Soulmate

Episode 2-In the Echoes of Yesterday

I was trying to escape the grip of my dark past. But no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t move forward I was trapped, bound by memories I couldn’t shake. I sat there, frozen in place, cold sweat trickling down my face. A heavy silence surrounded me, and for a moment, I truly believed I would never break free.

Then suddenly, I heard a familiar voice calling my name.

“Noah! Noah! Noah!”

The voice echoed through my ears, distant yet urgent, like someone reaching into my nightmare, trying to pull me out. It felt like someone was trying to wake me upntrying to save me from myself.

I shook my head, convinced it was just my mind playing tricks on me again. But then, louder this time, I heard another voice.

“Hey! Why are you just sitting there? Come on, the café is about to open. Noah! Hey!”

And just like that, I snapped back to reality.

I looked around, disoriented. My coworker stood nearby, watching me with concern. I stared at him, still frozen, trying to speak—but no words came out. My throat was tight, as if the past had gripped it too.

I clenched my fists, drew in a deep breath, and finally raised my head. I was about to say something, anything, but when I saw his face—calm and patient, like he had been quietly waiting for me—I paused. It was like he understood without needing an explanation.

My eyes wandered around the café, and that’s when I noticed the clock.

“The clock…” I whispered, finally processing everything. It was time to work.

Panic surged through me. I jumped to my feet and bowed my head, blurting out, “Sorry!” I expected to be scolded, maybe even criticized for spacing out and holding everyone back.

But instead, my coworker simply asked, “Are you okay?”

I slowly lifted my head and muttered, “Y-yeah…”

As I answered, the café suddenly filled with light laughter. Caught off guard, I looked around, confused.

“What’s so funny?” I asked, my eyebrows raised.

“Nothing,” Mark said with a small grin. “Come on, let’s get to work.”

As I recall, it has been more than ten years since that tragic accident occurred, yet the memory remains as vivid in my mind as if it happened only yesterday. The sights, the sounds, and the emotions of that day are still etched deeply into my heart, refusing to fade with time.Soon, the café began to fill with customers, their chatter blending with the clinking of cups and the hum of the coffee machine.

"Come here, there are customers!" someone called out urgently.

"I'm coming!" I replied, quickly making my way to the counter.

As time passed and the rush began to settle, Mark turned to me with a concerned look and asked, "What happened to you earlier?"

I finished serving the customer’s order, then turned to him with a small smile and said calmly, "It was nothing."

With that, I walked over to the final customer, feeling strangely confident—stronger than I had in a while.

As for my past? I prefer to keep it locked away, not because I don’t trust others, but because some memories are better left forgotten.

To be continued...