"You're coming with us, Isabella."
"Tristan, I can't."
"What the hell Isabella! You even met with Dr. Kant's son! Just what could possibly happen if Chase found out you know Dr. Kant?!"
"Tristan, please. Please listen to me. I know I'm really being selfish right now, but I wanted to stay with Chase. Tristan, I love him!"
"Isabella, you know too well the things that could happen if he ever regains his memories."
"I know, Reese, but I can't give up!! I'm not going to give up on Chase!"
"Stop being so stubborn and selfish Isabella, we're going home."
"George, PLEASE! I'm begging you…PLEASE…"
"Quit it, Isabella!! Listen to me! If Chase regained his memories, just what would happen to him? And what would happen to you?! Are you really going to be in the pathetic state you were sixteen years ago?!"
"…monkey…"
"What?!"
"Agent Monkey. You must have missed him too… maybe even more than I did…"
“Isabella!”
"You too, Agent Dino…Agent Lion…Don't you guys miss our Agent Dragon?"
"I did…I do."
"I do…always…"
"Who doesn't?"
Chase's eyes widened at what he heard, his heart that had stopped beating for a second began to pound loud, louder, banging against his chest that mirrored the agonizing shockwaves hitting his head. He started to see the dream he had the past months, as if playing a flashback, now becoming clearer as water for him to see.
"I'm going to turn you all to ash!!!"
"Hey wait! Wait for me!"
“Agent Dragon, stop slacking! You’re gonna be left behind!!”
Chase felt his tummy swirling and filled with butterflies with all the excitement and happiness he was feeling. As usual, they were playing in the grass just beside the cliff by the sea. Who were they? They were his closest friends. The codenames they were calling each other was made by him, Chase, like he'd always proudly tell his family at dinner time.
They kept running on the green grass playing agents, sometimes soldiers, sometimes family and weddings. Chase snorts at the memory of him being the wife sometimes and George, agent Dino, being the husband. It caused a lot of childish fights inside their little house which was made of leaves and big stones.
Chase felt a tear roll down his left cheek, his knees trembling as he forced his legs to find the way out, mind completely in chaos.
"Can you see that star over there?" Reese asked them as they laid their back on the green lane beside Chase's house.
"Where?" Isabella asked.
"The brightest one?" Anna asked, suddenly making Reese giggle.
"Yes. You're that one, Anna!" Reese exclaimed at the little girl, earning a bright smile just enough for Reese to rejoice about.
"Hey, what about me?" George suddenly butt in with frowning brows.
"Wait, can you see those three stars that seemed to form a single straight line?" Tristan excitedly asked as his finger pointed something in the east.
"And there are also two stars just across it! Hey, that'll be me and Isabella!" Chase enthusiastically exclaimed, feeling all shy and giddy with the stars above and his friends beside him.
"Then the three stars would be Tristan, Reese, and me?" George asked in disbelief.
"You don't have a choice!" Chase then let his tongue out at George, earning a teasing sound from the eldest.
"I'm the real star!!" George shouted as he stood up and formed a star-shaped body on his own but failed to do so because of his chubbiness.
The six children laughed at their own silly jokes and stories and felt content with each others' presence.
Another set of tears fell down as another dream was now cleared yet again, making Chase's chest twist in agony and pain.
"Big brother, my knee hurts." Eight-year-old Chase looked down at his playmate who lived on an island one boat ride away from Chase. Isabella, or agent Panda, as Chase once used as her code name. The first time he saw Isabella, she had those natural black circles around her eyes, resembling an adorable baby panda Chase had seen on TV. It was the main reason why he gave her that silly nickname: Agent Panda.
"Let me see," Chase crouched to the ground and looked closer at Isabella's knee and saw a big scrape on it. Chase sighed in annoyance. He looked up at Isabella who was pouting and biting her lip as she tried to hide her pain.
"Let's get you treated. Let's go to grandma." Chase then encouraged the six-year-old to get on his back, so he could carry her to the house. They waved their goodbyes to their other playmates as they left. Chase felt more butterflies in his stomach dancing wildly as Isabella moved even closer to him. He felt his cheeks heat up in delight and his lips immediately curl up to form a smile.
How nice would it be, Chase thought, if he could be with Isabella all the time? Apparently, Isabella and her younger sister lived with their grandmother, who was actually their only relative left. According to what Chase had accidentally heard from his parents’ conversation with the old woman, Isabella and Anna’s parents died a long time ago. And it was too unfortunate as Chase recalled how their grandmother was also sick and couldn’t live that long. This, Chase wasn’t sure if Isabella and Anna knew.
Little Isabella tightened her arms around Chase's neck as she buried her face in his neck.
Chase had then decided. He could ask his parents to make Isabella and his sister his siblings. That way, they could stay together forever.
Chase gasped for air as he began to let his tears fall down like cold waterfalls. No… Isabella… Isabella… She was…
His legs gave in as he leaned his arm on the wall for support, yet his shaking frame slowly fell down the floor as another set of flashbacks began to play inside his head.
"Chase, meet your new siblings. They will be staying in this house with you from now on," Chase's mother said with a very wide smile on her face and Chase's smile got wider in return. What he wasn't expecting were the children in front of him.
"Hello, brother," the kid said with a shy smile and Chase chuckled because the kid was just too cute.
"Big brother? I will call you big brother now?" the other one asked, completely amused because of the sudden turn of events. Even Chase was surprised by this announcement.
"Yes honey, Chase here, will be your big brother from now on," Chase's mom said in a gentle tone that Chase loved ever since he first heard it.
"Yay!! I'm so happy!" the kid exclaimed while jumping high.
Chase loved the sight.
"I'm happy too! Isabella, we'll be together always from now on," Chase looked and beamed a gummy smile at his little sister as his little sister reflected Chase's. Together they held their little youngest sister, Anna’s, hand each, chuckling and giggling for the little happy turn of events.
Chase felt the happiest person on the planet.
Isabella…Isabella…Chase had met Isabella before…. He even had her as his little sister. How could Chase forget? How could he…
"We'll stay together forever," Chase uttered with a bright smile on his face.
"Promise?" Chase turned and looked at the girl beside him who had a worried look on her face.
"I promise," Chase answered with much confidence and love for the younger.
Isabella then smiled at Chase with a now very visible cheerful face.
They let the sun shining brightly hit their faces as they laid their bodies down on the sand and let the sound of the waves crashing, desperately hitting the shore, be the only sound they could hear.
"Whatever happens, you will stay in my heart forever," Isabella suddenly said as a sudden wave made its way to their position on the shore.
"Me too. Forever," Chase replied with a bright smile never leaving his face.
"You won't forget, right?" Isabella whispered as she then got up and sat, now staring at the vast ocean.
"Of course not. I will always remember you," Chase confidently uttered as he grabbed Isabella's little hand and held it firmly.
"Promise?" Isabella asked with her big, round, adorable eyes Chase loved a lot.
"I promise."
Chase heard the shattering sound of his heart at the painful realization. He forgot. Chase was the one who forgot. So, Chase cried out in agony, for he was the boy…the boy who broke his promises to Isabella.