“Hanna, look at this. The flower is so pretty, like you. Smell it,” Mom said, showing me a bunch of white roses. I just stared blankly, with no reaction.
“Doctor, what happened to my daughter? You said she was getting better after waking up from the coma last week. But why is she like this?”
I looked out the window. Mom told me that the first thing I did after waking up from the coma was cry all day long. The doctor said it was just a side effect because I was in a coma for too long, but I knew the truth.
I realized I wasn't dreaming. I had returned to the past, and my meeting with Dylan was not a dream, either. Everything was real. Look at the future now. Too much has changed. Did I success changing the past as I wanted? Yes, I did. Everyone is safe. Thanks to me, Mom is now a renowned pastry chef with many bakery branches. Dad has become the president of a successful corporate company. He finally fulfilled his promise to me.
According to Mom's story, Dad never stopped writing letters and messages to her for years until he proposed, and she agreed to marry him. Following my advice and Dad's continuous efforts, they ended up together. Not only that, but I also have a sister now. Sara. She visits me every day and takes care of me. Even though I say nothing to her, not even a word, she never stops talking to me and hoping for my recovery. She's as beautiful as Mom.
It's not my intention to make them worried. But... it's all too heavy for me to accept. Every time I try to close my eyes, Dylan's face haunts my mind, and at that moment, the dark events replay in my mind like a movie. I still feel my touch on Dylan's stiff body until now. His pale and sorrowful face crushes my heart, making me regret leaving him to seek help at that moment. I should have been by his side, accompanying him until the end.
“Hanna, why are you crying again?” I heard Sara's voice. She wiped away my tears.
“Hanna, why are you like this? Please talk to me. You're not alone. You're never alone. We're always with you,” she whispered before hugging me.
After two weeks in the hospital after waking up from a coma, my days passed with tears. The doctor confirmed that I had depression and no desire to continue living. Mom and Dad finally agreed to take me home and take care of me starting tomorrow. Today is my last day in the hospital. As usual, Sara accompanies me without complaining.
“Hanna, there's someone who wants to meet you,” Sara said.
“Hanna, it's me. Bella Handerson,” a woman introduced herself.
“Sara, can you leave us alone? There's something I want to tell her,” she requested. Sara nodded before leaving the room, leaving Bella and me alone.
“I found your letter in my diary, Hanna. Thank you for everything. I keep myself in the dark because I'm too scared to do anything. Then you came into my life. I saw everything that happened, and I know why you are like this. I'm sorry for your loss, Hanna,” she said, tears welling up.
My tears burst.
“I miss him...” I drawled it the first time. Bella cried, hugging me.
“He died because of me. What should I do? I can't let him go. I don't want to let him go. What should I do? I missed him.”
“Then don't let him go. Keep him in your heart forever.”
Once again, my last day in the hospital was filled with tears.
Two months passed just like that. My condition remained the same, like a woman without direction in life. Every day, I just sat in front of the lake. Dad finally hired a bodyguard named Adam to protect me. Usually, he would just observe me from afar because I wouldn't move from this spot.
“Please give me some food.”
I immediately turned to the sound. For two months, I had been waiting for her tirelessly.
“Grandma?”
Recognizing me, she sat beside me. She gazed blankly at the vast lake in front of us.
“You want food? I can give you anything. Please help me. I want to go back to the past. I want to save him. Please…” I pleaded.
“Enough is enough, kid. You know I can't do that,” the old woman replied, breaking my heart.
“Why? This is the last time. I promise. I just need half of the day—no, half an hour. Just a half an hour. Please. I want to save him. If you want my life for replacement, take it. I don't care. I just want one more chance. Please help me.”
“The one you should save is yourself, kid. After everything he has done, why are you doing this to yourself? Do you think he'll be happy? No, kid. You just make both of you suffer.”
“But I want to meet him again.” I cried.
“Accept your fate, kid. That's the only way you can meet him again,” the old lady said before walking away.
I bowed my head. I wiped away my tears. I took out a worn piece of paper from my pocket that I had kept for a long time. Dylan's address. Bella wrote the address for me when she visited me in the hospital months ago. Until now, I still didn't have the courage to go there. Should I go?
“Accept your fate, kid. That's the only way you can meet him again.”
I should go then. Dylan is there. Why am I hesitant? He must miss me, too. He waits for me for a long time.
“To this place,” I said to Adam, handing him the paper. He was surprised to hear my voice. It is not strange since I have never spoken to anyone, including my family.
“Are you okay?” he asked as we drove. I remained silent and frozen in the back seat.
“Your voice is so beautiful, Ms. Hanna. How I wish you could speak like a normal girl.”
I remained silent, not uttering a word.
After almost half an hour of driving, the car finally stopped at its destination. I had bought a bunch of flowers for Dylan along the way.
“We're here, Ms. Hanna,” Adam said, getting out of the car and opening the door. Despite feeling hesitant, I stepped out, too.
“Ms. Hanna, would you like me to accompany you?”
I shook my head.
“Okay. Be careful, Ms. Hanna.”
I braced myself. Slowly, I searched for the grave with Dylan's name. It didn't take long for me to find it. I held back all the emotions welling up inside and forced a smile. I didn't want Dylan to be sad seeing me sad. I placed the bouquet on his grave.
“I'm here, Dylan. Sorry for taking so much time. All this time, I've been thinking about how to save you again. I believe I can save you. I can fix everything. But then, I just knew that I couldn't do anything anymore. She said this was my fate. Our fate. No. I refused to believe it, Dylan. I refused to move on from you forever. Don't hate me, Dylan. Let me live like this. Let me cry all I want. I know you must be unhappy to see me like this. But remembering you is the only way I can continue my life.” I wiped away my tears.
“I need to go now, Dylan. I'll come to visit you again. See you later, Dylan.”
I walked away with weak steps. I bowed my head, crying once again.
“Hanna…”
My sobbing stopped. I wiped away my tears and lifted my face. My eyes widened seeing that face. I was stunned.
“Dylan?”
I held back a surge of emotions. The man in front of me has a face just like Dylan. Only his hair was straight, neatly combed, and tidy.
Could it be Dylan? What am I saying?
He couldn't be Dylan. If Dylan were alive, he would be Dad's age by now. Besides, I saw Dylan die right before my eyes. Even if his face looked like Dylan's, he wasn't Dylan.
The man didn't say a word. He stared at me for a long time, his eyes teary.
I shook my head, continuing my steps.
“Hanna, wait!” He grabbed my hand. I turned to look at him sharply. He released my hand.
“I'm sorry.”
I continued walking.
“You lied!”
My steps halted. I sighed heavily.
“You lied. You said your real face is so ugly. You have black skin and pimples here and there. Your face looks like an old woman, and you're short and fat!”
My heart seemed to stop beating. I trembled. That sentence... I couldn't forget it because I was the one who said it to Dylan. I turned around with tears streaming down my face.
“Who... who are you?”
“I'm your Dylan, Hanna,” he said, tears flowing down his cheeks.
“What? Don't lie. Dylan is gone. He's gone from this world!”
“Just like you, Hanna. I'm from the future, too. The one who is always by your side every day and every time is me, Hanna.”
My jaw dropped upon hearing what he said.
“I want to tell you the truth, but then you leave me. I asked you to stay, but you left me alone there, Hanna.” Tears streamed down his cheeks.
With sobbing, I ran into his arms, crying as if there were no tomorrow, releasing the longing that had accumulated for so long. He tightened his embrace, not wanting to let go anymore. When we both calmed down a bit, he released the hug. He kissed my forehead and wiped away my tears.
 
