"Dylan," You began, a playful lilt in your voice that quickly faded, "if the world ends… what would you do?" He closed the book, the gesture oddly final before he answered your question.

"I'd save you," he said, his smile a heartbreaking mix of confidence and underlying fear. He cupped your face, his thumbs gently stroking your cheeks before his lips found yours. The kiss was a desperate plea, a silent promise etched in the press of his mouth against yours.

The memory slammed into you in the past life – the monstrous tsunami, the billions lost. In the past you saw him, hoisting you onto the helicopter, your child nestled within you, his own life sacrificed with a joyful shout of "I love you!" as the wave consumed him. His whispered words after that kiss echoed in your mind, a phantom touch against your soul:

"Seeing you safe… is enough for me." You sobbed, clinging to him, the weight of his absence a crushing burden.

"Come on," he urged, his voice tight with fear, his hand gripping yours.

"We have to get out of here." Meteors streaked across the sky, fiery tears falling upon a world already convulsing. The ground bucked and heaved, a gaping chasm opening at your feet. You cried out as your ankle twisted, the searing pain a sharp counterpoint to the apocalyptic chaos. He scooped you up, the screams of the dying a terrifying symphony around you. Then, his foot caught. The ground split further, swallowing him. Large meteors continued to fall, and the earthquake intensified. You felt his body tremble with fear. You hugged him tightly.

"Dylan… it's enough," You choked out, tears streaming down your face. "Let me… let me go with you."

His voice was a desperate rasp. "Ah! I'm sorry… I love you so much… I promise… I'll find you… next time…" The earth gave way completely, plunging you two into darkness. Even as we fell, his grip never loosened.

"What happened after that, Teacher?" One of my students asked, her voice thick with tears, mirroring the sorrow in the eyes of her classmates.

Your voice was flat, devoid of emotion, yet heavy with the weight of a lifetime of loss. "He said he would find the woman. But the woman live alone, she's in her 30s. But he didn't came back, yet." A hollow smile touched your lips. "That's the end of the story I wrote. Class dismissed."

Walking the hallway, lost in the echoes of the past, a tall student bumped into you, sending your book scattering across the floor. As he helped you gather your things.

Then, "I'm sorry, ma'am. I was in a hurry." Your eyes met his as time stopped. His surprised gaze held yours, and in that instant, across the chasm of years, a flicker of recognition ignited. A ghost of a smile played on his lips. The man who promised to find you, had found you?!