FINDING YOU , LOVING ME

WHAT HAPPENED THAT DAY?

CHAPTER 7

What Happened That Day

Mia's POV

I couldn't take my eyes off the photograph.

September 5, 2012.

The date Ethan and I first met.

The date our families had apparently been together.

It couldn't be a coincidence.

"Why would our parents be here that day?" I whispered.

Ethan didn't answer.

He was staring at the photograph as if he were trying to remember something buried deep in his mind.

"I was too young," he finally said. "I barely remember anything."

I looked around the archive room.

"Then maybe there's something here that can help us."

We began searching.

Boxes were stacked from floor to ceiling.

Old receipts.

Photographs.

Letters.

Newspaper clippings.

Nothing made sense.

Until Ethan opened a small wooden box.

Inside was a folded newspaper.

He carefully unfolded it.

I leaned closer.

There was an article about a bookstore event held on September 5, 2012.

At the bottom was a photograph.

Our parents were there.

My eyes widened.

"That's them."

Ethan nodded.

The article explained that several families had gathered at the bookstore for a children's reading event.

But there was something strange.

The article mentioned that the event had ended earlier than expected because of a sudden argument between two families.

There were no details.

Just one sentence:

"The disagreement resulted in the immediate cancellation of the evening program."

I looked at Ethan.

"That's it?"

"Apparently."

"That's not enough."

He turned the newspaper over.

Something fell from between the pages.

A small piece of paper.

I picked it up.

There were only four words.

"Don't trust the records."

My stomach dropped.

"Ethan..."

He took the note from my hand.

"Who wrote this?"

"I don't know."

We looked at each other.

For the first time, the mystery didn't feel exciting anymore.

It felt real.

---

We decided to leave the archive room.

But before I closed the door, I noticed something on the desk.

A small notebook.

I picked it up.

The cover was faded.

Inside were handwritten notes.

Most of the pages were blank.

But one page had a date.

September 5, 2012.

Below it was a sentence.

"The children must never know what happened."

I froze.

"Ethan."

He read the page.

His expression changed.

"What does that mean?"

"I don't know."

I closed the notebook.

"We need to ask our parents."

---

That evening, I sat in the living room with Mom.

I placed the notebook on the table.

Her face immediately changed.

"Where did you get that?"

"The Book Nook."

She looked at me.

"You shouldn't have opened that room."

"Why?"

She didn't answer.

"Mom, please."

She closed her eyes.

"When you were little, there was an argument."

"Between you and Ethan's family?"

She nodded.

"What was it about?"

She looked at the notebook.

"Your father found out something."

"What?"

"I can't tell you."

"Why not?"

"Because it could hurt people."

I stared at her.

"Mom, I'm already involved."

She shook her head.

"No, Mia. You're not supposed to be."

"What does that mean?"

She stood.

"Stay away from Ethan."

My heart sank.

"What?"

"Please."

"Why?"

"Because I don't want history repeating itself."

I stood too.

"You're not answering my questions!"

Her voice softened.

"I'm trying to protect you."

"From Ethan?"

"No."

She looked at me.

"From what happened to his family."

---

The next morning, I found Ethan outside school.

He immediately knew something was wrong.

"What happened?"

"My mom told me to stay away from you."

His expression fell.

"Did she say why?"

"No."

I handed him the notebook.

He read the page.

His jaw tightened.

"My mother said the same thing."

"What?"

"She told me yesterday that I shouldn't look into the past."

We stood silently.

"So both of them are afraid," I said.

"Yeah."

"Then there must be something they're hiding."

Ethan nodded.

"But we're not going to force them."

I looked at him.

"What do you mean?"

"We'll find the truth ourselves."

I smiled slightly.

"Together?"

"Together."

He held out his hand.

I looked at it for a moment before taking it.

"Deal."

Just then, a black car slowly passed the school gate.

Neither of us paid much attention.

Until it stopped.

The window lowered.

A man inside looked directly at us.

Then the car drove away.

Ethan's expression suddenly became serious.

"Do you know him?"

I shook my head.

"No."

He watched the car disappear down the road.

"I do."

My heart sank.

"Who is he?"

Ethan looked at me.

"Someone my father told me never to trust."

I stared at the empty road.

The mystery had just become more complicated.

And somewhere inside me, I knew—

whatever happened back in 2012 wasn't finished yet.