THE LOVE WE NEVER FORGET

EPISODE FIVE

The Seventh Name

Julius King had not slept.

The twenty-one-year-old vocalist sat on the edge of his bed, staring at the photograph on his desk.

Six children.

Six names.

And one name that didn't belong.

Lucas Vale.

He picked up the photograph again.

The picture looked old.

The edges were faded, and the colors had almost disappeared.

But the faces were unmistakable.

His face.

Jaden Knight's face.

Jake Williams'.

Joan Robbert's.

Jessica Coal's.

And Juliet Brian's.

He turned the photograph over.

The writing was still there.

Six names.

Then Lucas Vale.

And beneath them, a date.

Julius had checked it three times.

It was the same date every time.

The date he supposedly met the others.

His stomach tightened.

He reached for his phone.

The unknown number had not called again.

But the final message remained on his screen.

Ask Juliet what happened when you were children.

Julius stared at those words.

Why Juliet?

What could she possibly know?

And why would someone who knew about the photograph warn him to stay away from Adrian Vale?

He was about to call Juliet when another thought stopped him.

If someone was watching them...

calling her might put her in danger.

He put the phone down.

For now.

---

The next morning, Harmonia Music Academy was already alive.

Students filled the corridors, rushing toward rehearsal rooms and classrooms.

Music came from almost every direction.

Juliet walked through the hallway carrying her notebook.

She was smiling.

But when she saw Julius standing near the rehearsal room, her smile disappeared.

He looked exhausted.

She walked toward him.

"You didn't sleep."

Julius looked at her.

"Good morning to you too."

"I'm serious."

"I'm fine."

Juliet sighed.

"Again with that answer?"

He smiled weakly.

"Maybe I like saying it."

She studied his face.

"You look like you fought with a ghost."

Julius almost laughed.

"Something like that."

Juliet tilted her head.

"What's wrong?"

He looked at her.

For a moment, he considered telling her everything.

The photograph.

The seventh name.

The message.

The impossible date.

But he remembered the warning.

Ask Juliet what happened when you were children.

Instead, he asked,

"Do you remember our first day together?"

Juliet blinked.

"Our first day?"

"Yeah."

She smiled.

"Of course."

"Where was it?"

Her smile slowly faded.

"I..."

She stopped.

Julius watched her carefully.

Juliet looked confused.

"I don't know."

"You don't remember?"

"I remember knowing you."

She touched her forehead.

"I remember your face. I remember Jaden being loud. Joan always arguing with him. Jake being quiet. Jessica singing."

She paused.

"But..."

"But what?"

"I can't remember the first time we met."

Julius' heart began beating faster.

"Neither can I."

Juliet looked at him.

"You can't?"

He shook his head.

"No."

For several seconds, they stood silently.

Then Juliet laughed nervously.

"Maybe we're just getting old."

Julius smiled.

"At nineteen?"

She laughed.

"Okay. Maybe not."

Neither of them noticed Jake standing at the end of the hallway.

The twenty-one-year-old producer had heard enough.

He watched them for a moment before walking away.

Something was wrong.

And Jake had always trusted his instincts.

---

Inside the rehearsal room, Jaden Knight was already complaining.

"Why are we rehearsing this early?"

Joan Robbert looked at him.

"Because we have our first evaluation today."

"I know."

"Then stop complaining."

"I wasn't complaining."

"You were."

"I was expressing my artistic suffering."

Jessica Coal laughed.

"You're impossible."

Jake entered the room.

Jaden looked at him.

"There you are. Where's Julius?"

"Coming."

Jake put his bag down.

Joan noticed his expression.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing."

Jessica looked at him.

"You all need to stop saying that."

Jake frowned.

"What?"

"Every time someone says 'nothing,' it means something."

Jaden nodded.

"She's right."

Jake glanced toward the door.

"Do any of you remember the first time we met?"

The room went quiet.

Joan laughed.

"Why are you asking?"

"Just answer."

Jaden shrugged.

"I don't know."

Jessica thought for a moment.

"I remember being friends with all of you. But I don't remember the actual beginning."

Joan's smile disappeared.

"Neither do I."

Jake's eyes narrowed.

"Interesting."

Jaden pointed at him.

"Why are you asking weird questions this morning?"

Before Jake could answer, the door opened.

Julius and Juliet entered.

Jaden immediately stood.

"Finally!"

Juliet smiled.

"Sorry."

"No problem."

They began preparing for their evaluation.

None of them noticed the security camera in the corner of the room.

