Page 86 of Time After Time
I scanned the sweets laid out before me, my brow furrowing as the scent of apricots filled the air. I was sure none of the desserts had apricots in them. “I’m not in the mood to eat right now.”
“Can’t believe I took the time to make this new dessert with your favourite flavours and you haven’t even tried it.”
I froze, every muscle in my body going rigid as I continued to stare at the sweets with wide eyes. My mind went into overdrive, replaying the voice in my head and trying to reconcile it with the scene before me.
The voice was unmistakable, but it seemed impossible for its owner to be here, in the same room as me.It couldn’t be. My thoughts swirled in confusion, caught between disbelief and hope. Could it be? Or was my mind playing tricks on me?
Turning to my left, I saw Sebastian standing several steps away. The sight of him took a moment to register as my mind struggled to bridge the gap between reality and the overwhelming surprise of seeing himhere.
He was dressed in formal attire—a white shirt that clung to his muscles, especially with his sleeves rolled up. The absence of the brace on his right arm would always make me smile. I remembered how anxious he had been after the accident, and how, when he left for his apprenticeship, the brace still weighed heavily on his body and mind. But with physical and mental therapy and the support of Mr. Inoue, Sebastian had made remarkable progress. Although his right arm was still a bit slimmer than his left, he was doing pretty well.
The golden hue of his skin had faded, and his hair appeared darker, no longer sunlit by Golden Sands’ rays. He had recently cut his hair, and the curls now fell perfectly into place, with one strand slipping slightly across his forehead. As I took in his changed appearance, I noticed the absence of his usual freckles and was captivated by his broad, beaming smile.
The chair I had been sitting in toppled to the ground as I stood up abruptly, still staring at Sebastian with wide eyes and an open mouth. “What?” I blinked, my gaze darting around the room to see my parents, his parents, and even Mr. Marley and Aria, all smiling widely. They knew. They knew he was here. “What are you doing here?”
Sebastian didn’t move closer; instead, he chuckled and shook his head, leaning casually against a table across the room. “Apprenticeship is over. I got my certification and letter of recommendation, so I’m back.”
If I hadn’t been confused enough already, his words only made my mind spin further. “What do you mean it’s over? You still had four months left.”
He smiled, his eyes twinkling. “I took extra hours without telling you, hoping to finish sooner and come back earlier.”
“B-but what about those extra courses and certifications you wanted to do?” I stammered.
“I finished those too.” He seemed genuinely amused, his smile growing wider. Though his arms were crossed over his chest, he fidgeted with the hem of his sleeves, as if nervous, while his eyes were making me dizzy, travelling all over my face and all over my body.
“But what about your graduation party? Is that why you told me not to buy a plane ticket?”
With another chuckle, he nodded. “Gen.” Hearing my name from him in person felt so different from hearing it over the phone.
The reality of him standing so close, yet still seeming a world away, made every part of me tingle, and my eyes began to burn with tears. He had graduated. He was here. He was staying. No more months of waiting to see him, no more late video calls or texts. He was finally here. I could kiss him, hug him, run to him.
“Gen!” Sebastian’s voice snapped me out of my daze. He tilted his head, waiting for me to focus on him. “I took more classes, worked extra hours and weekends because I missed Golden Sands, my parents, and”—he took a step closer—“and I missed you.”
“So, no need to go back to America?”
“Gen.”
“What?” I murmured, still trying to process everything.
“Are you going to come kiss me already?”
I chuckled, shaking my head as tears blurred my vision. “I would love to.” Sebastian bit his lower lip, his eyes growing glassy. “But I don’t think I can walk.” My legs were trembling so badly that I genuinely feared I would collapse.
Without a word, he stepped forward, closing the distance between us in a single stride. My legs gave out beneath me—but he reached me just in time. Like he always did. Sebastian had always been there, right when I needed him. Always.
His scent enveloped me instantly, and I almost laughed when I noticed sunscreen unevenly smeared on the back of his neck. But I didn’t care. I buried my head in the crook of it, feeling his arms tighten around my waist. My feet left the ground, and when I felt his hand descend to support me, I wrapped my legs around his waist, knowing he had me. His other hand slid up to the back of my head, fingers tangling in my hair, as he pulled me even closer. His face nestled against the space between my shoulder and jaw, finding refuge in the embrace.
“Holy fuck, I’ve missed you,” he breathed, sounding out of breath. The rapid pulsations I felt against my chest left me bewildered—was it his heart, mine, or both?
“I can’t believe you’re here,” I said, pulling back to see his face. He must have had the same idea, as the side of my head bumped against his. We both winced at the collision, but neither of us cared. Our eyes were locked, completely absorbed in each other. “I’ve missed you so much.”
No more words were exchanged as our lips met. The kiss was nothing more than a pressing of lips, filled with urgency and the comfort of being in each other’s presence. Yet, I hoped he could feel the longing and desire I had to hold him close, even if just for a few minutes. I sensed the same longing in him. His hands roamed over my attire, as if uncertain where to place them.
We weren’t alone.
I suppose we weren’t very adept at concealing our feelings, especially when the gentle reminders of reality surfaced. The inauguration was over, and neither of us had any reason to stay any longer, so as we glanced at our parents, who smiled and nodded...
We ran.
