, and dizziness was creeping in.
As I walked into the neighborhood, I noticed Hanna sitting in front of her house, her posture stiff as if she were waiting for someone.
"Should I say greet to her or just avoid her?" I wondered, hesitating.
My legs froze. I didn't know whether to keep walking or turn back. The thought of facing her filled me with unease.
"Should I continued walking?" I muttered, confusion swirling in my mind.
After a few minutes of internal struggle, I decided to walked. My steps were deliberate, but my heart pounded wildly.
"Uhm... Tristan." A familiar voice called me; it was Hanna. Her voice stopped me in my tracks, the sound of my name hanging in the air.
"Y-yeah?" I stammered, turning to face her.
"Can we talk for a moment?"
"Sure. What's it about?"
"It's about us."
"What about us? Did I do something wrong?" I said while thinking if I did something wrong to her.
"Not literally. But... ever since we agreed to keep some distance, it feels like you've been avoiding me. Every time I see you, you look away or walk in the opposite direction. I don't feel comfortable with this kind of friendship."
I took a deep breath and start explaining.
"I don't think there's anything wrong with that. We need to respect each other's boundaries, especially since you have a boyfriend now. But, like I told you before, I'll always be here for you. Our friendship hasn't changed. I hope you understand."
"I know it." Her tone was quiet, but her eyes were searching mine. "I just wanted to clarify something about that."
"I'm heading home now," I said, the exhaustion in my body catching up with me.
As I walked away, my vision started to blur. The world around me spun like a carousel.
"Tristan, are you okay?" Hanna's voice broke through the haze, and I felt her hand on my back, steadying me.
"I'm fine," I said, though my legs wobbled beneath me. "I'm almost near at my house; I can manage."
"You don't look fine. Maybe you should rest at my house first." Hanna's said, worrying about me.
"No, thanks. I can manage this." I firmly said.
And then everything went black. I don't remember what happened next.
When I opened my eyes, I was lying in an unfamiliar room, though something about it felt oddly familiar place. My head ached, and my body felt heavy.
"Where... am I?" I murmured, tilting my head slightly.
Hanna and Aunt Amber sat beside me, their expressions a mix of worry and relief.
"You're awake," Aunt Amber said with a soft smile and calm voice.
"What happened? How did I get here?" I said while still trying to remember everything.
Aunt Amber explained, "I was cooking for our dinner then Hanna called me. She said you'd collapsed on the street. When I came out, you were unconscious, so we brought you here to rest and gave you an first aid."
"Thank you," I said, my voice weak. "It seems you saved my life."
Aunt Amber shook her head. "Not me. Thank Hanna—she's the one who see's you collapsed that time ."
I turned to Hanna. "Thank you... and I'm sorry."
"Sorry? For what?" she asked, her brow furrowed.
"For earlier. I think I might have been harsh when we talked," I admitted, guilt weighing on me.
Hanna gave a faint smile. "Forget it, just rest, and then I will take you home after."
Her words brought some relief, but the tension lingered in the air.
I rested for about ten minutes, but the thought of my mom worrying about me made it impossible to stay any longer. I have to go home.
"Aunt Amber, thank you for taking care of me, but I need to leave now. My mom is probably worried to me."
"No worries, dear. But Hanna will take you at your home," Aunt Amber said firmly.
"No, it's okay. I can manage," I replied, glancing outside at the darkness. "It's already late, but I'll be fine."
Hanna interrupted before I could argue further. "Stop talking. Let's go."
"But it's totally late now; it's dangerous to walk alone when you're heading back, you know? If there's anything that happened to you, I can't literally forgive myself."
"Are you worried about me?" She said with a smile on her face.
"Ofcourse!" I said, not hesitantly.
"Oh, let's go now. What if you'd collapsed again in the middle of the road? My mom won't literally forgive me also."
"Alright, I think I can't win arguing with you." I mumbled reluctantly, following her out the door.
The silence between us felt heavy as we walked side by side. The faint sound of our footsteps echoed in the night, amplifying the awkwardness.
"Uhm... Hanna."
"Tristan?"
We spoke at the same time, our voices overlapping. I froze for a second, feeling my face heat up. This was getting more awkward by the minute.
"You go first," she said, her tone unsure.
"Alright." I took a deep breath, trying to find the right words. "Uhm... How do I even say this..."
Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoy this amazing and confusing chapter of "Unseen depth of love" See you all on the next chapter!
Note: This story is from the idea and imaginary of the author. If anything wrong, like it was A.I generated. It's a big NO. It's not an A.I generated but it enchanced by an A.I to make it engaging and readability. But all of information and story line from this novel is from the author ideas,experienced and imaginary. Thank you.