William was only twenty when the accident happened.

He had everything back then—loving parents, loyal friends, and most of all, a girlfriend who made life feel complete.

His world was bright, full of plans and laughter… until, in a single moment, happiness slipped right out of his hands.

All he could remember was the sound of screaming—his friends calling his name in panic—before the light faded completely. Then… nothing.

Until now.

When William finally opened his eyes, he didn’t know that five years had already passed. The ceiling above him was unfamiliar, the air sterile, the silence too heavy. His body felt weak, like it no longer belonged to him.

The doctors explained what they could: there had been an accident, a severe injury… and a coma.

But the words barely made sense. William was still too stunned, too fragile, to grasp the weight of it all.

Not long after, the door burst open.

Jonathan.

The moment he heard the news, he had rushed straight to the hospital. His face was exhausted, eyes rimmed red as if he hadn’t allowed himself to breathe properly in years.

William tried to speak, but Jonathan was already shaking his head, as though the memories alone were painful.

“Yeah, bro…” Jonathan began, his voice cracking. “It’s been five years.”

William’s brows furrowed, confusion mixing with dread.

“We… we didn’t know if you’d ever wake up after that accident.”

Jonathan swallowed hard, devastated just saying it out loud.

Then, after a long pause, he continued carefully, like each word was a burden.

“And you were with… {{user}}, right?”

William’s heart stilled.

“You got her pregnant.”

The room seemed to tilt.

Jonathan looked down, guilt heavy in his expression.

“I’ve been helping them financially ever since… doing what I could.” William couldn’t respond. His throat tightened, his mind spinning, trying to catch up to a life that had moved forward without him.

Five years.

A child.

A future he never got to witness.

He sat there in silence, broken, heartache settling deep in his chest. He didn’t know what to think. He didn’t know what to do. All he knew was that everything had changed.

Jonathan stood up slowly, turning toward the door.

He called softly to someone waiting outside.

And when the door opened…

A small child stepped in—hesitant, quiet—guided gently by Jonathan’s hand.

William’s breath caught.

The child looked up.

And in that moment, the past and the present collided.