Chapter 73: Who's her bestie?

Color drained from Draven’s face, hearing Mysa’s words. ‘Draven, who?’ What did she mean by that? Was she playing a prank? If it was, that’s the worst prank ever.

“What do you mean by that, Mysa?” Draven managed to ask. “Do you not know who I am?”

"I... don't," she mumbled, her voice trembling with uncertainty. The name felt painfully familiar, as did the man standing before her. There was an inexplicable pull toward him, a magnetic force drawing her closer, yet her mind was a haze of confusion.

Who was he? Why did everything feel so tangled and unclear?

As she stood there, an overwhelming sense of déjà vu washed over her, and her vision blurred. She was no longer in the present. She saw herself in a car, desperately trying to escape. Her hands fumbled with the seatbelt, her breath quickening as panic set in.

The car was sinking, the water rising around her.

She could feel the cold, murky liquid seeping in through the windows. Her fingers desperately found the window handle, and with a surge of adrenaline, she pushed it open and crawled out, her lungs burning for air.

She remembered breaking for the surface, gasping for breath, and then... darkness. Everything went dark, as if someone had pulled a curtain over her consciousness.

The vision faded, and she was back in the present, the man still standing in front of her. Her heart pounded in her chest, the echoes of the past lingering in her mind.

She looked at him, her eyes wide, realizing that man was definitely someone close to her as just by seeing him, she was getting a flashback. Until now, she had got none of them.

Just before Draven could say anything, someone hollered, “GHOST!!!”

Both Draven and Mysa turned toward the doorstep, only to find Fabian with a horrified look on his face.

“Ghost…” Fabian repeated and hid himself behind Draven. “Why am I seeing the ghost when Draven was the one summoning Mysa all the time?”

“Huh?” Mysa tilted her head a little, evidently confused.

“The ghost is talking! I can even understand her!”

Draven rolled his eyes at Fabian’s drama. “She is not a ghost, Fabian. It’s real. I told you, Mysa is alive, and this is the proof.”

“Wait, you can see the ghost too?” Fabian asked Draven to be sure.

Draven chuckled — obviously he could now that he had his Mysa standing right in front of him.

“Wait, you are smiling, Draven. Oh my God, you went crazy. I—” Fabian was cut off by Mysa.

“Why are you saying I am a ghost? I am real. What’s so shocking about it?” She glanced at Fabian. “Do you also happen to know me?”

Fabian stared back at Mysa, still in shock. “You… Are you Mysa?”

She nodded.

He took a step toward her and gently poked her forearm, hoping she would disappear like a ghost. But she didn’t disappear, instead she kept looking at him as if he had grown two heads.

“Oh, my God… she is real… she is here!” Realization finally struck Fabian. “Mysa, you are alive!” With that, he pulled her into a tight hug.

Mysa stiffened in Fabian’s embrace, her confusion mounting. The warmth of his hug was both comforting and overwhelming, stirring emotions she couldn’t quite place. Her hands hovered uncertainly in the air for a moment before she gently pushed against Fabian’s chest.

“Please, stop,” she whispered, her voice trembling. “I don’t understand what’s happening.”

Fabian stepped back, his face a mix of relief and bewilderment. “Mysa, it’s really you. We thought we lost you forever.”

Draven watched the exchange intently, his heart pounding in his chest.

A flicker of jealousy sparked within him as he saw Fabian holding Mysa, but it was quickly tempered by the realization that she had pushed him away as well.

A small, relieved smile tugged at the corners of his lips.

“Mysa,” Draven said softly, stepping forward. “We have been looking for you for so long. Don’t you remember anything? Anything at all?”

Mysa turned to Draven, her eyes wide and filled with a mixture of fear and hope. “I… I feel like I know you,” she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. “But everything is so hazy. It’s like trying to grasp at shadows.”

Draven’s expression softened immediately, realizing what must have happened. Still to be sure, he asked, “Did you forget everything, Mysa? Did you have a memory loss?”

