Chapter 1

"Seb, which one looks better, this or this?" 

Emily turned around with a wooden palette board that has flowery carvings on the edges and a glass palette board that has designs inside, it was made of resin, she's smiling from ear to ear, she obviously picked up something that she wanted. 

Sebastian looked back and forth, he was about to choose the wooden palette when he suddenly froze. 

This scene seems like a dream. 

He smiled and choose the resin palette instead. "I know you like this one. Let's buy it."

Sebastian opened his eyes, he was still inside the classroom. It is vacant hours so most of the students are outside, playing or wandering around. He was left alone. 

He sighed realizing that the dream was the same again. That woman named Emily, she's the girl from the gallery exhibit of the school on the fundraising event for the art month last month. 

She was most praised for her large imagination, taking another point of view to look at everyone's dreams. 

Sebastian thought she was familiar the first time they met, and the feeling that she was someone dear, never left him. 

"Sebastian Dawn Alfonso." 

Sebastian looked at the door and saw a friend holding a ball. He frowned when he saw a picture on his mind appearing and making the same kind of feeling, like he lost something. 

Joseph leaned towards the door, he held the ball and extended it towards the room, in a manner of extending an invitation to a monarch, he bent hid body forward, "What about playing with us instead of continuing your heartbreak episode?"

"You should take a breather. Even if she's gone, you can't simply give up on your life." 

Sebastian closed his eyes after a sever pain suddenly crushed his mind. The soft whispers, the advice filled with heartbreak, the sobs and the sorry state. 

"Dawn. Seb. I don't regret loving you, but I wish you gave me more attention."

Sebastian held his forehead, the female voice was owned by that girl on the dream, named Emily. 

Everytime he hears her voice, it was like his wound was being treated harshly by alcohol. She was a part of him, but she's too painful to bear. 

"What's wrong with you?" Joseph walked into the classroom, as he walked towards Sebastian, his friend suddenly fell head first on the table, he fainted. "Holy shit!"

Joseph rushed out of the room with Sebastian on his back. "Give way! Someone fainted!" He shouted as he ran through the corridors to go to the clinic. 

The person on his back was heavy, and he was slightly feverish. Sweat already trickled down his forehead, dropping droplets of it on the ground.

When he arrived at the infirmary, a girl just came in as well. Joseph recognized the girl as the fairy, or the class beauty of the section next door. 

She's a new student whom Sebastian have never laid his eyes on. "Hey, Emily. Help me call the nurse."

"The nurse isn't here?" Emily looked around before realizing that the infirmary nurse is indeed not around. "Oh, then I'll look at the cafeteria. It's just around the time for their snack time." 

Emily turned around and immediately ran, her long brownish black hair fly as the wind passed by her. 

Joseph take a look one last time before placing Sebastian down on the bed. He really doesn't know why Sebastian won't look at any other girls. He's just focused on book and paper. He's writing all day but he never knew what his friend was writing. 

They're friends, but the amount of things that he doesn't know about him was a lot. But he seem to have discovered this just now. 

When the nurse arrived, Joseph have already finished wiping Sebastian's body to lower down his temperature. 

"Eh? Hey kid, you're quite something. How do you know that this is helpful?" The nurse asked as she place a thermometer between Sebastian's armpits.

Emily silently looked at Sebastian, ignoring the exchange of conversation between them. She leaned on the wall, crossed arms, thinking of the first time she set her eyes on him. 

It was on the day of her former school's art expo. They didn't really met each other personally, but their eyes met in a fleeting moment. 

And due to that fleeting moment, she felt the deep sense of familiarity that she have never felt with anyone. 

It was the kind of bitter feeling that have the taste of sweetness within, there was regret and longing—as if she met someone she have been longing to see again. 

"That's weird. But he's actually cuter when he's near rather than from a far." She giggled at this thought. "That's right, he's a good muse for my paintings."

About half an hour passed before Sebastian woke up, it was already the middle of the last class before the end of the day. Emily have also left earlier. 

When the nurse saw him looking with his eyes empty of emotions on the wall, she walked slowly and went to pour a glass of water for him.

"Studying all the time doesn't do any good. You should also go out." His friend have already told the nurse about how much he is into studying. "Take a rest here before leaving."

Sebastian yawned and then looked away from the wall. He took the glass silently, and chugged the water empty. 

"I am really alive." He said on his head, looking at the empty glass of water. The hand that used to have wrinkles on them was now smooth and fine. 

Just like in highschool. 

The moment he opened his eyes, he knew already that this is not the same world that he belongs to. Or let's say, he was able to go back in time, to say this...

His wife is still alive. 

Sebastian smiled as he lowered his head. "That's good, at least she's still alive here."

Thinking about it, the longing in his heart was really painful. But he brought sadness upon her life, she doesn't deserve to meet a scum like him.

Since she's still alive, then she should meet someone else who can make her happy. That way, even if that day comes, she will leave without regret and worries. 

"Hey, what are you spacing out at? It's time to go home!" Joseph entered the clinic, carrying Sebastian's backpack. He had a wide grin on his face, ready to say some things. 

But then, he wasn't able to when Sebastian looked at him, as if he was relieved, as if they have never seen each other before. 

"What's with that look?" Joseph's lips twitched before dismissing the idea that maybe, his friend burnt his brain and fell in love with him. "Anyway, I met the pretty transfer student from the other section. I heart her name was Emily, she helped me call for the nurse earlier, and guess what she asked me about your condition but how would I know when I can't even get out during the break because of my unfinished assignments."

Sebastian watched and listened to Joseph's long speech as they walk out of the clinic. 

Hearing Emily's name, his forehead creased for a moment. He doesn't remember meeting Emily st school?

