Chapter 7 – Do You Remember?

Goyo didn’t feel like it had been a long time since she last saw Terio. After all, it had only been a week since she took her life in the future. So, although she didn’t know the state of their relationship at this time in the past, — her memory of this time had long since faded away — she only looked at him impassively.

However, she couldn’t help but marvel when she looked at Terio’s younger face. From his vibrant and youthful look, Goyo could clearly see how long a time had passed and how harsh it had been on both of them in the future.

It was his visage that hammered home the fact that she had really gone seven years back in time. Not anyone else. Not even her own.

So, she went back in time to seven years ago, to the time she was in her early twenties. To be honest, the face in front of her was more unfamiliar than she had imagined despite the fact she was only twenty nine years old.

Because she had become used to the cold and stone-like face Terio always showed her in the future. So, the fact that he was this lively in the past, shocked her very much. To think that she could see the sight, albeit with a little shadow in his eyes, once more… suddenly made her feel overwhelmed with guilt. She felt like it was her fault that Terio had changed.

Looking at Goyo’s pale complexion, Terio began to question her with a concerned voice.

“I heard the servants were saying you are sick, are you okay?”

“That was a few days ago.”

“Even so.”

Instead of trying to assuage Terio’s concern for her health further, Goyo stopped that line of conversation by closing her mouth.

Terio only sighed at Goyo’s reluctance to talk and came closer. He then tried to kiss his fiancee in the cheek as usual. However, he was taken aback when Goyo’s hand pushed his shoulder away. He didn’t understand.

Goyo…? Terio gazed at her quizzically, but Goyo pretended not to notice his strange gaze and proceeded to sit down on the sofa. She then turned her head to look at Terio and invited him to sit down as well.

“I’m sorry that I asked you to come instead of going to your place. I wanted to, but I still had a fever.”

“It’s all right, it’s not that far.”

Goyo took the teacup that the maids gave her and pondered to herself while Terio sat down. She thought about how she should begin this talk as she sipped her tea. Carefully choosing her words, she started the conversation while placing the tea on her lap.

“There’s something that I want to say. No, it is more like, I thought you might have something to tell me.”

Terio Alte had never told her about his feelings until the day before the wedding. And the things that revealed his true feelings were the ever growing shadow in his eyes as their wedding approached along with the fading laughter.

It was not until the day before their wedding that he came to her drunk out of his mind to tell her his inner thoughts. However, at that time, Goyo did not want to listen to him. So, the truth never came out from Terio’s mouth personally. Until the day Melissa Rubiet eventually died.

And Goyo was faced with a catastrophe.

Should I call that heartbreaking or should I call myself foolish? Unexplainable feelings surged within her heart. Even though it was she herself who had stopped Terio from speaking…

Even though it was her choice to not stop the wedding from proceeding.

It was not only her foolishness, though. Terio was also ludicrous. To think that he had waited until the day before the wedding to try to reveal his true feelings… when everything was essentially fixed and unchangeable…

What exactly was Terio thinking? To only open his mouth when everything was all over… Was it because of his lingering attachment towards her? Or perhaps it was because he wanted to have an excuse to blame Goyo Rubiet for it.

She didn’t know.

She especially didn’t know what was on Terio’s mind as the date of their marriage approached closer. And she didn’t want to guess. Because it was painful. So very painful to her. And she still felt the same even now when everything in the future was erased.

“Our engagement is about to be formalized soon. And we are going to get married next year.”

“… Right.” Terio stiffened at Goyo’s reminder, and the light in his eyes dimmed even further. However, Goyo paid no heed to the change as she suddenly switched track.

“Do you remember Terio? What you said when we were still children? You said we will be friends forever.”

When she was young, Goyo was very shy. She didn’t really like interacting with people, so she had no one around her. It could be imagined just how much joy his words gave to Goyo Rubiet.

The memory of that simple joy brought a little smile on her lips. But it was accompanied with bitterness.

“I was broken the day you confessed to me.”

“Goyo.”

“Do you remember the day I accepted your confession? You cried a lot then.”

Goyo said, recalling that day. Terio was crying when she told him that she accepted, causing her to be taken aback since it had been a while since she had seen his tears.

And she remembered that for a second she felt very nervous as she tried to calm him down. She also recalled the laughter she let out when she saw him turning his head away from her like a child. To her, he looked like a prideful little boy who didn’t want to show his tearful face to anyone.