"You still have the nerve to ask that?" Ayla shot him a cold look. "My child died the moment you gave me that pill, Evan."
Evan's heart dropped.
"What do you mean?" he asked softly, almost whispering.
Ayla stepped a little closer, her voice low but filled with restrained anger.
"Don't ever think about taking him from me."
Evan froze.
—
"Ayla, I don't understand…" Evan's voice was almost trembling. "What do you mean? Our child is still alive or—"
"My child. Not our child," Ayla cut in sharply. "Don't ever claim something that isn't yours."
Evan swallowed hard. A thousand questions swirled in his head, but Ayla's piercing gaze warned him—one wrong word and he might lose the chance to learn more.
"But I saw the photo," Evan said quietly. "He looks like me, Ay."
Ayla closed her eyes briefly, as if holding her breath, before looking at him again. Her gaze was colder this time.
"You think a similar face is enough for you to come here and interrogate me?" Ayla stepped closer, her voice almost a whisper. "If you feel guilty, that's your business. But that child is none of your business, Evan."
Evan felt the walls around him collapse. This wasn't just a shock. It was like being hit by something he couldn't even see coming.
"Ayla..."
"Don't follow me again," Ayla interrupted quickly. "And don't ever try to find out about my child."
With that, Ayla turned and walked out of the room, leaving Evan standing frozen. His fists clenched at his sides, his mind racing to piece together everything he had just heard.
My child died the moment you gave me that pill.
So… is it true the child isn't his? Or is Ayla just trying to keep him away?
Evan had to find the answer.
—
Chat from Damar
Evan let out a long sigh, his phone still in hand. The high school alumni group chat was still buzzing, but his eyes were fixed on one new private message.
Damar: Yo, remember me, Van?
Evan: Damar, right? The guy who claimed to be my best buddy back then?
Damar: Whoa, "claimed"? Harsh, man! You're in your twenties and still forgetful!
Evan: Haha, sorry. My memory's kinda messy when it comes to high school.
Damar: That's 'cause you're all style, no substance. Been ages since we talked. Saw you met Ayla again earlier?
Evan: Yeah, why?
Damar: Just curious—do you still remember the story?
Evan: What story? I seriously don't know what you mean.
Damar: So you really remember nothing? For real?
Evan: Seriously, I don't get it.
There was a long pause. Evan waited, then a new message popped up.
Damar: Okay, you really seem blank. I'll give you a clue.
Damar: Back then you and Ayla… were super close.
Damar: Then suddenly she disappeared, said she was studying abroad.
Damar: But there were rumors she didn't just leave for school.
Damar: You never got curious? Never asked?
Evan: Rumors? What are you talking about?
Damar: I don't want to act like I know it all, Van. But if you're really curious about Ayla, you should ask her directly.
Damar: And one more thing… You're too old to still be this clueless.
Evan frowned. Clueless? What did he mean?
He looked at his screen again, at Ayla's profile photo—her and a toddler.
His heart thumped. Why did that child look familiar?
—
Scene: Chat from Damar (Continued)
Evan stared at his phone for a long time. A creeping unease began to rise. His fingers moved quickly across the screen.
Evan: What do you mean, Mar?
Damar: You really want to know?
Evan: Of course. Stop being cryptic.
Damar: Alright, I'll tell you bit by bit. But Van… if I do, don't pretend you forgot again.
Evan: I swear I'm not pretending.
Damar: Okay. Back then, you and Ayla were dating in 12th grade, right?
Evan: Yeah… I guess?
Damar: "Guess"? Man, Van. Yeah, you were dating. You were practically glued to her.
Evan frowned. It all sounded foreign to him.
Damar: Then one day, she suddenly vanished.
Evan: Yeah, she said she went abroad for college, right?
Damar: That's what everyone thought. But…
Damar took a long time typing before the next message came.
Damar: Ayla left because she was pregnant, Van.
Evan froze. His breath caught. He swallowed hard.
Evan: What?
Damar: Yeah, you didn't know?
Evan: I don't remember…
Damar: Are you serious, Van? You really don't remember?
Evan rubbed his face, digging deep into his mind for the memory Damar mentioned. Nothing. Just emptiness.
Damar: You didn't just know, Van. You told her to get rid of it.
Evan felt like the world was spinning. He stared at his phone, dazed.
Evan: You're lying, right? I couldn't have been that horrible.
Damar: I wish I were lying. But that's what happened. You gave her the pill. She cried her eyes out. The next day she left. And after that, you never looked for her again.
Evan's fingers trembled. He wanted to deny it, but no words came.
Damar: The child is still alive, Van.
Damar: You saw the photo, didn't you?
Evan's heart pounded. His eyes drifted back to the screen.
Ayla's photo. That child. That little face…
Looked exactly like his childhood photo.
—
The Missing Trace
Sitting in his car, Evan stared at the big house he hadn't visited in a long time. His parents' house looked just the same as the last time he came, but something about it felt unfamiliar. As if it held memories that weren't fully his.
With heavy steps, he entered the house. His mother greeted him with a warm smile, as if nothing had changed. "It's rare for you to come home," she said, handing him a warm cup of tea.
"I want to find something in my old room," Evan replied briefly.
She just nodded. The room was just like before—neat and clean, likely maintained regularly. Evan opened the wardrobe, moved a few boxes, and pulled out a dusty cardboard box that felt heavy in his hands. Inside were things he hadn't touched in years.
These were his belongings. But why did some of them feel unfamiliar?
He pulled out his old laptop and set it on the desk, powering it on. It took a few minutes before the screen lit up, displaying a forgotten wallpaper. His fingers moved to open the folders.
His eyes froze at a folder labeled "Ayla."
Evan frowned. When did I have this folder?
His hand moved on its own, clicking the folder. Dozens of photos appeared on the screen. Photos of him and Ayla, some taken in places he didn't remember visiting. Photos of them at a café, at the city park, even selfies inside his own car.
His face turned pale. He had no memory of ever taking these.
Then there was one video. He hit play.
"Ev, are you sure?" Ayla's voice came from the video. Her face appeared on screen, looking hesitant. "Yeah, Ay. We'll face this together," his voice responded from behind the camera. Ayla bit her lip, then let out a small laugh. "You won't run away, right?"
"Crazy, huh? I love you, Ay. Trust me."
Evan felt his whole body freeze. What did I just say?
The video wasn't long, only a few seconds. But it was enough to make his chest tighten. He scanned through the other files. There were voice recordings, documents, even a plane ticket under Ayla's name dated close to when she vanished from his life.
His heart pounded even harder when he found one photo that made him go completely still.
An ultrasound image.
Patient name: Ayla Prameswari.
His hands trembled. So Ayla really was pregnant?
Then, if the child was born… the kid in Ayla's profile photo—
Evan shut the laptop in a rush. He felt like he had just dug up a grave of memories that were never meant to be uncovered. But no. These weren't just shadows of the past.
They were real.
And they were waiting for him to remember.