He let me turn his face towards me, continuing,

"Do you even realize what you were saying?

",

"I have no clue. It's all just nonsense you're making up,

" I denied, unwilling to admit to the embarrassing things I supposedly did.,

"You even said it was like 'sealing the deal.' You kissed me, stamped your claim, and declared I was yours to marry when you grew up. Insisted that I couldn't be with anyone but you,

" Ernest said, suddenly looking down.,

"Licia, I've followed your 'orders,' living well into my thirties without so much as dating, never giving another girl a second glance, let alone holding hands. I've been waiting for you, so you've got to take responsibility,

" Ernest's words were laden with a sense of being wronged, as if a 'no' from me would be a massive letdown., All this time, I believed Conrad was my childhood sweetheart, but I was wrong. It was actually Ernest who filled that role, the kind that's brief yet lasts a lifetime., Only, I was too young back then, leaving all the sweet memories for Ernest to hold on to alone.,

"Alright, I'll take responsibility,

" I said, standing on tiptoes, reaching up to bite gently at his appealing jawline., He let out a soft hum, and I laughed,

"A new seal, a deeper one, so any girl who wishes to like you will think twice.

", Ernest laughed, a restrained, gentle laugh,

"You're as bossy as you were when you were little.

", Am I bossy? I've always thought of myself as too soft, especially around the Wagners and Conrad, bending to others' wishes unless it went against my principles., Ernest has revived my childhood in full, and though I can't discern how much is true, I genuinely felt happy., Ernest also took me fishing, and we had quite the catch, a hefty fish weighing over four pounds.,

"I'll make you grilled fish for dinner, your favorite as a kid,

" Ernest's offhand comment made me believe his stories were true, as I indeed loved fish, especially my mom's grilled fish that was always so flavorful. On the day of the accident, my mom had promised to make me grilled fish for dinner. But I never got to see them again., Since then, I'd stopped eating grilled fish, to the point where even Herschel, Jacqueline, Conrad, and Dustin thought I disliked fish. But Ernest knew I loved fish.,

"Okay!

" I agreed. At that moment, I felt a sense of closure., Grilled fish was my mom's way of showing her love, and my way of remembering her. Now, someone else remembered too, perhaps a sign from my mom's spirit. Ernest's grilled fish was just like my mom's, bursting with flavor, as if she had made it herself., He told me his mom had taught mine how to cook fish, having grown up by the lake and being an expert in fish dishes., I had lost my mom for ten years, and now her love was passed on to me through Ernest., After dinner, Ernest didn't leave., Sitting on the couch browsing on my phone while he worked on his laptop, my mind wandered uncontrollably, like little bugs crawling in my heart, making it impossible to focus.

"Uh, I'm feeling sleepy,

" I finally made an excuse to send him away., Ernest looked up from his laptop, saying,

"I'm a bit tired too.

", I casually added,

"Then you should head home.

", But Ernest didn't respond, nor did he move; he just looked at me., His gaze made my heart race.

"Ernest...

" I murmured.,

"Can I stay tonight?

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