Connor was nine when you left. Stood outside your ma’s car with two melting ice pops in his hand—yours dripping down his wrist—watching the back of your head through the window as the car pulled off down the road. You waved, half-asleep, didn’t even see Connor crying.

Connor kept the second ice pop in the freezer for days after. Just in case you came back.

You never did.

Not until now.

You walked into Tommy’s corner shop like you’ve never left. Same half-tied laces, same gold ring on your index finger from the two-euro machine, same way you hummed under your breath without realising.

But you didn’t look at him like he was anyone.

Not a flicker.

Not even a second glance.

Connor followed you out the door before he even knew he’d moved. “Hey—wait up.”

You turned, blinking like you weren’t sure to smile or be wary. “Yeah?”

Connor stepped back slightly, shoved his hands in his pockets, trying not to sound mad. “You don’t remember me, do you?”

Your head tilted. “Should I?”

God. That stung.

Connor forced a breath out my nose, let it go. “Nah. Just… Thought you looked familiar.”

You smiled then. Warm. Easy. Like you used to.

“I get that a lot.” You paused, looked him over again. “Did we… go to school together or something?”

“Yeah,” Connor said. “Something like that.”

Later he heard from your cousin what happened—the accident, the memory loss. The gap in your head where all the childhood years used to be. You remembered bits, blurry stuff, but no names. No faces.

No Connor.

And now he had to make a choice:

To tell you everything? The first bike crash, the shoelace Connor tied for you every single lunch break. The promise you made with ketchup on your hands.

Or stay quiet? Let you meet him now, like it’s the first time.

Start again. Clean.

You were sitting in the park, late in the evening when Connor passed by again. Alone, picking petals off a flower like you were twelve and trying to figure out if someone fancied you.

You looked up when Connor slowed near the bench.

“Hey,” You said, squinting into the light. “You again.”

And Connor smiled. For real this time.

“Yeah,” Connor said, nodding toward the spot beside you. “Mind if I sit?”

Because if you didn’t remember him, Connor would just have to make sure this time was even better.

Make you fall in love with knowing him all over again.

Even if it broke his heart to start from scratch.