But Emily is indeed their schoolmate.

"What's with that look? Do you really hate it when you're getting involved with a girl?" Joseph was really starting to worry, what if Sebastian actually like boys? 

Sebastian looked at him and then punched his shoulder. "Idiot. I don't like boys." 

Joseph's brows furrowed in confusion, "Huh? How did you know my thoughts?"

"It's written all over your face." Sebastian jested him and walked a little faster, taking over in front. 

Sebastian thought to himself that the encounter earlier when he is unconscious was just something that happened coincidentally.

He doesn't remember this event in his life. Did he fell ill back then? That's impossible. 

"Hey, what are you thinking of? Did you even hear what I said?" Joseph wrapped an arm around Sebastian's shoulder, following his pace of walking. 

"Nothing."

"Nothing, what do you mean nothing. You always answer nothing, are you plotting murder right now? Tell me the truth? Are you?" Joseph's voice was so loud, that some teachers and students looked at their way, looking at them strangely. 

"I may be a murder mystery writer, but please lower your voice before someone calls a cop on me." Sebastian smiled widely, raising a hand on behind and slapping Joseph's head in surprise.

"Ah!" Joseph fell back behind, holding the back of his head. He looked at Sebastian's back in disbelief. "Hey, Seb! You've changed, you have become violent!"

"Idiot. Follow up, the car is here."

When they arrived at the gate, Sebastian halted his steps. He saw a familiar figure outside. That student tied her hair up in a ponytail, wearing her pair of PE uniform as she waited for her driver to pick her up along with her friends. 

She looked happy and contented. 

Sebastian can't help but frown, this was the life that he took away from her. Since the day that they became together, her happiness started to fade one by one. 

Why do they have to meet so soon? 

"Hey, wasn't that the person you're telling us about?" A friend of Emily who had the same hairtie with her secretly pointed at Sebastian who's frowning as he look at them.

"Why is he frowning?" Beatrice, the third girl who's wearing a uniform and had her hair clipped with hair clips looked at Emily. "He doesn't seem like he's kind. What about just liking another person?"

Emily ate her food and shook her head. Her friends thought that she will say that she will only like him, but Emily said instead, "I don't like him. I just had an impression of him."

"Didn't you said he's handsome?"

Emily nod her head. "Yes, he's quite handsome. But he's kind of a snob."

"Seb! What about we walk?" Joseph catch up beside Sebastian. They crossed the gate and looked around, but weren't able to find the driver or the car that was supposed to pick Sebastian up. "Since your driver isn't here, what about..."

Sebastian looked back at Emily, and casually brushed the gaze past when their eyes met. His indifference was equivalent to a cold treatment for the girls, but to him, his heart was about to explode. 

His eyes were traitor. He can't help but look back again, and found that Emily was frowning as she watched him. He raised an eyebrow, causing Emily to flinch and look away. 

Scaredy cat. 

Sebastian chuckled and held the strap of his bag. 

"Oh, right. You idiot, wasn't your birthday today?" Joseph pay Sebastian's back, showing a smile that Sebastian was very familiar at.

Sebastian looked away and thought, "So, it was today. I finally remember." 

April 1st, on his birthday, he indeed met Emily at this one time. It is one of the few times that they met at school. That day, it was really just a casual gaze, their eyes met, but nothing meant anything to them. They were strangers.

And just like how it was before, that's how it should be today as well—

Sebastian's train of thoughts stopped when Jospeh dragged him back, and stopped in front of Emily. 

"Hi, you're Emily, right? From earlier, at the clinic." Joseph, who's face is thicker than the crust of earth, smiled at Emily and held out his hand. "I'm Joseph Santos. Here's my friend, Sebastian Lazarus, he wanted to say something."

Sebastian just hummed, he thought it would be rude to look at Joseph and question him so, he just said what should be said. "I heard from Joseph that you helped us get the nurse for me earlier. Thank you for helping."

Beatrice and Lauren, the other ponytailed girl were both speechless as they heard Sebastian's voice. There's probably just one word to describe that deep and developed voice, "Handsome."

Emily looked awkwardly at her two friends, before looking at Sebastian and nodding her head. "It's nothing. I just thought that you really need the assistance from the nurse, you don't have to mention it."

"Oh..."

"Actually, he wants to treat you guys. Do you perhaps want to eat streetfoods? Burger? Or what? It's his birthday today." Joseph smiled widely, while being stared at by Sebastian at the corner of his eyes.

That's too shameless, Joseph. As expected from you. 

Sebastian smiled again, "Uh, yeah. If you only want to."

"Sure, no one declines free food." Beatrice immediately agreed as if she was the one who was offered of being treated.

Emily was supposed to refuse, but Beatrice already accepted the invitation, and Lauren seems like she's looking forward on it as well. So she pressed her lips together and shyly nod her head. "Alright."

Sebastian looked at her lowering her head in shyness. He have never seen be shy in front of him. She's always tough and strong, to the point that he have forgotten that she's originally fragile. 

Nevermind about how Joseph took advantage of this gratitude to be treated. "Let's just say that this treat is because I'm sorry for not treating her better. I have a lot of things that I owe her. I wasn't able to pay it all back before, so perhaps in this lifetime, the debt could be returned."

Emily looked up and saw nostalgia on Sebastian's eyes. It made her wonder, what was he thinking of? 

"Let's go, what are you guys staring at each other for? Let's grab a food before falling in love, okay?" Joseph grabbed Sebastian, and Beatrice held Emily's arm. 

Sebastian glare at Joseph secretly before saying, "Alright. Let's go and grab some food first."

***

As promised, on the first of April, I came back to you.