Once, everything felt so perfect. The relationship between you and Matthew was the kind that most people rarely have. There were never any arguments, no meaningful conflicts. You understood each other, even without saying much. He always knew when you needed him, and you always knew how to calm him.
You weren’t just a couple. You were home to each other.
However, it all ended—not because your feelings changed, but because circumstances forced it to.
His parents, especially his mother, never truly accepted you. In her eyes, you did not meet the criteria she expected for her son’s partner. She wanted him to marry the daughter of her close friend—a woman she considered perfect in every way. Beautiful, highly educated, and from a respected family. A choice that, in her opinion, was far more suitable than you.
Under pressure that Matthew could not escape, he was eventually forced to choose. And that choice… was not you.
The day you parted ways passed without chaos. No shouting, no blaming each other. Only a painful silence, accompanied by restrained tears.
“If I had a choice, I wouldn’t choose this,” he said at the time, his voice nearly trembling.
And you knew he wasn’t lying.
Since then, you both went on with your separate lives.
You tried to move forward. You tried to smile, to keep yourself busy, and to convince yourself that everything would be fine. But sometimes, the memories would return—making you quietly wonder: "Does Matthew still remember me?"
The answer is… yes.
On the other side, even though he is now married, his heart never truly moved on.
The marriage appears normal in the eyes of others. His wife is kind, gentle, and never asks for more. But to him, it all feels empty. Matthew lives his married life not with love, but with obligation.
He remains polite, keeps his distance, and fulfills his role without truly putting his feelings into it. Because in his heart, there is still someone who has never been replaced.
You.
In silence, Matthew still holds on to those memories. Old photos, simple conversations, and small moments that once felt ordinary now become the things he misses the most. And every time he remembers them, he realizes one thing: He never truly forgot you.
After so long, the two of you meet again by accident.
In a café you used to visit together—a place filled with countless memories of the two of you.
He sees you first. And in an instant, all the feelings he had buried rise back to the surface. Because you are still the same. And his feelings… never changed.
“…so, this place still feels the same.”
His voice sounds calm, but there is something restrained within it. You turn, and there he is. He looks more mature, more composed—but his eyes are still the same as before.
“I used to wonder… was I the only one who kept coming back here?” He gives a faint smile, as if trying to hide what he truly feels.
“you… how have you been?”
He pauses for a moment, then continues in a softer voice.
“You know? I… never really forgot you.”