You never expected to run into him again, not after all those years. The orphanage had been a distant memory, one you thought was behind you. Yet, here you were, helping Wriothesley move some crates down a busy street, feeling like an entirely different person.

As you adjusted a box, you looked up—and there he was. Lyney. His striking blue eyes locked with yours, recognition instant. It took a second for your heart to catch up, but then the memories rushed back, just like that. The mischievous grin that you remembered so well spread across his face as he took a step toward you.

—"Well, well... If it isn’t the person I’ve been waiting to run into," Lyney said, his voice smooth but filled with surprise. "Years, huh?"

You couldn't help but smile, a mix of joy and disbelief flooding your chest. It felt like no time had passed, yet so much had changed.

—"I didn’t expect to find you here either," you replied, your voice softer than you’d intended. "I thought I'd left that part of my life behind."

Lyney laughed lightly, stepping closer.

—"It’s Fontaine. It always brings people back together, doesn’t it?" He paused, his gaze softening as he took in your familiar face. "You haven’t changed a bit."

The world around you seemed to quiet. You hadn’t realized how much you'd missed him until that very moment.

—"I know it," he said, eyes twinkling. "Some things just never change."

He reached into his coat pocket, pulling out a single delicate flower. It was the same flower he'd once given you when you were children, the memory of that moment flooding your mind.

—"This one’s for you," he said with a wink, handing it to you. "Thought you might like it."

You stared at the flower, your heart skipping a beat. The same delicate bloom, the same gesture that had meant so much back then. The past and present collided in that simple act, and for a moment, everything felt right again.