She nodded once again. “Yes. All I remember is my life for the past three months. I don’t remember anything else.”

“And those are the three months I want to forget,” Draven muttered under his breath.

“So now, how did you end up here?” Fabian inquired curiously. “And where were you living for the past three months?”

“I…” she was interrupted by Draven.

“Fabian, Mysa returned to us after a long time. Let’s sit and talk about this instead of standing.”

Draven knew how to deal with patients having memory loss because his grandfather, the former senator, had that once. So he knew that Mysa was also weak. She lost some weight, it felt, and the glow in her face lessened.

However, one thing remained constant — her smile.

“Okay, okay.” Fabian went to sit on one of the bean bags followed by Mysa and Draven.

“Now tell me, Mysa,” Fabian urged.

Mysa sucked in a deep breath and let out, “Actually, I woke up in a hospital bed, and then my doctor, Dr. Roude asked me some questions, but I was confused. I remembered nothing. So he realized that I had lost my memories. After that, he and his wife let me stay with them.”

Draven's heart clenched painfully at her words. The thought of Mysa waking up alone, scared, and without any memories tore at his soul.

His mind flooded with images of her lying in that hospital bed, her eyes wide with fear and confusion, surrounded by strangers. The helplessness she must have felt, the void where her past should have been, filled him with an overwhelming sorrow.

He wished with every fiber of his being that he could have been there for her. He imagined himself by her side, holding her hand, reassuring her that everything would be alright.

If only he could have been there when she woke up, perhaps the sight of him would have sparked a memory, or at the very least, provided her with a sense of safety and familiarity.

Instead, the universe had torn them apart, leaving her to face this terrifying new reality alone.

His thoughts churned in a tumultuous sea of regret and longing. He felt an intense anger towards the cruel twists of fate that had separated them, causing so much unnecessary suffering.

His Mysa, the woman he loved more than anything, had been left to navigate a world that had suddenly become alien and frightening. The thought that she had endured such loneliness and fear made his chest ache with a profound sense of loss.

He wanted to make up for every moment he wasn't there, to erase the pain and fill the emptiness with love and reassurance. But the past was unchangeable, and all he could do now was be there for her, and never let her go out of his sight.

“How were they to you? Like did they treat you nicely or…?” Fabian inquired.

A genuine smile formed on Mysa’s lips, the smile which always slayed both Draven and Fabian. “They are wonderful. You know, I even call them Mom and Dad. They lost their daughter recently at that time, so I somehow filled that void as they became my family.”

Draven was happy hearing that. She was happy, safe and sound. Having no memory, anybody could take advantage of her, but she was safe and returned to him — that’s all that mattered.

“Where were you living all this time? I mean, where do Dr. Roude and his wife live?” Draven asked, his voice gentle yet edged with curiosity.

Fabian chimed in, “Yes. Because if you were living here, there’s no way in hell we would have missed you.”

Mysa offered a small smile, her eyes reflecting the warmth she felt for her new family. “I was in a city five hours away from here.”

“That far?” Fabian’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. “Then why are you here now all of a sudden?”

“Fabian,” Draven interjected, a hint of reprimand in his tone. “What’s with that question? Just be happy that she’s returned.”

Fabian held up his hands in mock surrender. “I am happy, trust me. You found your reason to live again, Draven. But I am just curious.” He turned to Mysa, his eyes softening. “How did you land up here, in this exact place?”

Mysa took a deep breath, her gaze distant as she recalled the recent events. “Well, I got a job interview and came here. Then I went to have a meal at a restaurant—”

“Was it the TinkerStar restaurant?” Draven interrupted, feeling his heartbeat quicken. His eyes searched hers, hoping for a connection that transcended her lost memories.

Mysa’s eyes widened in surprise. “Yes… how do you know?”