And none of them noticed the small red light blinking.

Someone was watching.

---

The performance began at noon.

Three instructors sat at the front of the rehearsal hall.

Behind them were several senior students.

The six friends stood in formation.

Jaden took a deep breath.

Joan stretched her shoulders.

Jake adjusted the music.

Jessica closed her eyes.

Juliet held her microphone.

Julius looked at her.

She looked back.

He smiled.

Ready?

She nodded.

The music began.

Their performance was better than they had expected.

Jaden's rap was sharp.

Joan moved with confidence.

Jake's arrangement flowed perfectly.

Jessica's voice filled the room.

Juliet sang with emotion.

Then Julius joined her.

Their voices blended.

The room became completely silent.

Even the instructors stopped taking notes.

When the final note ended, nobody moved.

Then one instructor slowly stood.

"That..."

She looked at the other instructors.

"...was impressive."

Jaden's face lit up.

"Thank you!"

Joan covered her face.

"Jaden!"

"What?"

"You were supposed to be humble."

"I don't know how."

Everyone laughed.

Even one of the instructors smiled.

But Julius wasn't laughing.

He had noticed something.

At the back of the room stood Adrian Vale.

And beside him...

was a young man Julius had never seen before.

The stranger was staring directly at Juliet.

Not casually.

Not curiously.

Like he knew her.

Julius' expression changed.

"Who is that?"

Juliet followed his gaze.

"Who?"

"The guy beside Adrian."

She looked.

The stranger was gone.

Julius immediately stepped forward.

"Wait."

He hurried toward the doors.

"Julius!" Juliet called.

But he was already outside.

The hallway was empty.

He looked left.

Nothing.

Right.

Nothing.

Then he heard footsteps.

He turned.

Adrian Vale stood behind him.

"Looking for someone?"

Julius stared at him.

"Who was that man?"

Adrian's expression didn't change.

"Which man?"

"The one standing beside you."

"There was no one beside me."

Julius frowned.

"I saw him."

Adrian stepped closer.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

Adrian stared at him for several seconds.

Then quietly said,

"You need to stop looking for things you aren't ready to find."

Julius' jaw tightened.

"What does that mean?"

Adrian walked past him.

"You'll understand soon enough."

Julius turned around.

"Sir!"

Adrian stopped.

"Who is Lucas Vale?"

For the first time...

Adrian froze.

It lasted only a second.

But Julius saw it.

The director slowly turned around.

His face had changed.

"Where did you hear that name?"

Julius stared at him.

"So you know him."

Adrian said nothing.

Julius stepped closer.

"Who is Lucas Vale?"

Adrian's eyes hardened.

"Go back to your friends."

"Answer me."

"Julius."

His voice was quiet.

But there was something frightening underneath it.

"Do not say that name again."

Then Adrian walked away.

Julius stood in the hallway.

His heart pounded.

He had his answer.

Adrian knew Lucas Vale.

But there was something else.

Something Adrian hadn't realized.

Julius had seen the stranger.

And now he knew one thing for certain.

Someone at Harmonia knew far more about the six friends than they were telling them.

---

That evening, Juliet returned to her dorm room.

She placed her notebook on the desk and began unpacking.

Something fell from between the pages.

A small photograph.

Juliet picked it up.

She frowned.

She had never seen it before.

It showed six children standing together.

She recognized all of them.

Jaden.

Jake.

Julius.

Joan.

Jessica.

And herself.

But there was something written on the back.

Juliet slowly turned the photograph over.

Her breathing stopped.

There were seven names.

The first six were familiar.

The seventh wasn't.

Lucas Vale.

Juliet's fingers began trembling.

Then, suddenly—

a memory flashed through her mind.

A little boy.

A dark room.

Music playing somewhere in the distance.

Julius crying.

And a voice whispering:

"Don't let them find you."

Juliet dropped the photograph.

She grabbed the edge of the desk to steady herself.

"What...?"

Another flash came.

A woman.

A locked door.

Six children.

And Lucas standing in front of them.

Then the memory disappeared.

Juliet stood frozen.

Her phone suddenly rang.

Unknown number.

She stared at it.

It rang again.

And again.

Finally, she answered.

She didn't speak.

Neither did the person on the other end.

Then a man's voice whispered:

"Juliet..."

Her blood ran cold.

"Who is this?"

A pause.t

Then—

"You're finally remembering."

The call ended.

Juliet stared at the phone.

And for the first time...

she realized the memories she had forgotten might have been forgotten for a reason.