"I have some things to talk to you about. Can we go now?" The man extended his hand.
 
With a broad smile, I accepted it.
"Let's go." I replied as he pulled me away from there.
 
 
 
The California beach remains unchanged, just like before. I lay my head on his shoulder, feeling his arms around me.
"It still feels like a dream," I say, finding it hard to believe. It feels like the dark incident happened just yesterday.
"I'm sorry for not telling you the truth. I should have found you sooner. You must have been devastated because of me," the man says, his face filled with a mixture of guilt and explanation.
I nod in understanding.
"I was devastated. After waking up from the coma, I couldn't speak to anyone else. I spent a lot of time grieving and crying until the doctor confirmed that I had depression and no will to live. My world was shattered. I spent every moment thinking of ways to save you. I waited for months by the lake just to meet Grandma, who could take me back in time. When she said it was my fate, I didn't want to accept it," I say, tears welling up as I recount the memories.
He hugs me tightly.
"I'm sorry. I'll never leave you again."
I smile.
"I'm fine now. You're here. That's the only thing I need," I say, gently stroking his cheek. He holds my hand and kisses it repeatedly.
"Aydan."
"What?"
"My name is Aydan."
"Aydan... beautiful name," I praise.
"Just like you, I always hated my dad, Hanna. But unlike your father, he is the true evil. He became a murderer for James, and he died because he failed to kill the person James wanted him to. Then I met an old woman. I gave her money, and after that, I realized I was in the past. James then asked me to help you escape. That's when we first met. Initially, I just wanted to pretend, but then I fell for you. When I came back, I was worried sick about you. I was scared you wouldn't make it," Aydan says, gripping my hand.
"What about James?"
"He died after losing blood. They found him two days after we left. He got what he deserved. He died in silence and loneliness."
"Kind of sad."
"It is."
"Hanna..."
"Yes?"
"I wanted to do this after we met again. Hanna, will you marry me?" Aydan opens his hand, revealing a diamond-studded ring. I'm stunned in amazement. Aydan smiles, waiting for my answer.
"I will," I reply, widening Aydan's smile. He slides the ring onto my finger.
"I can't wait to marry you."
"Me too."
"Together forever?"
"Together forever," I respond with a smile. Aydan steals a brief kiss from my lips. We laugh together before Aydan gives me a genuine kiss, one that instantly dispels all the sadness I've ever felt.