A wave of emotion washed over Draven. The universe had indeed tested their love, and it seemed fate had guided her to that very place where he had unknowingly cooked her favorite meal.

His voice was barely a whisper as he said, “I cooked your favorite meal today at the restaurant.”

Fabian’s jaw dropped. “TinkerStar? Wait a minute. So when it was raining, you ran to the mall, right?”

Mysa nodded again, innocently.

Fabian heaved a sigh of relief, placing a hand over his chest dramatically. “Phew. I didn’t see your ghost then.”

Draven's eyes narrowed instantly, staring at him accusingly. “You saw Mysa? And you’re telling me this now?”

Fabian stammered, his face turning a shade of crimson. “I thought it was a ghost!”

Before the duo could argue further, Mysa’s soft voice cut through the tension. “So, due to the rain, I missed my interview and then, by the universe’s will, I bumped into a woman named Flora, who told me she was a good friend of mine?”

Both Draven and Fabian exclaimed in unison, “Flora? You met Flora?”

“Yes,” Mysa confirmed with a nod.

Fabian threw his hands up in disbelief. “Why didn’t she tell us?”

Draven, connecting the dots, furrowed his brow. “Wait, a minute. Did Flora tell you to come here?”

“Yes,” Mysa replied. “I told her how I missed my interview and also wanted to know about my life before I lost my memories. So she told me to stay in this city as it was my birthplace, and I lived here like… forever? And also, she told me that this place has a job opening, so I can work here in the meantime.”

Draven and Fabian exchanged glances, a silent understanding passing between them.

Flora had orchestrated this, guiding Mysa back into their lives. Draven felt a surge of gratitude toward Flora, mixed with a twinge of frustration for not knowing sooner.

Mysa looked at them, her eyes searching their faces. “Now that you two know about me, tell me about you two. Who are you? How do you know me? Were you good friends of mine like Flora?”

Draven's heart clenched at her question. He wanted to tell her everything, to pour out the depth of his feelings, but he knew it wasn’t the right time. He needed to be careful, to consult with a doctor before triggering any memories that might overwhelm her.

“We were friends,” Draven said, his voice gentle, eyes locking with hers. “Good friends.”

Fabian, ever the opportunist, smirked and added, “I was your best friend.”

Draven shot Fabian a glare, but Fabian only grinned wider. Mysa's gaze flickered between them, a small smile tugging at her lips.

“You were my best friend?” she asked Fabian, tilting her head slightly.

Fabian nodded enthusiastically. “Absolutely! We were inseparable. Draven here,” he gestured toward Draven with a teasing glint in his eye, “was always around too. We had quite the trio.”

Draven forced a smile, though his eyes remained intense. “Yes, we were a close-knit group,” he added, trying to keep his voice steady.

Mysa’s eyes softened. “It’s so strange… I feel like I know you both, but everything is so hazy. I wish I could remember.”

Draven’s expression softened, and he reached out, gently taking her hand in his. “It’s okay, Mysa. We will help you remember, step by step. You are not alone in this.”

Mysa looked down at his hand on hers, feeling a strange yet comforting warmth spread through her chest.

A different feeling stirred in her heart, something deeper and more profound than simple recognition. She didn't wish to pull her hand away anymore.

“And… the job?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Draven’s smile broadened, warmth radiating from his eyes. “You got the job,” he said softly, squeezing her hand reassuringly.

Before the tender moment could deepen, Fabian clapped his hands together, breaking the silence with his usual exuberance. “Come on, bestie,” he declared, stepping forward with a broad grin. “Let me give you a tour of our shop.”

Draven's jaw tightened momentarily, a flash of annoyance crossing his features. Fabian’s timing was impeccable, as always. He reluctantly let go of Mysa’s hand, his eyes lingering on her for a heartbeat longer.

Mysa’s gaze flickered between the two men, a small, amused smile playing on her lips at their unspoken exchange. “Alright,” she said, turning to Fabian. “Lead the way.”